Surfski Knowledge Base

San Juan Challenge: Day #1……….

Larry Goolsby
08/27/05 #517

Weather was awesome and the tides were not radical (thank gawd) for the first half of the San Juan Challenge. Peter M., Randy Olsen, and Cheryl B. did the Saddlebag challenge with Peter taking first place in that race. Jason S. started the Burrows Island challenge but switched over to the Saddlebag in midstream and took a second in OC-1. In the Burrows Island Challenge there was Reivers, Brandon (last minute decision), Dean, Mike G., Larry B., Morris, Heather, Shaun and I in the double, and Shane B. and Jim Z in another double. Great turnout from Bellingham and a lousy turnout from the rest of the world. The first third of the race was Dean, Morris, Brandon and us changing the lead every few minutes depending on who was bucking the current. At the point just past Washington Park, Dean took over the lead after a risky inside passage around some kelp and things started to get spread out. Then came the rip currents. Brandon forged right through the first large rip with the rest of us cowards skirting the edge. Once we were spread out, it bacame a strategic
race more than a speed race. There was a huge rip at the west end of Allen island that I thought was going to swallow our double. Dean
maintained his lead but some of us almost caught him on a few occasions. Coming back between Fidalgo and Burrows Island, Morris
slowed radically (looked near death) and went to the left of a big rip while the rest of us went through the right side of it. I really
had thought that I had seen the last of Morris in this race. For the next 3-4 miles I could hear Shane Baker (other double) talking to
his partner so we tried our best to keep ahead of them. Slowly we inched on on Brandon and when we were alonside, I told him that we
left that Schmuck Morris back at the last rip. Brandon laughed and said “Look out to your left about a half mile”. Gee-zus, the bastard
had not only caught us but was taking the lead on us too. Morris had taken a gamble and gone way out into the channel to catch the
Rosario current and it had worked. The last couple of miles put us ahead of Brandon and we worked on catching Morris before the finish.
Didn't happen. Dean was the first ski in at about 2 hours 50 minutes with Morris second at 2:53 and we were 35 seconds behind him.
Brandon was next followed by the other double and the Larry B.. Very challenging race and a lot of fun if you weren't physically
depleted. Sunday is the Jack Island Challenge which completes this race and the winning kayak gets $200. Dean is in the lead at the
moment but tomorrow is another day and who knows what new challenges this race will bring.

Larry G

San Juan Challenge: Day Two……
Larry Goolsby
08/28/05 #518

First, congrats for all those that paddled the challenge this year and supporting it. It is questionable whether or not this race will
be run again next year because of the reduced turnout. Also congrats to Dean Bumstead for being the first kayak in and getting the $200
prize. The day was overcast and the winds were calm so we had pond water to race on. Shaun and I used the strategy that we would jump
out in front right away and demoralize the other 39 boats so bad that they would all turn around and head back to the parking lot.
For the first 2 miles I almost thought it was true until Dean, Morris and Brandon pulled up alongside of us chatting like they were
taking a walk. The race from the day before was to be continued afterall.

At Hat island Dean pulled back into the lead with the 3 of us following his path wondering if he was making good choices. The
current was weak but the wrong heading could cost you your position. Dean was first around Jack Island with Shaun and I a hundred and
fifty yards behind him. We did reduce the distance when Dean went wide for a kelp bed and Shaun steered us between the kelp and the
island. When we went to make the crossing from Guemes to Fidalgo, there was a small but nasty rip current that made you realize just
how tired you were becoming. Dean pulled into the finish about 2 minutes ahead of us with Brandon and Morris just far enough behind
to put our kayak in second place and first in doubles.

The awards after the race started with discussion on how to improve the race to draw in more contestants and volunteers. Dean got his
$200 and then they started giving away a ton of booty. Most of us walked out with an armload of stuff and several of us got prizes
that were worth a lot more than our entry fee. The food after the race was a nice addition and all kinds of fruit, snacks, cakes, pop
and beer was made available. Overall, they really put on one really great race.

Larry G

Re: San Juan Challenge: Day Two……
Larry Goolsby
08/29/05 #519
Oh yeah, and special congrats to Heather Nelson for first place womens division. Ever since Heather got her new boat, she has
increased her speed every week. Also, congrats to Larry B. for his first place in the master's division.

Drafting
Morris Arthur
08/29/05 #520

On Day 1 of the San Juan Challenge, at the end of the pre-race meeting,
the race director announced there was a new rule:

No Drafting Out-of-Class and Limited Drafting – less than five
minutes.
… which I assume superceded the Racer's Package that specifies “Drafting of other racing participants is allowed.”

I personally misunderstood the new rule: I enjoyed a nice ride on the bow of Sean and Larry's tandem, before announcing to them “I guess my
five minutes are up.” They then politely informed me that the five minute allowance applied to only racers within one's class. Ooops….

Talking to racers after Day 1, some thought the rule was no drafting (at all); some thought the rule only applied to singles drafting
tandems; most agreed that the rule was “Drafting only in-class, and only for five minutes.” I was still confused: Can sea kayaks draft
surfskis? Can men-driven surfskis draft women-driven surfskis? … What about open-class racers versus Masters? What happens after the
five minutes are up… Is the clock reset ? How do you handle a multi-class start?

I talked to the race director on Day 2: He said the motivation for the new rule was last year's race when a single drafted a double almost the
entire race. (Hmmm, I wonder who that was…) The race committee thought that was unfair.

So tell me, someone who's new to paddle racing: Is drafting “cheating”… or is it another race tactic (like surfing waves and
choosing the best line)?

Morris

Erik Borgnes
08/29/05 #521

Morris,

In my opinion, the only “illegal” or “unethical” drafting is a single drafting a double, whatever class either may classified as. The reason is obvious. At the start of the race, you line up next to the double and 1) it can be very difficult for them to drop you as their wave is so big, and 2) there's only room for two singles on the double so everyone else would be unfairly disadvantanged and it would be a nasty fight for those spots. This rule is present in California ski racing. It is not present in SA racing, but, and it's a big but, doubles don't start with singles down there.

I would apply the same rule to skis drafting rowing shells, but their “ride” is much more subtle.

Erik

Reivers Dustin

08/29/05 #522

At the Canadian Small boat Championships out of Jerico Beach there was a similar race rule: no drafting out of class. Because there
was some confusion, the race management actually seperated the doubles and singles start times. I think it was a 10 minute delay
for the doubles (surskis & OC-2's). (LG - set me straight here if I have it wrong.)

The odd thing was, the rule was not mentioned again after the decision for a staggered start. It seemed loosely “honor system”
based. I benefited from rides off a double and knew it wasn't a big deal (after watching a competitor farm the wake more aggresively).

On day two of the SJC, about 1/2 way out to Jack Isl., I thought I saw the Homeland Securities boat approach the lead pack and Bullhorn
something about drafting. (Could have been a Lactic Acid Trip on my part.) Naturally, I jumped on the power-boat wake the best I could.

This deal has all the makings of “fly-shit in the pepper”. I suppose it's best to make noise about it now, before somebody forfiets prize
money.

Larry Goolsby

08/29/05 #523

In the Canadian Small Boat Championship, it was the surfskis and OC-2's that started together. There was no annoucement made about the
surfskis drafting the OC-2's. The OC-1's started 5 minutes behind us and this was done because the OC-1's had been known to draft the OC-
2's. I don't think the race officials cared much about what or how the surfskis did because the outriggers were divided into age groups
and the surfskis were not (stepchild syndrome). I did some drafting on an OC-2 and I witnessed other skis out there doing the same.
There were 13 skis and 8 OC-2's in the start of that race with about 25 OC-1's released behind us.

Larry G

Michael Gregory
08/29/05 #526

Drafting another boat and getting “a ride” is a technique requiring skill and lot's of practice. Much like surfing a wave and “picking the best line”. Now, in “open” races (like the Sound Rowers) there are no rules governing “drafting”, so it's kinda “every man for himself”. In Flatwater kayak racing drafting is common and an accepting racing technique. However, K1's race with similar craft and K2's in with other K2's in separate races. In South Africa where kayak and surf ski racing are really BIG, distinctions are made like in flatwater racing - no drafting out of your class, eg. no singles drafting on doubles. The US surf ski champs adopted these rules last year and this year have separated the fields altogether, running singles on Sat. and Doubles on Sunday.

I will not debate the issue of drafting in this post. However, if anyone would be inclined to do so, please send me an email or pull me aside at a race or practice.

Now, as for the SJC, the race committee threw in a “last minute” rule change - no singles drafting doubles. I don't think there was any ambiguity to that rule change. The second change was singles can draft other singles for no more than five minutes. Now, this does introduce some ambiguity. My thought is that this second change would be a good topic to discuss with the race committee for next year. My final thought is that, in my mind, on both days it was clear, no singles drafting doubles.