Putting the CANOE back into FCC!!!

RACE 3 Nagambie, Sunday June 20 2010

Alex James and Trevor Archibald’s dream of getting more people paddling competitive canoes is beginning to be realized as, for the second time this season, there has been a designated TC2 class and the competition has been close!! Watch out all you K boats , the canoe is making a come back….

After numerous emails we finally had enough boats to constitute a class for the second doubles race at Nagambie. With Alex unavailable, I teamed up with Trev, Tony Payne with Steve Gadsden,  youngster Harry with his dad Marc Bellette  and Andrew Buzacott had been matched up with the very experienced Tony Bond.   So we had a race and what a race!!!  At the last minute Steve Gadsden pulled out but fortunately Steve Beitz came to the rescue and so we still had our 4 boats.  Tony Bond had just returned from racing in SA and he and Andrew met for the first time at registration. Despite the fact this was Andrew’s first canoe race and he & Bondy had not been in a boat togther, I knew they would be tough competition. Steve and Tony were in a yellow submarine with an Eski for a foot rest, so I wasn’t too worried about them.  Harry and Mark of all the crews had the most experience of paddling togther and would keep us honest.

For once the lake was crystal clear and race conditions were perfect.  We got off to a good start, but Andrew and Bondy were hot on our tail and Trev had to keep egging me on to paddle harder. We managed to hold them off until the first turn when Trev misjudged the course and steered us to the left, leaving a clear path for Andrew & Bondy to paddle past.  We were now having to chase them and although Trev and I had a number of training sessions together we had not had a chance to practice wash riding. I really struggled to help Trev keep the boat on their wash then,  as we went under the bridge, Andrew took a sharp turn and  bumped a K2 boat out of their way.  The poor K2 boat had no where to go, as we were on the other side….SPLASH!! 

Bondy’s skilful steering meant we were now a few boat lengths behind and gosh it was tough work trying to get over the back wash and get on their tail.  By the half way mark I was stuffed and wondered how much longer I would be able to maintain this pace, if only Andrew would ease off… and then he did or rather eased in …... SPLASH  …THANK –YOU. 

Now we were ahead and I dropped the rating down , but Trev once again had to remind me we were racing and that Andrew and Bondy would come back with a vengeance. He hated to lose so, despite the fact we were in the lead now, I had to keep the rating up and paddle hard.  This canoe racing is hard work. After 1 hour 11 mins Trev and I crossed the finish line and had secured the club points. Andrew and Bondy, were not far behind with the yellow submarine 3rd and another great effort from Harry and Marc to finish the 12kms.