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Canning River
Race
A New Star is Born...
I enjoy every style of paddling but
the chance to take part in a race not only gives me a great
sense of enjoyment but it keeps me fit, and feeling really
good. Physically I don't feel any different to what I felt
like 20 years ago, (although I could be a tad slower) so I
need to keep racing to help me to continue to feel like a
42 year old.
All week I had thoughts of paddling
a K1 but when I stood in my shed looking at all my boats I
wondered if the K1 was the best one to paddle in the Canning
River race. Should I paddle my DR kayak, or my K1 or my Multisport.
I don't really want to paddle a canoe, a K2, a plastic or
any of my 7 different Epic Skis so what should I paddle? Although
I had about 150 boats around me to choose from, only about
20 of them I would take to a race. Not many paddlers around
the world would have so many boats to choose from.
Very few in the race would be paddling
a DR so I would have no competition, the paddlers in the K1s
would be too fast for me, it might to too shallow for a ski
so I will forget the ski so it's got to be the Multisport.
There are always a few old paddlers in multisport kayaks wanting
to beat me.
A multisport kayak is a kayak that is
longer that a 5.2m K1. It can be as short as 5.3m and up to
6.4m, most though are around 5.7m - 6.2m. They are wider than
a K1, which makes them a lot more stable but because they
are much longer they are very fast. So if you don't want to
paddle a very thin unstable kayak the Multisport is a good
one to get, (don't get it mixed up with the Finn Multisport
as that is a completely different kayak.)
The Canning River Race is always a great
friendly race with a variety of conditions. It is run by the
Canning River Club who is still trying hard to get a club
building somewhere in the area, but they have had little luck
in finding one. Getting a facility will help them enormously
to grow their club. Last week the club won the double guppy
kayak that I donated.
I arrived early to get a parking spot
which worked. By briefing time, although there were many paddlers,
there were less paddlers than I would have expected. In my
class there were Steve Coffee, Alan Moreby, Peter Thompson
and Martin Watson. Martin had only bought a new Time Bandit
two weeks earlier so I didn't expect him to be any competition.
With four paddlers there at least I had a race on my hands.
At the start line all the 12km race
goers lined up across the river. There wasn't much space and
once we were off a few paddlers tangled, but I got away clear.
By Shelly Bridge Steve and Alan were actually in front of
me. They must have had a good start. On the turn before the
pipeline I had passed Alan but Steve was paddling well in
front. After some really hard paddling I managed to catch
him up. I had nothing in me to try to pass, so I just kept
close behind, but even that was hard. Peter Liddle, Dave Stephens
and Warren Southwell were all in the pack and there was someone
tailing me, I know because they kept clipping my stern. I
didn't say anything as it wasn't a problem but I made sure
that I didn't clip Steve's stern, firstly it's not a good
thing to do and secondly I didn't want him to turn around
and see that I was wash hanging him. I was happy trying to
keep up then I heard Warren tell me to take the lead. I said
nothing, I don't think he realised that I was at my max and
it was hard enough trying to keep up. He also didn't know
that I had thoughts of passing just before the turn which
was a little further.
About 200 metres from the turn Danny
on an Epic V10 started passing me. He was the one clipping
my tail and he said later that he did it about 20 times. I
hadn't been counting. Danny is a great guy, I love paddling
against him especially when I beat him. I was hoping to beat
him today, but he passed me like a rocket so my chances were
slim. For a moment I let him go, then I thought this was my
chance to get away from Steve, I just had to fight hard to
go with him. Just when I thought I didn't have anything left
in me I went for it and managed to get on his tail. Suddenly
I had passed Steve, rounded the turn buoys and by the time
we were heading back to the start Danny was dragging me away
from all the others behind.
I couldn't believe my luck and with
Danny being at his best we were getting further away from
the others, but I just knew I couldn't lose him or they would
run me down and catch up. The faster group of paddlers were
well ahead and then there was another group with two doubles
(Greed family) and a yellow multisport kayak about 200 metres.
My first thoughts were that it was Peter Thompson in the multisport
kayak as I couldn't think of anyone else in a Multisport who
was so fast.
Danny still dragged me along but it
was extremely hard to keep with him in the shallows. I worked
hard but I could feel the strain. Back at the start line at
Riverton Bridge I worked out that the paddler in the yellow
Multisport ahead was actually Martin Watson. What, Martin
Watson! How can it be Martin Watson! I was so concerned about
Peter, Steve and Alan I didn't give Martin a thought. He has
only had his Time Bandit 2 weeks and I never saw him as a
threat, I couldn't even remember ever racing him in a single,
to me he was an average paddler who was the father of young
paddler Tess Watson. The only boat I have seen him in was
an Endorfinn and a double kayak so how come he was ahead?
Shit what a shock. He was so far ahead of us all. My only
chance I had of passing him was to keep up with Danny as we
slowly seemed to be catching him.
We paddled under the Riverton Bridge
and within a 100 metres Danny suddenly stopped and started
eating a chew. He looked back and discovered that there was
a group of paddlers not far behind and catching us up. Danny
then said we got to get going and he suddenly took off and
left me behind. Being left behind and knowing the group were
hungry to catch me was the worst feeling. It was like a dream
when you are trying to escape from someone and you are never
able to get away. I just knew they would catch me.
We soon entered the swampy area and
started to thread our way through a narrow section of trees,
the short cut. Once out of the trees I could feel a cold chill
run through the back of my neck. I looked behind and saw 2
Epic skis charging up behind. Oh shit. It was Mick Mantell
and Gary Killian, I could see they were determined to pass
me. I tried to hang on but they were too good and paddled
away they were now determined to get Danny which they eventually
did. I can just imagine what Mick was thinking when he passed
me!
We started meeting the faster paddlers
returning from the turn buoy at Kent Street weir. Around Castledare
Warren Southwell and Peter Liddle caught up. I stayed with
them but at the turn I dropped back so I could make a better
turn and I did, but it was short lived they caught up within
seconds.
Martin was still well in front and probably
now too far ahead for me to catch. Steve and Alan were still
behind so that made me feel slightly better. Peter, Warren
and I stayed together for quite a while. Warren suggested
I take the lead, but I just couldn't go any faster. A few
minutes later he took off and Peter and I just didn't have
it in us to go with him. Peter and I were now paddling our
last kilometre. All of the sudden there was a bang and then
a louder one. Peter's rudder had hit a hidden log or something.
I had two thoughts, if it is broken he will need to buy another
one from me which means money, but best of all if it is broken
he won't have steering and I should be able to beat him. It
hadn't broken so there was no gain for me.
With 150 metres to go I decided to put
the pressure on. I knew Peter wouldn't give up and I wondered
if I had made my run too early. My bow was less than a metre
ahead of his, but at least it was ahead and I had to make
sure it stayed there.
The bridge was coming up and with the
tide being high there was little room underneath it near the
right bank. There was also a pipe going across it and it was
also lower at that point. Peter and I ducked to ensure we
didn't get our heads knocked off and I knew I had to keep
my paddle low to miss the pipe, but even knowing that I still
somehow hit it but at least I beat Peter by a nose. Everyone
at the finish line heard the big clank but after checking
my Epic paddle it was okay.
Although I was happy to beat Steve, Peter, Alan and many others
I was still in shock with the performance of 57 year old Martin
Watson. In fact I was amazed. He beat me by 1 minute 37 seconds
and I came 2nd in our class. With the addition of Martin in
the Multisport class the competition has certainly heated
up.
It's pleasing to see so many of our
Saturday morning group really getting into the sport and taking
part in many events. It's even more pleasing to see just how
well they are doing in the races too!!
A new star is born!
Martin Watson toasting
to his success or was he paying me because I allowed him to
win!!
Results here: http://www.canningriver.canoe.org.au/
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National Sprint
Championships
The 2013 National Canoe Sprint Championships
have concluded after five days of exciting racing at the Champion
Lakes Regatta Course in Perth, Western Australia.
Currumbin Creek star Ken Wallace once again got the better
of bitter rival Murray Stewart, adding the K1 500 national
title to the K1 1000 victory he recorded on Friday.
Wallace dictated the race from the outset, crossing the finish
line in 1:41.78, 1.36 seconds ahead of Stewart. Emerging U23
star, 18 year old Bill Bain finished in third, 0.15 seconds
adrift of Stewart.
The victory capped off an excellent
Nationals for the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medallist, who
has now met the criteria for selection to the World Championships
Pool for selection Trial two.
"It's been a while since I raced one of them," an
exhausted Wallace said after today's win.
"It's a love-hate relationship. It hurts more than the
1000, but it's half the distance.”
Gold Coast paddler Tate Smith combined with fellow London
Olympic K4 gold medallist David Smith to take out the men’s
K2 500 final.
K2 200 winners Steve Bird and Jesse Phillips pushed the Smith
boys the whole way, but the Smith’s held on, winning
in 1:33.18, just 0.04 seconds ahead of the popular Western
Australians.
Bayswater duo Brendan Rice and Daniel Bowker finished third,
1.36 seconds behind the winning time.
Not to be upstaged by older brother Ken, Bernadette Wallace
continued her excellent Nationals return winning a fourth
National title in the K1 1000 final.
Wallace dominated the race from the outset, finishing more
than five seconds ahead of Sunshine Coast 20 year old Alyce
Burnett and Kawana Waters’ Hailey McGinty.
"I've been training so hard, I've had such a big winter,
so to finish the Australian titles with four gold medals,
this has been a great week. My most successful national titles
ever."
Burnett and McGinty combined to return to the winners list
with victory in the K2 1000 final.
The Queensland duo were simply a class
above their challengers winning in 4:07.93, 5.35 seconds ahead
of West Lakes duo Anna Hennessy and Madison Davies, with the
latter stepping up from the U18 age group.
Bayswater pair Shannon Reynolds and Jaime Roberts finished
third.
Brothers Olympians Alex Haas and Jake Donaghey have completed
a clean sweep of the C2 events, adding the 500m title to their
victories over 1000m and 200m over the past two days.
Former Hungarian World Champion Laszlo Foltan once again proved
too strong, taking out the C1 500 final today in dominant
fashion.
The 29 year old won in 2:10.65, 1.77 seconds ahead of New
South Welshman Marius Florian, with Haas settling for third,
1.36 seconds further behind.
Results here: http://regattas.canoe.org.au/?live=1090
Tom Collings, Sunday, 7 April 2013
Three of the top K1 paddlers
fighting to the finish
Ken Wallace number 6
showing what he is made of. He won several medals
Ken Wallace. K1 500m
& K1 1000m gold medallist
K2s taking off
Anthony Carbone (closest)
from Bayswater Paddle Club doing well in the championships.
CDU has sponsored Anthony for several years.
Paddling an Epic kayak
Luke Moreton (closest) from Bayswater Paddle Club won many
of his events and was a star in his age category. 1st K1 200m,
2nd K1 2500m, 2nd 1000m, 2nd 500m, 1st K2 500m, 1st K4 100m
Monique Carbone in a
CDU sponsored Epic Kayak from Bayswater Paddle Club did amazingly
well:
She won a Gold 200m K1, Bronze 500m K1, Silver 500m K2, Gold
200m K4, Gold 200m K2, Silver 1000m K4 & a Bronze 1000m
K2
The C2s are getting more
common in Australia
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New Guppy Training
Program
Bayswater Paddlesports
Club
Bayswater Paddlesports
Committee has recently reviewed their Guppy program and accompanying
fees. As a result, BPC has appointed a "Guppy Coach".
Jonty Fidge is an accredited "Level 1 Flatwater Coach"
who has paddled for many years both on the river and in the
ocean. Jonty, along with the assistance of willing volunteers,
including the present coaches Louise and Peter, will take
up the official position as of Friday March 1st.
Contact Us
AP Hinds Reserve, Milne Street Bayswater
(first bay at eastern-end of ANA Rowing shed)
Post: PO Box 288 Maylands WA 6931
Email: bayswater@canoe.org.au
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