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Classic Paddle
2014
The weather wasn't looking
good for the race from Perth to Fremantle with good winds
and rain forecast. The previous day Perth had heavy rain and
hailstones so we were hoping we weren't going to get a repeat
performance.
T2 and I did a car shuffle and arrived
at the start in plenty of time. I had brought an Epic V10L
for 14 year old Luke Dooley from Kalbarri who came down especially
for the race. The day was chilly and the briefing was conducted
under the Narrows Bridge due to a rain storm. While T2 was
wearing a singlet and others were wearing next to nothing
I had dressed in a thermal top, my Epic top and due to it
getting colder because of the rain I also put on a short sleeve
cag, although I did take it off when the rain cleared just
before the race.
There were less paddlers
taking part this year than last but that didn't deter the
paddlers present. Many of the Saturday morning crew were there
so I had to perform well to beat as many as I could.
Paddlers warming up.
Photo Charlie Collin
I'm ready for the big
race and to wear down my opposition. Photo Jane Liddle
When the dragon boats, surf boats and
outriggers had gone it was our turn to form a line. All the
single kayaks and skis were off on the same grid so there
wasn't enough room for all the boats to form one line so I
and many others started behind. We didn't hear the start due
to being on the left side but when paddlers to our right started
paddling off the rest of us just followed.
The start. At least I
was in front (left corner) of some paddlers at the start.
Photo Jane Liddle
For a while I thought I was doing really
well as I was keeping pace with Rob Jarrett and Gary Killen
who are much faster than me. There were several other familiar
faces around me, some that I was keeping up with, others that
were leaving me behind. I saw Ray Smith, I beat him in last
weeks race but I was paddling an Epic V14 and he did capsize,
but if I was going to beat him today I had to quicken my pace
and wear him down, which I thought I might be able to, but
I found out that I couldn't. I also saw Ken Smith across from
me as well and it would be great to beat him but I didn't.
It took a while but Warren Southwell
came by me in a long plastic and he was leading the plastics
and looking strong. I was surprised he was so far ahead of
the others but Warren is a good paddler. John Carrol, Derek
Amy and a couple of other boats then came by but they were
a few minutes behind Warren. I wasn't sure if they started
on our grid or if they started two minutes behind us. It would
be unusual for me to be ahead of them so I expect they must
have started behind.
I was comfortable on my
Epic V10 but I was quite ashamed of myself for allowing my
belly to get as big as it is, I could feel it restricting
my movement and breathing. I didn't used to have a belly but
it is surprising what happens to your body when you get older
and you don't exercise as much. Because I have been going
on long paddling trips every two years I have been able to
keep my belly down to a reasonable bulge and even no bulge,
when I have returned from a long trip, but I havent done a
long trip for 3 years because of the downturn in business
so with the lack of continuous exercise and too much food
I have allowed it to grow.
I was trying to grab the wash of faster
paddlers passing me and although I managed to ride a few they
were hard to keep on. Many of the paddlers I knew had somehow
crept ahead leaving me behind, probably because they were
faster, but then Baillee Liddle pulled up beside me looking
pretty relaxed. How ya going Terry, she cheekily said. Great
I replied, which I thought I was until then, but it appeared
I must have been slowing down. I tried keeping up with her
but she was too quick and with too much slop to wash ride
she started creeping away. For someone who only started paddling
at the beginning of the year she was going extremely well,
in fact too well as she now appears to be faster than me.
Her next target will be trying to get closer to the top girls
like Ruth Highman who I expect was leading the way. Ruth has
won all the downwind races since I have known her so if Baillee
can get within cooeee of Ruth and some of the other top girls
I will never ever see her again.
I was just getting over Baillee passing
me when Rob Riggir paddled beside me in his kayak looking
all pleased with himself. What is it about people who pass
me or beat me, they all look so happy. He said a few words
and how ya going Terry, knowing full well he was now on his
way to leaving me behind. Again I didn't have the strength
to keep up with him and although I tried he still eased away.
The quicker paddlers
go for it at the portage. Photo John Hilton
Ruth Highman and Jaime
Roberts (black ski) fight it out at the portage. Photo Charlie
Collin
Chris Watson just ahead
of Peter Liddle at the sand bar. Photo Jane Liddle
Warren Southwell passing
Ray Smith just before the portage. Photo John Hilton
Although it was colder than usual and
a storm was said to be brewing, the conditions were actually
calmer and easier than usual. As Rob Riggir drew away from
me I'm sure he would be sniggering to himself, I would in
his situation.
At least when I'm paddling with Alaine
I usually have an excuse for lagging behind, I have someone
to blame, but I couldn't use that excuse today, so please
Alaine, let's start paddling doubles again!!
With all the people passing I was now
thinking of a strategy to get faster. One strategy I thought
was to start training harder, put more effort and commitment
in my training, blah, blah and blah. But then I thought, do
I really need to train more to get faster, do I have to be
faster, am I happy with the more social training regime that
I have and let people beat me! Let's face it you can see the
happiness on people's faces when they beat me. Their self
esteem is lifted and they become to love their paddling even
more. To beat me is their first step to becoming a better
paddler. It's great to be able to encourage people to paddle
even if it is to my determent.
A rush to get back in
their craft. Photo John Hilton
Steve Cashion, 14 year
old Luke Dooley and over 65 John Van Maanen crossing the sand
bar. Photo John Hilton
As I tried to work out in my mind my
paddling future, Peter Thompson drew up beside me. No not
another happy paddler passing, I thought. How many more paddlers
were on my tail and ready to pass and become a happier person.
Was this a Terry happy day! Peter didn't mix his words, you
are slowing down so you have to pick up your pace, come on
let's get going! When I saw Peter paddling a sea kayak I felt
a little more inadequate than a few minutes earlier, especially
when he told me that he was now a fly in, fly out worker and
he didn't have as much time to train.
Peter was paddling like a steam train
and it took all my strength and commitment to keep up with
him, but my reputation was in question, although since Baillee
and Rob passed me I think it was already in tatters. A Mandurah
boy, Peter was always a good competitor and a person I enjoyed
catching up with at races. With Peter beside me making me
work harder than I must have been earlier we seemed to be
catching up with Baillee and Rob.
As we closed in to the portage point
at the Point Walter sandbar the weather was still overcast
and chilly, probably a reason why there were very few spectators
there. On second thoughts it might be because I was much further
behind than usual and most of the spectators had left as their
paddlers had already gone by.
Baillee crossing the
sandbar. Photo John Hilton
I could see Baillee at the sand bar
struggling to pick up her ski. Great, I had a chance to catch
her. I paddled within 2 metres of the beach picked up my Epic
V10 and trotted across to the other side. I was now only a
few metres from Baillee and Rob which brightened my day and
giving me a slim possibility of passing them. I jumped back
on my ski as soon as I had crossed the bar leaving Peter to
struggle a bit to get back in his kayak. Baillee was in my
sights, come on Terry I thought you can do it, but although
I was so close I just couldn't muster enough speed to catch
her, in fact my speed seemed to be slower than before the
sand bar which made me wonder if I had collected weed on my
rudder in the shallows.
I'm chasing Baillee just
after the portage. Baillee please wait for me! She didn't.
Photo Jane Liddle
To make matters worse Baillee started
creeping away from me yet again. I still felt strong, however
the ski felt as if it was dragging. When Peter caught up I
started to question my future in the sport! As he passed he
said he couldn't get his rudder down so I paddled close to
him and gave it a push. It didn't go fully down but he said
it was good enough and told me to get on his side wash. He
was a little too far ahead to do that so I said I would get
on his rear wash which I did for about 5 seconds and then
he was gone leaving me with another pack of paddlers behind
who also had me in their sights.
I was trying to remember a race when
I had so many paddlers, about my speed pass me. I couldn't.
Why was I so slow today? Was it because I had done little
training since the Avon Descent nearly 3 months ago or was
it old age? I couldn't use old age as an excuse because some
of the paddlers passing me were nearly as old as I was, so
it must be my lack of training. Saying that I do like to give
my body a bit of a rest after a season of paddling and a big
event like the Avon Descent. I have done a lot of continuous
miles over the last 35 years sometimes paddling every day
for months, so to help my body from wearing out I sometimes
give it a little rest. But have I had too much rest and created
a bigger belly and 6 kilograms too much weight. My next objective,
if I get through this race, was to lose some weight.
Halfway between Chidley Point and Point
Roe the Rottenest Ferry came along. I was happy as it would
create a big wave and I could use it to lift up my stern and
hopefully shed any weed that may be attached to the rudder,
if in fact there was any? The wave didn't turn out being the
biggest of waves but I gave it a go and I hoped it worked.
At Point Roe I took the short cut through
the shallows and when I looked behind I saw Phil Lansell go
around the spit post which was a longer but deeper route.
As we both came together he was now level with me and he was
on a slower ski, the Epic V10 Sport. At the same time Steve
Coffee and Alan Moreby in a Mirage double sea kayak came by
with Simon Walker on an Epic V10 Sport on their tail. They
were going for it. Of course Steve urged me on but they were
too fast for me to keep up with. Simon and Phil managed to
go with them for a while leaving me to feel sorry for myself
but they both later dropped off but still beat me.
As the last kilometre came up I pushed
as hard as I could, but I couldn't catch up with the paddlers
who passed me but at least I didn't let any of the others
behind catch up, like Jason Gardner and Doug Hodson. Jason
has been trying to beat me for sometime, so has Doug and they
are getting so close. I crossed the finish line with Lawrence
Greed on the microphone telling the few spectators waiting
who the paddlers were crossing the line. Most paddlers were
already changed when I arrived although Rob Jarrett was still
on his V10 when I arrived and he said Baillee had just pipped
him to the line. That made me feel a bit better about myself
as Rob who was 45 secs ahead is a faster paddler than me.
It was pretty cold when we finished
so I changed as soon as I could and even when I was dressed
and watching the presentation I was cold.
With the surf club members taking part
there were some good paddlers in the race. Many of our team
did very well, me being the exception, and 14 year old Luke
Dooley who loved the race was very pleased to have finished
6 minutes in front of me. He was yet another happy paddler.
There were so many happy paddlers that
left the race that day!
Thanks to the volunteers and organisers.
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Link to results: http://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=31100
Link to video: http://youtu.be/yGLdqo-BPA8
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