Paddle Report

By the time we arrived at Garratt Road, Bridge for the Uni Challenge race the car park was over flowing and for the next hour cars just kept arriving. To make congestion a little worse the rowing club also had an event on. Same time, same place.

Four hundred paddlers eventually gather for the big event, from the total beginner to state champions. This was my third attempt at this race, I paddled a single canoe in the first, a down river boat in the second and now my brand new Wizard marathon boat in this one.

After the briefing, as the team paddlers were about to get on the water four rowing sculls raced up the straight causing a little confusion and a little more congestion on the start line.

I put on my gloves just before entering the water. The race was only 18 kms, but from experience I always developed blisters after 12kms, so I took no chances. It's unbelievable, after all the thousand of kilometres I've paddled, I still get blisters. All I can put it down to is that my beautiful soft skin just can't take a little hard work.

By 9.05am, 400 paddlers were on the water. With them were a number of dead fish killed by a recent algae bloom. A black swan milling around was having a great feed but I did wonder how it would feel afterwards.

The paddlers were away, first the schools, the corporate teams, the plastics, and then it was my turn in the singles. The doubles were last. It was quite a spectacle, probably more spectacular then any race held in WA, even the Avon Descent doesn't get as many paddlers on the water at one time.

My opposition was scattered all around me. I found a space where I had plenty of room to swing my paddle wildly at take off. I felt pretty relaxed. I had no nerves, no erratic heart beat or cramped stomach. I was in the right mood, but I knew my fitness wouldn't match my opposition.

When the horn blasted I took off, my paddle blades quivered unsteadily with each stroke. Within 20 metres I had settled into a rhythm and my paddles started to create a smooth path. By this time most of the faster paddlers had left me trailing. They were in packs and were either on some ones wash or being washed hanged themselves.

Water from paddles spilled into the air, washes from boats ruffled the river into a mass of turbulence. Some boats zig-zagged across the river having been caught in the wash. My boat handled the washes beautiful. I hadn't paddled a boat that was effected so little by the wash.

Eventually I found a ski paddler a little faster than me, who crossed my bow. I grabbed his wash and went for a ride, but I still had to paddle hard. It didn't take us long to catch up with the novice paddlers. When we did, my friend on the ski threaded through them. Some looked tired already, stopping and stretching their backs by laying back. Paddlers in the teams wore party hats, and some looked like cocoa the clown, whilst other paddlers had balloons tied to their craft, they probably thought they may get a lift and make paddling easier. The novices offered no opposition. We passed them by easily.

Many of the paddlers were from my latest training groups or from past ones. I encouraged some, others encouraged me to keep going. I sucked from my water bladder frequently, insistent on keeping hydrated. I needed to keep my energy up for the finish

By Pickering Park I had lost my ride. Amongst the mayhem of paddlers he got away. Soon after the fast doubles sped by creating more havoc. At Barkers Bridge two double skis sandwich me between them and three singles that I was passing. I managed to avoid being tangled. At the same time I could hear people chanting encouragement from the bank.

Soon after I was able to hitch another ride, although my ride was slower than I wanted I took advantage of it. Meanwhile I could see Shaun, one of my former students behind me. He was paddling a down river boat and paddling it well but I couldn't let him pass, he would never let me live it down. Among the voices behind, I could hear a female voice, which stirred me up. I just had to pick up my rate, I couldn't let her pass me whoever it was. But I could do nothing to prevent it. Judy Darbyshire, a strong female paddler from the Ascot Kayak Club slid by me in her K1. It was now time to swap rides, so I pulled away from the ski and slipped onto her wash. She was traveling fast, so it took a lot more effort for me to keep on her wash, but I managed to hang on.

I glanced behind to see Shaun losing ground. I sniggered with delight. He would never catch me now. The master was still in control, thank god I was in a faster boat.

As I headed towards the bridge the lead paddlers had rounded the buoy at Middle Swan Bridge and were racing to the finished point. Simon Roll was leading by a long shot, with Graham and Ramon Anderson second and third. Then I saw my main rivals, the old guys like me, Merv Francis and Don Colleran. They were just too fast for me to catch them. To beat them now I would have to train harder, much harder.

I managed to do a better turn at the buoy than Judy, so I it was my turn to slide by her, but it didn't take too long for her to power past me again. I was desperate not to let her pull away from me. Within 100 metres of the finish line I was still behind her. Then as luck should have it a power boat came by and created a wash that made Judy jitter. I ceased on the opportunity and powered on to beat her.

Many paddlers found it hard getting out at the bank, others capsized trying. I felt good and after talking to a few other paddlers I walked up to the presentation area where Alaine had a Canoeing Down Under Marque erected.

The weather was incredibly sunny. The venue was absolutely beautiful. This made the wait for the results bearable. Paddlers ate hot dogs, the official guests sipped beer and sandwiches. When every paddler had finished and when the organisers managed to collate the results, the speeches started. With a microphone and speaker more suited to a small room it was difficult to hear. But as the speeches dragged on, most going over the same ground, people started getting restless. It was with great pleasure that they finished, so that the results and prizes could be given out. It was good to see that so many paddlers who had been through my courses, were awarded prizes.

Right after the results the raffle was drawn. A women from Padbury school had left early and left her tickets with me because she said that I had a honest face. So I couldn't believe my luck, when my ticket C 40 was read out. The crowd seemed extremely amused at the fact that an owner of a canoe shop, wins a kayak donated by its opposition.

But my win was short lived, the ticket wasn't mine, so the kayak went to the Padbury School.

Apart from a few teething problems the race was a huge success and what a beautiful day. Thanks goes to Alaine who gave up racing to man the CDU stall.

By Terry Bolland