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The CDU - CUT
Down Winder
It was the afternoon of the Canoeing
Down Under Mandurah Cut Run, an ocean ski race from Mandurah
Cut to the town. Having to work it was touch and go if we
would get there in time for the start but we did. Today I
wasn't paddling, I was there as a sponsor and to get some
good photos.
Briefing time
Due to rough weather the
race start and finish was changed to start in the Cut Canals
for safer launching and the finish was brought back to the
yacht club in Mandurah, near the entrance of the river, where
the landing was safer. It certainly wasn't the best of days
to be launching and landing in a big surf so it was a very
wise decision to change. We arrived 10 minutes before the
briefing and in time to deliver an Epic leg leash to a customer
who needed it for the race, paddlers can't race without a
leg leash or a PFD. Oscar Chulupsky, a big gun in world circles
had arrived that morning and he was bright, cheerful and ready
to race. You can't help but like him as he welcomes you like
a long lost friend and he always chats to whoever wants to
listen.
Oscar Chalupsky and Darryl
Khng at the briefing
There were 70 odd paddlers, paddling
a number of different craft but it was good to see so many
Epic Skis in the mix. Down Wind racing is not for the faint
hearted and today the conditions would be testing out the
less experienced. It takes guts, and of course a lot of skill
to go out there in the late afternoon on a narrow unstable
ski on such a rough day.
Organiser Rob Doherty
giving the briefing
As the paddlers took to the canals we
drove around to the groyne near the end of the channel for
spectacular viewing. It wasn't long before the first group
of less experienced paddlers came out of the canal. On a nearby
jetty a night heron watched the drama unfold. Mark Hardie
was leading this group and I think he was there to show the
less experienced group how to get out of the rough channel
and into the ocean. The rescue boat skippered by Helen Hardie
had gone out earlier and we had been watching it disappear
behind the big waves and swell. It was going to be a challenge
for some paddlers.
A Night Heron watches
on. Two or three long white plumes extend from the back of
the head. These are erected in greeting and courtship displays.
I don't think it was courting today.
A head of a paddler can
just be seen as pelicans watch on and as big waves come through
When the rescue boat was motoring out
of the channel, Alaine thought it would be great to be on
it as she thought it would be an enjoyable trip along the
coast and it seemed safer than paddling. Then she saw the
boat rear up and over a breaking swell and disappear in a
huge trough. The boat wallowed, it disappeared again as a
big breaking white wave hid the boat again. Watching this
Alaine's stomach suddenly churned with a hundred butterflies.
A grip of fear soon changed her mind and she no longer wanted
to take a joy ride to the finish!
As the first group passed us and got
closer to the big swells and breaking waves across the channel
entrance, it looked as if a paddler or two were a little hesitant.
At the briefing they were advised to keep over to the left
to avoid the reef and breaking waves. The pelicans watching
on were not the least worried about the conditions. The group
paddled further and then they started lifting with the swells
and disappearing in the troughs. Some paddlers were spearing
off in different directions and it looked as if they were
unsure how to take the waves and to the best way to get out
of the entrance. Being safe on shore I could feel their apprehension,
their fear and their jubilation as they eventually chased
and rode the swells towards the finish line.
Dave Waters on his Epic
Ski, was one of the rescue paddlers on the course.
As the first group were spread and splintered
in the entrance the second group started paddling by us. They
looked more focussed although some still looked confused when
they got out to the entrance where the waves were bigger and
where some of the first group had only just cleared.
The second group of paddlers
file out of the channel
They get closer to the
rougher stuff
Now where do we go
Some looked as if they
were going south to Bunbury rather than north
Now the big guns come
out. Eventual winner Brendan Rice in 6th place next to his
dad Sean who is also a powerhouse and over 50 yeras old!
In the bay next to the
groyne large violent waves were rolling in and further over
along the beaches they were just as big and scary. As we were
taking photos waves hit the end of the groyne spraying cold
water over us. After a clean of the camera lens the third
and fastest group of paddlers were coming by. Oscar was in
this group although he wasn't in the lead. They flew by and
they didn't hesitate to cut the corner taking the shortage
route out of the channel. This was the most experienced group
and it showed, they went for it with confidence and speed.
You wouldn't want to capsize and not be able to get back on
as the surf looked pretty hostile.
Oscar Chalupsky, although
a little behind the front runners sprinting out of the Cut
came forth overall and first 50 year old
The fastest grid take
the short cut closer to the groyne and rocks
The first 3 kilometres
was said to be the worst
It's not a place to capsize
There were now paddlers from all three
groups heading north. From the shore the conditions looked
pretty rough with breaking waves and big swells hiding the
paddlers from our view. Although it looked as if some of the
paddlers were struggling we didn't see any paddlers fall off
their ski or in the water.
When all paddlers had gone by we drove
towards the end of the race and waited a few kilometres from
the finish to watch the first lot of skis pass by. The white
caps and swells still hid the paddlers from our view despite
our lofty vantage point on top of the sand dunes. We watched
for any movement amongst the mass of white capped ocean waves
and for a few minutes saw nothing.
Unbeknown to us somewhere out there
one paddler was having trouble and had to be rescued by the
power rescue boat. The rescue boat had a big area to cover
so it headed back and forth along the coast in the swell and
messy water to check on the paddlers. The crew mentioned later
that it wasn't a pleasant ride and it was even worse when
they had to shut down their motors to perform a rescue which
meant the boat wallowed in the waves.
Standing overlooking the ocean a strong
wind chilled the warm afternoon. In the distance we could
just make out a couple of paddlers. They were moving fast,
taking advantage of the conditions. The conditions looked
much better than what most people expected so they were flying.
Another person on shore said a paddler had gone by. It didn't
seem possible as we had been focussed on the ocean for some
time and hadn't seen anything but when we looked again we
eventually saw a paddler. It was Mark Hardie. He was leading,
although he did take off on the first grid and the paddlers
behind seemed to be catching. A few more paddlers appeared
in the distance. When they were on a crest of a wave we could
see them, when they weren't they disappeared. Paddlers wearing
hi-vis orange or yellow shirts or hi-vis PFDs could be seen
much clearer than the ones in dark colours, something to think
about if you ever want to be rescued or seen.
Brendan Rice uses the
conditions and his fitness to take the lead
Travis England and Dean
Beament are chasing Brendan
A minute later Travis,
catching a run passes Dean
We let a few paddlers pass and headed
towards Robert Point car park overlooking the reef and a navigational
spit post that they had to round. Paddlers rounding the marker
post were a long way off so it was hard to see who they were.
Mark rounded first, then once another paddler turned I could
see it was Brendan Rice speeding towards the finish line.
A little later two paddlers passed around the post, Travis
and Dean, the swells had them juggling for the front position.
One would get a ride on a swell then suddenly slow and then
the other would get a ride and go past him. It looked quite
frustrating for them.
Dean has a very tiny
lead
At the turn they are
neck and neck. Nearing the finish Travis paddles ahead beating
Dean by 5 seconds. First place Brendan beats Travis by 58
seconds
Oscar (4th) close to
the finish with Adam Bloomfield and John Wilkie (6th) close
behind
It was time to head for the finish line.
Unfortunately we didn't see the first few arrive but there
were a lot behind them. As I walked towards the beach Oscar
was already near the club house washing his boat with his
brother Walter, who hadn't paddled because he was sick. Oscar
didn't look at all tired and he was still chatting away. He
came 4th behind Brendan Rice, Travis England and Dean Beament.
11th place Andrew Crothers,
runs to the finish line
13th place Rob Jenkinson
drags his V14 ski to a safe place
1st women Ruth Highman
on a CDU sponsored V14 running to the finish line
21st place Kim Bingham
surfs in
Ruth Highman on her sponsored CDU Epic
V14 was the first women to come in but that was no surprise.
She was followed by several paddlers we knew. Some looked
happy, others looked haggard. It was good to see paddlers
that had landed previously collecting up the skis of the paddlers
coming in.
Paddlers started trickling in, then
a bigger bunch came in together, most came through the small
surf quite well but the odd one copped a belting when a rogue
wave bigger than normal dumped them.
Paddlers ran from the water and into
the race lined with CDU and Epic flags leaving their boats
for other paddlers to pick up. Some paddlers were quick to
run through the finishing race others took their time.
A big group of paddlers
arrive
Brendan Rice enjoys a
drink and a chat with his dad Sean (over 50) who was 7th over
the line. There were 3 paddlers over 50 in the top 8. So there
is still hope for older paddlers
Darryl Long and Sue Quick
bring home the CDU double V10. First double and 27th place
overall.
30th place Darryl Khng
drops in
Warren Southwell intent
on beating Spencer King
3rd lady across the line
Julie Jenkinson powers to the finish being beaten by second
place Tricia by 10seconds
Spencer King still looking
fresh
Over 50 year old Kevin
Roberts prepares to disembark
Ray Campbell and Steen
Copeman rush to the finish line!
Eventually paddlers stopped
coming in, but there were still three out there, the paddler
on the rescue boat, Dave on the rescue ski, and Christie Amy.
We waited, Rob the organizer
wouldn't take the sponsored flags and bunting tape completely
down until she arrived. Rob had radio contact with the rescue
boat so he knew where she was. Eventually we saw paddlers
coming around the marker post. It seemed to take forever for
them to get close, but eventually they arrived and surfed
ashore. It wasn't Christie's lucky day though, a dumping wave
cleaned her up before she hit the beach, but she managed to
run through the finish line all smiles and with a few cheering
onlookers. After the paddler was lowered off the rescue boat
and everyone was safe on shore Rob and his team of timers
packed up. It was time to head to the pub.
Rob waits for the last
paddlers to arrive
Amy, on the right, the
last paddler in the competition has been on the water for
2 hours and 3 minutes
Ooopps. It wasn't quite
the landing Amy hoped for, but she wasn't the only one getting
dumped
Many paddlers drove around to 'M' on
the bank for presentation. Kevin Roberts kindly bought us
a beer when we walked in, he looked a bit fresher than when
he finished. The group of paddlers gathered in a taped off
section, talked, drank beer and waited for the pizzas to arrive.
They were a long time coming but when they did come they were
the tastiest pizza that I have ever tasted.
In the meanwhile Rob did the presentation.
Winners were given CDU cash prizes, whereas several paddlers
were rewarded with on-spot prizes of bottles of wine.
It was a great afternoon. It's such
a pity that I work on a Saturday as it is something else that
I could get involved in.
Thanks to Rob and his team for organising
the event. See you at the Epic Down Winder on Saturday
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