Almost 300 paddlers (298) in various water craft made the trek around Cape Ann for the 2014 Blackburn Challenge. The combined surfski classes were the biggest overall class with 60 that included the singles, doubles, and the plus 20 class. No complaining this year about the temperature. It was a super comfortable 70 degrees and overcast with little or no wind. These conditions combined with an out going tide made the course very fast. Borys Markin, a Stellar Rider, won the Surfski Singles with a time of 2:25:43, a PR for Borys. His time was only 1.07 off Dorian Wolter’s 2012 course record time of 2:24:36. This time is the 4th fastest time ever behind Dorian and Reid Hyle. This is impressive because unlike the previous few years when Borys had a small pack to work with, Borys was solo, really doing a 19.4 mile time trial. We all know how hard it is going solo for a race and especially a race of this distance. So a big congratulations to Borys.
For complete history of Blackburn Challenge surfski results visit Surfski America Blackburn
Rob, Francisco, Richard(photo Chantale)
Borys at Finish
During the Captains Meeting, I was looking for higher ground to get a picture when I spotted a picnic table. When I got down I spotted Beata without initially seeing Borys. Beata is taller. I knew though that if I just looked right or left Borys would be close by, and there he was. This dynamic paddling duo are never too far from each other, always gracious, always humble and a power house on the water. Beata(Stellar Rider) just off a 3rd place overall victory at the Ride the Bull Race a few weeks ago, now owns the Women’s course record for the Blackburn with a time of 2:52:25. Beata’s two previous times at the Blackburn were 2:59:12(2013) and 2:59:04(2012). So an equally Big Congratulations to Beata on her course record and a 13th overall place just behind my 12th place finish. While Borys and Beata are never far apart, I think I may be closer on the water to Beata at even given race in terms of time and distance. Since Beata has been racing skis, we are always in close proximity to one another. I don’t know how much longer this will continue. I feel confident Beata has a lot more potential on her side, so we expect her only to get faster. Check out this interview with Beata on the upcoming Lighthouse to Lighthouse race.Team Stellar USA member Beata Cseke talks about growing the ranks of women paddlers in surfski racing.
Beata and Borys Captains Meeting
The other course record that fell yesterday was the Surfski Double Record. Who other than the World Champion Oscar Chalupsky and his friend and top paddler, Joe Glickman, turned in a time of 2:29:38. Not only did Joe get inducted into the Blackburn Hall of Fame after the race, he also got to enjoy breaking the record. Upon accepting the Hall of Fame Award, Joe gave a moving speech about how much paddling has meant to him over the years, and how much your “circle of friends” are important to you as you go through the ups and downs of life. Joe has an inner circle of close friends and family but has a wider circle of paddling friends that have given him support over the past few months. Joe’s wife Beth Umland, also took home a medal, placing 3rd in the Women’s SS Plus 20 class. Congratulations to Joe, Oscar, and Beth for their races. See more on Joe’s Blackburn accomplishments in this link. Blackburn Hall of Fame – First Surfski Racer: Joe Glickman
Oscar and Joe with doubles record(Betsy Echols photo)
All around waterman Dana Gaines won the SS Plus 20 class for the second time just missing the coveted three hour bench mark. Ken Cooper and Bill K placed 2nd and third. There are a couple of benchmarks for the Blackburn: Completing the course, a sub three hour, a sub 2:50, and a sub 2:45, and sub 2:40. There were 21 paddlers breaking the 3 hour benchmark many for the first time. There are many noteworthy times but our training partner Bob Wright in his first Blackburn clocked a 3:09:20 for a well deserved 5th place in the SS Plus 20 class.
Bob Wright and Tim Dwyer(8th),training partners
Craig Impens took 3rd place overall with a super impressive time of 2:41: 08 while Brian Kummer of California representive the West Coast with a 2nd place finish. We hope to have more West Coast paddlers join us at the East Coast Surfski Championships (Lighthouse to Lighthouse Race) this year or make plans for next year with the prize money growing larger every year thanks to Stellar, WomenCanInternational, Elite Ocean Sports, Achilles with more to come. Unfortunately, local favorite Greg Lesher had sustained a muscle pull prior to the race and was not able to compete which was disappointing for all of us that know Greg. I am positive Greg would have had a great race based on previous races and training times. Greg was there cheering us on along with his partner Mary Beth who had a personal record of 3:26.04. Now is a good time to remind everyone of Greg’s Surfski America Race Results Database on this site that lists all the surfski races in the United States.
Brian Kummer(2nd) (photo Betsy Echols)
My Race
With a garage full of skis I never quite make up my mind which ski I will use for race. Over the last few years I have been in an Ses or an Sel. This year I comtemplated on using an Ion, S1X Special or an SES. In the end with such a flat day predicted I went with one of my SES’s. While I had not settled on a boat until days before the race, my goal was alway clear, make it back into the top ten having placed there three times and missing last year with an 11th place finish. This year I missed it again by 18 seconds and 2 places. Nevertheless I was pleased with my performance. Looking back over my times, this was my second fastest time ever. However my average pace was 3 seconds faster per mile while my distance covered was slightly longer at 19.67 mile track vice my 19.4 mile track back in 2011. I took a much straighter line in 2011 or maybe it just was a variation in the accuracy of the GPS as Chris(web master) explained to me.
With such a long race there can be many places where time is won or lost but unless you are in a pack, you are only aware of those around you since the field is so spread out. As I told a few people before the race, places 7th through 14, my pack, are often only separated by 1:30 minutes or less. I had the opportunity to catch Kurt K. and Matt D in the two mile sprint after rounding the Dog Bar for the final push home but with a cramping forearm, I could not generate enough power for the entire push. This is not unsual for me in the Blackburn, I typically begin cramping off and on somewhere at mile 15, but one hopes by the time you reach clean water in the Harbor, the cramping subsides. I am not alone here, most guys I talk to have some form of discomfort during the race, this is after all an endurance race, so fatigue, cramping, dehydration, boat fatigue, weeds, a capsize, course management, are part of the Blackburn Challenge.
Wesley, Kurt at finish(photo Betsy Echols)
Prior to mile 15, my race was going according to plan as well. I was able to be with a small pack of familiar faces most notably Chris Laughlin of North Coast Kayaks. I raced side by side or stern to bow with Chris for most of the race. At mile ten Chris commented we should be able to reel in the next pack of racers made up of Joe Shaw and Jim Mallory. We caught them and within a mile of catching them, we slowly increased the gap. However, Tim and Matt reeled us in mid way between Good Harbor and Brace Cove. The pack split at this point to Brace Rock with Matt and Chris together and me splitting the difference between their line and Tim’s outside line. Tim decided it was time to make his move, not wanting the 2 mile finish to come down to a full on sprint. A wise decision since Chris dropped me and Matt while reeling in Kurt with Tim in sight during the this final two mile stretch to the Greasy Pole finish. Chris closed within 50 seconds of Tim making up for most of the time he lost when Tim made his push. Peter Kahn placed 7th doing most of the race solo taking a very outside line. A slimmed down Peter was looking determined and fit for this years race. Tim took 8th place behind Peter with his 2nd fastest time ever.
Chris Laughlin(9th) at finsh(photo Betsy Echols)
Some other Notable Racers
This was my 11th Blackburn so I certainly know most of the surfski paddlers. After the race, I always enjoy seeing many of them including five time Molokai finisher, sixth time starter, Richard Germain and Chantale who made the trip down from Canada. Richard is an inspiraton to us all, smart(award winning physics teacher), fearless in his approach to the doing 6 Molokai World Championships with limited paddling in the frozen waters of Canada. Richard broke the 3 hour benchmark on his 7th time doing the Blackburn. Ironman Bob Capellini also broke the 3 hour barrier in after his 6th Blackburn. Of course it is always good to see the crew of Ocean Paddle Sports Northeast made up of Jim,Mark, Tom,and Steve who brought up a Fenn Spark for me along with a trailer full of skis and paddleboards. So thanks to these guys who all had good races. Even if they don’t race well, they all seem to have a good time anyway!
Jim and Steve(photo Betsy Echols)
Richard and Wesley
Maybe the most excited finisher of all was first time Blackburn racer Igor Yeremeev. Igor finished in 3:31:02. Igor almost tackled me while hugging me after his finish. In the summer of 2012, I gave Igor a 3 hour lesson on surfskis just covering the basics. He was new to surfskis but was determined to get better, and better he is. Just after two short years on a surfski Igor completed his first of many Blackburns we hope. Igor gave me a call a few days before the registration deadline to ask me about the conditions of the Blackburn. He said he had put in the distance training and worked on his remounts so I encouraged him to do it. Do it he did!!
As I am writing this, there are many people who are inspiring paddlers, but none so inspiring as the Achilles Team. Robin Francis and Ricardo Corral were flying in their double with an incredible time of 3:12:17 with Gary Williams and his Achilles partner Tom Tarrant only a few minutes behind in their double. David Lind and Dennis Moran also completed the course with a great time as well. These paddlers are a hearty crew indeed and yes Robin’s weight lifting, tough mudders are paying huge dividends! You go girl!
Ricardo and Robin
Gary with the Achilles Boats
Congratulations to everyone and a Big thanks to the Race Organizers. It is a HUGE job organizing such a race trying to accomodate many different stake holders. The surfski community appreciates your efforts! Thanks to my wife Betsy, Chantale and Chris Chappell for taking pics and video. Chris will post his video from Halibut Point in the near future. Next race is the Jamestown Double Beaver which covers some of the same course as the Ride The Bull course but can be even bigger,more chaotic with a lot of boat traffic to make it even more interesting. So if you are an experienced ocean paddler, we hope to see you.
Pictures from the race.
2014 Blackburn Challenge Photo Album
Surfski Results Only. CLICK for Full Results, All Boat Types - 2014 Blackburn Challenge
HPK Single - Men Boat Time Place Crew ______________________________________ 233 2:25:43 1 Borys Markin 228 2:37:17 2 Brian Kummer 222 2:41:08 3 Craig Impens 243 2:42:20 4 Jack Van Dorp 220 2:44:46 5 Brian Heath 234 2:48:01 6 Eric McNett 224 2:48:14 7 Peter Kahn 214 2:48:33 8 Timothy Dwyer 229 2:49:42 9 Chris Laughlin 212 2:50:05 10 Matt Drayer 227 2:50:15 11 Kurt Kuehnel 215 2:50:23 12 Wesley Echols 239 2:52:51 13 Joe Shaw 232 2:53:33 14 James Mallory 218 2:53:56 15 Todd Furstoss 242 2:55:53 16 Francisco Urena 225 2:56:50 17 Tom Kerr 211 2:56:55 18 Bruce DelTorchio 219 2:57:56 19 Richard Germain 209 2:58:39 20 Bob Capellini 221 3:02:36 21 Mike herrera 208 3:04:14 22 Tom Buzzell 217 3:07:45 23 Rob Flanagan 235 3:08:32 24 Tim Milligan 226 3:09:17 25 Christopher Kielb 237 3:11:47 26 Dave Murray 210 3:11:48 27 Michael Chamness 236 3:18:07 28 David Moore 223 3:18:47 29 Mark Jacobson 216 3:18:53 30 Michael Finear 240 3:22:00 31 Chris Sherwood 241 3:25:22 32 Timmy Shields 244 3:29:41 33 Robert Wright 230 3:30:06 34 John Lazenby 245 3:31:02 35 Igor Yeremeev 213 ------- 36 Ed Duggan 231 ------- 37 Greg Lesher
HPK Single - Women Boat Time Place Crew ______________________________________ 203 2:52:25 1 Beata Cseke 206 3:09:33 2 Kathleen McNamee 207 3:14:21 3 Caroline Pierre 204 3:26:09 4 Mary Beth Gangloff 205 ------- 5 Jillfrances Gray SS20Plus - Women Boat Time Place Crew ______________________________________ 201 3:47:36 1 Janet Ries 200 3:48:19 2 Sharon Barbano 202 3:55:57 3 Beth Umland
SS20Plus - Men Boat Time Place Crew ______________________________________ 193 3:00:24 1 Daina Gaines 266 3:01:24 2 Ken Cooper 194 3:02:17 3 Bill Kuklinski 190 3:05:42 4 Jay Appleton 199 3:09:20 5 Bob Wright 195 3:26:42 6 Michael Maronich 196 3:34:46 7 Jeff Ouellette 198 3:44:02 8 Tom Walek 191 3:58:12 9 Michael Blaney 197 ------- 10 Matthew Rostkowski
HPK Doubles
Boat Time Place Crew
______________________________________
141 2:29:38 1 Joe Glickman
Oscar Chalupsky
142 2:32:08 2 Jan Lupinski
Alex Ambotas
143 2:36:50 3 Andrius Zinkevichus
David Vandorp
140 2:39:16 4 Steve DelGaudio
Jim Hoffman
139 3:01:26 5 Mark Ceconi
Sean Milano
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