I'm on my second week of my 7000 km Challenge and I have paddled 360 kms in the last two weeks.
 My first week I paddled 211.85 kms which included the 70 kms I paddled on my birthday.

This week I paddled 148.00 kms.
I need to paddle 140 kms every week to achieve the 7000 kms.

The biggest challenge is having to paddle 20 kms the day before a race or to try and paddle 20 kms on the days that I'm doing other things and don't have time to paddle.

Yesterday, Thursday I paddled 30 kms which means I have 10 kms up my sleeve for a day I don't paddle 20 kms.

Jessica Fox
Super Star

Bronze in the K1.

Photo BenceVekassy

Jessica Fox Australia’s greatest canoe slalom paddler of all time, left a mark ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games over the weekend, taking home gold and bronze at the 2021 ICF Canoe World Cup 1 in Prague (11-13 June 2022). The dual Olympic medallist, who also celebrated her 27th birthday on the weekend, won gold in the women’s C1 on Sunday, after already securing bronze in the women’s K1 on Saturday.

40 days out from the Tokyo Games, the four-time C1 and three-time K1 world champion Jessica Fox showed her class and smashed it in Sunday’s women’s C1 final, winning in a time of 105.15 and by over four seconds ahead of Germany’s current world champion Andrea Herzog and local world number three Tereza Fiserova (CZE) in third. It was the first time back on top of the podium of a world-class event for Fox since her double gold and overall World Cup win at the same location in August 2019.

“It was definitely the best run of the weekend for me and I’m really pleased to have put down a clean run on such a challenging course and to improve on the semi especially. I’m really pleased with that run,” an excited Jess Fox said after the race.

        WOMEN’S C1

1. FOX, Jessica (AUS) 105.15 (0 seconds penalties)
2. HERZOG, Andrea (GER) 107.98 (2)
3. FISEROVA, Tereza (CZE) 110.76 (2)

1. ZWOLINSKA Klaudia (POL) 100.58   (0 seconds penalties)
2. PACIERPNIK Natalia (POL) 102.49   (0)
3. FOX Jessica    (AUS) 102.82   (4)

        MEN’S K1

1. PRSKAVEC Jiri (CZE) 90.42 (0)
2. De GENNARO Giovanni (ITA) 90.87 (0)
3. BIAZIZZO Mathieu         (FRA) 92.01 (0)

        13.   DELFOUR Lucien (AUS)

Gold in the C1.

A very happy Jess Fox.
Photo Bence Vekassy

Another Champion in the Making
 

10 year old Beau Jacob paddled the 18.5km Paddle Challenge course.

Which ever race he enters he always paddles the long courses.

NSW Marathon series race 7 - Div 1

Welcome to Winter Series Slalom Race 1 -
Brevis Choate Memorial Race

Saturday the 19th June, 2021 at Walyunga National Park.

Today is the last day to register for the Brevis Choate Memorial Race
(Slalom Winter Race #1).
The race will be held at Walyunga.
https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=243851

Don't have a slalom boat?? That's ok just dig out that old plastic!
Setup and registration from 8:30am, Racing starts at 9:00am

Race Fee $10 or take advantage of the Season Rego for $60. Pay on the day or direct debit to Paddle WA (please make sure that you add .07 cents (either $10.07 or $60.07) to help PWA recognise this as a slalom race payment.

Helmets and PFDs are compulsory.
Look forward to seeing everyone for the first race of the winter season!

Izzy Florisson at Walyunga

Results here:

https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=244275

 

The forecast for the Paddle Challenge a week out was going to be wet but it turned out being a beautiful morning after a chilly start.

The usual course of paddling through Ascot Waters was changed because of the unusually high tide which meant it was not possible to paddle under the footbridge in Ascot Waters.  The course was change to returning on the same part of the river turning around a rescue boat at the end of Ascot Waters.

There were 4 different length courses to accommodate every paddler. Several SUPS and Outriggers joined the kayaks and skis and a few paddlers even paddled plastic skis. 

I wasn’t sure how I was going to go as I had paddled 20 kms the day before and over 20kms every day for the last 10 days, a total of 275kms.

The doubles were off first and then all the K1s. I was in my K1 and chose to start on the left and so did all the top paddlers and the line was that crowded I couldn’t get onto the front line so I just poked my bow behind two paddlers. The top paddlers took off that fast I had no interference but I still had to paddle through the wash they had created.

Richard Lowther, one of my main rivals was to my left  paddling in clean water and getting further away but when the wash of the other boats reached him he started to get a little wobbly and I caught up.  I tried hard to get away from him and it appeared to work. I looked across to my right and I could see two other rivals Doug and Chris Hollier slightly behind me so that pleased me. After the 500 metre mark I was hoping to merge in with another paddler but there was no-one to keep me company. The closer paddlers were Nina Mueller and Tom Green and they were a fair way ahead. I could also see Grant Pepper, but he was certainly too far away at that point.

The doubles go off first.

Photo Bronwyn Martin.
 

The top K1 paddlers form a bond. Travis England, Brendan Rice, Josh Kippin and Will Lee. Brendan won.

Photo Bronwyn Martin.
 

Garth Civil, Paul Paardekooper and Andy Heartcliffe in the K3 and Charlie Hewitt/Benjamin Hewitt on the ski going head to head.
Photo Bronwyn Martin.
 

John Hilton, Michael Liddle and a junior K2 crew.

Photo Bronwyn Martin.
 

Euan Cameron leads Thomas Green, Nina Mueller and myself.

Photo Bronwyn Martin.

It was a lonely paddle with no one to pace but I never gave up trying to gain on Nina and Tom. I seemed to be getting closer but not close enough. The fast ski paddlers who started a minute or two behind the kayaks started to pass. The first ones were too fast to try to grab a washride but as I was passing Point Reserve near Guildford Bridge Euan Cameron came along and as luck should have it I was able to ride his wash.

We did the turn at the Railway Bridge and luckily I was able to keep up and chase Euan back towards Bayswater. A few minutes later we caught up with Nina and Tom. I was hoping that they wouldn’t ruin my ride as they sat either side of Euan. At that time I thought I might be racing across the line with Nina but a little later Nina dropped off, whilst Tom still held on. Grant Pepper was not that far ahead and we were getting closer. He looked tired. As we got closer to Grant, Tom dropped off just after the Tonkin Highway Bridge and I was on track to catch Grant with the help of Ewen. It would be great to beat him again. He was paddling next to young Connor Jacob.

 When we did catch Grant he said, Oh – I have to get moving now or similar words – and he did. He took off and so did Euan, but their pace was just too fast for mine, so they both got away leaving me to fend for myself. I also lost Connor but I got ahead of him.

I passed under Garrett Road Bridge alone watching Grant and Euan get further away. Paddlers who did the shorter course were returning home and it wasn’t long before I was meeting the fast K1s. Two girls in a double who I passed near Ascot Kayak Club must have managed to get a second wind, they started passing me doing short sprints to make headway and slowing up a minute or two later. I was about to chase them but we got parted when boats returning home came between us and I never did catch them after that.

 There was no one up front that I could catch up with but there were several paddlers behind I  wanted to keep in front of. I was still ahead of my usual competition which was great. I did the final turn around the boat at the end of Ascot Waters and started my last 2 -3 kms back to the finish line. When I got opposite the Maylands boat yard, Doug who was coming the other way just capsized and what a swim he was going to have as he was several hundred metres from either bank. I checked to see if he needed help and sped off as soon as he said he was okay.

From then on I gave it my all not wanting to lose any ground that I had made up. I finished strongly beating my usual competition by a few minutes.

Another great race. Thanks organisers and volunteers.

Connor Jacob is being passed by Thomas Rogan, Gary Clarke, Ethan Jackson and Chris Little.

Photo Bronwyn Martin.

 

Watch the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0jiPNqkHgM
 

Kimberley Kayak Expedition 2
 

Leaving Wyndham

It took three days to paddle-sail from Wyndham and out of the Cambridge Gulf. Landing to camp was hampered by mangroves and rocky shoreline. It was on the rocks that I chose to land, but it was a continual strain watching for crocs to creep up from the muddy waters. I eventually left the Cambridge Gulf and paddled into bluer ocean waters finding a sandy beach to land on. It was certainly more relaxing being out of the gulf but the dangers were still present as a four metre crocodile patrolled the beach in front of my camp. Experience on the previous expedition reminded me that they appear in the least-expected places.

Camped on a rock island in the Cambridge Gulf.

I used wheels to get the kayak to and from the water as the kayak was too heavy.
 

Paddle sailing out of the Cambridge Gulf.
 

A croc patrols my sandy beach I was camped on.

I clicked a few photographs, it had a massive hefty body and a jagged tail that looked like a giant saw as it moved slowly backwards and forwards along the surf line. As the light faded the crocs silhouette appeared between the waves. I kept the fire blazing and strung my hammock as high in the trees hoping for a good nights sleep.

The next morning the croc was nowhere to be seen, so aided by strong easterly winds, I paddled-sailed along the coast to my first destination, the Berkeley River. Leaving some of my stores at the mouth of the river, I paddled ten kilometres upstream, passing cliffs and mangroves, to arrive at a dry waterfall at the head of Casuarina Creek. The mangroves and steep cliffs provided no suitable camping spot but a coffin size ledge on the dry waterfall was just big enough and it was a metre higher than the high water level. A lower ledge that was 2 metres above the existing water level enabled me to drag the heavy kayak onto the ledge before moving it to the higher one.

As the tide rose that evening, completely covering the lower ledge, I became a little worried when my torch beam illuminated red eyes of crocodiles staring towards me. The water wasn’t much more than a metre below my bed and hundreds of flying foxes circled above the amphitheatre of cliffs, so I had a disturbed night’s sleep.

To reach the billabong above and to explore the area around Mt Casuarina, I had to scale the sheer walls of the waterfall which was a risk worth taking. Exploring the hinterland was another exciting part of my journey giving me different insights of the remote country.

The tide came up in the night covering the ledge below my kayak and where I slept.
 

I take a walk. Looking back at the falls and Casuarina Creek.
 

From the top of the falls and Casuarina Creek.

Rise and Shine
 

It's too early to get up.
 

Come on you kids time to get up off that perch.
 

Come on Jack, Jane, George and Henry

Wakey Wakey.
 

Stop that yawning and get going.
 

Now you are making me yawn.
 

Birds in Bassendean

Opposite Fishmarket Reserve

Nankeen Night Heron
 

Juvenile Nankeen Night-heron.
 

A young Darter just out of the nest.
 

The Cormorants have been active this week flying in squadrons and landing to catch fish.

State Flatwater Slalom Course Launch
Saturday 3rd July | Ascot Kayak Club

WA's brand new State Flatwater Slalom Course has almost finished construction, and what better way to celebrate it than an official launch!

The official opening is on Saturday 3rd July at 10am and we would like to open invites to the WA paddling community.

If you would like to attend, please email paddleacademy@paddlewa.asn.au to register and an official invitation will be emailed to you.

• WWR2 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.

IOP DownWind Race Dates

Here’s the IOP tentative 2021-22 summer race schedule.
Some of the dates are still tentative requiring DOT approval.

Winter Race Dates 7.00 am Start. 6.30 am rego.

Sat June 19^th
Sat July 24^th
Sat Aug 21^st

Summer Series:

Sept 18^th              IOP. (Swanbourne to Sorrento). (19^th backup).
Oct 16^th                Australian Masters Games. (Fremantle to Sorrento).
Oct 30^th                IOP. (Fremantle to Sorrento) (31^st backup).
Nov 14^th               Mandurah Duel.
Nov 20^th               West Coast Downwinder (21^st backup).
Nov 23^rd               SSS#1 Tuesday.
Nov 25^th               SSS#2 Thursday.
Nov 27^th               The Doctor.
Dec 1^st                   AOCRA Series Race. Skis invited on the Snapper Course (Wednesday).
Dec 2^nd                  SSS#3 Thursday.
Dec 4^th                  King of the Cut, Mandurah.
Dec 18^th                Christmas Paddle – Swanbourne to Sorrento. (19^th backup).
Jan 15^th                 Gauge Roads. (16^th Backup) (29^th & 30^th also backup).
Feb 19^th                Drummers Run. (20^th backup).
March 26^th           IOP Race TBA.

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

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.