Cedric Cedric Bond Bond looks looks to to make make the the jump jump to to seniors seniors
World’s World’s collide collide at at the the Texas Texas River River Marathon Marathon
U.S. U.S. team team trials trials experience experience buzz buzz around around new new 200 200 meter meter event event
Johnson takes third, again, at legendary DW
Proud sponsor of the NYC Mayor’s Cup From the Beijing Games to your backyard, supporter of performance paddling throughout the world. See our complete line of day use, touring and competition kayaks and paddles. www.epickayaks.com 1-866-GET-EPIC Designed by World Champions.
inside Carter Johnson gives his firsthand account of running solo in the Devizes to Westminster Canoe & Kayak Race.
May/June
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Michigan honors a worldwide paddling legend
Narrative of novice entry in Texas River Marathon
The Verlen Kruger Memorial is established featuring a life-size bronze statue of the man who’s long-distance paddling feats aren’t likely to be matched any time soon.
Two noobies of different disciplines outdistance all other “lead sled” canoes in the preliminary race to set up their pole position in the lauded Texas Water Safari.
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More Inside Sprinter Cedric Bond looks to step up his game Making the jump from a successful junior sprint career to the senior team isn’t a given. Bond is ready for the task.................page 8 Ask Coach Caven For those paddlers looking to enter ultra-marathon races, Coach Caven has some good advice and some action steps to take, not the least of which is to trail well...........................................page 12 Kayaking and science? You bet! Jake Michael gives a basic primer on the science of kayaking and a bit of insight into how that can turn into results................page 15 Ending the drought of sprint racing medals Sherry Andrusiack turns in a profile of new USA Canoe/Kayak sprint coach, Stein Jorgensen and his thoughts on how to turn team U.S.A. into an international contender........................page 20 U.S. sprint team trials report by Shaun Caven Newly named to the U.S. coaching staff, Shaun Caven submits this report from Chula Vista, Calif.......................................page 24
Canoe & Kayak Racing Canoe & Kayak Racing is a bimonthly electronic magazine containing news, articles and features about events, paddlers, training, race results and other information about canoe and kayak racing in the United States. CKR seeks to promote canoe and kayak racing with editorial and promotional content designed to inform, educate and motivate beginners and experienced paddlers of all ages. Each issue will cover a wide range of editorial and promotional content from tips and how to articles to race reports and feature stories. CKR regularly accepts by-lined editorial submissions with the right of final editing for style, tone, length and voice. Editorial and graphical content may not be used in any form, printed or digital, without permission of the editor with attribution. CKR is posted bimonthly at: http://issuu.com/ckrmagazine
Danny Ching crowned world champion OC1 The Californian finally takes the title of the Steinlager Kaiwi Solo OC1 race and celebrates by calling his dad........................page 30
Editor:
Pursuit event in Wisconsin gives racers a twist Using a handicap, race organizers keep the pack tight at the finish, instead of the start, making for plenty of excitement....page 32
Contributors this issue:
New OC6 race blends tradition and innovation PA’A ‘Eono will challenge OC6 teams to a Kaiwi Channel crossing and open design possibilities by not having weight limitations on boats. How fast can six men make an outrigger fly?...........page 34
Dan Grubbs
Dan Grubbs, editor Stephen Mahelona, associate editor Shaun Caven, contributor Joe Mann, contributor Sherry Andrusiack, contributor Carter Johnson, contributor Kaitlyn McElroy, contributor Kevin LeRoy, contributor
Cover: Carter Johnson makes his way through an urban stretch of the course of the 2010 Devizes to Westmister Canoe & Kayak Race. Johnson placed third in the solo division. Photo courtesy of Kathryn Broughton.
Jake Michael, contributor Canoe & Kayak Racing 1221 Pheasant Ct. Liberty, Missouri 64068 816-729-4422 ckrmagazine@gmail.com CKR’s Facebook profile
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From the Editor is ready for a quantum leap forward.
Joe Jacobi (left) and editor Dan Grubbs at the U.S. Indoor Kayak Championships in Oklahoma City. I decided to give this space to cover one of the best decisions that USA Canoe/Kayak has made in a number of years: hiring Joe Jacobi as its CEO. I am a personal witness to his enthusiasm, intellect, vision and charisma that he channels for the national federation to make it an efficient, productive, and most of all, internationally competitive organization. My hat is off to the USA Canoe/Kayak board for making the decision in favor of Joe. Below is USA Canoe/Kayak’s announcement. --------------The USA Canoe/Kayak Board of Directors has appointed Joe Jacobi to serve as Chief Executive Officer of USA Canoe/Kayak, the national and Olympic governing body for competitive paddlesports in the United States. Jacobi had been serving as the organization’s Interim Chief Executive Officer since October 2009. The board, with the assistance of a search committee, conducted a fourmonth-long search process to find the most capable and qualified CEO for USA Canoe/Kayak. After extensive interviews of candidates who the search committee identified as finalists for the job, the board was unanimous in its selection of Jacobi as the new CEO.
A native of Bethesda, Md., Jacobi, 40, is a two-time Olympian in the sport of canoe/kayak who teamed with Scott Strausbaugh to win America’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in whitewater canoe slalom at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Since retiring from elite-level competition after the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Jacobi has continued in the sport in a variety of capacities that include network broadcasting, professional speaking, coaching and serving on the USA Canoe/Kayak board of directors. “I am honored and humbled to be chosen to lead this organization that I so passionately care about and is poised for amazing things,” Jacobi said. “From every corner of the sport, from the board room to the boathouse, I have never seen more desire to see USA Canoe/Kayak succeed than right now. This is our time.” The selection of Jacobi for the CEO post initiates a new era of growth and change at USA Canoe/Kayak. With the development of game-changing paddlesports venues and training centers, an exciting line-up of international event hosts, a focused effort on recruiting motivated participants and the 2012 Olympics in London just around the corner, USA Canoe/Kayak
“The board is confident that Joe has the skill set, knowledge, commitment and passion to successfully lead USA Canoe/Kayak, working with William Irving, Gerald Babao, Stacey Hepp and the entire coaching staff, through the challenges that lie ahead,” said board chairman David Backer of Portland, Maine. “We consider ourselves fortunate to have had Joe available to work with us for the last six months on an interim basis and we are thrilled that Joe is willing to continue on as CEO on a long-term basis.” Much of Jacobi’s work will take place at USA Canoe/Kayak’s offices, both in Charlotte, N.C., and Oklahoma City, as well spending time in person with the sport’s stakeholders and partners across the United States and around the world. Jacobi, his wife, Lisa, and daughter, Séu Jane, reside in Ducktown, Tenn., near the Ocoee River, one of America’s most popular paddling destinations and host of the 1996 Olympic Whitewater Slalom events. ---------Congratulations, Joe. We’re behind you! Dan Grubbs ckrmagazine@gmail.com
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The story begins in 2006 over a shot of Sour Toe and many pints of beer. This is where we first learned of the Devizes to Westminster Canoe and Kayak Race. Shawn Thrower from London had raced and won both the K1 and K2 DW races in the past. We were sitting in a pub when he planted the idea into my head. “Mate, there is a race that crosses almost all of England via canals and ends in downtown London,” Thrower said. “You must do this!” he cheered over and over. Having never been to England and dreaming of crossing the majestic country side via canals was more than enough to sow a deep seed in my imagination. It wasn’t until two years later, however, when in Dubai that the seed was fertilized by the famous kayaking Brit, Ivan Lawler. With a six-time world marathon champion lined up as a team captain, the idea grew into reality. The DW is run as two separate races. The K2 division is 125 miles straight thru. The K1 division is staged over four days. They both run the same course that features freezing weather, a 10-foot wide shallow ditch and more than 70 portages. All the competitive teams complete the race in Olympic style K1s. Having never even sat in a K1, I decided that the K2 may be the best choice for the first attempt at this. In 2009, I team up with a friend and mentor David Kelly. With the support of Ivan Lawler as ground crew, we took on the K2 race for a solid third place finish. See our K2 story in the May/ June 2009 issue of Canoe & Kayak Racing. As a surfski paddler living on a floating home in San Francisco Bay, I have managed to stay away from K1s all together. This changed in January 2010 when an American K1 and wildwater icon showed up in Berkeley, Calif. Andrew McEwan just moved to the Bay area from Sacramento, Calif., 6
and was leading flatwater training sessions over in the “Pond” at the Berkeley Rowing Center. Everybody that was showing up was getting very fast which was enough motivation for me to finally attend one of the 7 a.m. sessions. It did not take long to appreciate how quick these little boats are.
The Devizes to W commands ever by Carter Johnson
A month later I purchased my first K1 and was hitting it hard twice a day for weeks. I was as ready as I would ever be for a K1 DW…so I thought. London was calling. A quick e-mail to Ivan and ground crew and boat were all taken care of. It was time. I arrived in England a week early and stayed with Ivan who was keen to do some last minute training. This is where I quickly learned that the two months in the K1 had left many large gaps in my skill set. It was the small but critical things like the ability to put on gloves while in the boat, going under low bridges, portaging and wash riding that were missing from the library of talents. It was starting to feel like swimming lessons rather than kayak training. Ivan may have been just trying to keep my morale up and never discourage me. Personally, though I was having some serious doubts about this adventure, but kept that to myself. It was bloody cold and I was struggling with
Westminster solo ryone’s respect
some of the basic fundamentals of K1 marathon racing. I was committed, though, with my Rubicon passed a long way back. Full throttle was the only way forward. Over the next four days of racing, there were ups and downs, beauty and pain, triumph and defeat. The K1 was continually leaching the energy out of me as there is never an option to relax. Two hours in one of these boats easily exhausted me more than 10 in a surfski.
On day one, I was able to keep the leaders within 15 minutes of my pace, but it came at a large price. They were simply portaging so much faster than me. Thirty plus seconds lost on a portage over 35 portages adds up quickly. Even though it was only five hours of racing the previous day, my body felt like it just completed an expedition length by the following morning. Day two had portages straight through the entire course but did give some relief as we finally left the shallow canals and got into the fast flow of the Thames.
Photos: Kathryn Broughton
same time. Day three brought to the plate more paddling and less running which thrilled me. We had completed the canal section and were in the Themes now with only 12 portages total for the day, but the gas in this tank was running on vapor and the cold was absolutely penetrating as the wind rushed down the river valley. Day four is the shortest day with only 18 miles of the tidal influenced Thames left. This is also the toughest day as the tidal influenced portion of the Themes can be a very rocky ride. To say the least this was more than a handful for me in the K1 as I white knuckled the paddle for the entire two hours praying to just hold onto my third-place position. All in all I managed to never fall out of the boat during the race thanks to the great advice of my team captain and a bit of luck. I did hold on for a place on the podium about an hour behind the winner who is a top 10 world marathon K1 racer from Germany. Having only spent several months in a K1, I was absolutely thrilled with my placement in the race. Educational is the word that comes to mind to sum up the experience. I tripled my knowledge about K1 marathon racing while on this adventure and am looking forward to the USA team trials on May 22nd as the next lesson in paddling. The DW is a wonderful experience. I strongly encourage readers to give this one a shot. In my mind, there is simply no better way to tour England. You will meet some wonderful people as well as see places that are not on any tour routes.
After the first day, solo racers have to be started in reverse order of finishing separated by two minutes in order to not clog up the tiny canal. I spent the entire day catching up to the guy in fourth place just to loose him again at the next portage. This was both motivational and demoralizing at the 7
Looking to help the team Cedric Bond begins his transition from the juniors and seeks to bolster the national senior team.
Race day. His sympathetic nervous system kicks in releasing adrenaline into his bloodstream, triggering prerace nerves – or jitters as some call them. Sitting in the boathouse an hour before the national championships, Cedric Bond goes through his race plan. He knows it’s going to be hard and that his body is going to be pushed to the limit. Instead of deterring him, this seems exciting and one of the reasons he loves competition.
and has secured spots on three junior national teams from 2007-2009. Yet, Bond reveals that the thing he is most proud of in his athletic career is his Nelo and Brasca sponsorships.
Racers approach the starting line. As he lines up, he doesn’t think too much and his nerves are channeled into excitement. The gun goes off and he lets his body run through what he has trained it to do, finishing with one more national individual title to his name.
Bond first learned of sprint kayaking in August of 2003 while sailing with his parents in Gig Harbor, Wash. The Gig Harbor Canoe and Kayak Team coach Alan Anderson was paddling in the harbor at the same time. Their paths crossed and Bond soon found himself in a sprint boat.
The ability to channel nerves into excitement, and the ability to let the body do what you have trained it to do is the mark of any high-performance athlete. At 19 years old, Bond has raced like a pro for years. He already has accumulated five individual national titles 8
This year, Bond has his sights set on breaking into the senior ranks and hopefully earning a team position for the 2010 senior world sprint championships in Poznan, Poland.
From sailing to K1
Previous to kayaking, Bond’s extracurricular activities included Scottish Highland dancing and playing the bagpipes. Once he started kayaking he quickly brought his focus to bare on achieving excellence in the sport. When asked what kept him in the sport and why he loved it, Bond said, “You can never really master it and you can always improve on it. Plus, I get to use the body that God gave me and push it to the max.”
Elusive life balance Bond is a senior at Covenant High School in Tacoma, Wash., where he is student body president. Combining this with a grueling training schedule gives him his a great physical challenge. “There isn’t enough hours in the day to do everything,” Bond reports. “Between training, homework and student government, it leaves me with little sleep, maybe 6-7 hours. According to Bond, these challenges help him as an athlete.
by Caitlyn McElroy
“On the weekends I am exhausted and try to sleep as much as I can,” he said. “Balancing both athletics and academics is really difficult, but it’s important to have multiple interests – it makes you a better kayaker because you don’t let the sport become the only thing that you are.” The ability to be more then just a good paddler but a dynamic person is something that he has admired about his paddling mentors Jordan Maloic and Coach Alan Anderson. “Jordan would train hard but never let it become who he was, he was just himself.” Striving for this personal balance is something Bond takes seriously.
Looking to support the team One of his goals this year is proving his ability to be a good team boat paddler. Bond feels that if he can’t help improve the boat, then he shouldn’t be in it.
“The most important thing right now is that the U.S. improve on its international ranking,” he explains. “Hopefully I can help do that.” Team boats are his favorite discipline and something he enjoys on many levels. “You win together, lose together and get to know other people; it also makes practicing more fun,” he said. “All in all you get to work for something bigger then yourself something that you share together.” As a born-again Christian, the social aspect to the sport adds to his whole experience, according to Bond. He explains that the more people he meets as he moves through the ranks of the sport gives him the chance to spread the word about Jesus Christ and what being a Christian means.
Winning isn’t easy The 2007 junior sprint team trials in Chula Vista, Calif., stand out in Bond’s growing litany of victories. Above all, the events of these trials show his resolve and character as a competitor and person. During a phone interview for this story, Bond was trying to quietly describe the regatta. He was still at his school and didn’t want his voice to carry, but there was an undeniable excitement that crept into his voice nonetheless. “I went into the regatta in perfect shape and felt great on the water. Admittedly I was feeling a bit cocky in the beginning, which initially hindered my performance. In the end, my K2 partner and I took the regatta by storm.” The first K2 race of the regatta was the 500 meters. The gun went off for their first heat and the duo were beaten off the start. They hadn’t expected that to happen and it psyched them out. They
see Cedric Bond on pg 13 9
If you were, say, interested in finding out about paddling events going on in, say, these areas (so you went to www.uscanoe.com/EventsSearchRegions.cfm and clicked on them on the map ...
... and then you clicked that big, friendly red rectangle that reads “Click to Compare Regional Events,�) ... what do you think you would see? Well, go ahead. Try it. Click that friendly old rectangle - right here on the page.
SaturdayJuly172010 White Rock Lake Dallas
for more info visit www.hoewaa.org
I was invited up to Kansas City last month to take part in a small sprint regatta and two marathon races the next day. During a break between races, Canoe & Kayak Racing editor, Dan Grubbs, asked me to talk to the assembled paddlers. Most of the paddlers there compete in very long marathon events. I fielded a variety of questions, but these two questions merited space here. 1. How do I prepare for a long race? 2. Do I need a coach? How do I prepare for a long race? Long marathon races can be anything from 50 miles to more than 1,000 miles here in the U.S. I have listed out the following points to consider before you start racing these distances. First up, plan. Planning is key to success. Find out all you can about the race. Research on the web, get maps and talk to the organizer. Set yourself an objective, such as, win the race or complete in a certain time. Then draw up a plan and communicate that plan to all involved in helping you achieve your objectives. Pull together your team. That may include a tandem partner. Remember that things may get a little heated during the race so make sure your race partner has the same objectives and 12
ideas as you do regarding the race. A frank discussion before committing to the race and training months before will reduce a lot of potential stress. Then, ensure your support crew understand what they are letting themselves in for. Twenty-four hours or more without sleep can really strain relationships if they are not prepared in advance. If possible paddle key sections of the course in advance. Make sure your support crew gets to all the pit stops. I would advise saving the coordinates of these points in a GPS unit. This can save a lot of time during the event. Training for the event. Develop a program that fits the event and your lifestyle. Try to do several shorter races before your main event. This will help you iron out equipment, support, tactical and unforeseen issues that may arise. It’s much better to make mistakes on short races because the error will not get magnified into major crises. Get in shape. Give yourself at least 12 weeks to get in shape and paddle for a marathon. You want to be sure that your muscles and tendons are ready to handle the added stress of a high-volume program and race. Nutrition. During a long event your nutrition strategy will be vital to success. Try all your foods and drinks before the race. DO NOT use anything untested during the race. When
it comes to sports drinks there are hundreds of products out there. Test out which ones work for you before the race. A good tip is to mix powders at a weaker concentration than recommended on the packet. This will help with digestion and performance. Equipment. Get the best you can afford. Test and check it before the event. Make sure you have spare equipment. Paddles and rudders are common parts to break during races. Make sure your support crew knows how to deal with this quickly. A good tip with paddles is to use smaller blades for the longer event. Discuss this with a coach to get the best fit for you. Smaller blades will allow you to go further before you get tired. In addition to these things, there are many other things you can do to improve your performance. That’s another reason why the next question will also help you. Do I need a coach? The simple answer is yes! Everyone, regardless of age, skill or performance level, can improve. One way to accelerate the improvement process is to work with a coach. So what can a coach do for your paddling? Some people need help with motiva-
tion. Others need someone with experience designing a tailored training regimen. Most people are not capable of objectively coaching themselves and usually under or over train without guidance. A coach can help paddlers get the most out of training while minimizing the risk of injuries. A coach can help set appropriate goals and objectives. From this a coach can develop a training program and the way to execute that plan. The next stage is to evaluate the results and adjust the plan according to the results compared to the goals. A good coach will be able to help with technique. Improving technique will help any paddler see better results. Every paddler can become faster, more efficient and a better competitor. A coach will assist in identifying the main things to work on to improve. Coaches will provide feedback on training, technique and race strategies. They can also help with equipment use and set up. This could save a lot of time and money. Finally, prior, planning and preparation, promotes, positive, performance. The six Ps. There is another version, but a coach will tell you what that is!
Cedric Bond ended the heat in second. Instead of losing their cool, that night Bond and his partner reworked their race plan. The next day they stuck to it and didn’t allow themselves to think about anything or anybody else during the race. They ended up winning by a large margin. Being able to take a step back and critically analyze a disappointing race and constructively move forward is key for any elite competitor. Admittedly his greatest mental challenge is being careful not to get too cocky. “It can mess you up,” Bond said. “There is a lot to enjoy about the sport if you don’t get caught up in yourself.” This is good advice for almost anything and great advice for team boats. After the trials in the spring and a summer of racing, Bond will be moving to Oklahoma City in August to train with the Oklahoma City High Performance Kayak program under the direction of national team coach Shaun Caven.
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Michigan honors its paddling legend with life-size bronze statue The memory of Verlen Kruger On June 26 at 4:00 p.m., a life-size bronze statue of Michigan’s paddling legend, Verlen Kruger, will be dedicated during an unveiling ceremony along the banks of the Grand River in Portland, Mich. Michigan’s Governor, Jennifer Granholm, said of Kruger’s memorial, “Verlen Kruger was a legend and a hero far beyond the waters in Michigan that he loved and lived on. His passion grew from his Michigan home and spread to other states, countries and continents. His greatest legacy is that he sparked that same passion in a whole new generation, and I know this memorial will inspire generations to come.” Verlen Kruger, oldest son of a share cropper, a veteran of WW II and a local Michigan plumber, first stepped
will live on in memorial and deep in the hearts of thousands of paddlers the world over.
into a canoe at the age of 41; then over the next 42 years, paddled more than four times the distance around the earth, more than 100,000 miles. As he completed his 28,000 mi. trip, called the Ultimate Canoe Challenge, arriving back in Lansing in December 1983, he paddled and stopped at the very spot in Portland, on December 13, 1983 on the Grand River where 27 years later his Memorial Statue will be dedicated.
expression of honor again at the June dedication.
Verlen was referred to by some as, the Shepherd of the rivers, because of his efforts to care for them. Kruger and his partners stimulated Michigan river cleanups that continue today, and have done much to protect and motivate respect for the clean waters of Michigan and the U.S. He said, “The rivers are the arteries of our nation and must be kept clean!”
His authorized biography, All Things are Possible: The Verlen Kruger Story, 100,000 Miles by Paddle, by Phil Peterson Sr. (www.verlenkruger.com), tells the inspiring story of this humble man who motivated paddlers world wide by setting Guinness and other records that stand today. Two examples; paddling up the entire Colorado River and up through the entire Grand Canyon, and both down the Mississippi River then back up, between the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Itasca, the river’s source in Minnesota. Both are records he accomplished with his partner, Steve Landick.
Kruger died of cancer in 2004, leaving his wife, Genevieve, nine children and their beloved grandchildren. More than fifty vehicles, carrying Kruger-hand-made Expedition Canoes atop their cars and trailers, escorted the funeral procession of Verlen Kruger as a tribute, when he was buried with military honors. You will see this 14
Memorial paddle The general public is invited to participate in a memorial paddle on the Grand River, Saturday morning, before the dedication ceremony. Launch from Sebewa Creek, at the end of Erdman Road, Sunfield, Mich., at 10:30 a.m. paddling nine miles to Thompson Field off Canal Street in Portland.
Kruger and his worldwide following inspired seven-years of effort by friends and acquaintances who, after his death in 2004, formed The Verlen Kruger Memorial Committee, aimed at funding the memorial. Years of fund raisers such as, The Verlen Kruger Memorial Bushwhacker Race, Hugh Heward Challenge and repeated raffles of donated Kruger Expedition canoes, and a long list of contributions and volunteer efforts have made this dedication possible. Find out more at www.verlenkrugermemorial.org
The science behind flatwater kayak racing by Jake Michael
Since the sport of canoe/kayak was established in the mid 19th century in London, it has gone through major technological changes to allow for optimal comfort, speed and performance. The main factors that affect this performance, hence how fast the kayak moves, include the force and power provided by the paddler, technique and aerobic fitness. There have been a number of publications looking at these major factors affecting kayak paddling performance. It is the purpose of this article to briefly explain the significance of the papers and also demonstrate how coaches and athletes can work towards successful padding performances. From a stationary start, paddlers are required to place exceptional demands on the muscles of the upper body to move their kayaks as fast as possible along the length of the competing distance. Kayaking is a sport that relies heavily on aerobic power. Aerobic power refers to energy production that is dependent on oxygen which generally supplies energy for low-intensity
exercise over a long duration. Although kayaking is a speed-dominated event, research has found kayakers obtain the majority of the required energy from the aerobic energy system during racing (Tesch, 1983). Values have been shown to be 73 percent for the 500 meters and 85 percent for the 1,000 meters (Zamparo et al., 1999). These high values suggest the importance of endurance work at kayak training to develop a strong aerobic base. This is important as it allows a kayaker to work for longer and at a higher intensity by delaying fatigue and allowing for an improved recovery time. The level of aerobic power is determined by measuring the rate at which the body can breathe in oxygen to the lungs, transfer it to the heart to pump around to the working muscles and then use the oxygen in the muscles for energy production. Aerobic power is expressed as VO2 max, the maximum volume of oxygen that can be taken up and used by the body. This reflects the physical fitness
of the athlete. VO2 max is the athlete’s aerobic limit. Upper body exercise however, elicits lower rates of oxygen consumption than those observed during lower body and whole body exercise, due to the limitation of peripheral factors. For this reason, an individual rarely achieves their VO2 max during upper body exercise, and therefore the aerobic power for upper body work is commonly referred to as VO2 peak. As of this year however, the 200 meter race distance will become an Olympic event, replacing the 500 meter distance. This has markedly reduced the duration of the shortest event in this sport and Van Someren and Palmer (2003) have estimated energy contributions to simulated 200 meter kayaking to be only 37 percent aerobic with the main source of energy coming from the anaerobic energy system (67 percent). This system is more dependent on the immediate sources of energy within the muscles such as creatine and carbohydrates. This however, causes lac-
Continued on next page 15
tic acid to be produced. The relatively high peak blood lactate concentration values observed following maximal kayak racing indicate a significant anaerobic contribution to kayak paddling over all distances contested. This demonstrates the kayak paddlers’ ability to withstand high levels of arm exercise before fatigue sets in. When measuring the VO2 peak of Olympic kayakers, values have been reported to reach as high as 4.67 L/ min (58.8ml/kg/min) during an on water 1,000 meter race (Tesch, 1983). These values seem quite high considering an average sedentary person has a VO2 peak of approximately 35 ml/ kg/min. However, compared to other sports where lower body muscular endurance is an important component, events such as running and cycling, these values do not quite compare. Especially when you want to compare your recent kayak VO2 max test results to Lance Armstrong who recorded a whopping 84 ml/kg/min (5.5-6 L/min) (Wilmore and Costill, 2005). In sports like rowing, which is in a large part a lower body dominated sport, although the peak absolute VO2 of rowers compare favorably with the results obtained for road cycling and distance runners (~5-6 L/min; Billat et al., 1996), when body weight is taken into account (relative VO2 max) (~64 ml/kg/min; Di Prampero et al., 1971) these were not quite as high as the mean values obtained for the other endurance type athletes mentioned.
relative VO2 max may even match those of distance runners or cyclists. Knowing your VO2 max is extremely useful but only if you do something with the information. Developing a training plan with the specific requirements of increasing your aerobic and anaerobic threshold is a positive step in your training time. But only if you know where your thresholds are to begin with; otherwise how will you know how hard to go and how will you know if you’ve improved? A VO2 max test will clearly demonstrate the levels and threshold values to target at training. Through training you can make significant improvements in the efficiency of your aerobic engine thus allowing you to perform at your best. Peak physical fitness alone however, does not guarantee success; poor technique can decrease a paddler’s efficiency by increasing the amount of work performed by the body. At elite levels, this decrease in efficiency due to biomechanical factors can be the difference between winning and loosing. Previous studies analyzing the technique or movement patterns of the paddler throughout the stroke are
helpful in building a scientific description of technique. Although helpful, the analysis of joint center paths only attempts to describe the movement patterns of the limbs. Further examination of the forces that contribute to making the kayak faster also play an important role in monitoring and improving technique. As a paddler races towards the finish line, each stroke moves the kayak forward. However, within each stroke the kayak speeds up and then slows down due to the dynamic movement of the paddler and the varying magnitude of force application via the paddle. During the pull phase of the stroke the velocity of the kayak increases, while during the recovery phase the velocity of the kayak slows down. This is because, the movement of a kayak, semi-submerged in water, is opposed predominately by drag. Therefore, during the pull phase, the paddle force applied by the paddler is greater than the drag force acting to slow the kayak down. Thus in order to achieve optimum performance of the kayak, drag forces on kayak and paddler must be minimized and factors which contribute to improved propulsive forces must be maximized. Drag can be minimized by a reduction
The differences may be explained by the fact that generally, long distance runners are small, thin and lightweight compared rowers and also kayakers, who have a larger body mass. These results, however, do not suggest that kayakers are not as fit as other endurance athletes. An important concept to remember is that kayaking is predominantly an upper body sport and if the VO2 peak of a kayaker was divided by the mass of only the upper body (discounting the legs that are not used as extensively in kayaking) their 16
Force-time curves for the kayak paddle. Force-time curves have been normalised to indicate the beginning and end of the drive phase of the stroke. Kayak paddler figures above the graph indicate stages of the drive phase: catch, middle of the stroke and finish.
Olympic-style flatwater kayak stroke. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 12, 183-188. Michael, J.S., Rooney, K.B., and Smith, R. (2008) The metabolic demands of kayaking: A review. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 7, 1-7.
F - air drag
F - seat F - hydraulic drag
in the area of the kayak in contact with the surrounding water. The main contributor to the area of the kayak in the water is the total weight of the paddler, as the heavier you are, the deeper the kayak sits in the water. As a result, a greater portion of the kayak is subject to drag increasing the resistance that must be overcome by the kayaker to move the kayak forward. However, heavier athletes generally have a greater muscle mass and therefore the power to weight ratio of the paddler should be optimized. Hence, the question then arises; how may body size and shape influence kayak paddling performance? Again, another question: how are power output and kayak drag affected with an increased lean body mass; do they cancel each other out, or is there an advantage in being light? Further research is essential to examine the full potential of the advantages and disadvantages between the range of body types mentioned above and examine the energy cost associated. With the hull design and shape already set at an optimal level and material coatings on the hull, such as textured surfaces, being prohibited, it appears that blade or paddle force is the main variable that needs to be maximized to
F - paddle
F - footbrace
Pendergast, D., Cerretelli, P. and Rennie, D.W. (1979) Aerobic and glycolyticmetabolism in arm exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 47, 754-760. Tesch, P.A. (1983) Physiological characteristics of elite kayak paddlers. Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Sciences, 8, 87-91.
attain higher average kayak velocities. With a greater understanding of the physiological requirements and biomechanical properties of kayaking coaches and athletes can work towards successful padding performances. Examination of what is occurring to an athlete’s technique under the stress of competition is an important step in improving race times. This information may aid the coach in the development of more specific training programs for their athlete and can also be used to examine causative factors with regard to injury and may suggest strategies for rehabilitation.
van Someren K.A. and Palmer G.S. (2003). Prediction of 200-m sprint kayaking performance. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, 28, 505-517. Wilmore, J. H. and Costill, D.L. (2005) Physiology of Sport and Exercise: 3rd Edition. Champaign, IL, USA: Human Kinetics Zamparo, P., Capelli, C. and Guerrini, G. (1999) Energetics of kayaking at submaximal and maximal speeds. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 80, 542-548.
REFERENCES Aitken, D. A. and Neal, R. J. (1992). An on-water analysis system for quantifying stroke force characteristics during kayak events. International Journal of Sport Biomechanics, 8, 165-173. Billat, V., Faina, M., Sardella, F., Marini, C., Fanton, F., Lupo, S., Faccini, P., De Angelis, M., Koralsztein, J.P. and Dalmonte, A. (1996) A comparison of time to exhaustion at 2 VO max in elite cyclists, kayak paddlers, swimmers and runners. Ergonomics, 39, 267-277. Mann, R. V. and Kearney, J. T. (1980). A biomechanical analysis of the 17
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Racing Tips from
Interval Training The key principal to interval training is that intermittent work (bouts of exertion followed by a period of rest) allows you to work at a sufficient intensity to ensure maximum improvement of the energy system in question. By cutting down the duration of exertion, you can increase the intensity to higher levels. This is contrasted to steady-state work, in which there is no rest interval (until the workout is over.) There is only one long work interval, and thus the intensity level is lower out of necessity. Incorporating interval training into your workout schedule will ensure that you are working all three energy systems: the ATP-CP system (maximum intensity/very short duration), the lactic acid system (high intensity/short duration) and the O2 system (less intensity/longer duration.) By targeting all three of these systems you will develop your endurance base, increase sustained speed and add explosive speed to your paddling. Interval training also serves the key function of improving heart stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped with each heart beat.) Stroke volume is one of the key factors in determining the total amount of blood pumped by the heart (the other is heart rate.) The higher the stroke volume, the more blood pumped by the heart, and thus the more oxygen is transported to the exercising muscles. It is highest not during
a work interval, but during the rest period after it. With interval training there are many recovery periods, and thus stroke volume is at its highest level many times during a single workout. Achieving maximum stroke volume many times per workout over many weeks of interval training provides a greater stimulus for improving stroke volume than steady-state training alone. So why not skip steady-state and interval train all the time? First, a year-round schedule of interval training would be extremely hard and could cause burn-out. Second, there is some evidence that while interval training will improve VO2 MAX and anaerobic threshold the quickest, the improvements are not as long lasting as if achieved through steady-state training. For these reasons most athletes use a combination of steady-state and interval training. Advantages of Interval Training: • Burn calories more efficiently • Increase metabolism • Improve speed and endurance • Enhanced cardiovascular fitness • Keeps your workouts exciting Disadvantages of Interval Training: • Potential for over-training • Risk of injury
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To learn more about Epic kayaks and paddles log on to
www.epickayaks.com
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Ending the drought
Jorgensen determined to make Team USA an international player by Sherry Andrusiak When he looks at his athletes training in Chula Vista, USA Canoe/Kayak’s newly appointed National Team Sprint Coach Stein Jorgensen believes his focus on fundamentals will get Team USA competitive at the international level. “Getting boats to the finals at international events will ensure everyone is used to performing at a high level every time they pick up a paddle,” he said. Jorgensen himself is no stranger to international competition. The seventime national champion in sprint won gold in the K2 200-meter event at the 1995 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Duisburg, Germany. He also competed in two Olympic Games, earning a sixth-place finish in
Stein’s Stats: Born: 1962, San Diego, Calif. Height: 6’2” Weight: 194 lbs Notable International Results: 1995 ICF World Championships K2 200-meter race rank: 1st 1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta K2 500-meter race rank: 11th 2000 Olympic Games, Sydney K1 500-meter race rank: 22nd K4 1000-meter race rank: 6th
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the K4 1,000-meter event at Sydney in 2000. “Walking into the stadium during the opening ceremonies – especially in Atlanta – was unbelievable. I’m not a real emotional guy, but I could feel the roar of the crowd in my chest. It gave me goose bumps,” said Jorgensen. “I want my athletes to feel that – to feel the thrill of going to the Olympics. But most importantly, I want them to feel they’ve done their best, competed at their full potential.” Just how does Jorgensen plan to tap into the potential of the athletes he’s coaching? “I focus on getting the athletes fitter, specifically stronger, so they have a greater strength to weight ratio,” he said. “When they can pull 3.2 or 3.5 watts per kilo of body weight on the ergometer, they’ll be moving fast enough for a medal.” As an engineer, Jorgensen’s analytical eye is well tuned to spot inefficiencies and find improvements, something he’s been doing since becoming involved in canoe sprint as an athlete. In fact, his critical eye played a role in getting him into the sport in the first place.
From outrigger to kayak Jorgensen started out as an outrigger canoe racer when a fateful trip to Hawaii in 1988 to the Moloka‘i Hoe, a 43 mile race from the island of Moloka‘i to O’ahu, put him in a boat with a couple of sprint kayakers fresh from the Seoul Olympics. “I didn’t see a big difference between them and me in terms of fitness – we were all good athletes. So I asked around about the sport and decided I should give canoe sprint a try.” Realizing he had the potential to be like those two Olympians – who, by
the way were three-time Canoe/Kayak Olympian Norman Bellingham and the most decorated USA Canoe/Kayak athlete of all time, Greg Barton – Jorgensen began training in 1991, making the national team in 1993.
Upping the ante “I did well at the ’93 national team trials – not well enough to qualify for worlds, but I was able to train with the team. But it wasn’t easy. I was working as an engineer and spending my free time training. It was difficult to get to a high level with my schedule and I didn’t progress as fast as I should have. So in 1993 when my employer announced layoffs, I voluntarily gave up my job. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I knew I wanted to train and this was the opportunity for me to dedicate myself to the sport while also saving someone else’s job,” he said. For Jorgensen, the choice to leave his career and immerse himself in the sport was validated rather quickly. “Being around coaches, getting coached – just being in an environ-
petitors, giving them tips and pointers on how it should feel when they applied power to the paddle. This helped me, too, because once they got better I had to step up and get better too if I was to beat them.”
A natural coach
ment where I could eat, sleep and breathe kayaking – I could feel myself getting better doing all of the workouts. Four months after I started training full-time I raced in the national team knockout sprints, taking third in the 200-meter event. That’s when it became clear I’d made the right choice,” said Jorgensen.
On the same path Having walked the path of sacrifice and hard work himself, Jorgensen can relate to the struggles his athletes face. “The athletes know about my history in the sport, which adds a lot to my credibility as a coach because they know I’ve been where they are right now. I love training for this sport and being in shape, so I come and train with the girls. It gives them incentive to get better, having someone to chase on the water.” Even as an athlete, Jorgensen was helping those around him to improve on the water. “When I started training in this discipline myself, I’d help my com-
Jorgensen’s reputation as an unofficial coach grew as he began writing training programs that he and his training partners would follow. His first official coaching job came in 2008, when he was asked to prepare national team athletes for the 2008 Olympic Qualification Race in Montreal, Canada. “Stein’s work with the athletes who did not qualify for the Olympic team truly demonstrated his effectiveness as a coach,” said Shaun Caven, director of canoe/kayak at the Oklahoma City High Performance Training Center and fellow national team coach. “The teams he worked with following the qualification event made it to the three finals at the 2008 Szeged World Cup Race.”
in the finals at international races the new standard for Team USA. “The last time the U.S. won a medal at the world championships was in 1995 when I won gold in the 200-meter race. I’m planning on changing that drought. It’s crucial to the proliferation of our sport, as any funding from the U.S. Olympic Committee is directly tied to our results at international competitions. When we can perform at a higher level, we’ll be able to fund things like high-altitude training camps, and longer stays in Europe when we race so the team has more opportunities to train on international race courses. But we can’t run until we learn to walk. There’s no magic bullet that will turn things around. First the athletes need to get conditioned, to get the power. Once that’s accomplished, we continue to work, fine-tuning technique. There’s always something to work on. I’m striving to get my athletes to the A-Final in the women’s K1 200-meter and K2 500-meter at the World Championships in Poznan, Poland this August. It’ll take a lot of hard work, but already, we’re starting to get there.”
“I’ve always had a passion to help, and I knew when I was through racing I still wanted to be involved, so I’ve been volunteering at the San Diego Canoe/Kayak Club,” Jorgensen said. “And the station where I work as a Chula Vista fireman is only three to four minutes from the training center, so on the days I’m not on the water I’m close by so the athletes can stop in if they need to talk.”
Eyeing the podium Jorgensen is motivated to help his athletes raise the bar, making a finish 21
National federation names Caven to its sprint coaching staff USA Canoe/Kayak has named Oklahoma City coach Shaun Caven to its staff as a Sprint National Team coach. Caven, who has coached athletes at the Olympic level in Great Britain, will primarily focus on athlete development and creating world-class programs for national team athletes training at the Oklahoma City High Performance Center for Canoe/Kayak. He will also continue as director of canoe/kayak programs for the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation. “Shaun is a tremendous asset for USA Canoe/Kayak. With his location in Oklahoma City, the heart where USA Canoe/Kayak is growing, he is ideally located to lead national development initiatives, training camps and events,” said Joe Jacobi, executive director with USA Canoe/ Kayak. “We’re very excited to have him officially join our team.” Originally from Scotland, Caven served as head coach for the British National team before moving to Oklahoma City in February 2009. He has worked with and coached athletes at every level of the athlete pipeline, from Junior National Champions to Olympic Medalists. Since moving to the USA, Caven has coached at USA Team Camps with junior and senior athletes. He is a Director of the USA Canoe/Kayak Coaches Association and was selected to Coach Team USA at the Senior World Championships last year in Dartmouth, Canada.
Shaun Caven, head coach Oklahoma City High Performance Center for Canoe/Kayak
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Report f U.S. sprint t
by Shaun I travelled to Chula Vista, Calif., this year to the U.S. sprint team trials. A lot has changed in a year within the USA Canoe/Kayak federation. The federation now has a new board of directors, a new international teams manager (William Irving) and three full time coaches. New are Guy Wilding, Stein Jorgensen and I to round out USA Canoe/Kayak’s national sprint team coaching staff bringing more accountability and vision to the program than ever before. The development program under the direction of Mac Hickox continues to develop and educate junior athletes and club coaches on the requirement of international competitive success. Junior participation (15-18 years of age) and performance at team trials substantially increased in 2010 compared to 2009. Nearly 100 athletes from around the U.S. competed at the trials. The annual event is the gateway to various international events including the World Championships, World Cups and the Pan American Championships for junior and senior level competitors. New, exciting event At the World Championships in Canada last year, the ICF announced that 200 meter racing would now be an Olympic distance, dropping the 500 for men and women. It will be interesting to see this year how teams around the world respond to this change. Another change was announced at the same time last year. For the first time, women’s canoeing will be contested as a medal sport at the 2010 World Championships for both Olympic disciplines, sprint and slalom. As a result of the changes to the international program, the U.S. trials program had Saturday featuring the men racing 1,000 meters and the women raced 500 meters, while on Sunday, all the competitors raced the 200.
Photos: Stacey Hepp
Two-time Olympian, Carrie Johnson returned with a decisive victory in the women’s K1 500 meters. After missing the 2009 season due to health issues, Johnson blistered the course on Lake Otay in a time 1:53.30, which secures her a birth on USA Canoe/Kayak’s national team that will compete at the Sprint World Championships in Poznan, Poland, in August 2010. Joining Johnson at the World Championships will be USA Canoe/Kayak newcomer, Krisztina Zur who took second
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from the team trials
n Caven place covering the 500 meters in 1:54.03. Zur recently left the prestigious Hungarian canoe/kayak program and looked to make a big splash in her U.S. racing debut. “I am really happy to be a part of the U.S. national team,” Zur said. “I feel a lot of support here.” In the men’s 1,000 meters, Morgan House continued his domination; and, in K2 the improving Dolan brothers lead the field. With a switch in order Ryan now in the stroke seat and Pat backing him up, we will see at international events if the hard work over the winter has paid off. Leading the U.S. senior program on the second of two days of racing, men’s K1 athlete Ryan Dolan blistered the 200 meter course in 36.664 seconds taking the top spot narrowly edging out Tim Hornsby and two-time Olympian, Rami Zur who were second and third respectively. Dolan’s performance qualifies the 20 year-old to compete at the Sprint Canoe/Kayak World Championships in Poznan, Poland and puts the U.S. program on track for outstanding international performances leading up to London. In the woman’s K1 200 meters, Krisztina Zur, reversed the order of the 500 meters races by edging out Carrie Johnson. In the men’s K2 200 meters, Hornsby/Zur combined to win over the Dolan brothers. “Our program has made a tremendous commitment to the 200 meter events and today showed some great progress toward our objectives with both our juniors and seniors,” said, USA Canoe/Kayak National Teams Director, William Irving. “There is much more work to be done but we are clearly moving in a positive direction.”
Photos: Stacey Hepp
In the Junior Men’s racing there was no dominant athlete in K1. All three distances where won by different athletes. Stanton Collins won the 1,000 meters, Kalei Kahookele won the 500 meters and Hezekiah Blackburn won the 200 meters. In the junior women’s events, Bailey Nurmia won the 1,000 meters and the 500 meters and showed great potential for the future still being U16. Katie Hill in her last year as a junior won the 200 meters event in impressive style.
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Paddling worlds unite on the San Marcos River A black hat, a near-lethal bandana and a fast Alumacraft spell success for novice tandem in the Texas River Marathon.
by Joe Mann It was still dark when we pulled out of my driveway in San Antonio. My morning coffee did little to calm the restlessness that fluttered in my stomach. We were on our way to Cuero, Texas, for the Texas River Marathon, a 40mile canoe race that traversed some of the fastest and potentially dangerous sections of the Guadalupe River. It also is the ninth leg of the infamous Texas Water Safari. In fact, the Texas River Marathon is also known as “The Prelim” because the results determine the starting position for the Texas Water Safari. Our Alumicraft Voyager canoe was strapped above our heads; the gunnels softly hummed against the racks while the homemade portage handles occasionally played a small cadence against the roof of the truck. This 57-pound “lead sled” is a classic. No longer manufactured, the Voyager is arguably the best aluminum canoe ever built in terms of hull design, speed and responsiveness. It is fast for 26
a 36” wide boat, and for recreation it glides with little effort. This one had seen some years, but the lines were clean, and it was skirted, snapped and rigged with slider seats and footbraces: perfectly outfitted for a race on Texas rivers. Our carbon fiber bent shaft paddles were in the back seat along with our drink jugs, sunblock, gel packs, and of course, my black cowboy hat – my signature accessory as Dark Horse Paddler. My partner Wally Werderich, who has been known to race in a team named “Los Humungos Paddleos,” typically dons luchador attire. I think the big state of Texas intimidated him for he chose to forgo his outlandish attire for a more conservative dress. However, he constantly made fun of me for wearing my black cowboy hat, and after the race, I recall him saying, “There sure are a lot of colorful people here in Texas.” I just stared flat at him, responding with me eyes, ‘Yeah, because there is nothing colorful about
a Mexican luchador with mask and cape in a canoe.’ We found ourselves pulling into the field under a bridge in Cuero. There was a about an hour before the race but there were already at least three dozen vehicles scattered around the pillars of the bridge or on the perimeter of the field parked under the trees. Between the cars and trucks were the boats; kayaks and canoes of all sizes and composition. “Texas racing is cool with all the different types of paddling in the same race.” Eventually, 96 boats were in the water when the starting shot was fired. Wally and I were registered in the novice division. The Texas Water Safari classifies novices as “anyone who has not completed the Safari.” You aren’t required to race novice, but if you complete the safari in another class, you can never compete again as a novice. A few stipulations of the novice class are that you must race in an aluminum canoe, and you may only use single blades. Additionally, no
external hull modifications are allowed such as a rudder. Wally has been racing canoes for more than 20 years, and is a very active member of the USCA race scene in the north. A resident of suburban Chicago, Wally made his first step into the “wild west” or “unlimited” race scene last year when he and partner Nick Josefik competed in the Missouri River 340 in Missouri. They competed in a USCA pro-boat, and finished third overall out of a field of more than 250. I discovered paddle racing a mere three years ago and have completed the Missouri River 340 three times. Last year, Bryan Hopkins and I raced together in an old style ICF C2 and finished 2nd, barely keeping Wally and Nick off our heels. Wally and I became friends soon after and eventually decided to do the Texas Water Safari together in 2010. This prelim would be our first race together, and we were both excited to see the results of our training. We carried our boat down to the riverbank, our shoes sinking into loose earth as we neared the water. With a line of racers and boats behind us waiting to enter, we shoved off from the side and coasted over to the far bank, laying in wait for the start. A few minutes before the start, we lined up in the second row of boats, behind the multi-man boats and fast carbon fiber unlimited tandems. When the gun went off, we snapped our sticks into the water, reaching far for the most purchase and shot off the line like a bullet (a big 57-pound lead bullet). The start was a massive froth of paddles and motion. Sterns and bows
collided as aggressive boats jockeyed for position. From behind us, we felt a nudge and realized we had been sternhooked. The boat behind us had hit us accidentally and by pushing our stern to the left, it was forcing our bow to the right, and eventually would twist us perpendicular to the river and all the racers behind us – a dangerous position to be in with over 75 boats behind you at the start of a race. A little bit of rear rudder and a lot of front drawing, and we pulled away, only to be next to a multi-man team whose water displacement was threatening to suck us into them like a tractor beam. A quick front rudder pulled us away, and we hammered hard to gain speed and separation. Our single blades entered the water far in front, clean and quick, and then we’d pop the pull hard, withdrawing our paddles near mid-upper thigh. Our stroke rate was fast and in sync. Despite the potential danger of the sternhook, we had a fairly clean start, and managed to hold our position well. The first 15-20 seconds determines
position and everyone begins to spread out from there. The order of boats five minutes after the start of one of these marathon races is surprisingly similar to the final results. There may be a grinder or two that will move up, or a few boats that went out too fast and
end up losing ground, but most racers of this caliber know the cadence and heart rate at which they should paddle, and they have trained to maintain that pace throughout the race. Wally viewed our boat as a microcosm of the Texas racing. Two people from different areas of the country skilled in different types of paddlesports both working toward the same goal: the achievement of completing the Texas Water Safari. “This is where it all starts;” he said, referring to the prelim. “The guy who has the 12 foot plastic kayak and the guy in the bow of the six-man canoe. They are all lined up for the same thing.” Finishing the prelim well is important because of how the Texas Water Safari begins. The race starts on Spring Lake, which is really the size of long narrow pond. It’s scarcely wide enough for seven boats, and is about 150 yards long. The top six boats from the prelim start on the first row with the seventh spot being reserved for an out-of-state team not able to make the preliminary. The lineup for the rest of the rows continues in the same manner. A spring under the lake is what feeds the San Marcos River, and it quickly narrows into a winding tributary wide enough for just a few boats. Racers will fight for position to beat the bottle neck and any the advantage of a good prelim finish is important. The Guadalupe River was beautiful; a fairly wide river, perhaps 30 yards wide on average, and because Victoria is only about 50 miles inland from the gulf coast, the topography was luscious and green. Tall trees with veteran roots clung to the banks as we passed, and
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every now and again we see a spotted gar breaching the surface of the water, working its way upstream. The day had started out sunny and in the mid 70s; but by 1 p.m., four hours into the race, the humidity spiked and the temperature rose into the 90s. Our team captain Colleen Sample was ready at the two bridges with more water, but we felt we had enough to last us the race and we chose not stop for refills. We made sure we were hydrating regularly, taking sips every 15 minutes. Like most racers in Texas, we had ice water jugs secured to the boat behind our seats, wherein drink tubes would snake around our waist and Velcro or clip onto our collars. Mine was clipped onto my bandana that I wore around my neck as protection from the blistering Texas sun. The clip broke somewhere around mile 20, so I tied the mouthpiece to the ends of my banana. We hit a section of rapids around mile 30 and the front of the boat bottomed out on a rock. The canoe began to pivot on the rock and eventually we spun around and leaned to the side. At this point, the boat slid sideways, and water began to pour in. I knew I needed to jump out allowing the boat to rise so the water would cease its onslaught, and the boat would slide right off the rock. I jumped out, but my drink tube became stuck and wouldn’t slide out of the jug.
The river was not that treacherous, and as soon as I bailed, the boat lifted and we were pushed out of the rapids, though the current was still strong. I was trying to get the end of the drink tube untied, but I couldn’t grip the tiny ends of my wet bandana while being whisked across the river. Furthermore, attempting this required both hands, thus I couldn’t tread water and would sink until the slack in the tube went out, where I would then be pulled along like the tail of a kite. I attempted this three times – bobbing up and down – and while I felt completely in control, all my partner saw was me going underwater while being strangled by the tube and bandana. Wally kept yelling to swim to shore. I would surface and yell, “My tube is stuck.” And then I’d go under again. He was a little worried I think. I finally pulled the bandana off over my head and simply hauled myself back up into the canoe right before we hit more rapids. However, we were stern forward hitting the next set of rapids. We negotiated them easily enough, necks swiveling like office chairs. We even muttered our regards to a three-man team that passed us at that moment. Once the rapids were behind us (or in front of us if you will), we turned our boat around and sprinted to the nearest gravel bar for a quick water dump. In less than 30 seconds we were back in the boat. We came around the last bend in the river leading to Victoria City Park, and the finish. With a few hundred yards to go, we sprinted to the end with muscles burning. Our arms were moving back and forth like the side rods on a locomotive, our top hands guiding our paddles straight and true. Five hours and 35 minutes after we started, we crossed the finish line. We were first in the novice division while finishing ahead of the other aluminum and standard class canoes. We were graciously assisted out of the water by fellow racers and spectators, and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon filled with barbecue and the good company of Texas racers. Our respectable overall placement was 26 out of 96 which means we earned a starting spot in the Texas Water Safari on the fifth row. We’ll be lining up at 9:00 on June 11.
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Mainlander finally conquers Kaiwi solo while ladies champion sets record The conditions were favorable for a Kaiwi Channel crossing, so defending champion, Kai Bartlett, entered the annual Steinlager Kaiwi Solo OC1 race at the last minute after speculation that a nagging shoulder injury would keep him away. But, it wouldn’t be Kai Bartlett’s day as Californian, Danny Ching, became the first non-Hawaiian resident to win what’s considered the world’s championship in long distance solo outrigger racing.
and for a lot of people and to finally get one under the belt is a dream come true,” Ching said. “I’ve worked a long time for it and I’m pretty stoaked to have it done and over with.”
Ching, who had been in the top five positions in previous races was able to hold off Jimmy Austin of Honolulu to finish with a top time of 3 hours, 38 minutes, 51 seconds. Austin was just 31 second behind after a grueling 32 miles of racing.
Pleased with her effort, Bartlett said, “You go through so many emotions that you just can’t experience anywhere else. When you reach China Wall or go under the bridge at Koko Marina, it’s so exciting.”
“It’s the biggest race of the year for me
Outrigger icon Lauren Bartlett of KaiWaa Kula, Hawaii, continued her dominance of the event and won her seventh world championship, this one her fourth in a row. Bartlett outdistanced Andrea Moller and Jane McKee for the top place on the podium.
Bartlett won the 2010 championship in
record time outpacing her previous record by seven minutes. She’ll change disciplines on May 16 where she is the favorite to win the world championship of surfski racing simply referred to as Moloka’i. For Ching, the previous years paddling this solo event, he was close enough to consider himself a serious contender with not an overwhelming amount of prior preparation. “I thought, ‘hey, I’m not that far off. Let’s see if I can work for this,” Ching said. Last year, a race plagued with tough head winds, Ching led the race for about five of the 5½ hours. “A lot of work when into it and I was getting really close, so to get this is really huge,” he said.
Danny Ching after winning the 2010 Steinlager Kaiwi Solo OC1, considered the world championship of distance racing.
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So, what got Ching over the hump? No secret, really. Ching reflected, “Last year I did a lot … a lot of long distance and I’ve been also doing a lot of base and speed work in race preparation. The last two years have blended into one big long peak, and I think I was ready for when everything came together on the right day and the right time.” Yet, that was all before the race. All Kaiwi Channel racers know that you can be well prepared, but the channel can change all with poor decision making. “My approach was spot on and my course was right on and my coaches helped out and everything lined up for me,” Ching explained. “For a race like that a lot of things have to go right for you to have a shot and even more things have to go right for you to win it.”
was comfortable, but any lead at that point was necessary for me because I’m notoriously bad at coming into the wall.”
can see on video I’m looking for Jimmy and just trying to get around the corner to the flatwater because Jimmy was really making a push.”
A testament to the fact that a race like this is better as a team, Ching received intelligence on others’ lines and position from his crew on the chase boat. Much like a NASCAR crew chief provides direction over the radio, Ching’s crew could signal where the nearest competitors were and how far and specifics about their line.
For most racers who challenge the open waters of the sea, you’d think a highlight would be surfing a really big wave at top speed or connecting a long chain for a really long run or maybe the adulation of crossing the finish line first. Yet, Ching reports the highlight of his 2010 race was getting to the dock and calling his dad to report his victory.
“They were telling me exactly where he (Austin) was and a lot of the signals were ‘cover Jimmy, he’s high’ or ‘cover Manny, he’s low’,” Ching reports. “I was getting a bit nervous and you
Top 5 men finishers
Weather predictions going into the race weren’t all that promising, according to Ching, with winds being too much North. “But for whatever reason the waves stacked up really nicely and as far as the Kaiwi Channel goes it was one of the windier, bigger ones I’ve done in a long time.”
3:38:51 3:39:23 3:42:14 3:44:38 3:47:03
With the conditions, the race was fast. Ching reports that his GPS clocked him at 13 MPH at one point and a 9½ MPH average for the entire race. “Some years there were big waves and you could get to 17, but it was the consistency this year … I definitely was riding something just about the whole time,” Ching added.
4:13:43 4:23:20 4:34:24 4:36:52 4:37:17
To emphasize Ching’s point, about two dozen racers finished under four hours. “I think everyone was riding something out there the whole time.” The race shaped up to be close with Ching, Austin and Kulukulualani all remaining within striking distance all contained within about a 100 yards of each other. “Yeah, Manny caught me and Jimmy caught me once or twice, but coming into to wall I was able to maintain a pretty good gap. Not that it
“It was great to hear how excited he was and he sent out an e-mail to the club and some friends,” Ching said. “Just to hear how excited he was in his voice was pretty cool.”
Danny Ching Jimmy Austin Manny Kulukulualani Kai Bartlett Simeon Ke-Paloma
Redondo Beach, Calif. Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii Kailua, Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii
Top 5 women finishers Lauren Bartlett Andrea Moller Jane McKee Rachel Bruntsch Lori Nakamura
Kai Waa Kula, Hawaii Haiku, Hawaii Kailua, Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii
Top 3 junior finishers 4:11:42 4:19:22 5:02:07
Kekoa Kau Kainoa Darval-Chang Mike Dowsett
Waianae, Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii Kihei, Hawaii
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The Burlington C1 and K1 pursuit race by Kevin Leroy The tag line says it all – The field compresses as the race progresses.
last. Everybody, literally everybody, has a chance to win this race.
This is the opposite as what happens at most races. Usually, competitors line up side by side and wait for the start. This is as close to each other as they will be, because once the gun goes off, the process of separating into lone boats or small groups begins. The gap between first place and last place will continue to gradually grow until the finish.
The system works. When you arrive on race morning to check in; a friendly volunteer hands you your stick-on race numbers. These numbers hold the all important key. For example, my number for the 2010 C1 race was 24B. I instantly knew I would be starting 24 minutes after the first competitor (or competitors if more than one in that first wave). I also knew because I was “B” there was at least one other boat starting in my wave.
But not at Burlington. Here, nearly all the competitors finish within several minutes of each other. The race director seeds competitors based on ability and past results. The slowest people start first and the fastest people start
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As you go about preparing for the race, you tend to try to casually catch a glimpse of other people’s numbers. As you do, you have thoughts, such as,
“How far ahead of me will so-and-so be starting,” or “Hmm, only a sixminute head start on that guy?!” Race Directors Fritz Hanson (C1) and Jaya Ellison (K1) hold their handicapping system close to the vest. From what we can tell, the most important factor is previous performance at this race. When there is a new competitor, I think the race directors look around for results at other races to try to put that person in an appropriate starting position. Failing that, winning times for various classes at Nationals serve as a general guideline. For example, if a new competitor, say a 45 year old woman, signs up for the C1 race, Hanson will look at the winning time
from last year’s USCA Nationals for masters women relative to the winning time for open men, and place the new paddler appropriately. Don’t even try to talk your way into a better handicap, it doesn’t work. Handicaps are based on results. At this point, somebody might be thinking, “Well, I’ll just take it easy in 2011 and get myself a favorable handicap for 2012.” This won’t work either. Hanson and Ellison are good at sniffing out sandbaggers. If a competitor doesn’t look sufficiently trashed after the finish, or if their time at Burlington is noticeably “off” from results at other races, next years handicap will be adjusted accordingly. This race always starts precisely on time so the starting sequence stays simple and correct. Again, using the 2010 C1 race as an example, I knew that the first wave would start at exactly 11:00 a.m., which meant that I had better be at the start and ready to go at 11:24. If you miss your start – too bad – you’ve just given yourself some extra handicap time to make up. Historically, this was a C1-only affair held on the third Saturday in April. The handicap format and course are still the same as they were when the event began. However, in 2008 the organizers decided to invite kayaks. That first year, the kayak race took place on Saturday afternoon. Since 2009, the kayak race has been taking place on Sunday. By my count, there were seven of us who raced both canoe on Saturday and kayak on Sunday in 2010. The course itself is challenging and fun. In this area, the Fox River is fairly small and narrow, and has a mud bottom. There are a few rocks and other objects (especially in the downtown section of the course). But they tend to be fairly easy to see. At average levels, the middle of the river probably averages about 4 feet deep. The current is medium strength for most of the course – but there are a few sections where everybody struggles to make
headway upstream. According to my GPS, the entire course is 10.45 miles. After the start, competitors travel downstream for about 1.1 miles, and then turn around a bridge piling to head back upstream, past the start/finish line for a total of about 3.8 miles, and then reach a turn around buoy. This leg goes slower than you might think because of the tricky spots where the current is fast. Once passed the buoy, competitors head back downstream, past the start/finish again and turn around the same bridge piling again. The second upstream lap is a bit shorter heading to a small island that is roughly a quarter mile above
the finish line. This is the last turn. From there, it’s a short leg to a downstream sprint finish. The field compresses as the race progresses. That last upstream leg gets crowded and most competitors have a lot to think about while completing it: How do I most efficiently get around this slower boat I just caught? How do I keep from being passed by soand-so who just caught me? Man, am I tired! Why didn’t I train more this last off-season? This hurts! For race results, check out the race website at http://c1-k1pursuit.com/
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Hawaii paddlers gear up for another challenge Fresh off the PA’A Moloka’i relay crossing, the world’s best paddlers now have another enduring test on the horizon. Advancing the traditional sport of outrigger canoe racing, the Paddling Athletes Association (PA’A), will host the first annual PA’A ‘Eono Moloka’i Challenge on May 23, 2010. This long-distance paddling race, will initiate an innovative new format that compels competitors to race “iron”, or without relief, for the entire 32-mile stretch. Paddlers have been crossing the Kaiwi Channel in an organized format for nearly 60 years with the earliest paddlers using six-person teams. More recently, it developed into teams of nine and ten which included three or four relief paddlers on board a motorboat following alongside the canoe. According to those in the paddling community, talk of reintroducing the original concept of having a six-person team that raced from start to finish without the aid of relief paddlers was common. “This is a race that is long overdue,” said race director and paddler Manny Kulukululani. “It was only a matter of time before we took it (paddling) back to its cultural roots, and made it an iron event like our ancestors, the way they originally did it.” Unlike the Moloka’i Hoe or Na Wahine ‘O Ke Kai races, which permit nine and ten paddlers respectively, the PA’A ‘Eono channel crossing only allows six paddlers per team. ‘Eono is the Hawaiian word for six. As a pre-season nonsanctioned event, paddlers can organize their own crews and funding – a job usually done by canoe clubs. “It definitely gives us a new respect for our canoe club,”
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said Jen Lyons, organizer and paddler for an open women’s team. “Between fund-raising, practicing and finding equipment to use, it has been extremely time-consuming, but we know it will pay off in a big way.” Since paddlers pick their own crew, this contributes to the formation of all-star crews racing under any team name. All-star crews are the continuing trend in the sport of outrigger canoe racing. The top Hawaii finishers in the past few years have been compilations of the islands best paddlers, who train on their own and only come together on race days. The success of the all-star teams such as runnerup Moloka’i Hoe finisher Team Primo, and Na Wahine ‘O Ke Kai winners, Team Bradley, have pushed the sport in a new and more competitive direction. Unlimited canoe specifications are another novel aspect of this race. Differing from the traditional regulations of the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association, there will be an unrestricted weight limit on canoes. While most canoes must weigh around 400 pounds, the open design division allows for canoes of any weight or model. Kamanu Composites have taken on this unrestricted weight class by creating an ultra-light six-person canoe which will debut specifically for this race. “We wanted to introduce a new challenge to those who have been racing the same races for years,” Kulukululani said, who will be racing with team PA’A. “It’s progressive and exciting for the sport, but at the same time it is based on the tradition of the crossing, where just making it across becomes an accomplishment in itself.” Visit the PA’A website at http://www.paahawaii.com
USCA National Canoe & Kayak Championships August 10-15 • Peshtigo, WI
Hosted by Peshtigo River Paddlers www.peshtigoriverpaddlers.com
the USACK National Marathon Championships
Also hosting:
Six days of great canoe & kayak racing on the Peshtigo River USCA National Championship events for canoe and kayak in: • Marathon – adult & youth • Adult and Adult/Youth Sprint • Sprints for Paddlers with Physical Disabilities • Canoe & Kayak Orienteering • Youth Sprints PLUS:
• The Philip H Soule Run-Paddle Biathlon Championship • USCA Instructor Training • Stand Up Paddleboard Demo Events, Tue, Wed, Sat
Dustin Sousley of the Gig Harbor Canoe & Kayak Racing Team paddling C1.