2013 Blackburn Challenge, Who Turned Up the Heat?

The predicted thunder storms did not roll in until late afternoon, nor did the predicted 10-15 mph winds southwest winds. However, the oppressive heat and humidity was with us. Driving to the race on Friday, stuck in the Boston traffic, Betsy, my wife, would call out 109, 115, 122 every ten minutes it seemed. This was the outside temperature reading my car was displaying. So I knew the heat would be a factor for the race. The other factor was the incoming tide against us for the three mile flat water section out the Annisquam, and no assist throughout the day. It was a very flat, Mississippi HOT, day. This set up for a slow course so the times for most of us were slower compared to other years.

Early morning Pre Race, Annisquam River, click on all photos to enlarge.(Photo Betsy Echols)

Dorian, 1st and Blackburn Record holder(Photo Betsy Echols)

Borys, 2nd

Nevertheless, some had great races including Dorian Wolter who won last year’s race with a record breaking time, repeated the feat today with another win. Despite a slow course and no one to work with, Dorian clocked a 2:25:32 for the 19.41 miles. Dorian perhaps had the best race week ever. Last Saturday, the ICF Surfski World Championships were held in Portugal with a massive field of 348 competitors from all over the world competing. Dorian turned in an impressive 14th place overall among the best surf ski paddlers in the world and won his age group(40-44). Dorian was only one of four representing the USA including Borys and Beata. Dorian could have the best month and half of racing when he goes to the US Surfski Championships, August 3rd, in San Francisco. Chris and I are going out this year so we hope to see Dorian continue his excellent season. Rounding out the top three places were Borys and Joe Glickman.

Borys, Beata, Dorian at ICF World Championship

Jan with game face on! (Photo Wesley)

Chris Pre Race(photo Wesley)

The surprise of the day was an excellent performance by Jan Lupinski who came in 5th behind Canadian Jacob Van Dorpe. Jan was looking pretty tense before the race, not his usual demeanor. I suppose this was his Blackburn game face that I had not seen before. Whatever it was, it worked. In the women’s race Beata, who place 10th in last weeks ICF Surfski Championships, won the women’s division with a time of 2:59:12, placing her 9th overall. Mary Beth Gangloff, despite the heat, paddled her way to a personal best. Mary Beth has only been paddling a surfski a few years, now graduating from sea kayaks like her partner Greg Lesher. Greg had an 8th place finish. We look forward to hearing from Greg about his race.

Beata(photo Betsy Echols)

In the newly formed Surf Ski 20 inch class made up of V8’s, Stellar 18S, and Think Eze, Matt Drayer turned in an outstanding time of 3:04:00 to win that class. Overall, that time puts Matt in the top 14 of the HPK class just ahead of my time of 3:04:12. Matt won the Sea Kayak Class last year and has upped his training load big time. Ken Cooper and Dana Gaines despite having 30 years on Matt placed 2nd and 3rd respectively with excellent times. These guys can push this boats even on flat water! Ed Duggan of Kayak Learning Center, loaned Matt a V8 for the season to train and race in. Ed by the way, has helped out many guys this season procurring and arranging boats for racers to use. This is a lot more work than most people realize from someone who knows. I loaned a Stellar double to Francisco Urena and Flavio Costa who also turned in a great time. In only their second time in the double, they were looking smooth and powerful and had the second best overall time of the day with a 2:37:17.

The Blackburn has many different classes including the Paddleboard class. Parked next to me before the race was a tall, fit looking guy in his 60’s checking his board to make sure he was ready for the race. I introduced myself, asked him about his board and how he thought he would do. He humbly said, “I was the advisor to the Olympics team and one thing even Olympic athletes will tell is that they never say they are going to win. So I hope to do well.” As we chatted, I said you seem familiar to me. He said I am Dr. Bob Arnot formerly on NBC. Now, I remember who you are. We chatted briefly about pharmaceutical sales, hydration, and wished each other good luck. Well as it turns out Dr. Bob is quite the athlete among many other professional achievements. He has had quite the career and going strong. He won the Paddleboard class in 4:31:01 and beat the 2nd place finisher by 13 minutes. Below is a link to an article about Dr. Bob in the 1981. You never know who you will met at the Blackburn!

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1124910/

Dr. Bob Arnot, 1st Paddleboard, 4:31:01

Matt Drayer(photo Betsy Echols)

Francisco and Flavio (photo Betsy Echols)

Take a look at Mike Chamness’ photos on the below link. Mike a long time North Shore paddler could not participate in this year’s Blackburn due to injury, but he did the next best thing, took pictures for all of us to enjoy. I spoke to Mike before the race but he did not tell me he was going to take the these pics. http://www.flickr.com/photos/wingsandwaves/sets/72157634766231655/

Contact Mike at wingsandwaves@comcast.net for any photos.

I met Mike about eight years ago when he was looking for a surf ski to buy. Our inside joke is that he paddled more of my skis without purchasing any of them while I helped him sell one of his used skis at a later time. Below is picture of Mike at one of the previous Blackburn’s. Thanks Mike for taking all these pictures and hope to see you on the water soon!!

Mike Chamess at Previous Blackburn

https://plus.google.com/photos/111670948231605580163/albums/5903048615507948833

My Race

I was determined to go out slow due to the heat. Many years of running have taught me some hard earned lessons. Shortly after the start, I watched the leaders quickly pass out of sight, while I watched my heart rate monitor. Chris Chappell, web master, and training partner, moved up beside me shortly after the start. Chris was watching his HR as well. We drafted each other with a line of paddlers behind us. After a mile Chris and I decide we needed to throttle the pace back even more. We watched some other guys pass us, and I told Chris, some of those guys are going to blow up and we will catch them. Little did I know Chris would suffer along with many others the effects of the heat. I had to get some relief after the race by cooling myself in the my cars AC and leaving early before the awards presentation.

Wesley at finish, 13th, (photo Betsy Echols)

So after 30 minutes of paddling, with Kam Truhn and Rowan Sampson just ahead of me, Tim just behind me and Chris beside me, I popped my first gel, and felt much better. I pushed on, catching Kam, while setting my sights on Rowan. I could see that Rowan was struggling by going out too fast as he admitted when I pulled up beside him. I said” hop on and lets go”. He responded appropriately. This is a long race to paddle by yourself, so I wanted the company. Rowan and I have a Blackburn history. In 2010, Rowan and I paddled together for most of that race. I told Chris before the race, maybe Rowan would be the guy to pace myself off again once I saw he had registered. Well sure enough, here we were again. I told Rowan, I am not going to pull the whole race like I did in 2010. I don’t mind doing my share but I half heartedly, told Rowan I am not going to pull the whole race and lose to you in a sprint. While we traded pulls off and on, I ended up for miles 13-16 slightly behind Rowan by a few boat lengths. Having gone through one hydration pack, I was now on my reserve bottle, where I had to stop paddling every time I needed a drink. Inevitably, my left hand would seize up and I would have to wait 30 seconds for it to remit. Then I would catch Rowan again. This repeated itself four times. During one of those times, Rowan asked me,where is the turn? I said we got 2 miles to the turn and 2 miles to the finish. I could see the disappointment on his face. In my mind I was saying, just get me to the turn at the Dog Bar into the last two mile sprint home and I want this race to be over! During this stretch of the race mile 13-17 is where many paddlers lose ground. While I slowed some from slight cramping and reserving some for the last leg, I passed three paddlers having problems with stability in the the flat but undulating waters of this section.

Rowan and Wesley on the water and the beach

During this section, I could see Joe Shaw and two other paddlers on an inside line while Rowan and I were out further. Rowan and I made up some time on Joe and crew during this stretch despite our pace having slowed some. In this same stretch, eerily similar to 2010, Tim Dwyer caught Rowan and myself just before the Dog Bar leg. Both of them gained two lengths on me as Tim’s presence upped the tempo. Meanwhile to the outside of us was Peter Kahn from Vermont making his debut. We all were passing Peter at this point having more rough water experience than Peter. As we made the tight turn into the harbor, Rowan and Tim still had a two boat lenghts on me and Peter was slightly behind me. The two mile sprint finish was all set up now similar to 2010 when Rowan(2:53:16), Tim(2:53:39), me(2:53:54) sprinted to the finish. So I started my push early and hard, catching the teeny tiny flat bumps with a HR of 170. I passed Tim and Rowan in the first 200 yards. Rowan stayed with me three times he told me afterwards, but the fourth he was done. While Rowan was trying to stay with me, Tim passed Rowan, and I desperately trying fend off Peter who was now neck and neck with me. Joe Shaw was in our sights now with a half mile to go. Then, Peter passed me with a half mile to go, and caught Joe. Joe has excellent sprint speed so he barely(inches) edged out Peter at the finish. Unlike 2010, the order was reversed between me(3:04:12), Tim(3:04:39) and Rowan(3:05:39). It was an exciting finish to a long, hot, flat race.

Tyler Echols, Wesley, Betsy

So Congratulations to all the racers. It was a grinding race. Most said this was one of the hardest Blackburn races with the heat and opposing tides. Thanks to the Blackburn Committee for all their hard work in making this race happen. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes and it is well appreciated by us all. Next race for me, Chris, Dorian,Borys, Beata is the Surfski Champs, then the Double Beaver race in Jamestown, Rhode Island.