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Island to Island
It was the first race in the new marathon
season and it wasn't far away from home, less than 2kms by
river so I had no excuse not to take part. But because Jenny
had booked a table at a restaurant in the hills I had to paddle
fast to make sure I was back home on time.
The car park at Ascot was just about
full when I arrived. The race has certainly got a lot more
popular in the last few years. The day started perfect, although
it did get windy when we started racing. I took two kayaks
along, as I didn't know which class to go in. John Breed was
paddling a WW kayak so in theory with him being similar age
I should I try to beat him, but there were several paddlers
in the Multisport kayaks who I wanted to beat and they wanted
to beat me, so I chose the Multisport class.
When we started some of the Multisport
paddlers were in div 3 and others like myself were in div
2 so we were split up which doesn't make for good racing.
T2 who was in a K1 must have lost all confidence after being
beaten by Bonnie in the Nanga Challenge two weeks previous,
as he chose to paddle in div 2.
Peter Martin and his team got the show
on the road and it appeared that 'Be Active' was helping out
with sponsorship this year. We lined up about 300 metres upstream
of the Ascot jetty so we didn't have to go around a buoy at
the halfway mark. By changing the course however meant it
was shorter than usual, so some of the standing records will
probably get beaten today.
The first division paddlers took off
and they went like the wind and made me feel a little inadequate.
There was a 3 minute gap between classes. Division 2 lined
up with me being in the centre and Peter Thomson next to me
and Peter Liddle two boats over. They were both looking confident
and I could see in their face expressions that they were thinking,
I'm going to beat you Bolland. I knew Peter Liddle would,
but I wasn't sure about Peter Thomson, well not until we got
going. Then I had a sad face.
We were off and it didn't take too long
before the two Peters with chasing the other fast paddlers
and started pulling away from me. My first weak point in my
paddling is that I don't have a very good sprint off the line
so my competitors always get away from me at the start. It
is not a good confident builder - maybe I should have been
put in division 3. When you get left behind at the start it's
very hard to catch up especially when the other paddlers are
faster.
Because we haven't had many races over
the winter it is always a mystery to whom is going to be the
fastest in these first races. Are the other paddlers like
me and couldn't be bothered to train on those cold, wet mornings
or are they so disciplined that they have been out there every
day just so they could beat an old man like me this season?
I know that Peter Liddle hasn't stop training and with his
new Chrono kayak he is even faster than he was on his V10
so I didnt really expect to beat him but I could only hope.
Peter Thomson from Mandurah, well I dont know what he has
been doing but I'm sure he hasn't been living it up on the
cappuccino strip, as he had a confident smile on his face
on the start line.
It was possible that I wouldn't beat
anyone that I used to beat so with that in mind I had to console
myself and come to terms that I just might get left behind
by everyone and that I would have to hang my head in shame
at the end. I'm not really that competitive but I do like
winning. Then I saw Michael Leahy who was in his K1 beside
me so that gave me some hope as he is now faster than me in
the same boat. Like most new paddlers he didn't used to be,
but for some reason, probably age and fitness he is so much
better now. At this moment though he wasn't better and I could
see him wobbling a bit and trying to keep out of the wash
of other paddlers by taking a route over to the left of everyone.
I had a chance of beating someone!
As we powered around the Ron Courtney
Island I could see Gary Killen in an Epic V10, Lawrence and
Matthew in a K2, Laurent in a Vadja, Mick Mantell in a Epic
V10L and a several others also being as slow as I was. Having
other slower paddlers around me made me feel much better about
myself. Thank god for that. A few hundred metres later Michael
seemed to be finding his sea legs and started to pass me.
I wasn't too happy about that but then I felt much better
when I was able to wash hang him. Life was good for a few
hundred metres, then for some unknow reason, maybe the wash
of other paddlers, or that I just wasn't strong enough, I
eventually lost his side wash, so I had no other choice but
to chase him from behind and that didn't turn out being so
bad.
Lawrence and Matthew were close by and
Peter Martin wasn't that far away either. At one point Peter
looked as if he was going to pass me, which I didn't want
to happen, but sometimes when you just don't have the strength,
you have no choice. Luckily I managed to keep ahead and it
gave me another reason to keep smiling.
It became a little windier as we paddled
passed the Tonkin Highway bridge. I didn't want to lose Michael
as he was giving me the will to keep extending myself and
as no-one else was passing I had a chance to keep my place.
Then just before Garrett Road bridge Gary Killen and Anthony
Mee started to level with me. It was a little annoying as
it proved they were faster and I had some sole searching to
do. At the same time Michael's number fell in the water. Without
a thought I managed to grab it and put it in my kayak. Thankfully
I lost little time picking it up.
As we passed the outlet into Ascot Waters
Gary got a little close and his wake caused me to lose Michael's
wash. I felt a little annoyed with myself for losing it but
really I just wasn't fast enough to keep up so I didn't really
deserve to be there. I knew I was in trouble.
It wasn't far to the half way mark and I could see Samantha
and Peter Liddle less than 30 metres ahead and Peter Thompson
only 15 metres ahead so I still thought I had some hope of
catching them up but on reflection I must have been delusional.
It was Peter T who I really wanted to beat but I wouldnt mind
catching up with Samantha as well. It's always nice not to
be beaten by a girl. I was desperate to keep up, so with flaying
arms and heavy breathing I chased Gary and got on his wash.
I patted myself on my back for being so assertive and entered
Ascot Waters behind Gary, with Mick Mantell, and Anthony Mee
fighting for a forward position. Mick looked serious and he
started to edge ahead. I kept close to Gary and I was appreciative
that he was there spuring me on. Suddenly John Carroll on
his Epic V10 paddled beside the group and passed us as if
we were stood still. John had started 3 minutes behind us
on grid 3 and he was gone in a flash. Although I was struggling
to keep up I was so happy to see how fast John was paddling
by.
I have said it before but John just gets better with every
week that passes. Months ago he couldn't beat me but he has
improved so much that he will be at least five minutes faster
than me today. It's so good to see someone join our group
and start paddling, do nothing but fall off his PRS for the
first few weeks but then start to improve so much that he
has become such a strong paddler. Not only that, just like
every other paddler we have on a Saturday morning he is a
great guy and it makes me so happy to be able to mix with
these paddlers. John is also very competitive on a mountain
bike and as a runner. John turned out being the second ski
over the line in a time of 56.53.
John Carrol at the end
of the race. He was probably going for a 150km cycle and a
30 km run when he left the race.
We left Ascot Waters and
Mick had slowly moved ahead. I was still trying to keep up
with Gary but then Anthony closed in, got too close and suddenly
I lost Gary. Further along as we paddled under Garrett Road
bridge Gary was about 10 - 15 metres ahead. I managed to get
a metre ahead of Anthony and decided to see if I could catch
Gary so I took off leaving Anthony behind. With heavy breathing
and straining muscles I managed to catch Gary and that made
me happy. Once back on his wash I could relax a touch but
Gary was paddling a little too fast for me to have it easy.
Anthony was left to wash hang me but 500 metres before the
Tonkin Highway bridge he decided to cut over to the left side.
It wasn't long before I noticed that he had made the wrong
decision as he was now lagging. I was quite pleased as it
meant that Anthony couldn't challenge me any more. It was
sad to see Mick ahead as I wouldn't be able to catch him,
before the finish line but Peter Thomson was within reach
if only I could find some extra power. I couldn't. With fifty
metres to go I only had a chance to beat Gary. I tried to
pass him but he still had too much life in him and beat me
by a boats length but he deserved to.
Peter Liddle ended up being 37 seconds
ahead. Michael Leahy 35 seconds, Samantha Pilton 32 seconds
ahead, Mick Mantell 18 seconds ahead, Peter Thomson 10 seconds
ahead, and Gary Kilan 3 seconds ahead. Anthony Mee was 16
seconds behind.
It was a little windy but another good
hard race, and I had earned my lunch out at Fairbrossen Estate,
Carmel Road, Carmel. The food was better than any other food
I have tasted lately and certainly worth another visit.
I think I was the first 60 plus paddler
in 1.01.26
John Breed broke the WW 55 record although he is 60 in a time
of 1.03.54
Geoff Mullins broke the over MS 65 record 1.06.59
Brendan Rice was first in in time of
49 min 19.5 secs. Simon Rill. was next 1.4 seconds behind
with Ramon A. and Coran L. very close behind. Tess Watson.
teaming up with her Father, Martin, was the first double home.
For full results:
http://www.wa.canoe.org.au/site/canoeing/wa/downloads/2013-2014/Mara1Island2IslandResults.xlsx
Peter Liddle tying his
new Chrono Multisport on his car. Warren Southwell set a new
record in the over 55 Ski class in a time of 59.45.90
****************************************
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****************************************
Down Wind Paddling
The white water season
has just about finished and the racing season in the river
and the ocean has started. Down Wind racing is becoming increasingly
popular with the WA series running on a Saturday afternoon
with some bigger races on a Sunday.
The first race of the season
was very challenging due to strong winds and a squall that
came through at the start of the race. A few paddlers didn't
bother starting and there was damage to a ski or two heading
through large waves at City Beach.
Pictures from an an earlier
race
Tasmanian Sam Norton
in one of the earlier races
Once you reach the beach
in one piece you have to run to the finish line.
Coming in is sometimes
not very graceful
Shaun Rice ready to run
Oopps
Made it without a spill
Close call
I've got it!
Oh dear!
What a ride...
Nice to be at the finish
line
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Clint Robinson
paddles into Sporting Hall of Fame
Richard Fox
Australian Canoeing, Thursday, 10 October 2013
After more than two decades at the top
of his sport Olympic kayaking gold medalist Clint Robinson
has been rewarded with induction into the Sport Australia
Hall of Fame.
The five-time Olympian, who won gold
in the K1 at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, said he was shocked
to join Australian sporting royalty.
"I was quite surprised to be honest,"
41-year-old Robinson said.
"You just compete in your sport
for what you love and the things you have always aspired to
try and achieve along the way."
"I have been able to enjoy competing
internationally for over 25 years, and in a sport like mine,
which is an Olympic sport and very physically demanding on
your body, it means that it has been a rough ride at times.
So it's great that people recognise what you have achieved."
Robinson's astonishing record speaks for itself.
He completed his set of medals across
three Olympic Games winning silver in the K2 500 (with Nathan
Baggaley) in 2004, and then bronze in 1996 in the K1 1000m.
He claimed the world championship title
in 1994, and has won world championship silver twice, in 1991
and 1995, and a bronze medal in 1996.
He's also been crowned national K1 1000m
champion on 11 occasions (two junior and nine open).
He is also a prolific surf life saving
competitor, winning an unmatched 36 national titles, the most
successful competitor in Australian surf life saving history.
"We were trained hard and I thrived
on the challenges that were offered to me" Robinson said.
"Training was very holistic and
I was always encouraged to be a very hard trainer.
"My strength has been to nurture
that huge amount of competitive spirit that I have always
had,"ÂÂ Robinson said of his sport.
Robinson's work ethic and results impressed
the Chairman of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame selection
committee, Robert de Castella.
"Clint not only has a great Olympic
record in canoeing but also his diversity of success across
the kayak and the surf life saving as well has really given
him an element of diversity which is pretty spectacular,"
the Commonwealth Games gold medalist said.
Robinson will be officially inducted
into the Hall of Fame at tonight's (Thursday) annual Sport
Australia gala awards dinner in Melbourne.
At the same event Olympic canoeing gold
medalist and recent C1 World Champion Jessica Fox will be
in the running for the annual 'Don' Award.
It's the second time Fox has been short
listed for the prestigious gong.
Named after Sir Donald Bradman, 'The
Don' aims to honour a current Australian athlete who, by their
achievements and example over the past 12 months, is considered
to have had the capacity to most inspire the nation.
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