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--- races:canadian_champs_2015 [2020/06/19 04:24]
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+++ races:canadian_champs_2015 [2025/03/23 22:08] (current)
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 **Cold Kokanee anyone?\\
 vanessa haycock** \\
-/20/15  #17729
+/20/15 #17729
 The 2015 Canadian Surfski Champs started off surprisingly well for me.\\
@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 The forecast was mild/moderate winds possibly up to 15 knots with all our fingers crossed. I made it out to the first buoy with a good bunch of surfers and we were all tooth and nail and biting at the bit. Exciting stuff.
-My first 1/3 was amazing. I was flying!  Sailing ahead of my clan I felt like I was on the back of a wild dragon catching every conceivable wave. Spray in my face, waves on my rear, a heavenly light streaming from the heavens down on me and only me and my boat.  Inching my way left to stay in the middle line I was on top of my game. Leaving all humanity behind me "the" curse came to my mind: "I could make podium"
+My first 1/3 was amazing. I was flying! Sailing ahead of my clan I felt like I was on the back of a wild dragon catching every conceivable wave. Spray in my face, waves on my rear, a heavenly light streaming from the heavens down on me and only me and my boat. Inching my way left to stay in the middle line I was on top of my game. Leaving all humanity behind me "the" curse came to my mind: "I could make podium"
-Then, out of the blue I was caught in a series of large strong dynamic swells and found myself over too far to the right in the mess that shall now be named "Devils Eyeball" . A thick mess of "rolving" large swells, white caps breaking on my waist, mirror murky glassyness with no definition and coming from behind, no that was the side and no,wait, now its  coming from the left. At least 5-6 footers probably  more as I would be on the top of a wave looking down at the trough (or my coffin) as my Little yellow bird hurtled into the depths of darkness. Yet another beast growled to my left or right with claws out and gnashing teeth. I felt like I was about to be eaten alive by a devil with a hangover.
+Then, out of the blue I was caught in a series of large strong dynamic swells and found myself over too far to the right in the mess that shall now be named "Devils Eyeball" . A thick mess of "rolving" large swells, white caps breaking on my waist, mirror murky glassyness with no definition and coming from behind, no that was the side and no,wait, now its coming from the left. At least 5-6 footers probably more as I would be on the top of a wave looking down at the trough (or my coffin) as my Little yellow bird hurtled into the depths of darkness. Yet another beast growled to my left or right with claws out and gnashing teeth. I felt like I was about to be eaten alive by a devil with a hangover.
 More objectively I think i was going backwards but slopping all over the place in the pretty awful back eddy/rough. Forward momentum not happening. It was all I could do to keep my legs over the side, aggressively brace constantly and watch the rescue boats take other people off.
@@ Line 72: / Line 72: @@
 Eventually, an empty rescue boat came my way. It must have seen my white paddle waving. We figured out how to get me and the Bird safely tied in and then low and behold the heavens spoke "Cold Kokanee?"
-I thus enjoyed a very entertaining ride around the beautiful Howe Sound with a couple of great guys who took great care of me. It was a gift to observe the other paddlers, kite surfers and noticing the line I had taken was probably not in the text book. As Bob pointed out ... its only a race.
+I thus enjoyed a very entertaining ride around the beautiful Howe Sound with a couple of great guys who took great care of me. It was a gift to observe the other paddlers, kite surfers and noticing the line I had taken was probably not in the text book. As Bob pointed out … its only a race.
-A very big thank you to the whole crew and volunteers.  There's probably some fairly good beer pics out there somewhere...
+A very big thank you to the whole crew and volunteers. There's probably some fairly good beer pics out there somewhere…
 Vanessa Haycock
+**Cold Duck Anyone?\\
+Reivers Dustin** \\
+/20/15  #17730
+Absolutely wonderful write up Vanessa.  For most of my paddling days I was a mid-pack rat.  My races were just like yours with brief moments of awesome power, then ... oh well.  I'll never forget (because LB won't let me) a San Juan Challenge where I had to paddle up to some people and ask them, "What Island is this?".
+Most of us aren't dicing for a podium finish, but love the sport anyway.  These stories from you and John have captured the whole point for me.
+Thanks for posting that.
+rd
 **Michael Gregory** \\
-/20/15  #17731
+/20/15 #17731
-Ms Haycock, you are spot on about the first third of the Canadian race, good fun!  Then things got a bit strange.  For a while there was no way to see the waves, all we could see was murky green color laid out before us.  I heard several other paddlers remark that it was unnerving for them as well.  After that Howe Sound showed us all that the the bloody Canadians were right, hate to say that.  It was a challenging course - windy, decent waves, and fairly technical right in to the river at the end.  There is no dishonor to being undone by such conditions.
+Ms Haycock, you are spot on about the first third of the Canadian race, good fun! Then things got a bit strange. For a while there was no way to see the waves, all we could see was murky green color laid out before us. I heard several other paddlers remark that it was unnerving for them as well. After that Howe Sound showed us all that the the bloody Canadians were right, hate to say that. It was a challenging course - windy, decent waves, and fairly technical right in to the river at the end. There is no dishonor to being undone by such conditions.
-Awesome field and the organization of the race was excellent.  All the Yanks need to come back next year.
+Awesome field and the organization of the race was excellent. All the Yanks need to come back next year.
-Mr Putnam attended to all the details, with the exception of the damn foamy beer.  the whole town must have heard all the belching paddlersEmoji :-X
+Mr Putnam attended to all the details, with the exception of the damn foamy beer. the whole town must have heard all the belching paddlersEmoji :-X
 **MARC ROBERTA WHITLOCK**
-/21/15  #17737
+/21/15 #17737
+Although I don't make public my success or failure as a matter of principle, they do seem to come to light. My race was similar: fun in the first and final thirds but a disaster in the middle. I console myself as I did for this year's S2S, I paddled as well as anyone. They just forgot the swimming legs I performed. The conditions overmatched my ability in the Spark despite my comfort growing in it. In fact I stayed padded up till the 3rd swim (persistence or poor judgement). I'm glad I finished but wished I was in my Fish
+**Canadian Surfski Champs - Official Race Video!\\
+Amy Harris <communications@…>** \\
+/27/15 #17745
+Hello all Whatcom Paddlers!
+We know that a whole bunch of you made it up to race this year - we would love to have even more of you next year and hope that the video from this year encourages you to do so.
+Thank you also so much for all the messages of support and the fantastic race reports that came through too - all being used for feedback and making next year's race even better!
+Enjoy :)
+[[https://vimeo.com/134644938|https://vimeo.com/134644938]]
-Although I don't make public my success or failure as a matter of principle, they do seem to come to light. My race was similar: fun in the first and final thirds but a disaster in the middle. I console myself as I did for this year's S2S,  I paddled as well as anyone. They just forgot the swimming legs I performed. The conditions overmatched my ability in the Spark despite my comfort growing in it. In fact I stayed padded up till the 3rd swim (persistence or poor judgement). I'm glad I finished but wished I was in my Fish
+Amy

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