KK February 2009

KK February 2009

KAYAK KAPERS February 2009 Lane Cove flies the flag at the Murray The 8 crews who represented Lane Cove with great prominence on Dec 27-31 in the 40th and final Red Cross Murray Marathon returned with interesting and varied tales to tell: Tom Simmat came a brilliant 2nd on handicap, Liz Winn fought a rearguard action against bum blisters, the K4 songsters became the paddling minstrels, Richard Barnes paddled up to 11 hours a day on a plastic freestyle kayak scarcely bigger than an esky lid. Next year’s Murray Marathon will be run by YMCA Victoria. Tom Simmat: “My previous Murrays were all in the ‘Cow’ and this one was in my Mako 6 ski, so it was one extreme to the other. I lightened the ski by a couple of kilos by taking off the venturis and the adjustable pedals, and got it down to about 9½ kilos. I didn’t expect to do that well and it wasn’t until the 3rd day I realised I was competitive in the handicap. After that it was hammer! It was very windy, one day there were white caps. I was OK in the ski, it must have been hard in K1s. It was good to have Rob and Tony starting each day in my group. In the end, as well as getting 2nd in the handicap, I was only 18 seconds behind Tony‘s relay team and I beat Rob’s open unrestricted record.” Tony Hystek, Steve Russell, John Thearle: “On the first day we Lane Cove was out in force at the Murray Marathon saw such a wide diversity of boats, ranging from a 10-man surf boat to a very interesting propeller-driven pedal boat that last corner at Swan Hill was unbelievable. We were overjoyed could maintain a speed of 13km/h without too much to have finished but bitterly disappointed because we wanted difficulty. The first day was probably the hardest with the to continue on for a few more days.” change in climate and jumping in and out of the boat. Finding Rob Vallis: “It was a very enjoyable week. My family ways to reduce our change-over time became a paramount thoroughly enjoyed it, I got to see my kids swimming when I goal. Paddling into Euchuca was a highlight, seeing the came in at the end every day and joined them. It was good to paddleboats coming past and their giant wash that swamped see so many Lane Covers, there must have been 20. Some of a lot of tired TK2 paddlers just metres from the finish. The us got together in the evenings, depending on where we were. last day of the paddle was Tony Hystek’s big finish. He led Ian Wilson and his son Alec were my landcrew but at every out, powering in his usual fashion, leaving John and me to try checkpoint everyone from Lane Cove pitched in. Conditions and keep him in a reasonable position. I don’t think either of were very windy, days 1 and 4 were particularly bad, I us had much left in the tank. Seeing Tony come around the estimate it was pushing 80km/h and straight into us. The finish on day 1 really opens up and is quite shallow, with lots Murray Marathon 404km of snags and with the dimpled water you can’t see them. For Name Cat Time Plc No. of Hcp Hcp the last 5km you see branches right across the river and it’s a boats Time Plc bit of a lottery, you just close your eyes and hope. I had a fair Tony Hystek/ bit of pain from a bruised tailbone.” Steve Russell/ James Mumme: “I had Craig Elliott’s Renagade and got John Thearle UNR1/OR 31.49.21 1 1 smacked by the wind for the first 4 days. I went as hard as I Tom Simmat UNR1/O 31.50.03 1 5 26.06.11 2 could for those 4 days. Marg Cook treated my blisters at the Rob Vallis UNR1/O 32.43.58 2 5 30.26.26 37 end of day 3. Then on day 5 I had a bit of fun. I started off James Mumme RKL1/OV50 33.39.22 1 5 27.56.01 14 with a paddler I had met on the river and finished in a Merridy Huxley/ foursome with Jack Ward from Central Coast, Daryl from Mt Marg Cook/ Isa and Trevor from the Sunshine Coast. We formed a bit of a Warren Huxley/ freight train. The last day was festive, almost like the last day Bernie Craggs K4/XV50 33.56.36 1 1 32.35.07 62 of the Tour de France. I had a really good time. My wife Deb Liz Winn RKL1/WV40 40.14.18 1 3 30.34.50 39 landcrewed for me and I wouldn’t have stopped for more than Trevor Williamson/ 3 or 4 minutes over the 5 days.” Bert Lloyd/ Marg Cook, Merridy Huxley, Bernie Craggs, Warren Huxley: Kenji Ogawa RK1/OR 40.32.25 3 4 “Our memorable moments in the Murray 20-08 were: Richard Barnes RKS1/O 49.42.03 1 1 41.15.05 122 1. Becoming known as the ‘singing K4’ and helping lift paddler morale, especially the single kayaks pushing into the headwind. Doesn’t anyone know Lily the Pink? 2. First night in the massage queue being recognised by three masseurs all smiling and shaking their heads and one even remembering Merridy’s name. 3. Second night in the massage queue, we gave Rob Vallis a standing ovation. We had many in the room join us and then whisper ‘Who was that?’ 4. Being told the K4 looked like poetry in motion. 5. Starting last and passing over 180 James Mumme … boats during the day and still not seeing Rob always smiling Vallis, Tom Simmat, James Mumme or the Hystek relay team. 6. Sighting the surf boat each day and their final salute at the finishing Landcrew Rob Richard Barnes and line. 7. Realising Warren didn’t have the sorest Cook his toy boat bottom – because he had the best seat, albeit the most expensive. 8. Bernie’s jokes and knowing just about everyone on the river, and if he didn’t know them he knew their friends. 9. Marg steering the K4 into checkpoints without killing any school relay team parents who refused to move. 10. Setting a new record for Mixed Vet 50 K4 (in a relatively slow time of 33h 56m 36s).” Tom Simmat cools off Liz Winn: “I had trouble with the seat in my at the end of the day Flyer in the Hawkesbury Classic and was trialling new seats for the Murray right up to Christmas Eve. The trouble with my butt really Minstrels Warren and Merridy Huxley, was a nightmare. At different checkpoints I Bernie Craggs and Marg Cook swapped my seat continually, trying to get it right. On day 2 at checkpoint A I was going to pull out, then Richard Barnes came along in his little boat and I asked him if I could accompany him. I had blisters by the end of day 1 and they were infected by the end of day 2. On day 3 someone had given me a lambs- wool to sit on, and as I was adjusting it I tipped over. Tony Hystek came along and stopped to rescue me. That was karma, because I had Liz Winn had a rescued him in the Bridge-to-Beach race on courageous paddle Sydney Harbour earlier in the year. Then Tony went in while helping me, and Rob Vallis came Rob Vallis is met by an enthusiastic along and rescued him. My challenge became and attentive landcrew to finish, and I’m proud of myself that I did.” Bert Lloyd, Kenji Ogawa, Trevor Williamson: “We had an unfortunate start when Trevor came down with a bad cold just before the race and was only able to do limited paddling. Our boat, a plastic sit-on-top Cobra Eliminator, was chosen because it was easy to adjust the Going ... seating, which is important for a relay team. As it turned out, with Trevor unable to unable to paddle much, we didn’t have to do much adjusting. It was typical Victorian weather, 4 seasons in one day. On the 4th day we had heavy rain, it bucketed down. Generally it was very dusty in the checkpoints which was hard The Rocketeers: Steve Russell, Tony for the landcrews. However, we had a great Hystek and John Thearle time. Kenji cooked superbly, as usual, he’s an asset to any team. At every restaurant we went Going ... to Kenji was into origami, making little paper objects and handing them out to everyone, and within 20 minutes everyone in the restaurant knew who Kenji was.” Richard Barnes: “I paddled the same little Recky Jive white water boat I used in the Continued bottom of page 8 Thanks to Alana Ewin, Tony Hystek, Trevor Williamson and Rescued !! Richard Barnes for these outstanding Murray pictures Kenji Ogawa Bert Lloyd, Ian Wilson 2 KAYAK KAPERS NSW 5000m Sprint K4 challenge becomes a reality Titles Competitor TimePlc No. of by Rob Vallis boats The Central Coast 35+ crew set the M 35+ K1 pace, followed closely by the other 35+ Rob Vallis 26.20 6 6 LCRK crew of Craig Elliott, Michael The inaugural 5000m M 45+ UN championships were held at Mueller, Rob Vallis and Tony Hystek.

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