Great job Kupe Canoe Club!

The Kupe Canoe Club finished off their first crack at running a Twilight Race Series on Tuesday Night, they took on the January to April segment and put in a stirling effort. I think I saw about 6 to 8 people assisting to run the Series which included timekeepers, buoy laying crew, photographers and website results people and they have even helped us out with our Welly Paddlers Motorway Race, the previous weekend

I must say it was great to see the results published online within 2 hours of the nights racing ( Everyone knows I'm a big fan of that type of approach) also lots of regular information posted on the Kupe Canoe Club website, the Committee are helpers are doing a great job, so keep up the good work.

For the Full wrap up of the final race http://www.kupe.org.nz/

A Grade @ 6minutes

25:49 Dave Rudge / Jerry Sheppard
26:07 James Flannery / Matt Flannery
27:43 Mike O'Connor
27:56 Chester Burt
28:32 Sandy Winterton
29:27 Liam Drew
30:08 Dean Ford

B Grade @ 3 minutes

30:09 Geoff Booth
30:10 Dave Dellabarca
30:14 Geoff Ludeman
30:26 Chris Sherwood /Mary Mc Bride
30:35 Andrew Bluck
30:44 Iain Gilles
30:54 Jo Holden / Heather Kirkham
30:58 Dave Fisher - 30.58
31:15 Brian Grace
32:33 Aaron Boslem
33:36 Ron Lock

C grade @ scratch

32: 40 Steve Toole
33:57 Martin Crundwell

The Motorway Race 25th March 2012

We really appreciate the support everyone gave by attending the race today, there were a total of 45 paddlers on the water in the end, hard to believe that this race was only put together and advertised only 2 weeks earlier, thanks to all those who contacted their paddling mates to let them know about the race. 
Thank you to the people from the Wairarapa who battled the wind over the Rimutakas to get here, also to those who came through from Levin, Palmerston North and Ashurst we hope that you all manged to get yourselves and your craft home safely.

 The course was a bit of a slog today for many of us as we missed the traditional North and NW swells that help us to surf down to the turn buoy in quick smart time, it usually takes us 30 minutes to get down there.


None the less Glenn Muirhead and Rob Nichol didn't seem to worry about that too much, as they set a scorching pace down there and back, washhanging and working well together. Glenn came home in 62 minutes 46 seconds with Rob only 7 seconds behind him, they can both take credit for the quick time set, which beats the old course record by 2 minutes.

Also Ben Manners who at 13 was our youngest competitor this year, great effort Ben, and a reminder that the race is open to people of all ages. We hope to see you back next year with a few more youngies joining you. The Race isn't a race without everyone out on the water participating, good weather and with excellent numbers this race was quite the spectacle for those motorists viewing the race as they drove down "The Motorway"


A big thanks to Vicky (Stephen Parker's partner) for helping Sharlene with the timekeeping and also to Aaliyah Clarke for being Sharlene's little runner. Also to the Interislander Managers and staff for allowing me access through their worksite at the Southern end to place and pick up the buoys.


We picked up a buoyancy vest that was left behind with Te Runanga O Toa Rangatira on it.  Finally after tallying up all the entry funds (I didn't budget on so many people turning up) we have 3 remaining spot prizes of $20 Countdown vouchers that go to Tana Rupapere, Pete Notman and Howie Clarke if you could give me an e-mail back I'll make sure the above buoyancy vest and vouchers get to you.


Long course 13 km


MK Multisport kayak W6 Waka Ama 6 person SS Surf ski W1 Waka Ama single W2 Waka Ama double SUP Stand Up Paddle Board SK Sea kayak


62:46 Glenn Muirhead MK
62:53 Rob Nichol MK
68:59 Kokiri Team Brendon W6
69:16 Mike Tate SS
70:04 Chester Burt SS
70:36 Les Morris MK
71:48 Sandy Winterton MK
72:01 Outlaws Whanau mixed W6
73:33 Dave Dellabarca MK
73:43 Joern Scherzer W1
74:17 Paddy Rimene W1
76:00 Tipi Terangihaeata W1
76:06 Neil O'Brien W1
76:07 Geoff Ludemann MK
76:25 Jeff Booth SS
76:38 John Taylor SS
78:10 Kokiri Jandals mixed W6
78:13 Iain Gillies SS
78:17 Dave Ryde W1
78:25 George Faalogo W1
78:42 Ray Mennie MK
78:54 Stephen Parker MK
79:09 Melz Grant MK
79:55 Matt Archer W1
80:42 Ben King/ Mike Ross W2
82:30 Peki Emery W1
83:24 Tana Rupapere W1
83:40 Sef Misky W1
84:26 Tu Waikai Nui Womens W6
90:06 Wairarapa Nui Tonu Womens W6
91:02 Terry Gardiner W1


Short course (6 km)
37:29 Ben Manners SS
39:23 Pete Notman SK
42:11 Howie Clarke SUP

The Motorway Race and coaching weekend

Wind forecast for Sunday March 25, as at 7.00pm March 24

North Westerly 26 kmh gusting to 43 kmh 

High tide 7.37am
low tide 1.52pm

A North Westerly wind is not an issue on this course, if you don't like wind, you can paddle 5 to 10 metres from the shoreline to avoid a large percentage of the wind/windgusts. 

Before we ran our first race on the Motorway course in February 2004, the course was already alive and kicking with Mark Watson first intiating "The Motorway race" in 1989 as part of a series of kayak marathons in Wellington.

Mark ran this event through to the 21st century and then with the forming of the Mana Kayak Racing Club the focus with the weekend races have eventually evolved to courses more suitable for K1 racing.

The Wellington Harbour Craft Paddle Series is where it all started for us in Wellington, prior to this we'd been running the Ngaruroro River race in Hawkes Bay for 7 years in the 90's. When I lived in Hamilton in the late 80's early 90's I also came down to race one of the first Motorway races in a K1.

This will now be the 9 th year that we've run a race on the Motorway course.

Also worth a mention, Ian Ferguson is running some coaching sessions in Wellington on the same weekend. Friday March 23 at 6.30 pm http://kupe.org.nz/notices/technique-sessions-with-ian-fergusson/ there will be a theory/technical session at Fergs Kayaks, Queens Wharf, Wellington, as far as I am aware this will be a free session?

On Saturday there will be some on the water coaching (done in groups) so if you are at the Friday night session just talk to Ian about these sessions, there will be a charge for the practical (on water) sessions.

For more details contact Dave Annear at Fergs Kayaks Wellington 04 499 8898

A selection of photos from our races in 2008, 09 10 and 2011
click on photos to enlarge

So now the nuts and bolts of this years race.

Read the information on the flyer on the right hand side of the page.

The last update for this race will be posted here on March 24 at 7 pm.

From this update you'll know what the race day forecast is and also the exact course that we will be racing if the weather is a little messy.

We won't cancel the race as we have 3 courses planned for various weathers conditions, one will mean a shift in the start/finish location.

All entry money will go into the prize pool for the race, we'll also have results and photos posted by 8pm same day.

The course is close to the shoreline, and the full course can be paddled within 10 metres of the shoreline and in the shelter if need be.

There will be no motorised safety boats patrolling this race, in our races all competitors are expected to look after each other and offer assistance, if it is called for.

Paddling with the comfort of the shoreline close to you, so you can self rescue, is the most responsible option for you as a paddler, as is having the correct clothing and safety gear for the craft that you are paddling in, looking at the conditions on the day.  

All competitors must be on land, and within the range of my voice to listen to the BRIEFING AT 9.50 AM with your listening ears on please.

It's Saturday with fine weather

Wow what a great day for the Contact National Triathlon champs in Wellington today.
We had a 5 to 10 kmh easterly at about 10 am, and I had the company of Sandy Winterton, we paddled around to Oriental Parade and into Chaffers Marina to see if we could view part of the swim section from the above event.
We didn't time it very well, no swimmers to be seen so we headed back out across the top of Evans Bay and around to Kau Bay, then back to Greta Point.

Out and about we spotted a few people on skis and kayaks and eventually, I caught up with Mike "the weatherman" out on his ski (he'd just been out around Matiu (Somes) Island and back and I also had a yak to a couple of SUP chicks, who out on one of their regular catch up paddles.

Where do you go for SUP's in Wellington?
http://www.oceanoutfitters.co.nz/
http://www.wildwinds.co.nz/ and also Fergs Kayaks at Shed 6 in Wellington.

I know I said we were going to run races anymore..........well after discussions with Sandy and also his discussions with the Kupe Canoe Club committee................Sharlene and I will run the Motorway Race again this year, near at it's traditional April time frame. At this stage dates are looking a bit thin looking around at everyone elses race calendars..............so we are looking at running it on Sunday March 25................which is a bit short notice being only 2 weeks away, but we can make it work.

Briefly it starts at Petone by the Wellington Waterski Club, runs along the motorway turning before the Interislander reclaimed land, distance is 13km, we will have a 6 km short course option as well.

entry fee: singles $5, doubles $8, sixes $12
Race flyer and details to follow in the next day or so. 

It's Friday and I get Saturday off as well!

Yep I get it all the time are you off work again! Well it looks that way, the hours are a bit crazy at times, and I can tell you after 20 plus years of night shifts, I'm a bit over them to tell you the truth. This is how it works most weeks, while you guys are at work, I'm out on the water, when you are on the water or at home, I'm at work!
Hey what a relief that we can still get out on the water, it's the best place to be to get away from it all, sure you can go mountainbiking, cycling or running , but out on the water there's way less traffic to manouevre around and it's very therapeutic.

On my surf ski there isn't a day when I can say, too cold or too windy because I've got the right equipment and clothing to do the job (yep a handy paddling wardrobe) and 1 ski is enough for me!

Today I  had an easy 25 to 35kmh south easterly and the loan of a Think Uno Max surf ski courtesy of Fergs Kayaks. The Uno Max is only 425mm wide compared to the 465mm width of my Evo II so it's skates along a damned site quicker. Today I did a circuit of the Kupe Canoe Club Summer Series southerly course, along Cobham drive and then shot around to Freyberg beach then back to Greta Point.  I spent 1hr 20mins on the water today, very nice out there. 

I'll have the Uno Max at the Kupe Summer Series on Tuesday night and I will more than likely, paddle it, before and after the race it will be available for others to try it out also.
Photos: Think Uno Max at Hataitai Beach and a shot of some kayakers about to head off from Freyberg Beach. (click on to enlarge) 

Demo organised and done in 6 days!

Last nights demo was a bit of a rush job, pieced together in 6 days once we'd confirmed availability of Ian Ferguson and the delivery of skis for the 8 hour plus drive down from Auckland that day. Thanks to Fergs Kayaks team in both Auckland and Wellington, especially Alan Ferguson (Auck) and Dave Annear (Wgtn) and all staff for loading and unloading all the skis and of course Ian for the drive down (and also back) and for also leading the demo session.

A big thanks also to the Kupe Canoe Club for publicising the night well on the clubs website and also around to their members at short notice and to Sharlene who took does all our website stuff, flyer design, photos and all the technical work required to fit everything together.

The number of people trying out the skis was very pleasing and especially the many comments that people didn't realise how stable they were.

Apologies that the full range of Legend Paddles weren't available for the demo (caught up in transit), though they will be available at Fergs Kayaks in Wellington for the next 2 weeks, so pop in and ask the staff there about trying them out.

A Think Uno (carbon 14kg) is here for demo for the next 6 weeks, Chester will be paddling it at the NZ Marathon Kayak Champs on April 14, the event is again being hosted by the Mana Kayak Racing Club. The ski also for sale so if it sells before then I'll paddle the Evo II.

Thank you everyone, for the support you've all given to tonights event.

For the results of the racing http://www.kupe.org.nz/ for photos view the slideshow on the right hand side of the Welly Paddlers webpage. 

Surf ski demo day March 6

Tomorrow we'll be hosting our 5th demo night in Wellington. We started running these about 6 years ago and during this period we've seen an increased number of surf skis out on the water in Wellington. Our City, with it's copious quantities of wind, is made for surf skis as you can get them out in all weathers. One of the main benefits you get on a surf ski compared to a kayak is that you can actually steer them much better in rough conditions due to the fact that the rudder is under the hull about 700 mm from the stern. What this means is that when you ride down a swell your rudder is still engaged in the water..............with a kayak you loose most of your steering as the rudder ends up being out of the water when you need it the most.
This year we have Olympic kayak Legend Ian Ferguson back with us to run the demo night, we last had him here back in 2009 for our demo and Twilight race. It was a great night with 45 paddlers taking to the water for the race that evening.
Though the demo night has been planned at quite short notice we've advertised it through to Sportzhub, Kupe Canoe Club and Mana Kayak Racing Club and our own website Welly Paddlers and also both the Welly Paddlers and Wellington Multisport e-mailing lists................if you haven't seen anything ask the people just mentioned why nothing has been sent out.
http://www.sportzhub.com/site/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=14010&Itemid=1

The products available at the demo are as follows.
Think Kayaks, Uno and Evo II
Epic Kayaks, V12 and Epic V10 sport
as well as a range of Epic and Legend paddles.

For further info: chester dot burt at gmail dot com or phone 022 6455820

Calm before the storm

It's Friday and tomorrow theres are some big winds about to blow through, triple digit winds maybe up to 140 kmh in some areas, it's that bad even the NZ Ironman is being postponed and they'll run a shortened 1/2 Ironman course on the Sunday.

Anyhow today I had a tiny 15kmh North Westerly, so just a few tiddly waves out there, though better than paddling on a millpond harbour. No car today so I was fractically putting constructing my portaging wheels for my ski to get down to the water. My first portage was about 12 minutes, and this was from Darlington Road to Worser Bay, the wheels held on well so it's first test was successful. I headed North along the Seatoun Bays and around Point Halswell, headed across the top of Evans Bay and headed along Oriental Parade to Freyberg Beach.
I did a lap around a 2 km course for Tere Kiriau, I heard through Cousin Chris the other day, that a group of his mates were doing 48 laps around a course in his memory (1 lap for every year of his short life) Earlier in the day I saw a few W1 and W6 craft paddling the course around Oriental Bay and they had a well set up base at Freyberg Beach consisting of a tent and flags it really looked the part.
View the info below, it's a fantastic way for people to help out/remember a good mate.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_QW4-cVJwU&feature=youtu.be

http://www.matespaddleforlife.com/

Once I'd completed the Oriental Parade section it was back down Evans Bay with a small downwind swell to finish up at Miramar Wharf and that completed a good 70 minute paddle, not finished yet a 17 minute Portage via Aranui St, back to Darlington Road again and I'm done for the day.