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WA Marathon
Champs
Day One -
Adult singles - Junior doubles
It seems that whenever there is a championships
name tag to a race less paddlers take part. Does that word
championships indicate to the less competitive paddler that
it is not a race for them. In WA that is certainly not the
case and it was cheap to enter. Paddlers who paddle plastic,
guppy, ski or kayak are welcome so it was disappointing that
there weren't more paddlers at the briefing.
Despite it being a championships there was a relaxed atmosphere
and the race did cater for everyone from paddlers of 7 years
old to paddlers over 70, like Geoff Mullins who was paddling
a ski. All K1s and K2s had to portage, how many times depended
on your age, however the skis and multisport kayaks didn't
have to portage.
Although I race a large variety of boats I rarely race a proper
K1, in fact I can't remember the last time I did. But for
this race I decided to get into the real spirit of the championships
and paddle a boat that is used at a world championship. Paddling
a tippy kayak though is a challenge in itself so I prepared
myself for the worst. I can't remember the last time I capsized
a kayak, but I wasn't confident that it wouldn't happen today.
It was a very windy day.
At the briefing it was a little confusing to how many laps
and how many portages we had to do, the different age groups
had different distances and portages but my good mate Lawrence
Greed kindly told me that I would be behind him in the race,
so all I had to do was to follow him!
I took off on grid 2. As we flew off
the line I did well to stay upright in all the boat wash and
waves being created by the strong wind. Even John Dinucci
seemed to be having trouble as I noticed him doing several
support strokes on the way up to the top turn. For a brief
moment I thought I had a chance of beating him as I passed
him at the turn which was even rougher with the waves heading
straight down the river. On the downwind calmer section John
managed to find his feet and passed me by at high speed. For
a brief moment I managed to wash ride, but he was soon gone.
Josh Kippin at the portage: Photo Greed
family
Lawrence was still behind
so that was pleasing and he got further away as the race progressed.
That made me even happier. Lawrence and I have always been
competitive, although just lately we really haven't paddled
against each other. One year when we competed in the Avon
Descent he beat me by 8 seconds after two days of paddling
and 130kms. That really hurt, so whenever I beat him I stir
him up as he does with me.
Up ahead there was a small group of paddlers and within a
couple of kilometres I was catching up with Bronwyn, Tess
and Helke. They had to portage so they took off from the pontoon
as I was passing.
The wind was still horrific on that second lap. Rob was already
well ahead and John who was only a few hundred metres ahead
of me seemed to be getting more confident as the race went
on. I closed up onto Bronwyn but after she caught a few rides
on faster passing paddlers, I lost her again. After the bottom
turn on the second lap I caught up with Helke. I felt good
as I was actually passing someone, it didn't really matter
that it was a girl! We forged our way towards the pontoon
where we had to portage and I wanted to arrive there first.
I had never portaged onto a pontoon whilst racing before,
so I didn't really know how it was going to go. I then saw
Lawrence on shore taking photos. I was surprised to see him
there as I thought he was still behind me, but it lifted my
spirit and I could stir him later. He told me later he wasn't
feeling well. Once off the pontoon I carried the kayak on
my shoulder and ran. I didn't really know how fast to run
as I didn't want to exhaust myself too soon. I suppose I didn't
do the portage like the professionals, but I didn't waste
too many moments either. I trotted along the grass to the
put-in pontoon to cheers from the crowd.
I was trying hard to keep in front of
Helke. Photo Greed family
Yippee I get to the portage
first. Photo Greed family
Up on the shoulder and
run. Photo Greed family
As soon as I turned the
corner near the club the wind was howling in my face and it
was a near impossible to paddle forward. I had paddled this
section thousands of times before and this was one of the
roughest. I soon stopped feeling sorry for myself when I started
passing a couple of young girls struggling to move forward
in a guppy K2. They didn't seem to care that they were making
little headway. The top turn had small surf wave's pushing
down the river making it pretty dicey to turn it. Apparently
some paddlers capsized there.
I met 65 year old Rob Roll going the other way. He was so
far ahead of me I felt insignificant and inadequate. He is
like a machine that never gives up. When Rob first started
paddling he encouraged his two sons, Alastair and Simon to
paddle. It wasn't long before Alastair was paddling faster
than his dad but it didn't stop Rob from getting faster himself.
Alastair who was destined to be a top paddler stopped paddling
when he bcame a family man. Simon, the younger of the two
developed into one of WAs best paddlers. He has taken part
in most of the high profile paddling events, including being
in the Australian team when the World Marathon Championships
came to Perth. Simon would be competing but his wife Hayley
has just had their second child, so he is busy with other
things.
I had two more laps to do and two portages. I was still passing
several juniors and SUPs but there were a few fast paddlers
on skis who didn't have to portage passing me. Mark Lawson
was in front of John, although he should have been as he was
much younger. It was hard to determine who was leading the
multisport kayaks but I heard later that Steve Coffey had
beaten the unbeatable John Breed so Steve was one happy man.
There was no doubt though who was leading the open K1s. Josh
Kippin had a good lead, apparently James Moffit had capsized
at the portage so he had left him behind. Young Coran was
close behind but he had less laps to do, so he finished earlier.
The open class was still paddling when I finished as they
had to do more laps. With the portages anything could happen
in a race like this.
I finished the race quite happy with my performance although
I was out classed by the two other 60 plus paddlers Rob and
John. I did wonder though if I should have tried harder but
I still had an important race to do the following day in the
K2 championships with John Breed.
Josh winning the open
K1 section. Photo Greed family
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WA Marathon
Championships
Day Two -
Adult Doubles - Junior Singles
I arrived at AKC early to get a parking
spot and help out if needed. The day was much better than
the previous one with a lot less wind. There was no other
60 year olds for me and John to compete with (apart from Robby
Roll, but he paddles like a 30 year old, so he doesn't count)
so we had to go in the 45 plus class, which had 9 boats, but
it gave us more competition.
Canoe WA had invited the Stand Up Paddle
Boards (SUPs) to race on the course at the same time. It did
mean that the water was a little crowded and with the SUPs
starting their race a little earlier meant that we didn't
get a chance to do a portage on the pontoons as a team because
they were being used. (I'm a little lost to why CWA are promoting
SUPs when canoeing, kayaking & surf ski paddling need
the resources to encourage more people into the sport!)
This was the first time that pontoons
have been used in a WA race so it was hard to know how we
were going to go as a team, but if you looked at last week's
Utube video the portages could turn out be a spectacle. I
had experienced portaging the pontoons in the singles race
the day before but John hadn't.
We were off on the first grid with about
12 others boats. It took us a while to get into a good rhythm
due to all the wash and our instability. It didn't take long
though before the top guys were gone leaving a bunch of about
8 boats to fight it out to the first turn. Lawrence and Graeme
reached the turn just before us and they managed to turn their
boat a lot better than we did. We performed a much wider turn,
so they managed and get away from us quite easily. This wasn't
good as we could lose this race on the corners alone. Was
it because they had pedal steering and not T bar steering
like we had?
The start of the K2 section:
Photo Greed family
On the downwind leg back to the club
we paddled hard and caught them up. They were paddling well,
but I wasn't overly concerned at this stage as they would
surely tire! At the bottom turn, the buoys were even placed
tighter than the top turn so once again they did a better
turn and got in front of us. We soon caught up and as we didn't
have to portage on the first lap we just concentrated in passing
all the SUPs, the juniors and getting into a good rhythm.
We lost them again on the top turn which was becoming annoying,
but we paddled hard and soon caught up and were paddling side
by side again. At one point we put the power on just to see
if we could lose them, but they just sat on our wash and we
were unable to get away. Lawrence seemed to be breathing heavier
than I was and I'm a heavy breather so I was hoping he was
feeling the strain. After giving him a hard time the day before
because I had beaten him I couldn't let him beat us today
or I would have to face his taunts after the race and forever
after too.
The juniors take off
with a splash: Photo Spencer King
John and I taking it
easy next to Lawrence and Graeme: Photo Spencer King
John & I giving Lawrence
and Graeme a lift as they were a little tired! Photo Spencer
King
In the meantime Vlad & Nick, Mark
Lawson & Alan Clark managed to catch us. Mark & Alan
were wobbling all over the place causing quite a bit of grief
as they nearly bumped into us. Soon after we dropped back
behind Lawrence & Graeme wash riding them in a snaking
fashion due to Mark & Alan spearing all over the place.
It was hard work following a snake so we pulled up beside
them, but it was a riskier position to be in as we nearly
clashed several times.
Josh & James leading
Peter & Rob and Jak & Coran: Photo Spencer King
Lawrence & Graeme managed to paddle
the bottom turn better yet again. This was really becoming
frustrating and it was something we would have to sort out
before the Nationals. Nevertheless we soon caught up and as
we neared the first portage M & A did as well. All three
boats started to sprint for the portage then suddenly Mark
& Alan came hurtling out of control across our path. We
clashed paddles, our boats hit and as we couldn't paddle we
got spat out the back. We were so looking forward to getting
to the pontoon first, now that wasn't possible so it left
Lawrence & Graeme to hit the lead.
The guys took the right side of the
pontoon so we paddled to the left side and docked. A moment
later, before John could get out of his seat, the K2 of Vlad
& Nick nosed their kayak between the pontoon and our kayak
so John was unable to get out until they had moved. There
was suddenly a lot of banging, clashing and argy-bargy as
the pair swept their way by us and off the pontoon. We were
a little shocked but it was a race so we had to focus and
get going. We had suddenly lost a lot of time and it was frustrating
seeing the three boats getting away from us. Our run to the
put-in pontoon wasn't the best. We were like two old men trotting
along for a toilet break. Then I realised we were two old
men.
Vlad & Nick striding
it out with a few older paddlers trying to keep up. Photo
Greed Family
John & I passing
Lawrence & Graeme but it was short lived. Photo Greed
Family
On the portage Vlad and
Nick took the lead, as Mark & Alan stopped for a drink
and L & G took it careful. It was a good decision of the
boys to drink as we passed them and were third on the pontoon.
There were shouts from the crowd, but our pace didn't seem
to liven. We hadn't practised portaging as a pair so it appeared
that we needed to get a little more practise before the Nationals.
We had to get back in on the left side
of the pontoon as the others were on our favoured right side.
We seemed to get in okay but then I realised I had my paddle
around the wrong way. I twirled it over my head, the boat
rocked, but at least we didn't fall in. Others had.
With three boats on the pontoon together we were all trying
hard to go faster than the other. Although Vlad & Nick
were on the pontoon first, Lawrence & Graeme somehow managed
to get away first and after the top turn, on the downwind
run we managed to catch up with Vlad & Nick. We conserved
a bit of energy by wash riding them for a while. They were
going a little faster than Lawrence & Graeme so we soon
caught up and paddled beside them yet again. It was like playing
a game of chasie.
The next portage went a little better
for us but we still didn't managed to beat the younger teams
around it. All four boats were neck and neck all around the
next lap, it was just amazing how close we all were despite
the portages breaking us up. It was really feeling like a
championships, a world championships at that.
Leaping onto the pontoon.
Photo Greed family
The race was so close.
Photo Spencer King
We were on the left side
of Lawrence & Graeme coming up to the last bottom turn.
I had thoughts of keeping on the inside of them which would
ruin their turn as we would force them wide and in theory
we would be in front for once. But then I had a stab of
guilt about ruining their turn and getting in their way
so I held back. I cursed my decision when we got left behind
again, but at least we did a better turn than Mark &
Alan who were still struggling to turn their boat.
Coming up to our last
portage Lawrence & Graeme and Vlad & Nick were just
ahead of us. I didn't think there was any point in trying
to pass as it may create chaos at the portage. I heard Mark
asked Alan if he wanted to stop at the portage for a drink.
I was hoping he would say yes, but he said no. John didn't
drink at all in the race. I think he had read my City Lights
report when Warren stopped paddling for a drink and slowed
us down. He didn't want to hold me up. He, like many others
haven't mastered the art of drinking from a bladder whilst
paddling. Apparently Lawrence didn't drink either and found
himself getting a headache later on in the day.
We pulled in on the left side of the
pontoon this time behind Vlad & Nick. By the time we
got out and had portaged all three boats had gone. We were
on our last 2 kilometres and now we were over 100 metres
behind. It wasn't a good place to be so close to the finish.
For us to win now we would need a
miracle, and it was hard to accept that Lawrence was going
to beat us so I felt full of strength. As we paddled passed
the jetty I uttered my first words to John, (we don't talk
much) "lets lift the pace". The boat instantly
surged and we were away, but we had one hell of a gap to
close. By now most of the SUPS had finished but we just
happened to have one of the young girls in a guppy in front
of us on the turn. As we rounded her we put the power on
again and started gaining on the others. It was if we had
been given some spinach, or some of those drugs that the
top athletes seem to be on. We were flying. By half way
to Ascot we realised that at the speed we were going we
could catch the others and if we played our cards right
we might just beat them. That was an exciting thought, but
could we keep up the pace to the very end?
By Ascot we were on their tail and
that felt good. Even I was impressed with our recovery and
speed. If we had paddled as fast as we did in that last
kilometre throughout the race, we would have been leading.
At the north end of the island, where it shallowed we tried
hard not to get bogged down, put some extra speed on and
we were right there going around the last set of buoys directly
behind them. We were excited, well I was, I'm not sure what
John was feeling like. But that feeling soon went away when
the other two boats did a better turn.
We accelerated towards the finish
line chasing the others and we soon managed to get within
10 metres of Lawrence & Graeme, but instead of using
their wash to get closer I chose to go out to their left
and give it our all. That was a big mistake and unfortunately
this tactic didn't work as we didn't seem to get any closer.
Within 20 metres of the finish line Lawrence & Graeme
picked up the pace and just beat Vlad & Nick. Mark &
Alan made a last ditched effort and just managed to pip
us at the post by a nose. Unfortunately for us the finish
wasn't quite what we had hoped for, but it was one hell
of a race and we were the first two 60 plus year olds over
the line, so that wasn't so bad.
With the experience of paddling the
course we are ready to take on the National championships
in 2 week's time, where we intend to get our revenge!!!!
So watch out Lawrence....
Mason King & Dylan
Smee passing a SUP. Photo Spencer King
The juniors battling
away. Photo Spencer King
Bronwyn Martin &
Tarryn Coward (U18) being chased by Sue Quick & Janelle
Power (45+). Photo Spencer King
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