Douro River in Porto Portugal

Paul Reavley 10/01/22 #32419

Olá remadores de Whatcom,

We rented a couple of plastic Nelo 510s from the Nelo Paddling Center on the mouth of the Douro river in Porto yesterday for a short paddle up the river and back. Very nice. We caught a few boat wakes but were being cautious given our lack of familiarity with the boat traffic. We were told that there is a South African currently working at the paddling center who takes folks on the nearby Atlantic - that will be something for us to do on another trip. We are now in Amarante and today we will probably tour some of the Douro valley wine growing region.

https://youtu.be/szdCqm-fTgQ

ICF Ocean Race in Portugal will be Thursday

Paul Reavley 10/05/22 #32446

The race is scheduled for Thursday afternoon - Portugal is 8 hrs ahead of Pacific Coast time so the first wave will be starting at 8 am B'ham/Hood River time.

4pm - Paracanoe start
4:10 Outrigger
4:20 Women Surfski
4:30 Men Surfski

Conditions have been fairly mild on the water - there is a bit of a weather system north of us that will supposedly be pushing some waves our way. We will see I believe there will be an active link for live streaming of the race on this webpage at race time (or maybe someone can post the live link when they find it?)

https://federations.canoeicf.com/canoe-ocean-racing-world-championships/viana-do-castelo-2022

allipp@…10/05/22 #32447

I saw that Ana is now there, is Wilson racing as well?

Paul Reavley 10/05/22 #32448

Nope, his parental contingent (us) is here, but not Wilson. Wilson has a job and he has been taking care of Strider and entertaining visiting members of my family.

The locals in the race that I am aware of are Tom & Ana Swetish, Denise and me, Dennis Mowry, Brian Kummer, and Jeff Castleberry. I registered to race in an OC so I could get some paddling in while we are here - a bit of a novelty category - I don't think there are more than 10 in the race, but there is one guy registered in an OC in the 75-79 age group.

Paul

Dennis Mowry 10/05/22 #32449

Here's a Competitor's if if attaches? It's 27 pages, mostly a beasts of lifetime paddlers.
:D'

Competitors-list-V1.pdf

Paul Reavley 10/05/22 #32450
Here's a slightly more recent version of the list with competitors grouped by category:

(Ed. This link does not work anymore)

https://memosoft.spotfokus.com/timetable/index.php?page=eventdetail&folder=84&gmt=1&gmt2=-60

Paul Reavley 10/05/22 #32452
More tracking information:

Boat tracking:
https://www.tractrac.com/event-page/event_20221002_NeloSummer/2246

Live coverage:
https://www.oceanracingportugal2022.com/live/

Dan Mayhew 10/05/22 #32456
Good luck tomorrow!

Duncan Howat 10/05/22 #32457

So Dennis the only competition in your age group is oscars dad? Whata ya think, taking em all down? I hope, looking forward for the results, although wish you had some Gorge waves to really put it to em. All the best. D

Reivers Dustin 10/05/22 #32458

Represent us lazy bums you dawgs. Can't wait for the stories.

David Scherrer 10/05/22 #32459
Good luck to all the PNW contingent!

David Hooper 10/06/22 #32460
Good luck and have fun!

Dennis Mowry 10/06/22 #32461

Thanks to everyone in Bellingham for the encouragement and confidence to be here.

The hype has started. Definitely exciting. My intention now is focus on what's at hand. Moderate the arousal. Pre race process, calm for the start, technique, orientation, catch left, surf right, know my opponents but race my own race, finish strong.

The conditions looks great, not too big not to small? Perfect because it is what it is.

It's fun to hangout with the NW Crew and some new friends.
I wish you all are here, ❤️

:Dennis

Dennis Mowry 10/06/22 #32462

Oh yeah, and have fun,
Thanks for the reminders,
:D'Mow

Denise Weeks 10/06/22 #32463

Scroll through the photos at the race World Champs / Nelo Summer Challenge Facebook page and you’ll see my seat pad! Famous! Custom orders will be rolling in!

https://www.facebook.com/NeloSummerChallenge/photos/pcb.5458101334243801/5458100257577242

They were working on the bailer in my rental boat. It wouldn’t stay open! I don’t think I’ll swamp out there, but just in case, I want to be able to paddle and not have to hold the bailer open with my foot. They were very kind to work on it this morning amidst the craziness of getting 500 boats loaded on trailers (see photo below, all you boat strapping purists). The good news is, the green boat I’m renting is a Nelo “Air.” Only weighs 18lbs. Oscar has the same “Air” model.

allipp@…10/06/22 #32464

One and two are running away, but Ana is now up to 4th, and if the waves continue, she'll soon be in third. Edit, she's now in third!.

David Scherrer 10/06/22 #32465

Thanks Allen! My measly iPhone in Italy 🇮🇹 just can seem to climb on the race website…would greatly appreciate updates with Ana, Denise, Dennis and any other fellow PNW paddlers!
D

allipp@…10/06/22 #32466

I just lost the live video feed and can't get it back, but the live tracker is still going.

Duncan Howat 10/06/22 #32467

thats a lot of boats coming in thru the shore break. good thing its not too big. waiting for the NW people,

Michael Lee 10/06/22 #32468
Unofficial – tracking system as Ana finishing in 7th (3rd in U23),

Michael Lee

Jonas Ecker 10/06/22 #32469
Unofficial time results

ICF Ocean Race in Portugal will be Thursday
beau whitehead 10/06/22 #32470

I like these results better Jonas…

Jonas Ecker 10/06/22 #32471

Totally, anything with Ana in undisputed first is best in my opinion!

Dan Mayhew 10/06/22 #32472
Way to go Ana!

Where are our other B'hamsters?

beau whitehead 10/06/22 #32473
All the results are being posted here…..

https://memosoft.spotfokus.com/timetable/index.php?page=eventdetail&folder=84&gmt=-7&gmt2=420

Susan DeBari 10/06/22 #32474
Just looked, way to go Denise Weeks!!!!!! First place in age group!

paul clement 10/06/22 #32475

Huge congratulations to Ana and Denise with Gold plus Paul Reavley with Silver and Dennis Mowry with Bronze!
I believe all Whatcom Paddlers attending made the podium.
We should have a podium celebration at the next World Cup race “The International Paddle 4 Food”.
pc

Dennis Mowry 10/06/22 #32476

Hearing from Portugal,

There's plenty I could of done better. I hadn't raced the course before. I went on the outside rather than inside of a reef with really huge breaking waves. Seeing the waves I didn't want to get near, put me on the outside. Missed a set wave coming into the beach.
No excuses.
That's racing, win or learn.
I had a few races within the race which was fun.
I'm happy with the results,
Happy it's over.
:D'
https://memosoft.spotfokus.com/timetable/eventdetail/2022-84/2022-ICF-Canoe-Ocean-Racing-World-Championships

Jacquelyn Styrna <jacquelyn.styrna100@…>10/06/22 #32477

Wow! Way to go, Ana-U23 World Champion!
Congratulations on your hard work; we’re so proud of you, Whatcom Wonderwoman 🌟🧜🏻‍♀️🌼💦

Kimberly Reeves 10/06/22 #32478

Congrats Hamsters! Way to represent. How did Jeff Castleberry end up?
Kim

David Scherrer 10/06/22 #32480

Yup the way I figured it Ana is fastest in the world for u23. Denise is fastest 50+ in the friggen world as well ! Wow! Dennis scored a bronze!
way to represent Bellingham! Let’s party…
D

Rob McCormack 10/06/22 #32482

This is great! Solid representation of this group.

Eric Grossman 10/06/22 #32483

So awesome all of you! Dennis, you beat Chalupsky! Ok so maybe a different Chalupsky but hey!!! I’m telling you all we need to practice our beach starts and landings! Birch bay or a trek to outer coast?
EG

Tod Cole 10/06/22 #32484
Hard to imagine any other group around the world that represented on the world stage like Whatcom Paddlers!
Congratulations to everyone that consistently gets out on the water year round and encourages each other to be better, faster and have fun!

Denise Weeks 10/07/22 #32485

Thanks for the support, Whatcom Paddlers! Thanks for the shout out, Sue!

Here are a few great shots if you didn’t watch the Youtube footage.

1) Women’s boats lined up on the beach
2) The start. Note the cluster on the right and my green boat trying to squeeze through. I’d had an earlier bad practice run at my start, but when the horn went off, I made it out fairly smoothly, despite the wreck next to me. There was some great draft riding getting out the first 1km or so.
3) My finish. Again you might be able to make out my green boat. In general, even in that small surf, the finish was 80% carnage. Eric is right. We need to practice our shore starts and ends (by “we” I mean most people, judging by the finish here). Oh, not to mention running up the beach. Mine was more like a trot.

Dennis Mowry 10/07/22 #32486
Here's a short vid of the men's start.
Pros up front.
I'm somewhere close to the screen, dragging my boat which I should carried.

https://youtu.be/_RdvY83_3rs

:D'