The post-Covid 2022 New England race season got off to a blazing start with 24 entries, 16 eager surfski paddlers, and two K1 starters. We had paddlers from NJ, MA, CT, NY, and of course Rhode Island.  Rhode Island native Mike Florio put the hammer down from the start and never looked back.  Even if he had, not sure he would have seen the rest of the field, he had such a commanding lead of almost five minutes over Rob Jehn and Greg Lesher who were fighting it out for 2nd and 3rd respectively. Loukia Lili placed first for the overall win with Leslie Chappell placing 2nd.

The Narrow River, a tidal river, did not offer much help yesterday in terms of speed.  You would think, the tide is coming in, out, or slack which it is, but trying to make sense of it is useless as you race the course.  You will be paddling in the same direction and the current is against you and other sections where it is with you, contrary to what you may think. So yesterdays’ race we got little tidal assist making it a slower course than some years. The main thing to know about the Narrow River is the water level. The water level was a medium level, so the chances of running aground were less provided you stayed in the meandering channel.  Adding to the relative slower time was the southwest wind which was in our face on the 2nd leg making the 8 miles seem even longer for the season opener. For years, we had the course run 100 yards from where it empties into the ocean making it a 10-mile course. However, with the shifting sands at the mouth, there was no longer an obvious turning point. In years past, we turned 180 degrees on a narrow pole in a swift current. River mouths change as time moves on. With time, we have new paddlers joining our ranks coming from different disciplines.

Old Friends Tim and Bob.

A newcomer to surfski racing but not prone to paddleboard racing was Anthony Colasurdo, who put pressure on Rob and Greg the whole race taking a well-deserved 4th. I believe Anthony had the biggest rudder too. Next year, a 4-inch rudder will make him even faster. Speaking of rudders, I admired the handy work of Dave Grainger’s homemade but flawlessly designed and executed flat water rudder on his Nelo 550 I sold him months ago. It was slick!

My race played out as I thought it would. We train for what we get and I have only paddled over 8 miles a few times and not at pace. So I was super steady, maintaining my pace behind Sam Duffield and Tim Dwyer by 10-30 seconds. However, at mile 6 just before the Middle Bridge, where I was only 4 boat lengths behind Sam, the wheels fell off and I slowed for the last 2 miles. My heart rate due to a strap or battery malfunction began to be erratic at mile 5 so I had to go on perceived effort vice trying to maintain a certain heart rate pace. I admit I over-rely on my heart rate monitor. My perceived effort was fading fast and with Bruce Deltorchio not able to close the gap on me, I was done.

Wesley Finishing up the 7.98-mile course

 

Bruce, John, Chris

Many paddlers made their way to Oak Tavern to catch up since it has been a long New England winter.  I, on the other hand, made my way home, showered, and took a well-deserved nap dreaming of the next race, Essex River Race in a month, a well attended 5-mile flatwater race.