Keeping the momentum in kayaking

https://westernindependent.com.au/2020/12/11/keeping-the-momentum-in-kayaking/

Luke Dooley in his first Avon Descent ducking under a K1 at Super Chute.

 

Part of Bells rapids yesterday. It reached .85m but this morning it's .45m and going down.

Photo Jane Liddle.

Can you remember the days when plastic boats were popular at training!
 

Canoeing Down Under Training.

These were the days when paddlers paddled plastic boats at training.

 

Saturday morning training a few years ago. Not a fibreglass boat to be seen.

Well just one.
 

Look how young they are.
 

Stability training. Using the low support stroke.
 

Basic session on the white water at Walyunga.

Photo Terry Brooke (T2)

Gregory River Marathon
 

Two canoeists having fun at the Gregory River Marathon on Labour Day weekend in May.

Progressive Racing Group
Tuesday night.

Time trial over a 1.2km circuit x 3 times equal 3.6km.

Great distance for new paddlers.

Staggered starts - beginners off first.

 

The last grid takes off on Tuesday evening to chase the earlier grids.

Photo Geraint Maddison

Ascot also has a

Weekly Time Trial on Wednesdays starting a 6.00pm.
Long and short course.

Ascot Junior Program
 

Ascot Juniors on a Saturday Morning
 

What will you be wearing this winter.

John Sims Race

We seem to get great weather for the John Sims Race which is always in May and today was one of those great days. I turned up early to help out with registration and due to the new covid cases we all had to wear masks until we got on the water. There were roughly 160 paddlers in 129 boats. There were 3 outriggers with 6 in each and several single outriggers which was a first for this race.

Tim Edwards and Chris Hollier were organising the race with a big band of volunteers. The doubles were off first, the K1s next, the under 18s kayaks and most skis after that, then the 3 x 6 person outriggers, a variety of paddlers including me on grid five and the singles outriggers and more skis on grid 6 with the guppies and short course after that.

The first two grids seemed to go off without hitch but when the ski grid took off Chris Plain was still warming up and suddenly found him-self racing to the start, being 150-200 metres away when they took off.

The doubles take off.

Photo John O'Sullivan
 

The single open and masters over 35 take off.

Photo John O'Sullivan
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The under 18 k1s and all male skis.
Photo John O'Sullivan
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The 6 person outriggers are away.
Photo John O'Sullivan

Our grid took off with me trying to chase three girls who looked fit and fast. I managed to washride one for a few meters but they were too fast and sprinted off and paddling my Down River kayak didn’t help. After 200 metres I looked around and realised I was ahead of my main competitor John Breed who was paddling a multisport kayak and there was no other boats close. I did expect him to catch up and pass at some point.

The girls were now well ahead just leaving a wash which was quite annoying when you don’t have a rudder. For the next 3 kilometres I paddled hard to try to catch up and I was slowly gaining but not close enough to get a wash ride. Around Guildford Bridge I did manage to catch up with Lily Farrell just as we both caught up with the women’s outrigger 6.

The fast doubles were already heading home and some paddlers heading upstream didn’t realise that we keep to the right paddling around the corner so there was a little bit of dodging. With all the wash from the boats returning and the wash of the long outrigger it took me a while to pass them. The two girls Olivia Berson and Femke Negus who I was also trying to catch were now further ahead, however I started hunting them down again. At the Canning Classic I was paddling next to Olivia in my K1. This time I was in my Down River kayak which proved to be much harder to keep up.

The under 16s girls and a bunch of other paddlers including myself take off.

Olivia Berson and Femke Negus pictured.

Photo John O'Sullivan
 

I didn't have the strength to keep up with the girls at the sprint start but I caught them up later.

Photo John O'Sullivan
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Jade Lane and Natasha Leaversuch take off in grid 6.

Photo John O'Sullivan

At Barkers Bridge I was still ahead of John which I was quite happy about, but Natasha Leaversuch and Jade Lane who started the grid behind me caught up. I didn’t really mind as they were both fast paddlers and were in faster boats than me. Natasha said ‘you are an inspiration’ as she came up beside me. I didn’t know what to say, so I just kept paddling hard. I managed to washride them for a few hundred metres but they were a little too fast to hold on and too tiring. 

Just as I was about to catch up with Olivia and Femke the girls jumped on the wash of Natasha and Jade and started pulling away from me again so my plan to catch them and washride was lost. However I still felt strong so I powered on and when they lost the wash I started to get closer to them again.

About 2 kilometres from the finish line I started to muscle my way over their back wash, one wave at a time and when I got my chance I put the power on and got beside Femke. Due to having no rudder I kept being drawn in towards her boat which became tiring so I soon fell back.

With the finish line coming up I tried my hardest to get around the two girls but I didn’t have enough speed or power to achieve it, but on the finish line I was only 4 seconds behind breaking the 70+ Wild Water record with a time of 1.02.17. That was a quicker time than when I raced my WW in 2016 and 2017.

It was another great race, beautiful weather, well organised and fantastic prizes. 

The guppies taking it seriously.
Photo John O'Sullivan
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Mid  field paddlers heading back from Barkers Bridge.
Photo John O'Sullivan

 

Like the Gen 3 V10, the V9 has been optimized for downwind surfing, with increased rocker, and stability. Flatwater speed is a step up from the V8 Pro due to the slightly narrower beam. This is the boat many paddlers have been waiting their whole lives for – the one that launches you onto the swells, glides efficiently across the water, and keeps you in the “zone”.

Length: 5.79 m (19'0")
Width:  49 cm
Depth: 32 cm
Capacity: 120 kg
Ultra 12kgs
$4900.00

Epic Paddles
 

Club Carbon $460.00

Midwing Club Carbon construction - 737 grams; comes standard with Epic’s Length-Lock 2™ adjustable ferrule technology.

Carbon fibre blade, Green oval fibreglass shaft.

Fully adjustable length & feather.
Includes paddle bag.

Canoeing Down Under 

Tie Down Straps
 

$24.00 a pair.

Made in Australia

The Folding J Style Kayak Carrier is designed to transport your kayak or canoe on the side to save space allowing for a second watercraft to be mounted on the other side of your roof racks dependant on the length of your crossbars. Attached to a S512X extension piece, it is possible to carry up to 4 kayaks or canoes on your roof racks depending on the length of your crossbars.
 

Meet on TUESDAYS

Winter (April to October) : Shelley Sailing Club, Watersby Crescent Shelley

Weekly Time Trial

Registration: 5.30pm for 6pm start

Race distance around 5 to 6 km – race against your nominated time.

Racing every Tuesday of the year apart from a two week break for Christmas and New Year.

Call Judith 0407 574 530 for more details.

canning@paddle.org.au

www.canningriver.paddle.org.au/

Champion Lake Boating Club

30th May 2021 

At Ascot Kayak Club 

Sunday 13th June | AP Hinds Reserve

Entries are now open for the 2021 LiveLighter Paddle Challenge!

The race is sure to be bigger than ever, with the number of outriggers, SUPs and Dragon Boats increasing at every event! This year, the race will also serve as a qualifying event for the 2021 Avon Descent 🌊 And as always, a wide range of race distances is on offer so that everybody can pick the best challenge for themselves!

18km Long Course
11km Short Course
6km Novice Course
3.5km Guppy Course

Registrations close 10.00am on Friday 11th June. Please contact develop@paddlewa.asn.au for all queries.

7th April - 26th May | Aqualife Centre, East Victoria Park

Canoe Polo has returned to WA! There will be 4x weeks of training and social games, followed by 4x weeks of competition.

Aqualife Centre, East Victoria Park 6101
Every Wednesday for 8 weeks (until 26th May)
6.20pm - 8.15pm
$6.40 entry fee per session or $57 for a 10x entry pass
Membership to Paddle WA or the UWA Outdoor Club is required for insurance

Equipment can be provided but please email
akccanoepolo-committee@googlegroups.com
so they can prepare (kayak, paddle, life jacket, helmet, spray deck).

Are you up for participating in a white water event. Some are actually on flat water.

• WWR 1 Ascot Buoys Race. Sun 23rd May.
• WWR 2 Drain Race, or Upper Swan. Sun 20th June.
• WWR 3 Upper Swan or if high water Walyunga. Sun 4th July.
• WWR 4 currently billed as Avon Descent race... Walyunga to Amiens? To be decided. Sun 25th July. 
• WWR 5 State Sprint Champs at Bells. Sun 8th Aug.
• WWR 6 Bridgetown. Sat 21st & Sun 22nd Aug.

A large spiders web on our dog walk this morning.