Fun Times at the 2023 Blackburn Challenge

Pretty much on a whim, Tim and decided to race a double surf ski for this year’s 2023 Blackburn Challenge. While I have raced 17 Blackburn, never in a double. Tim has raced both in his 20 years at Blackburn. Four weeks out, Tim and I did a training paddle in our single skis like we have done over the past since 2002. Tim had planned on doing this year’s race in his V9. I was not planning on doing it but in our discussion after our paddle, I floated the idea of us racing Tim’s race, the Double Beaver (10 miles open ocean in Jamestown) as a tune-up for us doing the Blackburn in a double. Our friend Bob Wright would let us borrow his V8 double for both races. Thank you, Bob!

Mary Beth and Igor at the start

We got in two training sessions in the double prior to the Double Beaver and got the boat set up for us. Tim and I have paddled a double together a few times over our long paddling careers. We paddled the Stellar SEL double a few times while planning on racing it in the 2015 Blackburn. We decided not to race it and race our singles since 2015 was the biggest conditions ever in a Blackburn. Our test race went extremely well, we came in second overall at the DB only behind Jesse Lishchuk. While doing so, I had a blast! The V8 1G double is so stable for two very experienced paddlers, that you can relax, and focus on putting the power down while actually enjoying the race without too much concern. The DB was so much fun, I was almost giddy with the idea of racing the Blackburn with Tim.

While I am in very good running and cycling shape, I am not in the best paddling shape. I now have more bikes than skis and compete on Strava Segments like I am time trialing for the Tour De France. I love it! Luckily, my good form from this training carried over to paddling. Since a stable double requires less core stability and all my experience in skis, I surprised myself with how good I felt in the boat. Tim has been paddling some, but nowhere near his form of previous years. Regardless of what shape Tim is in if it’s a race, Tim is all in, giving it 120% effort. Regardless of our training form, we were both very excited to do the Blackburn and see how we would go.

Tim and I at Halibut Point

And Go we did! This year’s Blackburn was smaller in comparison to years past but the doubles surf ski class was going to be competitive. We did not find out until the day before that Matt Drayer and Dan Brooks would be racing the V10 double, albeit in a different class but I knew unless they had a mechanical, we would be behind them. Nevertheless, 7 other doubles would provide the motivation we needed to push the pace.

Matt and Dan finding the groove.

Division Results for the BlackburnChallenge / HP KAYAK DOUBLE

	No.	Place	Div/Tot	Div	Time	Team
	130	2	1	HP KAYAK DOUBLE	2:51:50	Matt Drayer Dan Brooks
	92	13	2	HP KAYAK DOUBLE	3:04:44	Erin Lamb Alan Lamb

Division Results for the BlackburnChallenge / SURFSKI20+ DOUBLE

No.	Place	Div/Tot	Div	Time	Team
88	9	1	SURFSKI20+ DOUBLE	3:00:40	Timothy Dwyer Wesley Echols
87	21	2	SURFSKI20+ DOUBLE	3:13:42	Phil Warner Dana Gaines
89	26	3	SURFSKI20+ DOUBLE	3:19:04	Robert Flanagan Chris Kielb
90	34	4	SURFSKI20+ DOUBLE	3:25:25	Mary Beth Gangloff Igor Yeremeev

We lined up with the other doubles waiting on Matt and Dan who we on time but the starters decided to start us earlier for some reason. Once all accounted for by yelling our number out to the starters, we were off. With Tim in the 1st seat driving the ski, my job was to focus on matching his stroke rate, to keep the ski moving efficiently. Tim’s mantra, race strategy was”Be Consistent”, which meant consistent pacing for the entire race, it’s a very long race and most paddlers lose time after the 2-hour mark which also is the most demanding part of the race(rough water, or more rough water!)

With that said, we started at a moderate pace letting everyone settle into the race. Typically racers don’t settle in until a few miles of the race. One choke point of the race course earlier on the Annisquam is a bend in the river with a dock sticking out at roughly mile 1. It is here we found ourselves on the outside line next to Kurt Kuenel and Cathy. Kurt seemed to be overly amped up and began shouting at us not to run into them or it would be a fight we might enjoy. I responded to Kurt jokingly, “I have yet to be in a fight I truly enjoyed”. Not five seconds later, Kurt shouted ” I lost my steering, I lost my steering, I fixed that”. Just a few seconds later I looked back and saw them pulling over to sort things out. They would continue on but pulled out later in the race.

With one double down, we focussed on drafting Rob and Chris and letting Erin and Alan set their own pace 5 seconds ahead of us on the Annisquam. I asked Tim if he wanted to draft them. Tim’s response “let’s be consistent”, so we settled in and drafted Rob and Chris until just after Halibut Point before we dropped them and began to focus on Erin and Alan.

Erin and Alan at the start at the right of Mary Beth

Heading across Sandy Bay we followed Erin and Alan who were no more than a few seconds ahead of us at any given time. I was chomping at the bit to up the pace and said at one point to Tim, “How about we draft them?” Still keeping with the mantra, “lets be consistent” we waited until after Straits Mouth to start applying some pressure. This is the halfway point in the race and the waters begin to get choppy. We passed them only to stop for a gel and have them retake the lead. Then I suggested we put a few short intervals to break this thing open so we did 4 x1:00 minute intervals that opened up the gap some. I really wanted to put a longer interval in but we bided our time until mile 14 where the seas begin to rock and roll. Here we started to shine putting almost 5 minutes on them in the last 5 miles and finishing just behind Rob Jehn who took 1st place for his 2nd Blackburn win. Due to the tides, this year’s race was one, if not the slowest. Typically the top surf ski paddlers will finish in the 2:35 to 2:45 range. Rob’s time was 2:54:03 and Greg’s 2:58:42. Jacob Van Dorp rounded out the top 3 with a time of 3:03:35.

Erin, Wesley, Alan and their baby after the race

Rob Jehn(Winner) Greg Lesher (2nd) Mary Beth

While I did start to fatigue the last two miles before we turned into Gloucester Harbor, it was physical fatigue and not boat fatigue. I did tell Tim as we approached the Breakwater, “Don’t talk to me, I am cramping slightly and must concentrate.” Tim and I only braced one the entire race, knowing in a double when things get rough, you must just keep paddling so you do not get out of rhythm. This was my most enjoyable Blackburn by far. We placed 1st in our class, 2nd in overall surfski class, and 9th of 149 overall of all crafts. No bad for a couple of “old guys”. Old but still Rolling, as one of my cycling posters says. Robin Francis, a long-time doubles paddler, told me years ago doubles are FUN! They certainly are! Highly recommended!

You can find a race summary at New England Surf Ski

See Greg report on his blog: Full Tilt, Full Tilt

Photo credits to Phil Sachs from Halibut Point.