Stormy Sakonnet No Match for Racers!-Repost from 2012

With much planning of routes Plan A(new downwind course), Plan B(old course), Plan C(Weavers Cove’s, in lee on opposite side of Aquidneck Island), the ever adventurous New England Surfskiers put on a show with pure determination and boating skills. Small Craft Warning, sheeting rain, 21mph steady from Southeast, 30+ gust, 2-3ft seas made for a difficult but satisfying race. I took a quick poll of most everyone and all wanted to do Plan B. I did shortened the course by 2 miles which I was thankful I did. It was nice to see some new, yet familiar faces at the race including Robin Francis and Gary Williams who just completed a trip to the Shark Bite Challenge in Florida with Team Achilles. Also in attendance was Tucker Lindquist who has won the Sea Kayak Class at the Blackburn several times. The NJ/NY contingent of Flavio Costa, Beata Cseke, and Yan Lupinski make it up as well. We also had Cam Trukn and his Gwenn from New York City. See Link for more pics. Go full screen to see better!

https://picasaweb.google.com/111670948231605580163/SakonnetRiver2012#

Hardy Group

Gary,Wesley,Robin w/smile prerace

Warmup Chris and Chris

Kam and Gwenn Truhn

Mike Tracy thinking this will be alot of work!!

With a one minute countdown, we lined up in sheeting rain. Off we go around McCorrie Point into what turned out to be a slight lull minutes after we got started. This would be the only lull of the race. I remember thinking as a couple of thoughts as I headed down to Sandy Point, 1.5 miles from the start: 1)this is not so bad(meaning the 1st upwind leg) 2) did Tim get stuck on the McCorrie Point Sand Bar? 3) Am I slow or is Dave and Greg having a really good race since they were already 4 boat lengths ahead of me while Flavio was ahead of the whole pack.

Start

We make the turn around the sail boat marker headed on the downwind leg for 5 miles. Flavio,Dave Furniss, Greg took virtually a straight line route. I immediately headed out into the middle of the channel in hopes of getting better waves and more wind. Chris and Dave Grainger were even further out than me having fun on some bigger waves. Mike Tracy took a moderate line between my course and theirs. I was getting some good rides trying to be judicious about conserving as much energy as possible knowing the second upwind 3 mile leg was going to be extremely hard. Flavio led the pack from start to finish. Greg and Dave took the same line and were always within a few boat lengths from my vantage point. Greg got to the Island Park Sailboat marker about 2 minutes ahead of me but capsized as the waves stacked up from the beach. Dave and I made up a few seconds on Greg. After the turn, they took a direct line back into the wall of wind and current as did Flavio. I took a course close to shore but it took me 1/2 mile to get my boat turned in completely upwind even with the rudder full over. The wind blew a steady 21mph gusting to 30+ mph with it on your quarter beam the whole way.

Flavio Winner

Flavio Costa winner

Once I got turned directly into the wind, it was a complete grind. This is my home course so I just clicked off every half mile. I kept looking far left to keep track of things. I could see Greg and Flavio but where was Dave Furniss? I had assumed he was up with Greg. He was not. He had capsized and had fallen back. With a mile to go and mentally was resting easy knowing I was in 3rd yetI looked left again and there was Dave making ground on me. I was already going at full tilt so he passed me taking 3rd will Greg finished in 2nd and Flavio in 1st. Everyone did a truly a wonderful job battling the unknown as was the case of Beata paddling in true ocean conditions for the first time. Kam new to surfskis only a year ago got the best and the hard work of racing here in the Northeast where paddling upwind is norm. So congratulations to everyone who came to the race.

See the updated SurfskiRacing.com Race Series total on the SSR tab. Greg Lesher has a 6 point lead on me going into the Blackburn and with more races to come!!