2018 Narrow River Race

Kicking of the New England Racing Season

We had another excellent turn out for the Narrow River Race with some first time racers as well: Scott, Ryan, and Jim. So thanks and welcome to these guys along with Igor, Yosef, and Jim Kowalski for traveling to the race. First time or experienced racers got to experience how long a flat water race (9.29) miles can be as the first race of the New England season. Why so long you might ask? Well, I wanted a race that would be a tune-up for the Run of the Charles 19 mile race at the end of April. Years ago most of the hardcore racers would opt for Rotc 19 mile race vice the six mile race that we do today.

So our season really starts with this race and ends with the 14 mile East Coast Surfski Championships (L2L) in mid September in Norwalk, CT. However, October weather is still excellent for paddling so I decided to put the Plum Lighthouse Race on the 2018 schedule in October. This race years ago was part of the Kayak Centre Paddle the Bay Series. It is a favorite of mine since it starts at the town beach in Wickford, RI and goes around the Plum Island Lighthouse that you can see as you cross the Jamestown Bridge before you get to the Newport Bridge. By the time October comes around most of us will be burnt out from racing virtually every two weeks from April to October. However, we like our paddling, training, and racing here in New England and Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut have perhaps the best variety of conditions to train and race in anywhere on the East Coast.

Yesterday’s race was marked with a good level of water and New England sunshine at 45 degrees. Greg Lesher(Winner 2018 SurfskiRacing.com Race Series) started where he left off last season. Greg by mile three had a minute or so on second place finisher, Chris Quinn, and 1.30 on third place finisher Chris Chappell. Chris Quinn, getting better and better was the 2017 SurfskiRacing.com Race Series third place finish for the season.

Chris Chappell is the best starter of our group, particularly in flat water, and powered from our rolling start to a 10 second lead on Greg until Greg came alongside Chris. Chris teased Greg briefly with an acceleration or two before Greg realized it was, in fact, a tease. Greg is a slow starter but has improved this part of his game over the years. Most of the time it has not mattered to Greg because he knows it was just a matter of time, usually by mile one, that he can overtake the lead and then extend that lead by minutes at most races. However, in the bigger races, giving up that time by mile one to other equally as fast paddlers has its consequences.

Chris adjusting the rudder lines on Leslie’s Nelo 550L.

Meanwhile, another slow starter, Chris Quinn was only getting warmed up during mile 1 and 2 probably due to sleep deprivation having a young baby. Chris is the youngest of our racers at 30, and I congratulated him to a well deserved 2nd place finish. I laughingly reminded him, that most us racing are old enough to be his father, since I have a son who is the same age as Chris. He laughed with an appreciative smile.

Chris made his way through the pack of Chris Laughlin, Mike Floria, and Tim Dwyer by mile 2 with his sights on Chris Chappell. By the dock turn, Chris Q caught Chris C. I know it is confusing with (3) Chris’s in the lead pack and yet another Chris(Sherwood) racing. Chris Quinn opened up the gap in fastest part of the course(3/4 mile wide opening on the river, with current assist and tiny downwind wavelets) to encourage best one miles splits of the 9.29 mile course. These lead paddlers would hold on to their respective leads finishing 1,2, 3.

Meanwhile, places 4th, 5th made up of Chris Laughlin and Mike Florio were in a duel the whole race, side by side or no more than one boat length apart, with Tim Dwyer (6th) closing the gap mile by mile taking advantage by hard paddling and knowing the best lines of the local course. These three paddlers would end up only seconds apart with a strong finish by Chris Laughlin to edge out Mike and Tim. I was able to watch the race unfold taking a 7th place finish well behind these guys but paddling consistently and pretty well this season. Mary Beth Gangloff, like her partner Greg, continues to dominate the women’s paddling in New England by starting off where she left off as the winner of the 2017 SurfskiRacing.com Series winner and placing first in today’s race.

Mary Beth and Leslie, Greg and Kirk in background

The next New England race is another flat water race, The Run of the Charles (6 mile) on April 29th in Boston, Massachusetts, where there should be a 40 surfski paddlers line up for the start.

Surfski Resources

Just a reminder that here in New England you have many paddling resources available to you including but not limited to FastPaddler.com (Chris Chappell), sole USA distributor for Braca Paddles and Nelo representative, Chris Laughlin, Think USA Surfski distributor (chris[at]thinkkayakusa.com) and of course myself. Chris Chappell, Chris Laughlin and I all live within 75 minutes of each other and can readily provide objective information on paddles, surfskis, training, lessons and more since we all have years of paddling, racing and industry experience. So take advantage of these resources and others if you live in New England or visiting.