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For a ski paddler who loves Down Wind paddling this is the dream week for them as it is the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week with five races being run including The Doctor, a race from Rottnest to Sorrento. There are also coaching courses being organised. Don't miss out. We also have the Moore River Race on Sunday which may be a little more calmer than ocean paddling.
Do you really have a good look at the birds on the river?
A Cormorant in front of a morning waning moon.
- Who's Out There
- Progressive Racing Group
- The
Duel
- Shaw and Partners WA Race Week
At the Oscars - From My Diary
- Birds Along The Way
Shaw & Partners Race Week - Coming Events
Progressive Racing Group The
kinder weather has helped to get paddlers back on the water. We consistently get over 20 paddlers taking part on Tuesday evening. This week we had 28 paddlers. The training is certainly helping the newer and intermediate paddlers how to race, how to take a turn around a spit post and give wash riding a go.
And to enjoy a training session.
Sally Harris & Kate Crossing having a good fight.
Paddlers are sent off depending on speed.
Darryl Khng & Peter van Maanen
Photo John O'Sullivan
Just follow the coastline Photo John
O'Sullivan
The Giant on the hill.
Photo John O'Sullivan
Josh Trevarthen
Photo John O'Sullivan
Darryl Long & Spencer King Photo John
O'Sullivan
Shaw and Partners WA Race
Week
19th - 26th November | Perth, WA
The biggest and richest surf-ski paddling week in history is nearly here!
With $260,000 in prize money on the line, competitiors from all across Australia will gather for the various races. The busy week consists of:
Fenn West
Coast Downwinder - 19th November
Dr Benjamin Hewitt Sunset Surfski Series #1 - 22nd November
Dr Benjamin Hewitt Sunset Surfski Series #2 - 24th November
Shaw and Partners Dash for Cash - 25th November
Shaw and Partners The Doctor - 26th November
See more information
below
Receiving the Presidents Award and telling a bit of my story to Paddle Australia President Andrea McQuitty & 10 times World Slalom Champion Richard
Fox.
Photo Carolyn J Cooper
Paddle Australia President Andrea McQuitty Photo Carolyn J Cooper & 8 times Australian Wild Water Champion
1984 A McQuitty(TAS) 1985 A McQuitty (TAS) 1986 V Golding (TAS) 1987 S Cahill (NSW) 1988 A McQuitty (TAS) 1989 A McQuitty (TAS) 1990 L Muir (NSW) 1991 G Pickersgill (WA) 1992 A McQuitty (TAS) 1993 1993MRodgers(WA) 1994 A Mcquitty (TAS) 1995 A Mcquitty (TAS) L Caster France
Paddle Australia President Andrea McQuitty as a top Wild Water paddler.
From My Diary
Tanami Track 1990 August 11th. Near Balgo Aboriginal
Community. I left camp 3kms from the turn off to the Balgo Aboriginal community. The weather soon became hot, which contributed to my sore, sweaty backside. The road surface changed frequently from gravel corrugations and thick soft sand to fine bull-dust. I tried
padding my bum to ease the pain from the corrugations but it barely helped. The afternoon Milo and sandwich stop gave me enough time for my backside to cool down. It was hard work and painful but I knew as the days passed I would get used to the discomfort of the bike seat and
start taking it in my stride. In the deep afternoon, just as the heat was moving below 36 degrees I noticed a Thorny Devil Lizard, not much longer than 10 inches long, creep slowly across the track. I stopped and walked back to it. I hadn’t seen one for years but later I would see more. It was camouflaged against the reddish sand and looked quite deadly with its spikes protruding from its body. It was a beauty, a brilliantly crafted lizard that was truly unique in appearance. I slowly, and with
some caution, lowered my hand and clasped my fingers around its fleshy body. There was no struggle on its behalf as it allowed me to take it to the other side of the road and place it in the scrub.
Thorny Devil Lizard Thorny devils have cones and shields on their bodies that serve as camouflage and as retainers of any water they come in contact with. The colors of their skin range from brown to yellow as the time of day changes to effectively blend in
with their arid environments. They have long tongues that allow them to catch ants, and their teeth are specially adapted to bite through the hard, chitin-rich bodies of
ants. Females are generally larger than males, and they live 6 to 20 years in the wild. Their diet is made up exclusively of ants, eating anywhere from 600 to 2,500
ants in one meal. I cycled on, quite happy with the rescue mission I had just undertaken. My spirits were high and I felt like cycling faster and singing. What a difference meeting
such a lizard can make to one’s outlook and enjoyment in life. Climbing a slight rise I struggled with the sand patches and zig-zagged across the track to find the firmest and flattest going. A cloud of dust came across the rise and a vehicle driven by a women driver stopped next to me. Melissa McCord started talking to me, wanting to know what I was doing etc. She looked quite exhausted and hot. A few minutes into our conversation and after finding out that she was a writer/photographer a guy sat up in the back of the vehicle. He had been sleeping. They both looked the worse for wear. The heat and long dusty drive was taking its toll. Melissa stepped from the vehicle with some difficulty. It was then that I realised that she was several months
pregnant. The sun was falling lower in the sky and as we talked the colours became more impressive. Melissa waited for the right opportunity when the light was at its best, then she started taking photo after photo. Apparently my red cycling shorts lit up the
frame, bringing brightness and vibrant colour to the photograph. I posed in as many positions, as a push bike would allow, until she had taken about 50 shots. We then drank coffee while Andrew moved around taking movie footage as Melissa asked me questions and taped my every word. They said they were deeply impressed with my point of view and interest in life. I wondered if the story would ever go to print. I had been interviewed many times before, but very few interviews had been printed. It
didn’t really matter as I found it an interesting experience. Melissa had already published one book about women and this book was going to focus on people who achieve, but never get a mention. The title was going to be, ‘Day By Day’, in fact when it was printed it turned out being called, ‘A Field Of Short Poppies’ and I was featured in it. They were heading to Broome via Halls Creek and then returning to Sydney via Kalgoorlie.
In the book- A Field of Short Poppies
From Mellissa's Book above -
A Field of Short Poppies. Travelling west across the Tanami was like being in a sitcom, the road was an endless dusty washboard and us the dirty laundry. It was one of those rare occasions that I drove
for a couple of hours. Seven kilometres across the West Australian border, I thought I saw
something really weird ahead. It was one of those classic truckie stories about the mirage that kept coming; the mirage you almost ran over. By that stage I had accepted that I must be quite mad, driving across Australia when I was so ‘far gone’. But boy, who would even contemplate the Tanami on a pushbike? I screeched to a halt, then reversed up alongside this kindred spirit to ask him what he had been doing further up the road. I’d seen him running all over the place, as if he had a case of electric fleas! I was just moving a dragon lizard off the road I thought you might squash it. There’s been a few along the road and
I just take them into the bush so any cars can’t hit them. I have just walked down the Canning Stock Route, which is 16,000 kilometres and I picked up 750 beer cans along the way. My heart warmed immediately, and the man introduced himself to us as Terry Bolland. As we discovered, he was a veteran of other incredible journeys, and had learnt the essential lesson of ‘easy does it’, the importance of being kind to yourself and of treating each kilometre as a personal success. On the flip side, Terry also had some very healthy things to say about accepting
failure. I’m ready for failure. If I fall off my bike and break my leg, I
won’t say to myself, ‘I failed’. Instead I’ll say, ‘Well, I succeeded in doing 3500 kilometres (and a broken leg stopped me)’.
The photo taken by Melissa McCord which is in her book, 'A Field of Short Poppies'.
Two young Spoonbills still in the nest but I expect they will be taking flight any day now.
There are still a lot of young ducks being born.
Saturday Morning Training at Sandy Beach, Bassendean 4 kilometre race Register 7.15am All Welcome
MOORE RIVER MARATHON & MIXED DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIPS SUN NOV 20THThe water may be low with obstacles.
The event will take place at Moore River regardless.Entering PA details: Put PA0123456. If your PA number is less than 6 digits, put zeros in front of numbers to make 6 Enter your birthdate 1956-05-08 WITH HYPHENS. If not a member of PA, hit the option & pay for daily entry, all
welcome. Register here: https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=296821
Shaw & Partners Race Week19th – 26th November
2022Welcome to the 2022 Shaw
and Partners WA Race Week. We are excited to see you in Perth from the 19th to 26th November for a great week of racing and social activities. With $265,000 in prize money up for grabs, the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week is the biggest and richest week of surf ski paddling ever! We would like to thank Earl Evans and Allan Zion, Co-CEO’s of Shaw and Partners Financial Services for their continued support of the Australian Ocean Racing Series and helping to build surf ski paddling in Australia and
around the world. Their support and passion is greatly appreciated.
Thank you to all the sponsors and supporters of the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week who have made this event possible and continue to support the series. Special thanks to the City of Joondalup for hosting the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week in their beautiful region. Please make sure you visit Hillary’s Marina and other local vendors to take advantage of the special offers for competitors.
Thank you to the event
organisers, Indian Ocean Paddlers and City of Perth SLSC for holding the Fenn West Coast Downwinder and Dr Benjamin Hewitt Sunset Surf Ski Series and supporting the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week.
Lastly, thank you to Sorrento Surf Life Saving Club, its members and volunteers, for their continued support in making the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week bigger and better each year, and hosting the many social activities that will take place during race week. We hope you all have a fantastic
week. Good luck! Calendar: SATURDAY 19TH NOVEMBER Fenn West Coast Downwinder Hosted By Indian Ocean Paddlers 24km downwind race from Port Beach, Fremantle to Sorrento Beach. TUESDAY 22ND NOVEMBER Dr Benjamin Hewitt Sunset Surfski Series Race 1 Hosted by City of Perth SLSC 11km downwind race from Port Beach, Fremantle to City Beach. www.sunsetsurfskiseries.co THURSDAY 24TH NOVEMBER Dr Benjamin Hewitt Sunset Surfski Series Race 2 Hosted by City of Perth SLSC 11km downwind race from Port Beach, Fremantle to City Beach. www.sunsetsurfskiseries.com FRIDAY 25TH NOVEMBER Shaw and Partners Dash for Cash $15,000 cash up for grabs in the richest surf ski sprint race in the world. 7am onwards. 3 - 5pm Barge Loading & Briefing for The Doctor SATURDAY 26TH NOVEMBER The Shaw and Partners Doctor The Finale of the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week. Hosted by Oceanpaddler 27km downwind race from Rottnest Island to Sorrento Beach.
THE DOCTOR SAFETY NUMBER 0422 554 965 Please note that all times are subject to change.
LiveLighter Sprint Regatta #3
3rd December | Champion Lakes Regatta Centre
Registrations are open for the third LiveLighter Sprint Regatta this season.
This is an afternoon regatta with the first event at 1.00pm, giving you plenty of time to sleep in and still do some hard racing.
K1, C1, S1, OC1, Va'a -
200m, 500m, 1000m
GK1 - 100m, 200m, 500m
K2, GK2 - 500m
Junior K4 -
500m
Registrations close 11.59pm on Saturday 26th November.
Entries after this will be accepted only with a $20 late fee.
Pairs Enduro 27th November Middle Swan to Ascot Kayak Club. Must race with a partner. |
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