The Race
I arrived early so I could do a few kilometres before the race started heading upstream to check out the shallows. I don’t particular like shallows especially when racing next to skis as they seem to slide over them better. By the time the race got underway I had paddled 11
kilometres.
When it was time for my grid to leave, 3 other grids were ahead including the outriggers. I was left behind at the start as usual, having to catch some of the leaders about 500 to 700 metres mark when they had slowed down. I eventually passed young Beau Jacob who is 12 years old, yippee,
yippee, yippee, then I passed Doug Hodson and started catching Erica McKnight. Once I passed Erica there were 5 boats in front, a double, Sean Killen, Alastair Fox, Chris Hollier, and Peter Pawlow.
Rob Lindgren was over to my right. Rob was new to racing. I had raced him twice and lucky for me tactics won over but he is a strong paddler and he looked determined. After passing Alastair and Chris, Rob wash rode me for a short time and then he came along side me and that was it, I had my
ride, but it wasn’t easy to keep on his wash. I lost him several times as we passed other paddlers and outriggers in the shallows and had to really grunt to catch him again.
At the short cut an outrigger headed for the narrow gap and at this point Rob was two boats lengths ahead. The shallow water held me back but I was determined to reach the gap before the outrigger. Rob made it with a few metres to spare and I got ahead just in time. A few seconds later I
heard the outrigger crunch after hitting a branch. At the end of the channel Rob was well in front but I eventually caught him. Just before the turn buoy at Kent Street Weir Rob hit a branch with his rudder but luckily for him it didn’t break. As soon as we turned I caught him and started paddling alongside and within a kilometre we were passing Sean. Now we only had Peter Pawlow and the K2 of Paul & Tink Measey ahead but they would be impossible to catch up with.
