Greetings from the Qajaq Aviisiiliortut
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Greetings from the Qajaq Aviisiiliortut 4 July 2015 The Greenland National Kayak Competition for 2015 is about to start on Monday here in Sisimiut. The annual celebration of Greenland Kayak tradition includes racing, rolling, harpoon throwing, and rope gymnastics. Held usually in early July the event lasts about a week and ends with the determination of an overall male and female champion. The winning team is also determined. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the foundation of Qaannat Kattuffiat (the Greenland Kayak Association). It is also the 15th year the competition has been open to foreigners. The field of top contenders expected to attend this year, include the following who have previously won the title at least once: Maliina Amondsen from Nuuk, Karla Reimer from Ilulissat, Jens Peter Jeremiasen from Ilulissat, Marie Kristine Samuelsen, formerly of Paamiut, now living in Nuuk, Kristian David Josefsen from Nuuk, Kunnuunguaq Davidsen from Sisimiut, Ulunnguaq Josefsen from Nuuk, formerly Ulunnguaq Rosbach of Sisimiut. Upcoming participants attending this year who are possibly on the verge of winning the title include: Erik Amondsen from Nuuk, Karen Marie Jensen from Ilulissat, Pia Jensen from Ilulissat. International competitors attending this year include: Freya Fennwood and her father John Fennwood from the USA Mats Hallberg from Sweden Dubside will compete in Allunaariaqataarneq In our next bulletin we will look in more detail at each of these competitors and their past records. We will also focus on the younger age categories. These start with the 4‐6 years olds, on up through the teenage divisions. Several outstanding competitors in these groups have the potential to become champions in years to come. The number of expected participants this year is about 100, an encouraging sign. From a high of approximately 150 people in 2006 the numbers dropped to a low of 50 in 2010, but have been steadily rising every year since then. The skill levels have followed a general rising trend, and several records have been broken as many competitors have trained hard and come with impressive abilities. Those familiar with the competition history know that Maligiaq Padilla, originally from Sisimiut, has won the title an unprecedented 9 times, beginning his string of wins with a stunning upset in 1998 at the age of 16, the only kayaker to ever win the title before he reached his 18th birthday. However, he is not expected to attend this year. Residing these days in Kotzebu, Alaska, with his wife and two young children, he has indicated a desire to retire from active competition and let a new generation of kayakers take over. Yet it must be noted that Maligiaq has expressed the same or similar sentiments as far back as 2005, later changing his mind and continuing to compete. As of Saturday night the Qaqortoq team has arrived in Sisimiut. The team from Ilulissat is due to arrive tomorrow. Excitement is starting to build as another year gets underway. With this communication we at Qajaq Aviisii aim to give you full coverage of the Championship as it happens. Takuss’ Qajaq Aviisii July 6 2015 Sisimiut, Greenland Today the competition will start. Weather forecast calls for sunny and dry, and a good deal warmer than yesterday, which got up to 10 C. The spring/summer season got off to a late start here. There was snowfall in early June. In fact there are still a few patches of unmelted snow by the roadways but they are disappearing fast. The mountains and hillsides still have large areas of snow on them. The morning is scheduled to begin with the arrival of the ferry from the north, bringing the Ilulissat team just in time for the opening procession to the church, for service and following that the laying of flowers at the grave of those who dies at sea – many kayakers included. In the afternoon the naatsumut parrunneq (short distance race) will be held, starting with the children’s age categories, followed by the teens, and adults. Looking at the lineup, we have the latest information on last-minute changes. Kunuunnguaq Davidsen, the 2012 champion, who regularly finishes in the top three, has dropped out of the competition this year. He certainly would have been one to watch, as he holds the record for highest rolling score, and can often succeed at nusutsinneq (the walrus pull). He 3-Kununnguaq Davidsen in grew up with Maligiaq, both of them QU13 Ilulissat 1Jørgen Leander at the Qajaq 2-Camilla Leander ready competing as teenagers. Sisimiut clubhouse, preparing his for QU15 daugter’s qajaq Jorgen Leander another of Maligiaq’s peers from Sisimiut has also dropped out. Jorgen has been one of the faster kayakers in the races. His daughter, Camilla, will however compete – in a qajaq that her father build for her - she won 2 gold and 2 bronce medals last year. Another disappointing cancellation is Heine Biilmann, now 15 years old. Last year he made an impressive entry into kayak competition by winning most of his races. He also had such a dependable roll, he was doing victory rolls at the end of races, like many of the top men do. This involves rolling without a tuilik on and in the frigid arctic water takes considerable nerve. Looking at the men’s 20-34 lineup there are ten entrants – and it is in this group that Qajaqer of the Year will be found. Jens Peter Jeremiassen, last year’s champion could be the favorite, but watch out for Erik Amondsen from Nuuk. Erik is a very skilled skier in the winter time, and was last seen in a qajaq in 2010 where he came in second place. Has he been practicing? We will find out. Naatsumut, the short distance race, makes a good initial evaluation of speed to sort out who the top competitors are, so today’s results will reveal a lot. Also important will be how Erik does allunaariaqattaarneq - the ropes - scheduled for Tuesday. In 2009 he scored over 500, something very few others have done. Jaffet Davidsen, of the Sisimiut team has long been a strong component of the 20-34 men’s group, 4Ulloriaq Davidsen in allunaariaqataarneq in but the new arrival in the 20-34 category is Ulloriaq Davidsen who just turned Qaqortoq 2014 20. Several of the other entrants are familiar names – Angut Davidsen (Jaffet and Kununnguaqs’s little brother), Kaaspaaraq Petersen and Martin Skade Jensen from Iluissat. However none of these, nor the two men from Qaqortoq are signed up for rolling. Missing the two rolling events, individual and team, doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t win the title, but it doesn’t put them at an advantage. We will analyze scoring in more detail later. For the women’s 20-34 group, we can see right away that Marie Kristine Samuelsen, a four time champion (2005, 2007, 2008, 2012) is going to be competing in the 35-49 group. Likewise for Ulunnguaq Josefsen, the champion in 2004 and 2006. Ulunnguaq in recent years has been handling the competition administrative tasks. She also became a mother last year and is pregnant again (congratulations [bischluarit] ) yet still intent on competing this year. Her husband Kristian David Josefsen, the champion 2006 and 2010 is competing this year but in the 35-49 group. So the field of 20-34 women is down to nine. The standouts are Karla Reimer from Ilulissat, last year’s champion, 6Karen Marie Jensen doing the "Palluussineq aapaa who has her work cut sakissap" on the ropes, all the way back in 2011 in out for her with the Sisimiut. return of Malina Amondsen (Champion 2009. 2001) who, like her brother Erik, has not appeared in competition since 2010. Karla Reimer has not signed up for kinngusaqattaarneq / rolling. In fact only three of the women are signed 5Malina Amondsen in Paamiut 2012, ready for up for all eight events: Malina, Ulunnguaq (we are not sure about letting individual rolling / Iligikkarluni kinngusaqattaarneq. a pregnant women do ropes) and Karen Marie Jensen. Karen will be exciting to watch. She has participated in the kayak competition for years and has placed in the top three a few times since becoming 20. For years she has held the women’s record on ropes, and it is known that she has strong rolling skills. We have not seen here the last two years due to the fact that she became a mother (congratulations). Karen Marie’s little sister Pia is also a contender. Pia has been attending for many years and has also finished in the top three more than once. This is the end for now, we’ll return when there’s more to tell. 7Karla Reimer doing a great harpoon throw in Qaqortoq 2014 Qajaq Aviisii Monday night 6 July 2015 Quick results: The very first winners of 2015 are Ivalo Jerimiassen and Ivalo Reimer the first and second place finishers in the 4‐6 year old girls category. They are both on the Ilulissat team. In the championship Man/Woman of the Year races Malina Amondsen finished first nearly a full minute ahead of Karla Reimer. Sorine Reimer came in third more than a minute later. If Malina has the same kind of speed in the longer races she will be the one to watch for this year’s title. We have seen in past years that she rolls quite well, so the harpoon events may be the deciding factor. 1Malik Jensen fights to a bronze‐medal out of 8 competitors! For the men’s 20‐34 race Jens Peter Jeremiassen took a strong lead, followed closely by Martin Skade Jensen, both from Ilulissat.