The Freycinet Challeneg - the official multisport championships of Australia - exactly the event for a novice paddler to undertake his first paddling competition.
Not being a runner I had managed to convince my wife to do the run and road bike legs. She was delighted about the thought of running 40 odd kilometres on a mostly flat surface. Well maybe the runs over the saddle and back probably aren't quite flat. I advised her that it was the best way to run out the tightness in her back and hamstrings, and really what would her physio know.
That left me with the paddle and mountain bike. Well I should have read the warning signs. A spin class to get the bike legs working and the Challenge was the talk of the town. My lack of paddling experience was a point of discussion, however some kind suggestions were forthcoming such as just make sure you have a stable craft and you should be OK. In response I mentioned that I thought my ski (Think EVO) was suppose to be relatively stable, the response to this was "a ski what are you thinking". How prothetic these words turned out to be.
The MTB legs whilst challenging provided me with a new experience - one of staying on the bike. Each leg completed about 10 minutes quicker than the previous year with no real misadventure. Huh, if I can do that then this paddling will be a sinch.
It may not have turned out quite that way.
The day one paddle was in the shletred waters of the lagoon. Well relatively sheltered, and quite tidal it would appear, waters of the lagoon.
I set out full steam, thinking a bit of wind but all in all not to bad. As the wind picked up so too did my lack of direction. A quick beaching as I headed up lead to the removal of weed from the rudder and I continued on my way. Up around the bouy and back down had the first lap completed, one to go.
My problem then lay in that some people headed up the right hand side of the course (divided by an island) whilst others headed to the left. I on the other hand have never been the most decisive person in the world. Hence I chose the left path, then I chose the right path and finally I chose the middle path. Hence in full view of all spectators I lay a wash on the middle of the island. Turn the ski around, back in and off we go, well that was the plan anyway, unfortunately my rudder was loose (my excuse) and the wind had a tendancy to push me back to the island (just call me Gilligan). After 10 minutes of fluffing about and watching all other competitors go past, I did manage to get away and actually make it up the course and back without a fall.
Day one of competiton paddling reads: time -very slow, beachings - 3, falls - 0; so it could be worse.
On to day two and we arrive at Richardsons beach. Water dead flat and no sign of the dreaded easterlies I have been warned about. Just need to offload boat paddle across to the start and get this over with.
Well boat offloaded, rudder fixed and EASTERLIES arrive. Well only moderate at this stage and I do manage to make it to the start line. As the briefing continues one thing is evident, the wind is picking up. For christs sake get this thing underway.
When we finally do get underway the wind is a gale (well in my terms it is) and the sea must be all of 6 foot (well maybe 1/2 a foot but it is all the same to me). The first 500 metres left me feeling a little unsteady but dry. The next 10 km left me feeling, well very wet. On arriving back to shore someone observed it appears I had a fall. I quickly responded that "no I hadn't had a fall, I had 8 of the buggers". Perhaps the EVO may have been best replaced with an inflatable life raft.
I would especually like to thank a fellow padller, Tania Chau, for not dying hestrically with laughter as everytime I passed her I managed to fall in again. I should charge for my remounting lessons but I am just not that sort of guy. I would also like to thank the surf rescue guys whom I go to know on a first name basis.
It was an experience which suggests I may have a few technique issues to brush up on. Regardless it was a great event and we left Freycinet happy, well apart from caroline pulling her hamstring again.
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