|
|
|
|
It's Volunteer Week so thank you to all those volunteers out there. We are lucky to have volunteers to organise our events.
- Who's Out There
- WAs Michael Booth
- Wild Water Buoys
Race
- Live Lighter Ramon Challenge!
Geographe Bay Paddlers - Double Barkers
Race
- Birds Along The Way
- Coming Events
Janet Gatt. Twenty years ago Janet was a keen Avon River
paddler
and joined in on many CDU trips.
She paddles in quieter waters nowadays.
Queensland Ben Manning at a Sprint Championships in Europe.
WAs Michael Booth Fresh from a
big win at the Carolina Cup in the USA on a Stand Up Board, Michael this week is heading for Hawaii to paddle the Molokai Race on a surf ski. Michael is a top surf ski paddler as well as a SUP World Champ.
A few Achievements APP World Tour Distance series champion,
-- 3 x World Distance Race Champion,
– 3x Australian Distance Race Champion 15/ 17/ 18
– 3x Euro Tour Champion 17/ 18 / 19
– Carolina Cup Champion 2018 / 19 / 22 & 23
– APP London 2018 Champion
About
Michael Booth is an Australian Waterman that has excelled at everything he has touched in the past ten years. From his beginnings in Surf Life Saving, Surfski and Kayak, he then dedicated himself to SUP in 2016.
He has since become a multiple Australian, Euro Tour and World Champion. As a kid Michael wanted to be able to do what he loved and make a living… he is now doing just that. He is constantly seeking his next challenge and strives to be the best at everything he puts his mind to. Check him out: BOOTH Training | Michael Booth (michael-booth.com.au)
Wild Water Buoys Race Sunday 21st May Ascot Kayak Club Registration: 09:00am-09:30am Briefing: 09:45am Race start: 10:00am Course: Starting at Ascot Kayak Club jetty, paddlers complete a circuit course, finishing back at their starting point.
The first race of the 2023 WildWater season gets under way this coming Sunday at Ascot Kayak Club with the ever popular Buoys Race. All competitive craft are welcomed with a Sundries Series option available for those who wish to race non WildWater boats. These WildWater races are perfect for anyone looking to compete in this year's Avon Descent, with
our first race being the best of 2 runs through a 1km course. We look forward to seeing you on the water. The race is open to all boats, with the
Championship only open to boats classed as wildwater/downriver kayaks as per ICF regulations. These include overall length of no more than 4.5m, with no rudder (or with their rudder tied up) Sundries Note (are boats not classed wildwater/downriver kayaks)
Live Lighter Ramon
Challenge! 28th May 2023 Don’t forget to register for the Live Lighter Ramon Challenge! 4 Courses to choose from! A great start for your Avon Descent Challenge and be a part of the 50 year history! There's still time to Choose your Challenge! Registrations still open until 25 May for the 2023 Live Lighter Ramon Challenge, held on 28 May. 4 Courses for all ages and abilities. The Ramon Challenge is also a
seeding race for the Avon Descent. Register now!
Congratulations to all competitors who raced in the
finale of the Roller Shutters West Paddling Series in Busselton and to all our Series Category winners, awesome work everyone. Massive thank you to our major sponsors Gary and Jay from Roller Shutters West for supporting this event, we can’t thank you guys enough for your generosity and assistance. Also thank you to the following sponsors for providing our winners with some amazing prizes, Keith and Clare Mugford and the team from Moss Wood wines for the beautiful bottles of wine, Dean Gardiner, Jim Walker and Earl Evans from Race One Surf Craft for keeping our paddlers looking sharp with supplying us with some awesome Race One Vaikobi Caps. Thank you to our Club Sponsors from Specsavers Busselton, Henk and Emma,
your support has been awesome and we are very grateful. Huge thank you to Kylie Meloury and all our volunteers for helping with running of the events over the last five months, we couldn’t do it without your help guys so thank you. Thank you to all the paddlers who made the trip down from out of town over the series and supporting our Geographe Bay Paddlers, for some it’s a big trip down and I’m chuffed for the efforts made. Thanks again everyone, putting these events together is a real passion and to see you all out on the water racing is very humbling. Beau Lewis
Double Barkers Marathon Race 2023 I must admit when I heard the heavy rain in the early hours of the morning I didn’t really want to get out of bed to go racing but I needed to be at the Ascot Kayak Club around 7.00am to put the timing tent up, but by the time I arrived it was already standing, thanks to someone. The rain had also stopped and it was looking to be an okay day, but was it? Should I paddle in a thermal or my general paddling top? Should I wear long pants or shorts? Should I go to the toilet or not? There were so many things a paddler has to consider, especially on a day that rain is forecast! By around 9.00am we were all dressed appropriately and ready to go. Div 3 which I was in had 21 paddlers on the line and bursting with good paddlers that would be hard to beat.
The K4s are neck and neck.
Four grids went off before us. I chose the middle of the river as the current was flowing up stream. Chris Watson sat beside me on my left and Chris Hollier sat to my right. It was a fast take off by everyone so
we virtually had 21 paddlers still in a line at the 300 metre mark. This is when all boats from the left and from the right started to close in and once we started clashing paddles I gave way and fell behind. So now I was following the group and as we turned the Sandy Beach corner I was sitting behind
about 6 paddlers with several either side of me. It wasn’t a good place to be as I was penned in, and when I saw young Lily take off with Ron on her heels I had to do something. I decided to drop back behind a ski that was beside me
so I could find some clean water. Although it meant that I was now further away from the leaders, it did mean I could race around the group to the front and it worked. I managed to join Lily and Ron Clarke on the front row with Chris Watson joining us a little later. Hot on our heals were Chris Hollier, Erica, Jim Stevenson and Rob Lindgren.
As we headed up to Barkers Bridge I made sure I was leading so I got a clear run around the bridge but everyone else must have had a good turn as well because after the turn they were still behind
which wasn’t what I really wanted.
The leading K2s turn at Barkers Bridge.
The leading K1 paddlers. 1st Brendon Rice, 2nd Harry Hewiitt,
3rd Charlie Hewitt
So as we raced back to Ascot we had Lily, Ron, Chris and me leading the way. A little later I didn’t really know who was behind us and if we had actually lost any of the others, but I think we
had.
Nearing Sandy Beach the doubles of Ramon & Marie and Peter & Jane, who were doing one lap, came by. Ron was closest to them but he didn’t seem to take advantage of their wash so I decided to sprint ahead and get on it instead. Lily came with me and we managed to ride the wash for a few hundred metres and then we lost it when they paddled over to the left towards the
finish line. As Lily and I paddled ahead and around Ron Courtney Island, Chris Hollier caught up as we had slowed. Later Chris Watson also caught up with Ron a few metres behind. As we passed Pickering Park Lily moved behind us and soon after that she was gone, which I was disappointed about
because I had plans for me and her to take off and leave the others behind as she was paddling well. Apparently she became uncomfortable in her kayak and then dropped back. Chris and I fought our way to Barkers Bridge and by that time we had lost Chris Watson
and Ron. So now, we just had to hold our position. Once we passed Guildford Bridge I started paddling a little faster especially every time I noticed Ron creeping up behind. Chris was putting up a good fight. He had never been as close to me in a race before, but after getting a lighter ski, his
enthusiasm and training increased and now he is going a lot faster.
A kilometre before Sandy Beach I started putting the pressure on which led to Chris falling behind and onto my rear wash. I knew then all I had to do was to keep up a good speed and he wouldn’t be able to pass. He tried a couple of times, but I just increased my pace. Then about 500 metres from the finish line I
stepped it up and managed to beat him by 4 seconds with Ron crossing the line soon after with Chris just behind him. With the tide and wind it wasn't a fast race but I was determined to beat Ron (72) as he is my age, but Peter Pawlow who has just turned 70 and was in Div 2 beat me convincingly. He is
a machine and a candidate to be a world champion. Ron did say later he was going to beat me in the next race so I better keep training as he was very close today Thanks to all the volunteers. We all had a great race.
The leading paddlers in Div 3. I managed to get to the bridge first to get a good turn.
Although I got a good turn I wasn't able to drop the pack.
Debbie was the only SUP paddler.
Div 2 paddlers Darryl Long, Martin Watson, Dave Berglund and Peter Pawlow.
Back at Barkers Bridge for the second time Chris Hollier and I had lost most of the group. Results from Double Barkers this Morning:
Live Lighter Ramon
Challenge! 28th May 2023 Don’t forget to register for the Live Lighter Ramon Challenge! 4 Courses to choose from! A great start for your Avon Descent Challenge and be a part of the 50 year history! There's still time to Choose your Challenge! Registrations still open until 25 May for the 2023 Live Lighter Ramon Challenge, held on 28 May. 4 Courses for all ages and abilities. The Ramon Challenge is also a
seeding race for the Avon Descent. Register now! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
