After the horn sounded, the lead pack made up of Ken Cooper and Joe Shaw were sizing each other up like heavy weight fighters within the 1st mile. Many other paddlers were also trying to decide who to draft off of since the day was more like a K1 race instead of surfski/sea kayak race due to the super flat conditions. Off to my right and a couple of boat lengths ahead was Tim Dywer who was up with the lead group of Ken and Joe. Slightly behind was Ken Larson, having his best race of the year, using his flatwater skills to fall in line behind an OC 2. Steve Del Gaudio was looking super smooth and opening a lead on the second pack of paddlers including myself, Kathy Manizza, and Mark Ceconi. As the packs began to separate after the 1st turn at roughly the 2 mile mark, the lead pack was gone consisting of the above mentioned and Mike Tracy. Today Mike(roughwater Mike) would have to settle for the occasional boat wake because that’s how flat it was.

Not too far off the lead pack was Bill Stafford stuck like glue on Mike McDonough’s wash for almost 4-5 miles. Mike taking a lesson from the other Mike(Tracy), starts slow but puts the hammer down as the race gets into the later stages reeling in the faster starters in his high viz yellow S1X.

Later in the race Bill would tell me he was red lining trying to get every ounce of waking riding he could in his S1R. Kathy, Mark, and I were all together by the 3 mile mark and were wondering how long Bill could keep that pace, but wishing we were up where he was, which was a good ½ mile ahead. It looked like Mike M. dropped his good friend at the 5 mile mark, and our pack now joined by Big Jim Hoffman though slightly on a different line, all came around the Lighthouse at mile 7, together. Bill at this point was still ahead of us by a few hundred yards on a different line. Steve Del Gaudio was opening up his lead as Mark said he would in the last half if he race. I was still hopeful rounding the Lighthouse that Big Jim Hoffman and I could reel in Bill Stafford and close the gap on Steve. We quickly ruled Steve out.

Jim and I took turns pulling, 3 minutes on, 3 minutes off for the next 2 miles drawing even with Bill who was a good 50 yards to our right. Smelling another ride, Bill beelines it over to us getting on the back of the now 3 man train. After about a minute, I slowed considerably as did Jim and I conveyed to Bill he would have to share to workload on this train. So for the next 3 miles or so we all took turns pulling.

Not to far behind us was Mark Ceconi, slowing reeling us in as he watched his Heart Rate creep into the 180’s. Kathy was not too far behind Mark trying to maintain a strong pace working by herself.

As Jim, Bill, and I rounded the final turn(mile 12)perfectly lined behind each other, headed for the beach which was 2 miles away wondering when was the appropriate time to break this train up. I was struggling to keep on the train in my Legend, while Jim was looking smooth in his Mako 6 and Bill was looking like Popeye with his forearms and biceps bursting at the seams in his S1R. With about ¼ mile to go, Big Jim opens it up and leaves Bill and me by about a boat length. Still on Bill’s stern, I try to go around him to now avail. He had eaten his spinach today; I had fed on mountain dew and GU. Bill would cross the finish line 2/3 seconds ahead. Meanwhile Mark had decreased our lead and finished shortly after us and Kathy shortly after him.

Despite the flat conditions, everyone I talked to had a great time. We were all welcomed graciously by Greg Lirot, one of the race organizers who had a good race himself. The race made up of about 100 paddlers was the second largest race outside the Blackburn. I met Ray and Scott from Jersey and Yan, who I had talked over the past months about skis. Chris Chappell completed his 1st surfski race despite having his ski for only a few weeks. I hate to see what Chris will be able to do in a few months in his ski and his new K1. Robin, one of the few women surfskiers had a great race taking off many minutes from her time last year and enjoying it even more this year. Blake Conant and is crew manned the OC 6. A lot of boats, a lot of paddlers, a lot of fun!!!! ~Wesley