Well after having the 6th and final Kayak race of the Dunedin winter series postponed due to 140km/hr winds on the Otago Harbour, we had the final race on Sunday 26th September. The course was changed from the original course set to paddle the length of the harbour due to the tides. Anyway we started from Vauxhall Yacht Club and the course was down the Harbour channel, around Goat Island at Port Chalmers and then the return up the harbour to complete the 22.5km course.
Having raced and competed well in 4 of the previous 5 races (race 1-6th, race 2-6th, race 4-3rd, Race 5-10th) I had earned myself a rather large handicap start time for this race. I was to wait 54 minutes before heading off for my race. There was an outgoing tide and a slight tail wind so the paddle down the channel to Goat Island in my trusty UFO was pretty quick and good speed was maintained for the efforts put in. However once heading around Goat Island and starting the return back up the harbour the full force of the outgoing tide was felt, this combined with a really strong wind that had picked up on the way down made for one mission of a paddle back to the finish! I had managed to pull in a couple of paddlers and close the time gap up on the early starters. I was caught and passed by the 6 Man Waka Ama boat and Daniel on his ski who started behind me on the return leg. I kept a solid paddle stroke and tried to maintain a good chase but by the time I reached the finish I was completely spent and had given this last race all that I had. I finished with the 2nd fastest individual time for the day in 2hr 22min. (The Waka 6 and a Waka 2 had some solid times ahead of me along with Daniel on his surf ski). All in all a great winter series and one that has some quality paddlers turning up making for some great winter racing. The overall series results worked on a points system and too your best 4 races, this put me 4th (I think I just missed on 3rd) overall in the series points system, a result I am stoked with. No photos from the race on Sunday but my Son Oscar (11months) was more than keen to help/play when I was rinsing my boat at home after the race.
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