BCKC Spring Regatta

Burnaby Canoe and Kayak Club Spring Regatta
Sunday April 13, 2008

Entry Fee: $10

10:00am 2km Time Trial K1/C1 (register by 9:20am)
Race is intended for athletes wanting to try to achieve 2000m time control standards for provincial funding eligibility. Course will start at the east end of the lake and will finish in front of the boathouse. Paddlers will leave at 30 second or 1 minute intervals depending on the number of entrants. Paddlers may launch after 9:30am when the rowers will have cleared the lake. Only time trial participants are permitted on the water during the 2km race and all racers are to proceed to the starting area prior to the first racer starting the time trial.

11:00am 6km Mass Start K1/C1/surfski
Heat 1: women midget/juvenile/junior/senior/master K1/surfski & men midget/juvenile/junior/senior/master C1
Heat 2: men/women bantam C1/K1 & women midget/juvenile/junior/senior/master C1
Heat 3: men midget/juvenile/junior/senior/master K1/surfski

1:30pm 6km Mass Start K2/C2/double surfski
Race is intended to be a competitive but fun race with K2, C2 and double surfski crews to be mixed gender and/or bantam/senior, midget/junior or juvenile/master combinations. The idea is to try to ‘even out’ the speed in the boats to make all the crews as competitive as possible. Stacked crews, such as those composed of 2 paddlers who have participated at a national team trial, will be severely frowned upon for not being in the spirit of this competition.

6 km Course Map

6 km Course Description:
Racers start at the 1000m marker, head east to round the 2000m turning buoy, single buoy turns so be intelligent at preparing for the turns. Racers then head west to the 500m turning buoy, staying on the north side of the buoy line that runs the length of the lake. Racers then head east to the 2000m turning buoy, staying on the south side of the buoy line. Racers then head west, again staying to the north side of the buoy line and the 500m turning buoy then proceeding to the finish line in front of the boathouse.

The 2000m and 500m turning buoys are single buoy turns with the buoys being bright orange and are the end buoys of a line of buoys running the 1500m distance from the 500m to 2000m points. Racers and coaches are responsible for familiarizing yourselves with the course; officials will be in place to ensure turns are completed as required in the race description. Racers not completing the course will be disqualified.

Surfski/Kayak Training Camp

Deep Cove Kayak Center’s annual Early Morning Spring Kayak Boot Camp is starting up April 1. If you are planning on making some performance improvements with your kayak or surf ski paddling this season then this program is for you.

Monday and Thursday 6 AM – 8 AM 11 weeks $300

Session starts April 1 and runs Monday and Thursday AM until Thursday June 12.

This program will be coached by Alan Carlsson.

Alan Carlsson has designed a seasonal training plan and will be conducting Monday morning technique sessions which will be complemented by Thursday morning group workout sessions.

Alan’s work-out plan will help you build your skills, stamina and power. Participants should be planning to participate in Round Bowen Race.

As a coach Alan has a wealth of knowledge and utilizes his excellent communication skill to convey information.

• Currently High Performance Director for Canadian Blind Sport
• Coaches High Level Tri-Athletes
• Coached Olympic level sprint kayakers
• Former Head Coach of the False Creek Racing Canoe Club
• Masters in Exercise Physiology
• Place 22nd at the 2007 Molokai World Surf Ski Championships
• Can drink 12 beer without throwing up…..doubt it

Registration

• Program is limited to 10 spots.
• Fee including taxes is $315
• For kayak or surf ski rental it is best to purchase a mid-week season’s pass
• No refunds for missed classes
• Payment required at the time of booking.
• 604-987-2202 to book your spot

Thanks

Bob

Lake Whatcom Wednesday Niters

Starting with the first Wednesday following Daylight savings Time, we fire up the weekly Wednesday Night Race on Lake Whatcom in Bellingham. The races are about as informal as a race can be with no entry fee, release forms, rules, or starting gun. The course is the same each week and is only 3.6 miles with a handful of sharp turns and tight corners. We have seen as many as 45 boats of all shapes and sizes show during the month of May just prior to our local Ski to Sea race. Through most of the rest of the summer there are usually 20-25 boats with most of these being surfskis or outrigger canoes. The race begins at about 6 pm sharp with the slower boats leaving the starting line while the next wave of contenders line up behind them. There are usually 3 different groups leaving the starting line at different times (within 5-10 minutes between the first and last groups) and you start with the group that is of the same speed and ability that you have. If you start with the first group and finish ahead of your competitors, it’s time to move yourself up to the next level of competition. The surfskis start last with the tandem surfskis starting about a minute behind them. This might not sound like its a lot of fun but the race is short enough that it’s basically a sprint and most all the boats come together just before the two tightest turns. Usually there is a lot of boats bumping and paddles banging through the last few turns. On top of all this we usually have power boats stirring up the lake while they pull water skiers and wakeboards. There are no rules in this race but we ask that you respect your fellow paddlers and remember that you are there only for the fun. The races are every Wednesday night until the end of October. If you are passing through Bellingham and want to join in, there may even be a spare paddle and boat available. Just show up at the Bloedel-Donovan Park at the north end of Lake Whatcom and you find us hitting the water at about 5:30 pm, racing at 6 and looking for a beer by 7.

Larry Goolsby

Tuesday Night Paddlesport Race 10th Anniversary. Commencing April 8th 2008

We would like to make this year’s race series an extra special one. Enthusiasm for this Deep Cove event has grown.

The ranks of surf ski paddlers competing in the TNR has grown substantially and our surf ski suppliers have recognized this by supporting the event. This year you have a chance to win not one but two surf skis.

First, THINK Kayaks have donated their popular EVO which Deep Cove Outdoors will be giving away at the Round Bowen Challenge, June 8. Everytime you participate in the Deep Cove’s Tuesday Night Race your name will be entered into the Round Bowen THINK Surf Ski draw. The catch is that you must participate in The Round Bowen Challenge to be eligible for the draw.

Epic Kayaks has donated another surf ski which Deep Cove Outdoors will be giving away at the end of the season. Again, the more you race the better your chances are of winning this great surf ski.

Two great surf ski manufacturers, two great opportunities to win the best surf skis available. THINK KAYAK and EPIC KAYAKS.

CRAFT clothing has also come aboard as a sponsor for the event.

The Tuesday Night Race is an excellent training ground for paddlers of all abilities. There is a great variety of course that take in all the evening beauty of Deep Cove and Indian Arm. We have a provide great draw prizes at the races end and The Raven Pub is a great venue for the post race festivities.

Hope to see you out in 2008

Thanks

Bob

CORA/PNWORCA #5 at FCRCC

Saturday March 8 saw 8 surfskis take part in race #5 of the CORA/PNWORCA winter race series hosted by False Creek Racing Canoe Club. The course began at the Vanier Park boat launch with paddlers heading north to round the yellow QC marker then head east to round a course flag just past siwash rock then follow the same route back to the start/finish. Conditions were fairly calm with a few bumps rolling into English Bay to try to milk for some extra speed. A total of 46 boats took part in the 10 km race and enjoyed the yummy post race soup and cookies.

Surfski results:

1) Shane M.

2) Jeff H.

3) Jeff R.

4) Mike F.

5) John G.

6) Chris D.

7) Katja R.

8  Steve P.

Shack Attack

Sunday February 17 saw sunny skies, light wind and 1-2 foot chop for Nanaimo’s Shack Attack race.

Eleven surfskis hit the water of Departure Bay for the start of the race which took paddlers on a northerly route out in to the Strait of Georgia to round Shack Island and return back to the start/finish line. As the racers left the bay to head into the light wind of the strait the lead pack consisted of 6 surfskiers, all of whom were on different skis, check out the video here. Ron (Mako 6) and Gareth (V10L) lead the pack followed in turn by Nathan (S1-X) and Jeff (Evo) and then by Jonas (S1-X Special) and John (Millenium).

As the pack approached Shack Island the water became a little bouncy and the group started to string out perhaps due to the fact that it was less easy to stay in our tight 2 by 2 formation in the bouncy conditions and probably nobody wanted to get left out if a gap formed while rounding the island. Perhaps Ron may have stepped on the gas a bit too just to see how the group would respond in the rougher water. Now back in the strait the waves were at our back and Jonas immediately took advantage of the situation to catch a few runs to distance himself from the group. Ron took a more inside line and managed to not lose much ground to Jonas. Gareth, Nathan and I split the middle trying to take advantage of any waves the made themselves available to us. John had fallen back slightly.

By the time we made the turn back into Departure Bay Jonas and Ron were about 10-15 seconds ahead of Gareth, Nathan and myself. After taking a moment to recover from the downwind(ish) leg I made the decision to try to bridge the gap to the 2 leaders. I figured the leaders might not be pushing their pace to save a little for a sprint finish so if they were going to be caught it would have to be before they ramped things up for their finish. After 3 efforts to increase the pace enough to close the gap, with each effort being weaker than the preceeding one, the gap had only be reduced about half, in my estimation. I didn’t have the speed that was needed for the quick crossing of the gap and Gareth and Nathan were locked to my stern so I resolved to change to the strategy of racing for 3rd place. So I moved back to Gareth’s side wash to await the finish. Unfortunately the finish line for this race is quite impossible to judge while on the water. “It is from the sign post on the beach to the those green water tanks over on that island across the bay” OK, that works for the start, but not quite as effective for the finish line, particularly a sprint finish. Gareth and I approached the finish area side by side with Nathan on Gareth’s wash, I think. Without knowing exactly where the line was we started our sprint probably earlier than either of us would’ve liked. Gareth and I sprinted stroke for stroke right beside each other for what seemed like a long time…we both were eagerly hoping to hear the sound of the airhorn indicating we’d crossed the line. As we crossed the line we heard 2 quick blasts from the horn then a 3rd shortly after. Neither of us knew who had took it until the awards were presented…Gareth got me by inches to take 3rd…that was a cool finish. The award presenters were suitably impressed with our finish to award us both 3rd place prizes…thanks for that.

Oh, who won? Jonas took 1st place out sprinting Ron. Looks like all the X-country skiing Jonas is doing in Kamloops isn’t hurting his paddling. Check out the sprint finishes here.

John place 6th followed by Don and Chris. In the women’s race Kathleen finished comfortably in 1st place followed by Katja and Sheila.

The après paddle consisted of tasty chilli, soup and an assortment of wonderful baked goods. After the racers and volunteers downed a warm lunch awards of chocolate and carvings were presented to the class winners (top 3) followed by draw prizes, which included 6 packs of Corona beer and big packs of Starbucks coffee.

Surfskis at Dueling Hearts

Sunday’s timely break from the recent subzero temperatures and snow/rain was much appreciated by those of us who took part in False Creek Racing Canoe Club’s Dueling Hearts races. The 5km course started in Alder Bay heading east into False Creek to pass under the south end of the Cambie Street bridge then around a marker in the bay just north of Science World returning under the north end of Cambie St. bridge then around a marker before crossing the channel to return to the finish in Alder Bay. The picture above is the start of heat 2 which featured Jeff, Chris, Nathan and John paddling surfskis along with 6 K1 paddlers and a lone OC-1. After the racing we all agreed that this type of racing was just what we needed, despite the lack of waves preferred by most surfskiers. The calm conditions allowed the racers to focus on race strategy including: wash riding, boat positioning at turns, pack racing, pacing, attacking and sprinting, all while paddling at a high effort to ensure the younger, and potentially faster K1 paddlers we’ve dropped didn’t catch up to challenge for the sprint finish. These short races are great for trying different things during a race and are great for working on that soon to be needed race fitness. We were having so much fun most of us took part in multiple heats. FCRCC’s website shows some photos as well as the race results.

The next local racing opportunity is the Shack Attack race in Nanaimo on Sunday February 17.

1st race of the 2008 Surfski BC racing season

January 26th saw racers take to the Jericho waterfront to take part in the 1st race of the 2008 Surfski BC racing season. Once again thanks to CORA and Jericho Outrigger Canoe Club for including surfskis in their outrigger canoe focused events.
A total of 32 boats took to the water, 7 of which were surfskis.

The course began at the Jericho pier with the racers heading east to round the red and green False Creek entrance channel markers then heading west past the pier to round the first dolphin then finishing back at the pier.

From the start the race was lead out by 2 double surfskis, Ben/John in their Mark 2 and myself/Katja in a Mako XT. Shortly after the start I found the Mark 2’s side wash and we tried to settle in for the ride. After navigating the sailboat race that crossed our race course…fortunately without incident…we then proceed to stay together while rounding the red/green markers and all the way back to the first dolphin. It was here that the race was won/lost. There was a fast outgoing tide that was pushing the boats out to the dolphin, as well a light wind was building and could be felt out by the dolphin. On rounding the dolphin we lost the Mark 2’s side wash and moved to the stern position. Unfortunately both I and Katja could no longer hold the pace and our technique was going ‘all to crap’ as we watched the gap slowly increasing. At this point we decided to put it in cruise…clearly we didn’t have what we needed to match Ben and John on this day. Well done boys!

Shane Martin was the fastest of the solo skis followed by Mike Parks, Chris Dobrovolny, Steve Palmier and Gary Cassius.

 Full results are available on the CORA website.

The next local racing opportunity is February 10 at False Creek, www.fcrcc.com.