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The City Lights
Race
It is probably the marathon
of all WAs marathons if you don't include the Avon Descent.
No other flat water race in WA is as long. At near 30kms its
longer than the WA marathon, an event that you would have
thought would be of greater distance. The length of the WA
Marathon is 26 kms for the open competitors and 15.5kms for
the 55 plus age group like me, although paddlers going to
the Australian Marathon Championships will have to paddle
32kms in the open event.
In that 30kms the waters are so different, shallow in places,
posts, many hidden, a ski area with power boats circling,
choppy waters along the freeway, a short portage, city lights
and then darkness and exhaustion for the second half of the
race. Of course there is the stunning sunset in the western
sky if you have time to look.
I haven't missed a City Lights since it started and I have
paddled it in a canoe, a double kayak, a plastic double kayak
and a double ski, all but two of the races were with Alaine,
who has been out of action for most of the last two years.
This meant she was not as fit as she should have been for
such a race, not having paddled seriously for some time, having
a dodgy shoulder, being in the twilight of her years and only
training 5 - 6 kms whenever she went out. So she really wasn't
looking forward to the pain of paddling 30kms, but she just
didn't want to miss it either. Although our training is more
of a social paddle we have experience and age on our side!
Adrian Quick was ready to take Alaine's place just in case
she got too many butterflies in her stomach and changed her
mind, but she didn't. Our longest race as a team for the last
two years was about 14kms but if you can paddle 14 kms, you
can paddle 30kms, it just takes a bit longer and hurts a little
more.
Like most other City Lights races, the day was going to be
warm, 38 degrees although at least it cools down when it gets
dark. But it was hot when we arrived at the start point at
Riverton around 4.00pm. Other paddlers started arriving but
there weren't as many as last year, so what had happened,
why fewer paddlers this year? Are paddlers getting soft?
Ascot Kayak Club vice president Laura Cass stepped in the
be the main organiser but last years organiser Dave Boldy
was there to do the briefing. Soon after, we were getting
ready for off. It was still hot but it was cooling by the
time the first grid took off about 5.30pm. We were in the
second grid with about half the field, the faster singles
and double skis.
Jane Liddle and Erica
McKnight off on the first grid. Photo Doug Hodson
We were off and like always
we allowed most of the field to get in front of us, it was
the decent thing to do. Once under the pipeline just after
Shelley Bridge the leaders took off across the shallows to
the right of a line of posts. It wasn't the way I would normally
go but we had no option as we were locked in by other paddlers.
It soon shallowed and a small group moved to the left of the
posts but we were carried to the right. Although we kept about
15 metres from the posts there was suddenly a big crunch,
we had hit a hidden underwater post and it didn't sound good.
I expected some damage, maybe a hole which we would soon find
out if the ski started to sink!
The second grid off.
Photo Doug Hodson
Apart from an Avon Descent I can't remember
not finishing a race so I was hoping the ski wasn't holed.
(We found out later there wasn't any damage). About 5 metres
later another ski to our left also crunched over a hidden
post, it sounded worse. We still had some way to go to get
out of the shallows and pass the posts so I was a little concerned
we may hit another but fortnately we didn't.
By the time we cleared the first line of posts the leaders
were somewhere in the distance. It would have been nice to
have been up with them, but we understand that being an old
man and Alaine a fairly old women we weren't going to be as
fit or fast! When you get to our ages you are just happy you
can still paddle well.
Ann Harris was paddling beside us, I thought she was doing
really well to keep up with us but again maybe we were slower
than we should have been! Her paddle partner, Ron was a little
faster so it seemed easier for her to keep up with us than
to keep up with him. By now all the fast doubles were way
ahead, including Colin Grimshaw and Julie Morgan who I was
hoping we might be able to be a little closer to than we were.
They, no doubt have been training harder than we. So that
left us to paddle against a bunch of single skis and even
most of those were faster than us. Derek Amy and Steve Cashion
were in the mix and paddling strong but we eventually managed
to pass them. One team down, several more to go. Danny Moreton
and Peter Thompson were also a few metres ahead but they stayed
ahead and looked quite strong.
We entered the ski area where several power boats were tearing
up the water and wasting a lot of fuel. If I didn't drive
a car I would call them a wasteful lot of petrol heads, but
what can you say when you drive a car yourself? At least being
a late hour most of the boats had gone home but there were
still a dozen or so circling and creating waves that wallowed
across the water.
In the distance I could see Canning Highway Bridge our next
goal and as we crossed the open body of water the bunch started
to split up. Every time a boat passed the waves see-sawed
us up and down like two excited children in a playground.
We managed to survive the slippery dips and entered the calmer
waters at Canning Bridge where 4 teams came together and filtered
between the bridge pylons and through the checkpoint.
The waters ahead looked flatter than other years but a kilometre
later it started to get a bit rougher but it wasn't so bad.
The heat of the day was now lost and a slight wind was blowing
my wet shirt and cooling me down. Eventually we lost Ann and
Ron but they weren't far behind. We managed to latch onto
a pair of single skis who were just behind Danny and Pete.
Pete was paddling a kayak and he seemed to be struggling a
little with the rougher waters. Getting a little excited we
now had our chance to pass. Suddenly Josh Kippin and Simon
Roll and James Morfitt and Matthew Dean who started on a later
grid in K2s sped by as if we were standing still. They were
in the distance within minutes. They ended up being first
and second boats across the line with only 5 seconds separating
them.
Although we were well away from the shoreline I felt the group
was paddling too far to the right so we moved over to the
left to keep to the deeper water. A few minutes later we were
in shallow water narrowing missing a concrete post that was
nearly a foot out of the water. Wow that was close! We were
at least 300 metres maybe more, from the shoreline with several
boats between us and the shore. The water shallowed even more
and it became a struggle and the only good thing about our
struggle was that our competitors over to our right seemed
to be struggling more, so by the time we cleared the shallows
we were ahead of the group, including Danny and Peter.
We rejoiced as we headed towards the flashing amber light
at the portage point. The water deepened again and became
sloppy after the flat shallow section but we still managed
to keep in front of the others, although I could hear someone
breathing down our necks. We finally hit the beach as two
K3s arrived. There was a clashing of boats as they came ashore
just behind us. Alaine nearly got mowed over in the process.
The portage was quite short so we were soon back in the water
turning our lights on as we entered. The first K3 was gone
and close behind the other K3 chased them. They soon faded
in the dying light. As we moved under the Narrows Bridge the
view of the city through the gap beneath it was stunning.
I said to Alaine how good is that view and she replied we
don't have time for you to take a photo. To think that I would!
Erica and Jane coming
up to the portage. Photo Doug Hodson
We passed the relay pair
of John Tomszac and Ann Warger who were teamed up with Steve
Coffee and Jeanette Bushby paddling Leo's double plastic kayaks.
With the darkness, the city lights sparkled, but we didn't
have too much time to take in the view, unlike when we view
it from South Perth on a social evening out.
Five minutes later T2 and Mark came flying by. Their lights
headed towards the south east end of Herrison Island where
other lights were also heading. As we got closer to the island
Alaine said she hadn't drunk any water because she couldn't
suck it from her water bottle. I asked her to wait until we
got in the shelter of the island before she tried fiddling
around. Soon after she stopped paddling and tried to get it
working, but failed. We paddled further and she tried again
without success. Every time she stopped paddling and fumbled
around in the dark we lost ground even though I tried paddling
harder. Being the patience type I never said a word, I thought
I would leave that until later! I knew Alaine needed to drink
or it would slow us down even more, but I couldn't think of
a good way to help her without landing on shore and losing
a lot of time. I hated the thought of losing time so I encouraged
her to keep sucking, hopefully some water would come out or
she would forget that she was actually thirsty.
By now Danny and Peter had caught up. They kept up with us
but as Alaine fumbled in the dark with her water bottle again,
they moved ahead. We managed to wash ride for a few minutes
but we fell back as Alaine fiddled again. It was hard to see
what was wrong with her system in the dark, and to make things
worse she had the water bottle in front of her feet so she
couldn't reach it to take a drink straight from the bottle.
Eventually I reached behind me and managed to wrestle it free
from the elastics and threw it back but I missed the ski well
and it dropped in the water. Being attached by a tube Alaine
managed to rescue it. She reeled it in like a fishing line
and managed to take the top off to have her first drink. Yippee.
Meanwhile I had been drinking steadily and was very content,
I had no problem sipping from my bladder held in the back
of my PFD.
Alaine fumbling in the
dark with her water bottle!!
By now we had lost quite
a bit of time and I'm sure others would be creeping up behind
so we had to make up some of that time so we paddled faster
for a while at least. A couple of doubles passed us just after
Windan Bridge. As we crept around the long sweeping bend of
the Belmont race course the doubles seemed to have taken it
wider than necessary. We then passed Derek and Melissa in
a plastic double. I shouted out, how ya going and Derek said
they were okay apart from him having cramps.
A big ferry was over to our right entertaining a load of happy
drunken passengers. Gee I'm glad I'm having fun paddling 30kms
in the dark, it was certainly more enjoyable and certainly
more healthy. It's hard to fathom why people need drink to
enjoy themselves, it's hard to fathom why people smoke or
take drugs. Maybe I am old and old fashioned but I still seem
to enjoy life without having to abuse my body by those means.
Hopefully some of them will see a few paddlers passing by
and be inspired to one day tackle or take up paddling themselves,
but I won't be counting my chickens.
Lights were flickering ahead but we didn't know who they were.
The stars were also flickering and there is nothing like being
on the water looking up to the stars and dreaming about places
where you would rather be. Alaine was now suffering from the
lack of energy so she needed a boost. She had a clip seal
bag full of jelly babies and snakes in her pocket so she stopped
paddling and tried to get some out. She kept muttering to
herself as she failed time after time to get one to her mouth.
I can't understand how she missed! I eventually heard a sigh
and a happier voice. She had succeeded. I also sighed with
relief as it meant that I had someone to help me paddle!
Sam Pilton and Bronwyn Martin and another double beside them
passed. The girls were going really well. I think I must have
got inspired as Alaine asked me to slow down, apparently I
was going too fast. I slowed, doing longer strokes but still
trying to paddle hard. It's at this time that Alaine is likely
to put her feet up and relax. I had already had a few comments
from passing boats. To be fair to Alaine, which I always am,
I didn't believe them..much!!
John Breed and Michael Leahy skidded
by with ease. I could see a power boat heading right towards
them. Luckily they missed each other but I think the power
boat got a shock when they realised they were there. I'm going
to be paddling with John next Sunday in the state marathon
championships so I was hoping he would save some energy for
then.
We followed a few lights into Ascot Waters. The water was
calm and the reflections from the lights lit up the waters
in front of us. It seemed that most people living in the houses
were either in bed or they were out. There was nobody on their
balconies watching the 90 odd paddlers passing by. As the
skinny moon shone, the stars glittered, paddlers were shouting
out their numbers as they passed under the road bridge leading
to Ascot Waters island which broke the silence of the beautiful
night.
As we ducked under the low footbridge at the end of the cove
we caught up with Jane and Erica. Jane and Erica are part
of our Saturday morning crew who were doing really well. They
are two tough cookies. We left the cove beside them and for
a few minutes we couldn't shake them. They were travelling
well, but I knew we had to lose them, my pride said so, so
I asked Alaine if she could lift the pace. She did and we
were off leaving Jane and Erica to follow our wake.
After Garratt Road bridge it was home sweet home. We were
now only 3.2kms from the finish line and we could see crossing
the Tonkin Highway bridge up ahead. This section is the section
that Alaine hates as she is usually tired and feels sick and
wants to get out of the boat to go home, but tonight she said
little (she was probably asleep) and in no time we were moving
under it.
We were alone on that last section so we had no one to race
but that didn't matter we stepped up the pace hoping to get
to the finish a few seconds faster and with a good time. Alaine
being the super hero she is did very well considering her
fitness. We won't mention the sighing and swearing when she
couldn't access her drink or her jelly beans or when she put
her legs up to have a rest, or when she stopped paddling to
look at the moon! Apart from all that she did very well. We
crossed the line strongly, although Alaine was secretly feeling
exhausted and she couldn't eat anything later apart from a
dry bun. But I knew she would recover and be back next year
for another go. That's how we are, that's how she is.
We were only 15 minutes slower than when I did it with Warren
Southwell last year and 10 minutes slower when I did it with
Adrian Quick so that wasn't so bad for someone who trains
very little. Unfortunately though old Lawrence and young Christopher
Greed beat us by 34 seconds.
Like always the party atmosphere and
music at the end was great. Some people looked shattered,
whilst others you couldn't tell they had paddled. Most paddlers
stayed for the presentation and enjoyed the night so about
40 paddlers got prizes. Canoeing Down Under was the major
sponsor, backed by Alarms System WA, Water Wanderers and Direct
Communications.
Many thanks to Laura Cass, Leonie Cockman,
Dave Boldy and all the other volunteers and there were many.
It was another brilliant event and I'm sure paddlers can't
wait till next year.
Race times here:
http://www.ascot.canoe.org.au/?Page=12755&MenuID=Results%2F13018%2F0%2F
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