Welly event ONE

Back to our roots we are running LD surf ski events again thanks to a conversation between paddlers that Welly Paddlers ask some paddlers if they were keen to do some weekend summer events again.

Instead of asking around, with just two weeks notice I e-mailed out to about 17 surf ski paddlers that we were running an event on Dec 14.........we is Sharlene as well :-)

Most that turned up today didn't care about how much training they hadn't done as we all know an

event just springboards enthusiasm to get out a few times before each event and build on the fitness that way.

Today we kicked off on a real low tide making for a little bit more shallow water on the homeward stretch back to Petone and the need for eagle eyes spotting rocks under the surface if you cut around the island too close. The slither of rock that rises about 4 metres out of the water at the back of the island making a nice short cut at higher tides, was out of bounds in the best interests of all our rudders! We had a 25kmh to 35kmh Northerly which made for around a 4 km downwind leg of 400 mm wind swell to the Southern end of Somes

(Matiu) Island then approx 1 km of upwind around the back of the island. The last leg was run the gap between Somes and Mokopuna island into a partial head sidewind covering the last 3 km back to Petone which could have been tricky if the winds were a bit keener.

Thanks to Mike and John who came up from Levin and Raumati and

Les from the Wairarapa it's good to see all the Think skis there (a couple of I used to own) but we'd also like to see Fenn, Epic, Stellar, Flow and a few more Surf lifesaving spec skis as well. Congrats to Barton who's now paddled 7 times and he's also completed his first surf ski event and considering it's a loan ski made for some one with shorter legs, he's did an awesome job on today's course! Thanks to Dave McKnight for his enthusiasm introducing his mates to surf ski paddling and Sharlene for timing us and doing all the shore support work that we rely on for each event.

8.4km Somes clockwise course

43:07 Chester Burt

45:13 Mike Tate

47:51 Les Morris

49:59 Dave McKnight

50:12 Iain Gillies

54:34 John Taylor

74:13 Barton Fletcher

So what's next:

Saturday mornings at 9 am Jan 11, Feb 8, Mar 1 well have surf ski only events which are free entry events.

Sunday March 30 we are running the Motorway Classic (which is open to a range of paddling craft) this event has an entry fee and spot prizes to wind up our summer events. 

Also for those interested in the King of the Harbour it was advertised for April 12........and now it's been changed to March 29. We are sticking to our date of March 30 for the Motorway Classic because it's been running for 25 years now (we set it 11 months ago) it coincides with the high tide (and a fast course for all paddlers)

Here's a few photos off my camera we'll post Sharlene's photos tomorrow.

click on any photo to enlarge