CDU Newsletter

Terry 0417 977 330

terry@canoeingdownunder.com.au

​​​​​​​https://www.facebook.com/canoeingdownunder/
https://canoeingdownunder.wordpress.com/

​​​​​​​It was another good fun Down River racing session around the buoys Tuesday night at Ascot Kayak Club and the last of the summer season. Thanks to the AKC slalom paddlers who didn't train last night and allowed us to use the slalom posts which always prove to be the most difficult part of the course to do at top speed.

Michael Liddle took out top spot but his dad Peter was only 2 seconds behind on his second run. I was third place. In the Wavehoppers Kris Smith was the victor beating John Breed and Jason Gardner by 5 seconds. In the ladies DR Maya was first and Jane second. There is always close racing in the top 3-4 in each category.

It’s a shame that our Down River numbers are dwindling or paddlers have lost interest in Down River because it’s such a great way to develop skills and keep skills. Anyone contemplating paddling the Avon Descent would reap the benefits of this training. Having good skills is an advantage in any canoe/kayak sport. Without good skills it’s harder to develop as a good paddler, especially white water, so if you don’t have those skills you will probably stay as an intermediate paddler all your paddling life.

Paddling a tippy K1 you need good support skills to keep upright. You can wobble around for ever and keep falling in or you can wobble around for ever and not fall in because you have a good support stroke. At least you will keep dry.

Remember there is more to paddling than just paddling forward in a straight line. You need skills to stay afloat in rapids, in the surf or when a tricky situation arises.

Just spend a little time developing all the strokes and skills. You will never regret it.

Olympian Ramon Andersson & The Queen’s Baton Relay

The Queen’s Baton Relay is a Games tradition that celebrates the Commonwealth’s diversity, inspires community pride and excites people about the world-class festival of sports and culture to come.

Monday 26th Feb

When it travels on the Swan River on a short stretch from Woodbridge Riverside Park to Guildford Grammer School Ramon will be carrying the baton with Olympians Steve Bird and Jesse Phillips paddling him in a K3.

All paddlers will need to be at Woodbridge Riverside Park at 4:00 pm on Monday 26 Feb 2018. Baton will leave at 4:25.

Suggest launching at Lilac Hill, Barkers Bridge or Fish Market Reserve at 3:30 to paddle to upstream to the start point.

There will be a continuation of the celebration at Stirling Square, Guildford after the baton arrives.  

Sea Kayak Symposium

Sandy Robson and members of the WA Sea Kayak Club organised this year's Sea Kayak Symposium. I was invited down to Busselton where it was held last weekend to give a presentation of my 6350km expedition Across Canada.

​​​​​​​Paul Caffyn famous for his Around Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Alaska, Japan, and more was invited along and gave a presentation on his Greenland Expedition.

Also presenting was Dave Winkworth one of Australia most active sea kayak instructors and crocodile wrestler.

From Dave’s Cape York Expedition article …..

And then it happened…..

Arunas let out a cry — a half scream, half shout. He was on his feet, there was terror in his eyes as he looked at me. The surface around him was froth and foam, the sand all churned up. A big animal had him by the leg. Was it a shark? Was it a croc?

I jumped up and ran out into the water the ten or so metres to him. Below the surface I could see the outline of this thing. It was a big crocodile, and it was trying to sweep Arunas off his feet in a death-roll.

Arunas stuck his fingers in its nostrils. It didn’t let go. He put his hands in the croc’s mouth, attempting to prise open the jaws, cutting his hand on a tooth. Still it wouldn’t let go, it’s teeth firmly embedded in Arunas’ right leg. I straddled the croc’s back and put my arms around its smooth hard belly and hung on.

Whether it was me on it’s back or not, we’ll never know…but it did let go. It shot through so powerfully with barely a flick of it’s tail, back out onto the reef from where it had come. I felt the curve of the croc’s body as it spat me off. THIS was a big hard strong animal.

For more of that story go here: https://nswskc.wordpress.com/page/91/