Great Coumbia Gorge Paddle Challenge

[PonoBill]

What a great event!! Steve Gates and his crew from Big Winds, the Naish folks, and Doug Hopkins from Amundsen put on one hell of a race weekend. From my viewpoint everything went remarkably smoothly, well run, well attended, lots of interesting people, good racing and one of the world's great venues. the downwinder on Saturday was in somewhat variable conditions. Not the big swells I was hoping for given that I decided to do it on my 12'2" surfboard just for the sheer heck of it. When the wind and the swells are good it's really fast, when they aren't it's got no glide to speak of--a four MPH board and a long way to go. I was beaten at like a dog in the last hundred yards for the overall surfboard class win, but got the over 50 win. the elite women's was won by Andrea Moeller, with Fiona Wylde second, and I think Candace was third. Men's elite was Cody Kerbox first, and I think Slater second, don't remember third.

Lots of whining from people the next morning about just doing another downwinder instead of the course race since the wind was HOWLING in the AM. I was one of the lead whiners. It backed off a little, and as it turned out the course racing was really fun, both the participate in and to watch. I did the surfboard class again, and it was really hard shoving that blunt nose though the swells on the upwind legs. There were only two of us stupid enough to do the course on surfboards--the rest bailed out I guess, but I manage to win overall from the guy who beat me the day before. So that was good.

Since we only did two laps in the surfboard class and we started ahead of everyone except the Groms, I got to watch most of the open class race. Good racing. It was a tough slog, and the train got pulled pretty long, with the leaders lapping their way pretty far up the field. Definately a condition, endurance and technique race. I don't have the results so I won't blow it by guessing.

Then the Elites went off--women first, then men. The women's class was an outstanding field. Remarkable group of competitors, some of the best in the world. Likewise the Men's. Candace took first, Kalmbach second, Fiona Wylde third. You'll be hearing a lot more of Fiona in the years to come. I think she's sixteen, the product of Steve Gate's gorge kids race development team. I don't know how to spell the name of the men's winner--George Cons---something, then Cody Kebox, and slater Trout third.

The relay race was last and it was hilarious with Chuck Patterson and Livio Menelau ambushing paddlers in the water and trying to help their teams.

Fun event. There was a protest in the women's elite about drafting (Candace drafted some guys to pass Kalmbach.) but the directions on drafting were clear in the skippers meeting--if you could manage to draft in the rough conditions then go right ahead. The WPA leaves drafting rules ultimately up to the organizers, so the protest was denied.

Great even, great folks, well done Big Winds. Oh, and the announcer was fantastic--can't remember his name though.

[pdxmike]

I agree--pretty much perfect.  Doing the open race, then watching the elite race, felt like the equivalent of going to the Olympics, running a race on the track, then getting invited to stand at trackside at the finish line to watch the Olympians compete.  I took some photos--almost couldn't believe as one great paddler after another came around the buoys. 

Plus the event site is like a three-ring circus set in one of the world's most impressive natural spots.

[pdxmike]

Leaders in men's elite race:

[pdxmike]

Start of women's elite race, Fiona Wilde

[pdxmike]

Leaders, Beau Whitehead, leaders, Thomas Maximus, Dan Gavere:

[pdxmike]

Chuck P., Cyril Burguiere, Chuck P., boards and more boards

[PonoBill]

Didn't see you Mike. Nice pictures

[covesurfer]

I agree--pretty much perfect.  Doing the open race, then watching the elite race, felt like the equivalent of going to the Olympics, running a race on the track, then getting invited to stand at trackside at the finish line to watch the Olympians compete.  I took some photos--almost couldn't believe as one great paddler after another came around the buoys. 

Plus the event site is like a three-ring circus set in one of the world's most impressive natural spots.

I agree completely - well said! Great event, I look forward to it all year. I get kind of sad when it is finished.

[pdxmike]

Didn't see you Mike. Nice pictures

That's probably because I spent so much time out on the course.

[Chilly]

That sounded like a nice race event. Were the elites on 14’ or 12’6” in the course race?

[greatdane]

Hey Mike... thanks for labeling me as one of the "leaders!"  As it turns out, I was so far off the back, it did look like I may have been the leader (-:
I broke one of my golden rules this weekend... raced a brand new board that I'd never paddled before race day... never a good idea.  Nothing like swimming around buoy turns in front of 500 spectators to make you humble.  Too bad I didn't see you to say hi.

And Bill, great job... Anyone could tell that you have spent some time on that water.

That sounded like a nice race event. Were the elites on 14’ or 12’6” in the course race?

14's for the men, 12'6" for the women...

The drafting rule/statement at the pre-race meeting was interpreted different by just about anyone you talked to... to me it said, drafting was fine although it would be difficult in the wind and waves... I in no way thought it meant men could draft women and vice versa.  For a woman, to jump on the leading mens draft after the men started 7 minutes back, and use that draft to move into first place, seemed a bit uncouth... but that's just my perspective on sportsmanship.

The race promotors put on a terrific event there... world class.

Beau

[pdxmike]

Elite men were on 14s for both course and downwinder, women on 12-6s for both.  Last year men were also on 14s, and women (I think, but not sure) also on 12-6s.  The non-elite races had surfboard, 12-6 and 14 categories, plus (I think) UL but for the downwinder only. 

As I understand, last year elites had to be on the actual same board for both races.  This year they could use a different one for each race, but it had to be the same length. 

By the way, the relay had everyone on Naish One inflatables, which seemed perfect for that event (no worries about board carnage, and fun focused, since you had 8-year-olds and elites all mixed together, and Chuck P. sneaking underwater and pulling the competition off their boards and holding them until other teams caught up).  Although you should have his board flex when he paddled his leg. 

[greatdane]

Oh, and Chuck Patterson paddled a 23" wide board... Jeezuz.

[pdxmike]

Hey Mike... thanks for labeling me as one of the "leaders!"  As it turns out, I was so far off the back, it did look like I may have been the leader (-:
I broke one of my golden rules this weekend... raced a brand new board that I'd never paddled before race day... never a good idea.  Nothing like swimming around buoy turns in front of 500 spectators to make you humble.  Too bad I didn't see you to say hi.

Gorgebob mentioned something about the carbon M&M being "twitchier" as we were watching your little dance at the buoy.  If it makes you feel better, I watched elite after elite fall exactly where you did. 

I can top you on the humbling thing.  I fell 5 times (was fine with that) but 3 were all within a few seconds at that same beach buoy.  I'd also got lapped so other people were finishing not too far ahead of me.  The announcer said, "The gentleman in the white cap is certainly determined to finish".  Then I finally got upright, got some cheers, but instead of finishing, had to turn away from the finish to start my last lap. 

They even sent an elite guy out to tell me I was doing an extra lap.  I told him, no, I was sure--I'd vowed never to make a lap counting mistake again after that first time at Round the Rock. 

[pdxmike]

Here's some proof I was there.  PonoBill is in yellow shirt, on second leg of surfboard/kid race.  I'm right behind, on first leg of open race.  Eight-year-old kid has passed me and is out of the frame.  Gorgebob is in white shirt in foreground, behind me but only because he's on his way to lapping me. 

Bill, I actually caught up to you for a second, then was going to say hello but fell, and you got far ahead of me after that, esp. after the next buoy turn and upwind leg towards the finish.

Overheard during the start of the surfboard/kid's race:
"What are those old guys doing out there with the little kids?  Are they some sort of safety marshalls?"
"No, they're racing too, in the surfboard class".
"Really?  Jeez".