Dunedin Winter Kayak Series Race 2 - Careys Bay Sunday 23rd May

I went out and raced in the 2nd of the Kayak series races yesterday at Careys Bay set over an 11km course. I have been feeling pretty good about my Kayaking lately and had a solid paddle yesterday with my trusty JKK UFO slipping through the water nicely. There were 41 Kayaks in the race and it set off at a pretty hot pace. My goal has been to get amongst the surf club paddlers in the K1s & Skis and keep with them. The pace that they set is pretty quick. Yesterday there were a group of 5 paddlers that established an early lead and held their distance form the followers. I was leading the following group for the most of the way until I really lit things up and managed to pull away a bit and hold that while trying to close in on the front group. It was me and Brendan O'Neill (paddling a K1) chasing hard on the front paddlers. we were never going to cathc them but held a solid pace keeping the gap to the boats behind us getting bigger. In the end it came down to a sprint to the finish line between Brendan and I, only to be pipped by a boat length at the finish by him. I finished 7th overall, I was really stoked with the race and felt the Kayak was slipping through the water real good. Next race of this series in 4 weeks so I'll keep working on things for more gains in that.

Race 2 - Winter Multisport/Duathlon Series Whare Flat Sunday 16th May

I went and raced at the 2nd Race of the winter series Today. The course was a blast out around Whare Flat where we ran and biked around parts of the Racemans Track and other bits of forest track. Just like the first race for the series there was another good turn out of people there keen for a good blast.

We started with a quick 3ish km run through some up and down tracks - I was hanging on to a hot pace being set by Matty G for the most of the run and just dropped of the pace and was passed by Gav, Jim Cotter and Kashi Leuchs just at the end of the run, this was how it would stay. Onto the MTb and it was a bit of a grind up the road and into the forest before the soingle track fun - slipping and spiinning through the tracks was fun but quite challenging with muddy slippery tree routes - IO managed to sty on the bike and in control for most of the ride. COming off the ride it was another loop of the first run to the finish. I had a great blast, finishing up 5th behind Kashi Leuchs, Jim Cotter, Gav Mason and Matty G in that order. Kashi and Jim had a massive lead after the MTB and were flying!

Anyway great fun on a good course, and feelimng pretty fit and strong at the moment. Next race is in 2 weeks and next weekend the 2nd of the winter Kayak races at Carey Bay.

Dunedin Winter Multisport Series - Race 1 - Broad Bay Sunday 2nd May

A fantatic turnout of people for the 1st race for the series yesterday was good to see. There must have been about 30 Kayakers lined up on the start for the race which consisted of a 5km Kayak/15km MTB/5km Run and there was also a duathlon race alongside this also.
The Kayak was on glass like water and we were all off at a pretty solid pace. I was working hard to stay with the front paddlers which consisted of mainly K1 Paddlers and 2 other multisport boats. we blasted through the paddle and I came off the paddle in 4th place for the individuals and set into hammering it on te MTb as I had 2 of the three people infront of me in sight but couldn't quite reel them in. On the first hill climb o fthe MTB I had Matty G pass me and slowly fade into the distance as he peddalled a solid ride. I t was off the MTb and onto the run which was a great offroad scramble and dash up through some bush and farmland before crossing over the top at Highcliff road and down to the finish in Broad Bay. A fantastic race and i felt happy with the result of 5th in the end. These races are a great way to get some good speed and keep you working hard all the way. Next race is 2 weeks away.