This time last week (Aug 3, Saturday) our crew from New England and one Floridian were going under the San Mateo Bridge in San Francisco Bay for the US Surfski Championship. The previous Wednesday(July 31), Reid Hyle and myself raced the lead up race prior to Saturday’s main event from Coyota Point to the BIAC boat house. Today culminated three races in 10 days for me, Borys, Jan, and Beata with the 12 mile Double Beaver Race in our local waters in Jamestown, Rhode Island. That is a lot of racing with little recovery time for this 53 year old. Nevertheless, I enjoyed every bit of it, well most it, truth be told. Three races,3 different boats(SEL excel,Huki S1R, SES excel) for each race, so right in my wheel house as they say.
US Champs Shirt
Chart of course
We had an excellent turnout of 21 paddlers all ready for 12 miles of typical washing machine waters that Tim and I have grown accustom to since it is our home turf. And typical of our training runs, some days I beat Tim and some days he wins but most often we are fairly close and today was no different with Tim coming in a minute ahead of me. Tim and family put on the race so Tim should be stretched out on the couch about now after organizing the race, racing it, no easy feat.
Boats
Tim at Finish, Photo Tim Hudyncia
Today’s course was changed from the previous years to make it even more challenging. We headed toward Whale Rock and turned on the Green Can just prior to Whale Rock with the exception of Mary Beth who was the only one to do the prescribed course. All of us were to go around the rock but the the Can was so prominent that we all passed the word to turn on it and not the Rock. It worked out fine. Unlike the previous years where you got 2 miles of respite before heading back into the choppy,confused water in the West Passage of Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound, today’s course offered no respite, NONE! Twelve miles of paying attention, and hoping you got no boat fatigue. Boat fatigue did set in for some but all good training. If you can do the Double Beaver, you can do any race in New England with confidence. While the Blackburn is longer and can be as rough, it has been flat for the past 10 times I have done it. There was not much wind today and that is the unusual thing about the course, it does not need the wind to make it extremely lumpy due to ocean currents, tides, ocean topography, reefs, boat traffic, and swells. Nothing to ride, just grind it out while trying to keep upright.
Borys Markin, 1st place finisher, had a good race today, back in his properly set up ski coming in at 1:38:36. Last Sunday at US Surfski Championships, Borys and Reid Hyle placed 3rd in the doubles race. Borys was describing the race to me today. I was getting excited just hearing Borys retale his race. He told me how he and Reid caught the 4th place double in the flats by constantly upping the tempo that only two of the best US marathon paddlers can do. I can just imagine these guys in sync and Borys urging Reid, 5 minutes on, “let’s go get them” and Reid responding “Game On”. So Borys got his groove back after all the travel of the the last month’s races including ICF World Surfski Championship for he and Beata. Beata placed 6th overall today. Joe Glickman placed 2nd while Eric McNett was just over a minute behind Joe. Rounding out the top five was Greg Lesher and Flavio all under 1:50:00. Greg will let us know how their race unfolded.
Borys Gets His Groove Back
Borys,Beata,Eric,Joe top finishers
In my race, Beata, Rowan Sampson, Ken Cooper and Tim, and myself were all within a minute of each other until the 1 mile leg between the two cans. Beata got her groove back also, because at this point she continually put distance on the rest of us. Rowan, Tim, and I were all together for the Blackburn so fitting the order changed again today with Rowan, Tim, Me, and Ken finishing in that order. Ken and I were together side by side for the second half of the race though on different lines coming into the final turn at Bull Point. I closed the gap on Tim slightly while Ken was ahead of me. Ken took a bad line, into the current with a mile to go while Tim and I, knowing how strong the out going tide can be in the harbor, went far left leaving Ken to fought the current. He put up a great fight coming in only seconds behind me in a V8. He can power that V8!
Wesley at Finish, Photo Tim Hudyncia
Jan wins paddle with Tim Hudyncia
Tom Kerr and one of his Daughters
Next race: Nahant 9 miler August 17, then the HUGE L2L September 7, with $1000.00 prize money for the top finishers provided by Stellar. Today’s race was supported by Epic with a raffle of a paddle won by Jan, and two $100.00 Epic gift certificates.
Today’s Racers
Results
1. Borys Markin, 1:38:36, SES
2. Joe Glickman, 1.47.11, V10
3.Eric McNett, 1.48.23, V10
4. Greg Lesher, 1.48.47, V10
5. Flavio Costa, 1.49.55, SES
6. Beata Cseke, 1.50.36, Ocean Ski, 1st Female
7. Rowan Sampson, 1:51:46, Mako 6
8. Tim Dwyer, 1.52.20, V10
9. Wesley Echols, 1.53:27, SES
10. Ken Cooper, 1.53:54, V8
11.Kirk Olson, 1:59.39, S1X Special
12. Jan Lupinski, 1:59.40, V10
13. Steve Delguadio, 2.00.06, Swordfish
14. Bruce DelTorchio,2.05.24, Big Eze(think)
15. Tom Kerr, 2:05:51, V12
16. Kam Truhn, 2.06.04, Legend
17. Brian Smiga, 2.11.56,V8
18. Bob Capellini, 2:13.22,V10
19.Chris Sherwood, 2:16.42,SR
20. Mary Beth Gangloff, 2:39.38, V8
OC1
1.John Redo, 2.10.11
Leave A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.