Ride the Bull Race 2014 Exciting, Challenging!

Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound were humming with water activity of all kinds yesterday including not only our race but a sail boat regatta, scores of divers at every point, fisherman, pleasure craft of all sorts and more. So if you were one of the 21 paddlers who showed up for the race, you came away with at least a couple of sea stories or race stories. This race was exciting, intense and down right fun depending on your point of view. Tim and I laid out the course to be a rough water course of medium duration and yesterday and last year proved to exceed our expectations. We changed the course this year to include a double loop section taking out a flatter section deep into Mackeral Cove. The only respite you had from the washing machine activity was a short downwind/upwind section back from Hull Cove to Mackeral Cove that you got to do twice. However, it turns out for some of us including myself,we were dodging oncoming sailboats who seemed to be using us as a marker to tack on their race. So the Bull was in full form yesterday, giving us a 9 mile ride to remember. Quite a few were bucked off only to remount and continue on. My Garmin Track http://connect.garmin.com/activity/526037841

Satisfied after Riding the Bull

Greg at finish,notice activity in background

The race starts in a small cove then within fifty yards you are in the challenging confused water headed for the first turn buoy. No settling in on this race, the gate flies open, the Bull leaps, turns, snorts and peers around to see if he has thrown you. No surprises for Tim and I, we are know what to expect and charged full speed ahead. I was actually leading the race for the first quarter mile and thought I maybe the first to the turn buoy. Then Borys, Greg appeared on my left and Tim appeared on my right. So I ended up being fourth around the turn but I had a great start similar to last year’s race. Tim and I were together heading over to Hull Cove when I all but capsized. I was ready to capsize. We all have had that experience of we know it is going to happen and are waiting for it in that split second. A power boat just went by me and I caught the wake at a terrible angle but braced and to my surprised I was up right. I lost a boat length to Tim but made this up quickly. Just prior to that Jan and Andrius passed up before we got to Hull Cove.

Wesley Leading out of the Gate

Out of the Gate

Chris, Kirk, Rick at start

Tim and I were always close during the race. Beata caught us on the second upwind leg to Hull point and then she passed me on the downwind section and we both got some separation from Tim at this point. I expected to have Eric Costanzo pass me during this second half mile downwind section but I was able to hold him off and stay with a boat lenght of Beata. However, on the turn Eric took a chance and cut very close to the under water rocks and gained two boat lenghts on me. I was able to close slightly on Beata, Jan, Andrius in the roughest section of the course but then Beata and Eric found another gear and put a gap on me of about 30 seconds. I believe at Bull Point, Eric was slightly ahead of Beata but then looked back momentarily and capsized. I thought great now I can pass Eric. Well it turn out, Eric’s capsized only fueled him further. He popped right back in his ski and quickly charging forward to catch Beata, Andrius, and Jan. My hopes of catching Eric was dashed.

1st turn buoy Greg,Borys,Tim, Wesley

The nice thing about this course is that you get to see everyone multiple times since it is a looped course. So on the last buoy turn off House on the Rocks, Borys passed me in the other direction as did Greg. I got a quick glimpse of where Tim was, maybe 15 seconds back. Around the turn I headed close to shore around Bull Point while Jan now having been passed by Andrius, Beata, and Eric paused momentarily and began paddling again. I got to within a few boat lenghts on the other side of Bull Point with Jan got snag by a fisherman’s line. This course has not been kind to Jan. After the race we chided him about his capsize at Hull Point last year. No problems with stability this year, just fishing lines. I passed Jan here and kept up the pace knowing Tim would be closing on me in he final quarter mile. I thought I had a few boat lengths on him but it turns out he finished strongly and I only was seconds ahead similar to the Sakonnet Race just weeks ago.

Cliffs before Mackeral Cove. Rough part of course

Eric and Andrius

Jan and Beata in sync.

Tim at mile 7 reeling me in

Many paddlers had excellent races including Beata who increased her tempo in the last two miles to nip Eric at the finish line. Eric despite a capsize and not knowing the course had a great race placing 4th. Greg placed second and found the course challenging despite not being able to put as much power down during the roughest parts of the course by his own admission. Andrius with extremely limited ocean time placed 5th on a very challenging course. Chris despite no tapering for the race and limited ocean time as well, had a superb race. Jerry Kastner’s training on the Hudson proved helpful in today’s race. Jerry completed the race with a smile on his face while making sure Mary Beth did not need his help when she capsized. Bob Capillini got to try out his new V10L, so we compared notes after the race. Mark and Steve of Ocean Paddle Sports East made a go of it and brought a trailer full of skis for us to try. I tried the Fenn Spark and enjoyed it very much. Chris picked up a Stand Up Paddle board from these guys also. Tim H made it through the course without capsizing and has come a long way from viewing last years race on the shore. We even had Rick Carter and his wife Wendy join us from South Carolina.

Jerry and Mary Beth

A huge thanks goes out to Betsy and her sister Susan who took the pics from the cliffs overlooking the race and also to Tim for placing the buoys on the course. With no entry fee for this race, everyone more than got there monies worth Riding the Bull on a great summers day in New England. Next race is the Casco Bay Race in Maine before we turn our attention to the grueling Blackburn Challenge in a month.