Enjoy the CDU Newsletter
Published: Fri, 06/26/15
Issue
470
26th June 2015
Message Bank
We had a big field of Saturday morning paddlers at the Upper
Swan 26km race last Sunday. Many paddlers were at the top
of their division. Well done to those paddlers.
I would like to thank all those people like Peter Ashby who
send me their photos so I can use them in this newsletter
and make it more interesting. It's hard for me to take photos
whilst racing or if something is going on in a different part
of the world.
A paddler to watch in the furture is Brett Young. Brett is
doing what all paddlers should do if they want to be the best
and that is to learn all the skills related to kayaking. Brett
practises his rolling after most fitness sessions even when
the water temperature is freezing and it's dark and cold.
It takes a brave person to do that. So watch this space Brett
will be good at every paddling discipline soon.
Brett Young at the Upper Swan Marathon. Photo
Peter Ashby
Please note that the start point of the
DR race on Sunday is at Amiens Crescent and not Bells as per
webscorer.
Ann Smith waits for all the other paddlers
take to the water. Saturday morning training
The juniors taking off in the Upper Swan Marathon.
Photo Peter Ashby
***********************************************
Avon Descent Information Night
All you want to know about preparing and taking part in the
Avon Descent.
This Monday
Monday 29th June 7.00pm.
Limited numbers so Booking Essential
The Shop, 6 Moojebing Street, Bayswater
$5.00 cost
Speaker Terry Bolland 24 times Avon Descent competitor
Call 9378 1333
**********************************************
Wild Water Race
Amiens downstream to Marli
Bridge, Barrett St
The third of six time trial races for the 2015
Wild Water season is scheduled for Sunday the 28th June, course
this year from Amiens downstream to Marli Bridge, Barrett
St, on the Upper Swan River. Each paddler starts
individually at 1m or 30 sec intervals.
The series is open to all WWR boats inc. boats no more than
4.5m with no rudders or their rudders tied up.
Non-complying boats (sundries) may race and set their times,
but will not score WWR series points.
Date: Sunday 28th June 2015
Venue: Amiens Crescent, Baskerville
Registration: 8:00hrs to 8:30am (No registration after these
times)
Briefing: 8:45hrs am
Start: 9:00 am
Entry Fee: $10 for CWA members & $20 for non members
Registration:
Online registration open till 26th June at 8.00pm (or on the
race day till 8:30am) at:
https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=45393
Queries to John O’Sullivan; 0413 264 728, or Pat Irwin
on 0414 370 145 or pat.i@mac.com
Training & Courses
Saturday Morning
Fitness Training
Race Start 7.30am on the dot!
PFD MUST be worn
Sandy Beach Reserve, West Road, Bassendean
Please make sure you bring your PFD
$5.00 for paddlers who have bought a boat from CDU
$10.00 for other paddlers
*******************************
Bring your Avon boat
this week if you have one
Do You Know
If You Get Blisters
A lot of paddlers taking part in the
hard two day Avon Descent race for the first time have never
done a tough two day training session to see how hard it is
and to work out what might go wrong with their body. Blisters
is a big factor. Seating and deadlegs is another. Chaffing
is another. Upset stomach can be a big thing. Getting hypothermia
is very possible if you keep falling off your ski or you haven't
dressed for the conditions. There are several things that
can go wrong on the day that paddlers may not have planned
for or impossible to plan for.
I know from experience I can paddle
for about 3 hours (it also depends on the paddle I use) before
I start getting hot spots on my hands which if I kept paddling
would turn into blisters. When you think about it, not many
paddlers paddle two long distance races over the same weekend.
They usually have one long race and then they have a day or
two to recover before doing another training session. The
Avon Descent race is different. You have to paddle around
five hours on the first day and seven hours on the second
day so everything has to go right.
If you get blisters on the first day you will have them all
the second day and there is nothing worse than having blisters.
Even the top paddlers get blisters. Top paddlers rarely wear
gloves, they would rather not be seen in gloves.
If you suffer from blisters
wearing gloves can be a saviour
I know though that if I wear gloves
from the start I will not get blisters. In the early days
I didn't wear gloves but as I paddle less miles in training
now I find it better to take precautions if the race is going
to be over 3 hours. By wearing gloves on my 4000km trips where
I can paddle up to 12 hours a day have been a saviour and
my hands are always in the same condition at the finish as
when I started.
You may also find that one hand may get blisters and the other
doesn't so wearing one glove may be the go. On my Across Canada
trip I wore a glove on my left hand but not on the right hand.
I always wear full gloves as fingerless gloves also give me
blisters. If I do get a hot spot on my finger and have to
keep paddling I will tape it and then put a glove on. Sometimes
I will tape my hands at the start and then put my gloves on.
This gives me two ways to cushion my fingers where I know
a blister will form. I find if I tape my hands and don't put
a glove on, the sticky adhesive of some tape will stick to
my paddle and annoy me. Try taping your hands and see if it
happens to you. Fixomull tape tends to have less adhesive.
Some tape will curl especially if it is not wide enough so
do some experimenting.
Blisters are just one thing that may
make your day go to shit. Being cold may be another especially
if you are a ski paddler. You can't concentrate when you are
cold so dress appropriately to the conditions and don't forget
it might be sunny but the cold water of the rapids splashing
onto you or a capsize or two can soon lower your body core
temperature. Wear the right gear and ensure that you take
extra clothing in a dry bag just in case.
There are so many variables in the Avon
Descent race, try to prepare yourself the best you can.
Featured Products
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Blade Length: 19.7" (50 cm)
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Price: $525.00 Full Carbon 680 grams
Special $499.00 this week
Price: $425.00 Club paddled pictured
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******************************
SlipStream Carbon
Paddles
Over the years this lightweight
paddle has been a popular paddle not only for flatwater but
for Avon Descent paddlers.
Price: $450.00
Special $370.00
******************************
Stealth Paddles
The Stealth is one of
our strongest carbon paddles and is a favourite for many Avon
Descenters who like to paddle with a strong paddle. It is
slightly heavier than the Epic or Slipstream. Made in Australia.
Price: $530.00
******************************
Spirit Paddles
Probably the most popular
paddle in the Avon Descent
Light weight and extra
tough to maximize power efficiency ratio in all conditions
on the water. Suits experienced paddlers and sport enthusiasts.
Either fibreglass shaft
or Carbon shaft on a carbon fill plastic blade
Available in a wide range of sizes to
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Features:
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-Fibreglass or carbon shaft
-Blade construction fibreglass/carbon/nylon/polypropylene
-Sizes 208/210/212/214/216/218/220
- Weight 950grams
Price:
$130.00 glass filled blade on a glass shaft
$215.00 carbon filled blade on a glass shaft
$255.00 carbon filled blade on a carbon shaft
******************************
Pogies
Do you have cold hands
whilst paddling but don't want to wear gloves. Velcro the
pogie around the paddle shaft and slip your hand inside the
pogie and all is warm.
Price: $35.00
Stories
Upper Swan Marathon
With most of the work done
at the new shop I was back in action and ready to get back
to racing. The trouble was the race I was entering was 26kms
which would be over 2 hour 30 minutes for a paddler of my
speed.
The day before we still had our Saturday morning training
and our 4km race, but one of our members put on facebook that
he wanted to do an easy paddle to save himself rather than
doing the race. He got a bit of flac from the other members
and me for wanting to rest up. Most of the paddlers at CDU
training are taking part in the Avon Descent which is a hard
two day race but very few paddlers will have done a tough
two day training session to see how hard it is and to work
out what might go wrong with their body. Blisters are a big
factor. Seating and deadlegs is another. Chaffing is another.
Upset stomach can be another big thing.
Despite there being a race the following
day we still had 38 paddlers at the Saturday morning 4km race
which was great to see. I expect one or two would have taken
it easy but if they are like me once I get racing it's difficult
not to paddle as hard as I can.
On the Saturday I was up at 6.00am to
get to training, I paddled the 4km race, did an hour of demos,
7 busy hours at work, 20 minutes unloading boats, a shower
and then went to a 3 hour concert put on by Churchlands Music
school where my three god sons, the Greeds were playing guitars
and singing.
So by the time I got home to relax it
was pretty late. With a weather warning out for the following
day, I didn't really feel like paddling a long race? After
telling my team many times before not to be so wimpy, I couldn't
really not go, plus there were a lot of paddlers wanting to
beat me.
Hearing rain during the really night
didn't inspire me to look forward to the race, was it going
to be cold and wet? I went back to sleep and woke up to the
sound of more rain.
I met Alaine and Tom at the finish line
so they could drive my car back, we then drove to the start
at Middle Swan Bridge. There were already a big number of
paddlers there, most were rugged up or either wearing raincoats
or holding brollies but some of the young guns were still
in t shirts, I was shivering just looking at them!
The briefing
Rob Jarrad and I. Rob
is paddling a 515 with Chris Watson in this years Avon Descent
Wendy Burdett, Mark Sedgewick
and I
I was in the third division which was
going off on the 4th grid, the last grid to do the long race.
It had been raining on and off since we arrived and only minutes
before our start it toppled down. Myself and Cynthia and Stephen
Coward sheltered under the bridge hoping not to get too wet
and cold but it backfired. When we moved to the line there
was already a full line of paddlers so we had to make another
line behind them, which meant no clean start for us.
Div 1. Photo Peter Ashby
We were off and being on the second
line it was quite chaotic as boats were going all over the
place. It was hard to pass anyone, I just tried to avoid all
the weaving boats, as I didn't want to end up capsized in
my Epic V14. Michael Liddle was behind me but he had more
determination at that point and managed to weave his way towards
the front and where my main rivals Mark Sedgewick, Doug, Baillee
and Bonnie were.
Div 3. Photo Peter Ashby
Div 3 taking off
About a kilometre into the race I watched
the double ski of senior Ray Smith and his son Matt mount
the rear deck of Peter Martin's K1. I'm not sure what happened
but Peter ended up in the water.
The river was quite narrow with fallen
trees littering the river banks, some were even in the middle
of the river. Branches hidden below the water were the worry
as well because most skis like mine had underslung rudders
and could easily be broken off if hit. Having several boats
beside me the frenzied paddlers took direct lines at corners
and often eased me towards the bank where I didn't want to
be because of the hidden branches.
I eventually settled in to a good rhythm
and around me were Cynthia and Stephen Coward in a double,
Gary Killen, Simon O'Sullivan on skis and Ray and Matt who
were chaffing at the bit trying to get by but couldn't. I
felt there was no point in breaking my back at this point
in the race and try to catch up with the others in front as
there was a long way to go. However I didn't want to let them
get too far ahead else I would never catch them and I knew
if I tried to get away from the paddlers around me I would
either break down or the others would get too excited and
we would be running each other into the bank.
Gary was the one to make a move and
he soon pulled away from us. Later we started to meet the
faster grid one paddlers. It meant that we weren't too far
from the 5km turn point. The river was narrow at the turning
buoy and I expected a bit of argy bargy with the boats around
me but we moved around it safer than I expected. We were now
headed back in the right direction and I settled in behind
the double with the double of Ray and Matt trying constantly
to pass us but the shallows, the snags the overhanging branches
prevented them getting by.
I could see Doug and Mark up ahead then
suddenly Mark paddled to the bank, jumped off and then jumped
back on again as we passed him by. One down 6 to go I thought.
When we were back at the start point, it meant that we had
paddled 10kms and best of all the river was getting wider
with less snags to break our rudders and more room to take
off if I felt inclined.
The red nose of Mark's Epic came up
beside me. Oh bugger, I thought we had got rid of him. He
accelerated and got beside Simon. He seemed to have a lot
of life in him and I had my doubts of keeping up with him.
Then I thought this is it, it was time to step it up and get
beside him and beside Simon and the Cowards. I put on the
power and got alongside them, suddenly I thought why not try
to go faster so I took off. Cynthia and Stephen came with
me but I managed to drop Mark and Simon who were never to
be seen again.
Cynthia and Stephen Coward. Photo
Peter Ashby
Ray and Matt were still persistent in
trying to pass and they succeeded a few times but then they
dropped back. Ray was steering but it was Matt who was giving
all the instructions. I couldn't help but feel proud of Ray
who is 74 years old and duelling next to me and really putting
it in.
I could now see Doug, he like Mark had
taken off and left me behind so it was good to catch up and
pass him. Mark, Doug and I are fierce competitors on a Saturday
morning taking it in turns racing to the line first. So it
was so satisfying to say Bye bye to Doug as well as Mark.
I didn't know though that Doug was suffering from a sore bum
at that point. Doug suffered from Sarcoma cancer some years
ago so he has lost part of his bum and leg and on long paddles
he gets a sore bum. After a very brief stop he was back to
his best.
Then I saw Bonnie and Baillee. They
are two young women who have been getting faster and faster
and my main gripe was that they are getting faster than me.
As you may know, men just don't like being beaten by women
but it happens to me a lot. Once upon a time I could beat
them with my eyes closed but not anymore, but to beat them
today would bring back some pride. As we approached West Swan
Bridge I was putting in some fast spurts to catch them up.
It also split up our group of three, the Cowards and the Smiths.
I saw Bonnie stop and back up to get some weed or something
off her bow, it was a dream come true! As she moved off I
caught up with her, sat behind her for a minute and then sped
past her so quickly she just floundered in my wake. What a
great feeling.
Ahead was Baillee and Gary. Now it was
my intention to catch up with them and pass them leaving them
in my wake. I was on fire so that should be easy! As I got
within 5 metres, Ray and Matt caught up and moved to the left
of Baillee and Gary. I paddled to the right and sprinted hoping
that I would leave them behind like I did Bonnie. After 500
metres I checked to see where they were and Baillee was still
hanging on to my wash and Gary was on Ray and Matt. Poo, bugger
that wasn't the plan. I tried sprinting at times hoping to
shake Baillee but it didn't happen, I check behind again and
again and she was still there. Bugger, bugger.
Matt and Ray Smith. Peter
Ashby
We were now getting closer to Michael
Liddle, Chris Hollier, Ian Oxwell and Bruce McWhirter. How
great it would be to beat Michael and Bruce. We got closer
and closer and I could feel that we were going to catch up,
but then they got spooked and they seemed to liven up. We
continued to get a little closer and as I moved to the right
side of Ron Courtney Island beside Ray and Matt I felt pretty
confident that we were going to pass them.
Zac Ashby and Dylan Smee
race to the line in the 12km race. Photo Peter Ashby
But approaching Claughton Reserve something
devastating happend. I'm not sure what it was, but all of
the sudden I felt the ski go sluggish. At that point Ray and
Matt steamed ahead and I couldn't match their speed. I fell
behind and onto the wash of Gary. I couldn't stay on Gary's
wash so I dropped back further and then Baillee passed me.
I paddled onto her wash but again I just couldn't keep up.
I was only about 2 kms from the end and everything was going
against me. What had happened did I have weed on my rudder
or was I suddenly tiring?
Paddlers from the earlier grids and
those faster than me in div 3 were now heading home after
paddling past the finish line to a turn point near the old
Ascot Inn. The wind got stronger and Ray and Matt, Gary and
Baillee somehow sped further away. I felt like a little boy
lost.They thought I had dropped back to get a better position
at the turn but really I just couldn't keep up.
The top guys, Brendan
Rice, Travis England, James Morfitt and Matthew Dean. Photo
Peter Ashby
Steve Bolger. Peter Ashby
After the turn I put on the pressure
and started to gain on Baillee but then I couldn't hold the
pace and she started slipping further ahead. I was finished,
there was no way I could find enough strength to pass her,
she had beaten me, but don't let's not go on about it. Within
300 metres of the finish line a big leaf latched onto my bow.
The river gods were not on my side in these last few kilometres.
Water was spraying up like a water skier turning a sharp corner.
My pace had a massive cut in speed. I bounced up and down
trying to get it off and for a moment I thought I would have
to stop and back up. I bounced and wriggled again and thankfully
it came off and within a few minutes I was crossing the finish
line, but 19 seconds behind Baillee, dam, bugger, oh no she
beat me. Never mind I thought I will just keep it a secret.
But at least I beat Steve, Jane, Chris,
Bonnie, Doug, Simon, Mark, Kris, Brett and Erica who all fight
to beat me on a Saturday morning. What's more annoying was
being beaten by 68 year old Jan Van Maanen by 4 minutes and
Ann Harris by 2 minutes. Looks like I need to get out more
on these cold mornings.
It was interesting to note that last
year I paddled my DR kayak in a time of 2.34.22, this year
it was
2.33.47 so I was less than a minute quicker in a faster boat,
so I think age is catching up with me, or is it that I'm not
training hard enough? And if it's age, why isn't 68 year old
Jan Van Maanen slowing down?
Jan Van Maanen and Paul
Szijarto
*********************************
Be Active' Northam
to Toodyay
Naming Rights Healthway
Event: Northam to Toodyay 2015
When: Sunday 12/07/2015
Time: Rego 7.30-8.30am
Briefing 8.30-8.45am
Start 9am
Race start: Broome Terrace, Northam
Race finish: Duidgee Park near Toodyay Bridge
Online entries: Online entries open today and normal entries
close Thursday 9th July at 12 midninght (WST).
http://wa.canoe.org.au/2015/06/24/registration-for-be-active-northam-to-toodyay/
[ http://wa.canoe.org.au/2015/06/24/registration-for-be-active-northam-to-toodyay/%20 ]
Race of the Week
Upper Swan Race
Doug Hodson
I set off
at a good pace, all went well up to the foot bridge. Started
to get some butt cramp on the way back and slowed up a bit.
Baillie came past, had visions of Pete telling me I had been
"chicked" oh well !
We went through quite a bit of weed and some of it got stuck
on the rudder for a while. The butt cramp intensity went up
and speed went down. A gang headed up by the boss on a V14
came by. Told them I had slowed up due to weed, don't think
they agreed ! Pulled in to the shallows to check the rudder,
which was clear. Got back in and the butt cramp had gone,
happy days.
Good paddling strength was back, headed
off in pursuit of the others. Got to Erica and Brett and hung
with them for a while. Decided Brett needed inspiration so
informed him there were 24 virgins waiting for him if he made
it to Ascot. In the interests of diversity told Erica there
were some for her too. She said she wasn't interested in virgins,
told her that meant she was going to get us ! Carried on past,
paddling with Mark, realised there was enough in the tank
to give him a pull at Bassendean. As I came by, he said "I'm
dead Doug", just how I was starting to feel. Mentioned
to Mark that we were lucky that the forecasted wind hadn't
got up. Went round the headland opposite limestone jetty and
got our socks blown off !!!
Paddled on down the river thinking that
reeling Steve and Cindy and Bonnie might be a possibility.
Once past the club, the wind was wicked and the speed dropped
to 7k's or less. Got to the mark and the gang were all there,
time to crank it ! Mark wasn't happy, said he had such bad
cramps that he had nearly packed up but hadn't because Peter
Martin had caught him. Put some effort in and managed to keep
the same spot, just.
Pete's news at the end was he had been
hit twice at the start and had fallen out on the second. Bonnie
was just ahead, she had managed to catch just about everything
in her rudder including a plastic bag ! Mark caught a stick
and got stuck going left ! Simon learned about hydration the
tough way. His camelback stopped working and he started fading
about halfway. He ripped it off and discovered the hose was
kinked.
Got cleaned up ready for home. Mark's
parting words were: "Monday nights not going to happen
its been converted into a red wine and beef night. I'll see
you on Wednesday if my enthusiasm for this sport has changed"
!!!!!
Thats Middle Swan a grueller and everybody
had a story !
Paddling
Down South 1980
In 1979 I was one of about five paddlers
who paddled a sea kayak. It was in 1980 when I decided to
do a big paddle in the Kimberleys that I started training
along the southern coastline mainly solo to get used to being
alone and looking after myself. It was a way of conditioning
my mind and gaining confidence in my skills.
At that time my fitness and skills were
pretty good as I had come 2nd in the 1979 Avon Descent and
3rd in the 1980 Avon Descent and was a keen competitor in
white water slalom paddling.
Albany Going through the surf
near
Paddling out of Green
Pools heading for Walpole in 1980
Paddling from near The Gap Albany along
the coast towards Cosy Corner with Austen Mullen. Austen got
cramp so we needed to go ashore. We waited for the waves to
calm down when a huge queen wave picked us up splattering
us on the beach and cracking my kayak in two places. We pulled
our boats up a huge sand cliff, motored into Albany to fix
it and the next morning in rougher conditions I descended
the cliff to continue my journey. Austen decided to not paddle.
The surf was so big it rolled me about 5 times before I managed
to break through the waves.
Ocean Racing
Ocean Warriors
Just a quick reminder from the IOP management that this Saturday
is the scheduled date for race 2 of the Winter Series time
trials. The ocean conditions look likely to be a sunny, cool
morning with a moderate easterly wind and some westerly ocean
swell. The course details will be advised at the race briefing
at 7:20am but is likely to be the out and back run to Trigg
Island.
Entry is free and open to all, not just IOP or CWA members.
The usual safety kit will be required for participants. The
races will be wave starts with self grading as per the Summer
Series into Beginner, Intermediate and Fast categories.
To enter at any time , you can use the online facilities at
Webscorer or via our website event page. Both series and individual
race entry is available. If you're not sure, just enter the
series and save yourself ( and us ! ) the hassle of entering
on the day. We will mark you as a DNS ( AKA 'fair weather
paddler' ) for the events you can't make !