We had a great time Saturday at San Diego.It was the last iron race of the season and we thoroughly enjoyed it.Well at least I did.In fact, at first I didn’t think I was going to enjoy it.When we arrived, it was overcast and gloomy, a far cry from the bright sunny day before.As we waited for the races to begin, it only got worse and the southern sky blew a cold wind at us.Small white caps inside the harbor rippled by, taunting and reminding us what was in store outside.I had an uneasy feeling that this was going to be long day.
Imua Canoe Club wins the overall trophy for the iron championship of 2007
At the steersman meeting Cheance Adair showed us the course for the women and later the men.It was the same course we raced earlier in the year for the one-man races, under the same wind conditions, straight out of the south.I remembered how it was as we flew down swell on the first leg toward Crystal Pier and battled the wind and sea for the next two legs.It was similar to dragging a tire, while someone threw buckets of water at your face and tossing your ama up and down.At the steersman’s meeting, I tried to have the racecourse changed for the sake of safety, logistics and fun. But once the course is set, there’s no way in the world it can be changed.
My logic on windy days is:
Never start a triangle course headed downwind on the first leg.
Always make sure the last leg faces downwind toward home.
Be open minded and flexible to adjust the course, if the wind changes.Usually it’s a matter of moving one buoy and reversing the course.A safety rule I have always preached,“On windy practices, always paddle into the wind, so if you get into trouble or get tired, the wind will help you home.”
Anyway the women took off, did their thing as we men waited on shore. The sand started blowing across the beach and we weren’t happy campers.When the women and returned, they walked by me looking haggard, pale and exhausted.I cheerfully asked, “So how was it out there?” All I got was, “%@#%.”As we climbed in our canoes, we mentally got ready for a rough one.But then, we heard an announcement that the men’s course was changed to head straight out for a few miles, turn across the wind for a few miles then turn and come home with the wind.Reprieve!Still it wasn’t a cakewalk.The ocean was so rough; I had to really concentrate on keeping my heading without going over.Worse yet the wind and swells were coming at us over the ama side with canoes all around us bobbing up and down.I found out after the race, my friend Pat Bible was steering the Marina crew on my right.We must have battled each other for seven miles.I was concentrating so hard that I didn’t even realize it was him.We bailed water constantly.I remember saying, “Okay boys, we haven’t been hit by a big wave in a while.Let’s bail it out dry.”After a long bail, I yelled, “Let’s go.”We took three strokes and got slammed by a big one from the right.Water poured in our canoe.That’s when I had to think fast, of something positive to say, but all I could sputter was, “…Okay?”
Award ceremony crowd listens to the announcer.
Before the last turn, the air was charged with electricity, as we fought against the elements and the competition.Everything was LOUD.The commands were loud, the wind, the ocean, even the water rushing by.Red eyed and blinking from the spray, we finally made the turn downwind.Everything suddenly became quiet.It was as if the paddling gods smiled down on us and said, “Okay we’ve spanked these mortals enough.”Away we flew down the now friendly swells.With the wind to our backs, the canoe nearly tripled its speed.We were rejuvenated.My mind kept conjuring up the same word over and over.“Wee.”But it is very demanding taking off on swells in a Bradley canoe.It is a fast canoe, but the steersman needs to react very quickly at higher speeds or it will run away if you’re not attentive.If a Bradley is surfing down a swell and it begins to hook slightly left, you better catch it immediately or you’ll spin out.It’s like racing on ice.However I managed to keep her on course on each wave and the run home was by far the most fun we’ve had in a long time.Thanks to changing the men’s course at the last minute.
Celeste and mother Kathy Wise.
I heard the incident that changed the men’s course was when Josh Crayton who was riding a safety boat, came across Imua’s women, who had slammed their ama into the bell buoy and sheared the cords.Doing an impression of David Hasselhoff of Baywatch, mild mannered Josh suddenly stripped off his clothes and dove off the moving boat into the water to the rescue.With another swimmer, they retied the ama and sent the women safely on their way.But wait, there’s more, he also convinced Billy Whitford and the officials, in the interest of safety, that the men’s course should be changed so that the last leg faces home with the wind and the swells.With his work done, Rescue Ranger donned his racing uniform and faded into the crowd.
Open women
In other news, the open women’s race was won by NAC.The NAC Lanakila rivalry is as strong as ever, as they battled in the winner- takes all race of the season.Depending who you talked to, both crews were together all the way to the end, finishing barely apart.Mindy Clark steered NAC.It was a good tactic, as she has a lot of experience in rough water.Congratulations also to Lanakila women for being a worthy competitor.Finishing 3rd was NAC.Congratulations NAC women you did very well. Hanohano did well also finishing 4th.
Winners of the Open Women's division NAC.
Second place finishers of the Open Women, Lanakila.
Masters and Bradleys
Lanakila swept the Masters and Bradley division taking 1st in both.Imua’s women took 2nd in the Masters and Kahakai took 2nd in the Bradley.A note of interest, visiting team Lake Tahoefinished 4th in the Masters.
Sr Masters
Dana took top honors here, while Oceanside captured 2nd and 3rd with two crews of hot looking mamas.
Lanakila's Open men took 1st and 2nd overall.
Open men
In the open men’s division, Lanakila took an amazing 1st and 2nd in a tough match against Imua.Steering the winning crew was coach Danny Ching.Danny said they didn’t break away until around the second leg, when they put it all together.Steering the second crew was Josh Crayton who said, Imua was very strong and could have beaten him if they hadn’t turned over on the second leg.He said they just came out of a turn together when Imua may have been broadsided by a wave and went over.You won’t see that happening very often as the very capable Dennis Campbell was steering.Coach Tim Dougherty of Team Calif. said he left his canoe cover at home thinking it was going to be a calm race. I feel your frustration. Been there done that.
A happy Marina team took 4th overall, but baby Keala Mermel wasn't impressed.
Whole lot of shaking going on By the way, we heard there was some colliding going on at the turn at Pale Kai’s men's race and some words were exchanged between Lanakila and Team California.Inadvertently a finger was raised.We don’t know if our guy was shaking out a cramp or signaling his I.Q., but Lanakila offers an apology and an olive branch to Tim and his crew.Corey Fitzgibbons is coaching Imua and seems to have his boys kicking ass. Tim Dougherty of Team California has tasted victory several times this season and is hungry for more, as they won both the Masters and the Bradley division. NAC finshed 3rd open and is always in the loop. They will be there when it counts. Coach Adam Mermel coaches Marina Del Rey and he too has their program straightened out as they are nearing the top of the ladder. From the south, Oceanside, Hanohano and Kai Elua are starting to make inroads taking hardware more often. We saw Kahakai's Bradley teams finish 2nd across the board a good sign for them. Dana coaches run a tough program keeping their teams always in the top three or four. Hokuloa and Pale Kai has been among the top dogs in the Sr Masters div.
Women
Sr Master................Masters
1 Dana1 Lanakila
2 Oceanside2 Imua
3 Oceanside3 Dana
4 Imua4 Lake Tahoe
BradleySpec
1Lanakila1 NAC
2 Kahakai 2 Lanakila
3 Kai Elua 3 NAC
4 Imua4Hanohano
19/u.... NAC....Hokuloa
Men
Golden MasterSr Master
OceansideDana
Pale KaiHokuloa
Hanohano Dana
Hanohano Pale Kai
MastersBradley
Team CalTeam Cal
Imua Kahakai
Oceanside Marina
Kai Elua Imua
Open Men19/u -Hokuloa
Lanakila
Lanakila
NAC
Marina
Mahalo Kai Elua for hosting the race.It really turned out very well.The awards ceremony was so much fun as everyone cheered and screamed for their teams.Mahalo Billy and the skippers for helping so many paddlers that went over.We sincerely appreciate your rescues.Mahalo Cheance Adair and the officials for keeping an open mind.
Johnny Ortiz, Steve Caldwell, Ruben Ruiz and others celebrate Imua's trophy.
Other news
Pale Kai held their race last weekend, which I couldn’t make. It’s called the Pineapple Express.I believe it could’ve stemmed from the hairy conditions that occur there.Located up the coast nearer to Point Conception, the currents and swells are particularly strong.Chris Conejo who lives close by said he has seen days when the swells are so easy to ride it was crazy.There’s a great campsite there where the paddlers partied together afterward.Pale Kai has great Sr Masters and Golden masters team.They probably did very well. Sorry for the lack of information.Please continue to check the SCORA site for information. Mahalo Pale Kai for the race.
Jay Griffin, Ray Shipman, Josh Crayton will be coaching Lanakila's men for the next month or so, because coach Danny Ching will be traveling and competing in kayaks. First stop will be Lake Placid New York, where he and partner Eric Abbot will compete in the K-2 with the U.S. developmental squad. We don't have access to the squad's names. Coach Johnny Puakea will meet them briefly in a seminar for OC1 paddling. Next they will travel to compete in Canada and finally to the Pan Am Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Meanwhile the top Olympic Kayak squad will be doing the same thing, but in Europe culminating in the world games in Duisburg Germany. As far as we can tell, but may not be all that accurate, on the top kayak squad so far is Patrick Dolan, Rami Zur, Morgan House, Taran Stucchio, Andy Bussey, Tim Hornsby, Jeff Smoke and Brandon Woods. The Europeans are at the top of the echelon in kayaking. Looks like there's a lot of work still to be done and everyone is working very hard.
Next come the regattas during which the juniors and keikis get to show their stuff on July 7th.Starting with Long Beach Moms and Dads will be watching on the beach as nervous as the rest of us.Hope to see you all there.
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