Cambridge Canoe Club Newsletter Cam Marathon 2012 by Dan Reynolds
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SUMMER 2012 Volume 3, Issue 3 Cambridge Canoe Club Newsletter http://www.cambridgecanoeclub.org.uk Cam Marathon 2012 By Dan Reynolds The Cam Marathon truly represents the climax of the marathon season. Competitors, iron muscled from the forges of the Thameside and Waterside series, find their focused ferocity Get Involved! funnelled into the narrow confines of Old Mother Cam’s reedy channel, there to battle one last time before retiring to ale and boasting at the Anchor, and possibly the sprint circuit, until the This newsletter relies on chill wind bites from the North, heroes awake and marathons contributions from the club’s begin again. members. If you have been on a trip, In truth, it is three races in one, encompassing the rural have a point of view or news, reaches of the upper river, with tight turns, wildfowl and wilder write it down and send it in swimmers, the picturesque Backs, with hemmed in wakes jostling to: newsletter@cambridge a minefield of punts amidst the ancient architecture, and the canoeclub.org.uk. open field of the lower river, where the course widens out and the bravest match speeds with racing rowers. Such is the calibre of Articles should be between the competition that contenders even cross the Channel from the 75 and 200 words long and continent, and as such we welcomed our regular contingent from can be accompanied by a Heidelberg. picture. After last year’s conquest of the K2 category crewing for Inside this Issue: Piran (this time retired to marshalling) I myself was raring for a repeat result. To be well rested for the event,Continued I avoided on anypage form 4. The Cam Marathon 1-2 of kayaking for some weeks ahead of time, then shotgunned and Real-World Roll 2 assiduously polished the shiniest, sharpest and speediest-looking Washburn Trip 3 ship in the club’s considerable collection. Sometimes, even such Hare, Hounds and Jaffa 3-4 preparation comes to nothing, and even without the threatened Cakes blockade by the punters, it was all for naught, with two fallings-in Meet a Paddler 5-6 leaving me to fend off the wooden spoon. Such is racing. Committee Chat 6 To get the club's diary of events and ad-hoc messages about club activities and the quarterly newsletter by e-mail please send a blank message to: [email protected] Canoeing is an assumed risk, water contact sport. The views and opinions expressed in such reports are entirely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Committee or Club. Cambridge Canoe Club Newsletter SUMMER 2012 Meanwhile, others had better luck. The seeks to pass on his newfound skills, and runs an Wilkes twins, though representing a different introductory session every Sunday morning, for club, managed 4th place in the first division those who seek to replicate this feat. The club and 1st in the second. Matilda and Philip, has a range of racing boats of all sizes, speeds racing for Cambridge, performed strongly, as and difficulties, including Lightnings, which are did the ever-tenacious Richard Stagg. The suitable for ages 8 and upwards. youngsters were represented well this year by our 2 youngest members, Arran Mcluskie and Even for those without the intention to Zeno Pafitis. Respectable times were had with compete, the long boats are well worth mastering each both performing admirably on the for the distance that can be covered: Grantchester portages. in 15 minutes, Baits Bite in 45, puts little-explored areas of the river (and taverns) within easy reach. The true hero, was, by the relentless laws of Darwinism, born from the most Thanks go to all those who helped in competitive of divisions. Our own Peter organising, marshalling, and cooking food, without Vaughan, though new to the sport, dispatched whom such an event would not be possible. 27 other competitors in his race to attain the mightiest Cambridge win of the day. Peter now Full results on: www.cambridgecanoeclub.org.uk. Grade 3 rapid, capsized, rolled up quickly, and Real-World Roll found myself pointing upstream and unable to By Sue Foster (Full report at www.cambridge make my line to the main drop on river left. canoeclub.org.uk/index.php?page=reports) Worse, I was flushing backwards towards a narrow twisting chute on river right that I had I recently participated in Plas y Brenin's already identified when inspecting the rapid as first "Bombproof Roll" course, designed to A BAD PLACE TO BE. Not having much choice, I improve technique and build confidence in your went stern-first down the skinny chute. It was white water roll. In my case, that meant moving going surprising well until my boat hit a rock from a passable pool roll that usually worked to near the bottom and I went over again. I set up, something that I could rely on in the river. It also swept out, flicked, and found myself upright next meant changing my internal programming from to Chris, who was providing safety cover in the going immediately for the grab loop when I pool below the drop. Not too bad for someone capsized unexpectedly (Aaack! Underwater! who had made only one in three rolls in the Rocks! GET OUT NOW!) to going reflexively into rolling pool on the first day of the course! my set-up position and trying for a roll. My rolling technique had improved over Our instructor, Chris Evans, took us the week, but the fundamental change was through a well-planned progression from pool, to really in my mind game. I ended the course rolling in an eddy, rolling in stronger current, knowing from experience that I could roll in then in really strong swirly current. Chris broke various conditions. That experience could have up our rolling-focused sessions with some fun taken me years to build up by happenstance paddles on local rivers where we worked on capsizes, but I had acquired it in a week thanks general paddling skills and river reading. to this course. Hopefully, now that I trust my roll, I’ll be a lot more relaxed and open to new My best experience on the course challenges as I move on with the next phase of happened on the final afternoon and was my development as a paddler: getting better at completely unplanned. I clipped a rock in a staying up in the first place. 2 Cambridge Canoe Club Newsletter SUMMER 2012 Washburn Trip couple of runs down, Alex Jakes and Peter Duncan also decided to try their luck by seeing By Andrew Twigg what other rivers were running locally. After three hour+ long runs, we decided to spice it up with a race from top to bottom. The rules were broken before we were all on the water i.e. we weren’t all on the water before the race started – some say that Peter Vaughan was heard shouting about the injustice of this for quite a distance down the river, but being just a It was that time of the year again – the speck in the distance by that point, I couldn’t annual pilgrimage to the delightfully named comment. There were also few underhand Blubberhouses in Yorkshire for the permanently tactics going on despite barging being clearly pleasurable paddle on the Washburn. banned, Mr Barton. Peter Williamson took the honours with a time somewhere in the region of We arrived at the car park on Saturday 12 minutes, and Simon Quick took a well earned morning to find the dam had water coming over second considering he was in his tiny Jackson. all five spillways, which was something to behold. Unfortunately the only thing I took was a very Despite this clear abundance of water, the river large amount of time to get my breath back – it was lower than usual – presumably there was no surprised me how much I rely on gravity and the need to turn on the “taps” with so much water river normally!! coming over the top. Less water in the Washburn is interesting – it’s a bit of a scrape in places and With our energy levels at rock bottom, we I frequently found the bottom with my packed up and headed off for the day. The rest paddle/rolling arm/head before deciding it was of the gang returned on Sunday for more too chilly to be upside down. Less water also Washburn-y goodness, but that, as they say, is a produced more surf waves and even in playboats different tale…. we just bounced over the pile of the main drop. The usual thanks go to Simon for Less water in the Washburn meant more organising the trip, but also lovely Melinda for water everywhere else, which presumably was looking after little Jacob for the entire day while I why the usually popular guaranteed release was had my fun. Turns out a car parcel shelf is so quiet. It was good for us though - all these perfect for changing nappies on – who’d have extra features and no queuing! Winner. After a thought. experience acute post-race Jaffa Cake craving; Hare, hounds and Jaffa for those who train regularly the condition may become chronic. Competitors in longer races Cakes such as the Waterside series are seen to By David Glover consume Jaffa Cakes as they race, as if their lives depend on them (perhaps they do?) A known side effect of participation in the CCC Hare and Hounds and other kayak race events is In an effort to establish safe levels of Jaffa increased consumption of Jaffa Cakes, chocolate Cake consumption, a CCC research team set out HobNobs and related products of dubious to measure the rate of Jaffa Cake depletion in nutritional value.