Surfski Knowledge Base

Race Report?
David Scherrer
07/14/18 #23457

OK So how did it all turn out today. Wind?

Reivers Dustin
07/15/18 #23462

it was a long day for little reivers. Took my skinny boat, needed it. Forgot brain, needed it. I did my usual and went wide left looking for … love in all the wrong places. I took a whuppin at the run out to the hot spot. all the other barnacles were ahead of me. I gained a little going wide left at first, but as the wind eased I got real lonely out there. When I swung into the point I could see all my drinking pals up there. Fair amount of boat chop and white colored water as usual in the last basin near the river.

I had caught up enough to not pay long distance charges as we entered the river stretch. A weird thing: I heard a power boat coming up behind so I moved left to give room in the channel. Seemed like it took forever for the powerboat to catch me up. Eventually I could see the bow on my right, seemed to be pacing me. Cool. I muscled up so they could see how fast I was going. After a minute or so of this I got suspicious. I looked over behind the boat and here was a surfski wake riding. Just laying on his paddle grinning like a mad man. I got grumpy and yelled at them. They broke it up. And of course the well rested guy sprinted by me at the finish. Ok, not really a giant upset in the world order. I just kinda wished that kid hurt as much as I do from the race. Oh well.

The Duncan van was a hoot. Steve drove like someone who has logged a million miles with immature paddlers and expensive boats. ELana was awesome boat wrangler and cat herder. Mark W. was top dawg of our old barnacle gang. Anna S. won money, so did Jonas. Check results on webscorer. The kids were amazing. Steve and Abby had their hands full with some other monster doubles. Here's the thing. you know it was a flat day when Greg B. beats Dawid Mocke.

My butt hurts like I sat in a steel tractor seat for a couple hours. But I got this really neato hat.

rd

Duncan Howat
07/15/18 #23463

Well boys and girls, wind builds at the gorge starting monday afternoon and keeps cranking up at least to fri. Lots of 25 + days.. Good for us fat heavy guys. and water temp may hit 70 with little flow. Oh boy the real deal./ D

Reivers Dustin
07/15/18 #23464

Oh, I forgot: Duncan got called out at awards for being in a class by himself. Pretty cool. Don't know what you call it when you graduate from being an old barnacle. The dude is showing us the way.

rd

Nicholas Cryder
07/15/18 #23466

My take: Drove up Friday afternoon to beat the traffic, and was absolutely beaten down at the border (1.5 hours!). Up at 4am Saturday to go set up the Faster Farther pop up store with help from Wilson who met me at 7am to help me deploy the Crakken (thanks Wilson!!!). Pre Race was dialed, Bob runs a very well oiled machine… and wow it would be hard to organize an event of this scale.

Much broader group in attendance, and numbers were visibly up. A great sign of things to come. The wind however did not make the registration deadline and was off someplace else for the day. It was hot, and flat… and hot.

At the start I was able to line up with Sean Rice and Ian Black, and was just so impressed with the explosive power off the line. Managed a decent start and stayed in the top 20 or so to the can. Went by Oscar before we hit the chop and then couldn’t believe my ears when I heard a ski surfing up next to me obviously on a runner. When I saw the bow of the Yellow Nelo I thought “how the hell is Oscar surfing this?!” And then I realized he was on the support boat’s wake, which I was all to happy to grab as well for a couple of rides as it zoomed by the field.

Around the can I linked up with Taneal and Oscar went way left. T and I worked different lines and diced evenly for a good 30 minutes in small, slow moving water. But we lost a little ground on Oscar, maybe 30 seconds. At the big rock Sam Mathew and Rachel Clarke caught up to us and there was some aggressive close proximity (read paddle bashing) that took place. Sam boosted up and made contact with Oscar and I started to fall apart. The heat zapped me and I bonked soooo bad and struggled to keep the ski moving. After paddling in slow motion the last mile, Gareth Tudor Jones and Ian Daykin caught me right before the line and I was just on empty and couldn’t contest the sprint. Shocked to still make top 20 and the masters podium after coming totally unglued. It was the hardest Can Champs I’ve done, and it made me realize how insanely hard a flat Molokai would be.

The venue was terrific as always (food, beer and fun people), and also fun to see our locals place so well despite the uptick in attendance. Huge thanks to everyone who stopped by the FF store and a thrill to see you all wearing the kit on the water. Magic indeed!

See y’all in the Gorge, we’ll have some special edition Gorge dryfit shirts for sale… forecast is already making me insanely happy!

Cryder

dnjacobson79
07/16/18 #23469

Nice race report and congrats getting third behind Taneal & Rachel

Nicholas Cryder

07/16/18 #23470

That’s hilarious DJ! Good one! Sally was 3rd, and first Canadian. All three are miles ahead of me in class and speed, and just incredible athletes that I really admire.

Canadian Downwind Champs recap video.
Bob Putnam
08/04/18 #23604

Who was the Bellingham paddler interviewed in this video? Better watch and find out. Thanks to those who supported this event with your attendance.
Canadian Champs Vid