Well it's the Avon Descent weekend and the river level is not as high as last year but it is fairly high and will present a good race and a few thrills and spills.

Good Luck Avon Descenters
 

We had the 2022 Australian Wild Water Championships last weekend after not having them for 19 years.

In the Australian Championships in 1981 in Nymboida, NSW I came 29th. In this championships and 41 years later I came 21st and first in the over 65s. 
I think there must be less competitors now.
 

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WA 2022 Wild Water Championships

19th - 20th August

at Bridgetown

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Prostate Cancer Update.

 I'm in a bit of a limbo with my cancer results. The PET scan that I recently had is not showing any definite cancer spot although the specialists are sure that cancer is there - somewhere. 

At the moment I have a few choices :-

The main one is to have 6 weeks, 5 days a week of radiation and hope that it will wipe out the cancer that is lurking, but it seems there is only 50% chance of that happening. 

Take medication - Drugs to prevent production of the hormone testosterone. The after effects didn't sound good.
Get another PSA test and monitor any increase in levels and discuss options after another blood test.
 The first two options have side effects that don't sound good but eventually I will have to take one of them.

At the moment I have decided to have another blood test at the end of August to check my PSA and see how it will go from there.

It's strange to think I have prostate cancer recurring  (my prostate was removed 4 years ago) as I feel absolutely fine with no symptoms that is associated with Prostate Cancer. 

What is PSA.

(Prostate-Specific Antigen, is a protein produced by normal, as well as malignant, cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test measures the level of PSA in the blood.)

Australian Wild Water Championships 
(West Australia)
 

Kris Smith Event Organiser and committee member Peter Gigengack.

Photo John O'Sullivan.
 

Kris and Peter give the briefing

Photo John O'Sullivan.
 

Izzy Combe tackling the big white water.
Photo John O'Sullivan.
 

Maya Elston
She is probably thinking - oh shit this is a big wave!
Photo John O'Sullivan.
 

Maya is now thinking - Phew thank god I got over that wave still upright.
Photo John O'Sullivan.
 

Nina Mueller in the bottom of a big wave.
Photo John O'Sullivan.
 

Nina.
Photo Lawrence Greed.
 

Josh Richards. My team member.
Photo Lawrence Greed.
 

 Steve Stasiuk.
Just one of the paddlers I wanted to beat.

Photo John O'Sullivan.

Australian Wild Water Championships

With high water on the Avon River the Australian Wildwater Championships was going to be fun, and certainly testing. The classic race was held between Posselts Ford and upstream of Emu falls. With the high water some sections were going to be easier and others much more difficult. 

When a group of us paddled the Valley on Thursday it was 2 metres on the gauge and just under 1.9m on the graph. The Super Chute and Narrow Neck were really pumping and Razorback 2 was easier than usual. 

The scenery up the Toodyay way was certainly picturesque like always in winter with lots of new born lambs littering the fields. Arriving at Cobblers Pool volunteers were putting up shades and getting things organised. Soon after we were told to take our boats to Posselts Ford, drop them off and do a car shuffle to a car park near the end of the course. We returned to Cobblers Pool for the briefing and to get our numbers for the teams event. The teams event was put on first because most of us weren’t able to practise that section.

I was in the team with Josh Richards and Peter Gigengack. Peter and Josh were much faster so I had my work cut out. We had quite a good run.

After lunch was the individual race. With the teams in the morning at least we all knew where to go but after talking to other competitors and getting different opinions of the route to take I was wondering if I should try their route or just go where I know.

Peter Liddle and Warren were starting us. Slowest went off first. 
I was one minute behind Darryl Long because I had beaten him in the Bells to Amiens Race two weeks before. Grant Pepper was a minute behind me. The Bell’s to Amiens Race was much tamer than today’s race so I had no allusions that I could beat Darryl again. The only time I was better than Darryl was in the 1970s. When Darryl joined Ascot Kayak Club in the early 1980s I took him and several other young paddlers under my wing and taught him and them how to paddle whitewater. A year or two later Darryl was winning the Avon Descent and up to this year I have never beaten him in a race since. 

Darryl Long hits one of the big waves.
Photo Lawrence Greed.
 

I tackle one of the stoppers.
Photo Lawrence Greed.
 

I hope Grant is not catching me up.
Photo John O'Sullivan.
 

Grant Pepper.
Photo Lawrence Greed.

Darryl took off leaving me to count down 60 seconds before I could take off. Once away Posselts Ford drop was no longer, it was flooded but as I approached Super Chute I was hoping to cut the corner like I did in the team event but I misjudged the speed of the water and had to take the normal route which was easier than at lower water levels. With the river a little higher than when I paddled it on Thursday it was actually easier as there was a definite ‘V’ and less messy exploding waves at the drop. Having made it through without a problem was a confident builder. The rocks were completely underwater at the Goolies which were a little further downstream and easy to paddle. It took a while to get to Narrow Neck but it didn’t disappoint, it was big. I saw a helmet at the bottom and I was hoping Darryl had messed up and I had caught him up but it was a rescuers helmet.  

I took the left channel to avoid the big hole down the main chute. With spectators cheering I hit the huge wave which angled me to the left and once over it I spun out. Luckily I only lost 18-20 seconds. After turning the kayak by having my bow in the fast current and my stern being in an eddy, I was washed over a mess of waves before I accelerated away with the help of the fast current towards Quarry Bend. The rapid was pretty smooth, but fast and not as difficult as it is at a lower level, although care had to be taken at the bottom to prevent spinning out by a big eddy. 

The 500 metre section between Quarry Bend and Donegan’s Crossing was fast but easy going. Beyond it there was a long pool with swirly water and this is where I needed to make up some time. Rice Pud, another easy but fast flowing rapid was at the end of the pool and once down it I only had Stodgy Porridge to paddle. By now Grant wasn’t that far behind which meant if he caught me he would beat me by 1 minute like he did in the last race.  I slipped through the waves of Stodgy Porridge and paddled another 300 metres with Grant getting closer. To my delight I paddled over the finish line before him but I hadn't beaten Darryl.

Grant chases me to the finish line.
Photo Robyn Khorshid.
 

Josh Kippin Winner in the Classic Race.
Photo John O'Sullivan.
 

You can't get many wild water paddlers better than Darryl Long and Josh Kippin.

Photo John O'Sullivan.
 

Steve Bird, Noah Boldy & Jesse Phillips 1st in the Classic Teams event.

Steve Bird was also the winner of the Sprint Championships.

Photo John O'Sullivan.

I named 45 of the rapids along the Avon River Valley.

These are the ones we used in the Championships.

Posselts Ford: One of the original names.

Super Chute: One of the original names.

Goolies: Named because of two boulders that look like….

Narrow Neck; Named because of a narrow turbulent drop between two sets of rock that reminded me of a neck.

Quarry Bend: There is a quarry nearby. Now abandoned I think.

Rice Pud: Because I like Rice Pudding and I was thinking about it at the time.

Stodgy Porridge: After camping nearby and having porridge for breakfast. The rapid looked all gluggy, just like my porridge.

Razor Back: Named after seeing a wild pig while mapping the rapid. There are two routes. This rapid wasn't used in the end.

Results here:

https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=285419 Classic Individual

https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=285395 Classic Teams

https://www.webscorer.com/seriesresult?seriesid=277131 Sprints

https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=285609 Sprint Teams

The Scattering of Jeremy's Ashes

at Super Chute last Saturday lunchtime 

Our paddling friend Jeremy Hood (35) passed away last year.

Jeremy had a medical episode while mountain biking October 2021.

Jeremy was such a great guy. 

There are many good people in the world and Jeremy would have been right up there at the top.

His family and friends were there at Super Chute to scatter his ashes at lunchtime between the Wild Water Races.

We did a great high water Avon River trip with him last year.

Jeremy in action.

It is the Avon Descent this weekend.

I have competed in 27 or 28 Avon Descents in all different kayaks. My first one was in 1978 and I think I came 13th paddling a touring kayak.

Because I have been on about 13 expeditions up north or overseas at the same time as the Avon is on, I have missed a few.
 

1979 Avon Descent Steve Pilton and I came 2nd and 3rd in 1980.
 

With Steve Pilton when we were a little younger.
Well I look just the same.
 

I paddled the Avon Descent kneeling in a C1 twice in the 1980s.
It's a long way on your knees
 

C1 down Bells Rapid.

Photo Roger Smith.

I used this Avenger around 10 times. I still have it.
 

I paddled the Avon in this High Deck Wizard twice and when I sold it the buyer thought it was a new new one.
Must have been high water in those days.
 

I paddle this Wild Water kayak about 8 times.
It was made in the 1980s and it is still used by Luke Dooley. He has won lots of races in it.
 

The river was really low in 2010 paddling double kayak with Alaine Davin.
 

I paddled with John Breed in a double kayak.
 

Last year when the Avon was really high I paddle a 415 kayak. Being plastic and heavy and only 4.15 metres long it was slow but it was stable so although it was hard work on the flat, it was great in the big rapids.

I came 6th in the K1 division.