Well with the Australian Marathon Championships over for another year we look forward to heading to Victor Harbour in South Australia next year. The championships were enjoyable and a great success.

Now we are heading into the Avon Descent season and the 50th Avon Descent. We still have several marathon races to come so there is no slacking off.
It's so good to have less wind on the river at the moment, calmer conditions and that perfect temperature. 

Would you believe the Swan Cafe (new management) beside Ascot Kayak Club has now been open for a year. If you haven't yet been - best try it out.

This is John O'Sullivan - Paddler.

This is John O'Sullivan - Photographer.

He takes some amazing shots.

These are photos he took yesterday of the eclipse in Perth.

Photo John O'Sullivan. 

Here is a photo of the Canning River last week.

Photo John O'Sullivan. 

Paddle WA

Avon Descent Paddling Course

Paddling Courses | Paddle WA

Name: Chase The Avon
Description: An information evening, 5 flatwater sessions, 1/2 day white water skills development, full day white water skills and trip and Avon Descent competency assessment. You will have access to practical tips and insights from experienced Avon Descent paddlers while developing the skills required to race well and achieve your goal to finish the Avon Descent.
Date: Information Session Monday 1 May 2023. Flatwater Sessions during May running at 3 different clubs on different days in May. Choose one that suits you
Venue: Information session Ascot Kayak Club, Fauntleroy Ave, Ascot
Cost: $490, if you belong to a Paddle WA affiliated club it is $350
Enquiries: Leone education@paddlewa.asn.au or 0412101949 (Text is preferred)

More information here:- Paddling Courses | Paddle WA

There is no let up for Josh Kippin as he continues his training after a big 4 days at the Australian Championships. 
He was Winner of the Short Course Singles, Long Course Singles and Mens Doubles at the Australian Marathon Championships.

Now heading for the World Marathon Championships in Denmark in August.

Day 3

Doubles Races 
Australian Canoe/Kayak Marathon Championships

Getting ready for the start of the Masters Men Race

Sunday Morning - Mens Doubles

Sunday morning and it was doubles race with Doug in the 65 plus. It was cold so I dressed in a thermal, a short sleeved cag and my PFD and ended up being the most dressed paddler there. 
Dave Berglund and Peter Pawlow had another good start with three other boats following. Two kilometres up at the first turn all 4 boats in front of us seemed to get pushed towards the bank, apparently a junior couple caused the problem. Doug and I gave chase but we had no hope of catching them. About a kilometre into the second Lap we caught up with the number 4 boat and washed rode it before passing it, but it came back after getting a second wind and we had to drop back onto its wash again. At the next turn another double wash-riding us tried turning sharply to get beside us, but we put the pressure on and kept it at bay. 
As we came up to our last 1.5 kms we had three turns to do. I didn’t mind the red boat beating us as we had at times been wash riding it, but not the other boat which was still right behind us. Our kayak had little rocker so it didn’t turn sharply so the guys on our wash tried at every turn to pass us without success. 
It was then time for us to make a move so we switched from being behind the red boat to sitting on its left side so we were in a good position for the 3 turns. With 2 turns to go it was about 500 metres to the next set of turn buoys so we paddled ahead and moved wide to do a good turn and make the others keep to our right. We did a good turn and then we heard the others say, "where are you going we had one more lap". 
Hey Doug we have done our three laps haven’t we? For a few moments we had some doubt in our minds but then we realised that they must be doing the ICF course which is a lap longer.
All of a sudden the spark dropped out of the race. We had been having a great tussle with them so we were looking forward to racing the two boats to the finish line but now we were left with no one to race to the final turn and the finish line which was a bit of an anti-climate after having such a tight race up until then. Nevertheless we powered on crossing the finish line in second place behind Dave and Peter. 
Results Masters Doubles:
2023 OPACMSC 20230409 Masters doubles & SUP long | Race results | Webscorer

Tony Hystek & Wade Rowston lead around the second lap turn. 

We keep in front of Peter Prichard & Michael Wilson with Jeff Hosnell & Scott Harris tailing us.

Dominic Scarfe & John Young - Competition Organiser

Masters Women Doubles

Agnes Pajor & Sue McDougall having a good race.

Results here:
ICF Class Doubles | K2 W V35-64 (17 km) | 2023 OPACMSC 20230409 Masters doubles & SUP long | Resources.ws.RaceResults | Webscorer

Marie Andersson & Jane Liddle third place.

Results here:

General Class Doubles | K/S W V55-64 (13 km) | 2023 OPACMSC 20230409 Masters doubles & SUP long | Resources.ws.RaceResults | Webscorer

Junior U18

WAs Scarlett & Lily second place, hoping to take part in the World Canoe Marathon Championships in Denmark.

Results here:
ICF Class | K2 W U18 (17 km) | 2023 OPACMSC 20230409 U18 & Open doubles | Resources.ws.RaceResults | Webscorer

Day 4 - Mixed Doubles

The masters mixed doubles take off.

Garth & Erica and Dave & Nicky take the lead.

Dave & Nicky sprinted first to the line.

Day 4 and it was mixed doubles. I was paddling with Marie Anderson, the wife of Ramon the Olympian so I had some power in the back. Marie has seen it all before. She knew what it takes to win a medal so my confidence was high. 
We hadn’t paddled together before, and with Marie having a slow stroke and I having a faster stroke meant that I would have to slow my rating and we would both have to compromise. 
After a 500 metre warm-up we paddled to the line which had about 21 boats on it. The start was quick and we were away. We took off at a good speed, faster than Doug and Sue who were on our left. The boat to our right was a fraction faster and for some reason it started heading over to our left and seemingly away from a straight line. Nevertheless they soon straightened up and we were away being the 5th boat under the bridge some 400 metres from the start line. 
After a little, or should I say a big effort we managed to force ourselves up and over a few big humps to get onto Dave and Nicky’s wash. I don't know how we managed it but I know I was thinking, wow how did we get there - they are much faster paddlers than we are. Then I realised that Marie had been watching Ramon paddle so fast for years, she just knew how to put the power on.
Our ride was just off this planet, I couldn’t believe how fast we were going and by now I was feeling pretty cocky. Then Dave decided to go to the right to pass another boat and for some mysterious reason the wash went as flat as a pancake and suddenly we dropped right back. 
What had happened? Had Marie’s powers just vanished. Had she stopped thinking about Ramon? Never mind we were still in a good position.
We took the first buoy corner pretty okay and started heading back when I thought Marie said her shoulder was a little sore. Oh dear how hard do we push now! Then about 500 metres further I saw a nose of a ski coming along side. I had a quick sly check and, Oh No, it was Jane Liddle and Jeff Hosnell (NSW) on a ski. We can't let them pass I thought, we would never live it down and Jane would be reminding me back in WA how she beat us.  The trouble was they were slightly quicker, and we could do little than to watch them slide by. We wash rode them for a few minutes, but I hate to say this, but they were going a little too fast for us to keep up without fighting really hard. Eventually we dropped off their side wash and because another ski was following we couldn’t get on rear wash, so we lost them. I didn’t want to push too hard so I shed a few tears and let them go and eased into a solid pace. 
As we were turning at the downstream end turn Sue and Doug tried paddling inside of us but when I realised they were there we put the pressure on and avoided them passing. It appears that they had been sitting on our wash for some time.

Jane & Jeff pass us.

Another 2 kms went by and as we turned around the top buoys Sue tried to turn inside of us again but didn’t succeed. With 3 kms to go I expected that they would try to pass at the other turns, but I was hoping our speed was fast enough to keep them from doing that. As I hadn’t paddled with Marie before, and I didn’t really know if I was pushing her too hard, I was hoping that they would leave the fight until closer to the finish. With Doug knowing how I race and my tactics I was surprised that they hadn’t tried to pass just to see what would happen. Maybe they didn’t have the speed?
When we reached the bottom turn I made sure that they couldn’t overtake us and having 2 turns on the short lap and 1 kilometre to go the fight was on.
At that last turn we were in a good position to keep ahead of Sue and Doug and we did. With two hundred metres to go I was sure that Marie and I had the strength to sprint to the end and beat them and we did. 

We managed to keep in front of Sue & Doug and beat them.

Results here:

General Mixed Doubles | K/S X V50-64 (9 km) | 2023 OPACMSC 20230410 Mixed doubles | Resources.ws.RaceResults | Webscorer

The Open Mens Doubles

They are off.

Josh & Casey lead with Coran & Stephan beside them.

Josh & Casey portage beside Joaquin Cuevas & David Cole who are making them work. 

Garth & Ben fight for the portage point.

Josh & Casey paddle over the line first with Joaquin Cuevas & David Cole (Vic) coming second, 45 seconds later and Stephan Weyers & Coran Longwood 1 minute 13 seconds (WA) behind Josh & Casey.
Results here:-
ICF Class | K2 M Open (29 km) | 2023 OPACMSC 20230409 U18 & Open doubles | Resources.ws.RaceResults | Webscorer

Three West Australians on the podium - double kayak.

Josh 1st with Casey, Coran & Stephan 3rd. David Cole & Joaquin Cuevas 2nd. 

Some of the juniors take off.

WAs Ron & Kathy in the Para division.

Peter & Dave convincingly beat me and Doug. 

Stand Up Paddle Boards (SUPs) Race

WAs Noni Wells wins the 13km Long Course.

SUP Long Course | SUP W Open (13 km) | 2023 OPACMSC 20230409 Masters doubles & SUP long | Resources.ws.RaceResults | Webscorer

Connor - Hi mum, please move over. 
Nashani - Yes son I will get out of your way. 

WAs Bob Cowen chasing the leaders.

Results here:

SUP Long Course | SUP M Open (13 km) | 2023 OPACMSC 20230409 Masters doubles & SUP long | Resources.ws.RaceResults | Webscorer

Kids Carnival

at Garvey Park

There were fair rides, Come & Try kayaking and a show put on by the water skiers at Garvey Park.

Heaps of children tried out kayaking put on by Ascot KC volunteers.

The water skiers put on a good show.

The Swan River Trust must have been happy with the erosion to the banks the two shows created as they allow this to happen every year in this sensitive area of the river.

************************

Look at that wash.

Birds Along The Way

A Rainbow Lorikeet having fun on Ron Courtney Island.

I didn't get a good shot before it flew off.

Do you think it is an Australian Hobby?

A Raven having a snack of a shellfish. 

I was a bit wobbly when I took this photo of the Whistling Kite.