.....AND THE RACE WAS ON!!!
With consistently high, and a few, REALLY HIGH, water levels all week, hopes were building for a great day of paddling for the 2nd Annual New Haven Race near Bristol, VT. Last year the levels were blown out, limiting the number of contestants who wanted to tackle the main upper section, but we still made it happen.
This year things were shaping up great with an early, warm Spring, but this is VT, and the day before the race, temps ranged from near zero into the twenties, shutting down the snowmelt faucet feeding the river. Levels dropped, but it was still 'runnable', and the race was on! A fresh layer of ice covered the banks and boulders, and it was literally a cool scene.
The Vermont Paddler's Club and UVM 'Catayak' Kayak Club did a great job of organizing the event, and it's great to see paddlers in the region getting together to promote our sport and expand the kayaking community.
The format this year was a down-river time trial, best of 2 runs, with the top 16 then moving on into 4 person 'Boatercross' heats on a shortened course with a mass start. The winner of each Boatercross heat would then move to a final Boatercross shoot-out and title of 'King of the Ledges'.
Paddlers had been training for weeks and it really showed. Around 25 racers went for it in the time trials, and I for one can admit to gasping for air with burning abs at the end of the endurance fest. There were a lot of rocks in play at the low levels, and local knowledge of each of them definitely paid off when it came to maintaining speed. The top time trial went to Bristol, VT local Simone Orlandi with a time of 8:10. I came in second with a time of 8:30, and Hugh Pritchard placed third at 8:33. It was a fun race and great test of 'you vs the river'.
The top 16 of us were then placed into Boatercross heats and the anarchy ensued. That was my first Boatercross style event, and it's a really fun format. Not only are you going for a fast time, but your also factoring in line strategy, pass points, paddle blades smacking your boat - hopefully not your face, getting spun out, etc, etc. Lots of variables to factor in, it's chaotic, and it makes for an exciting event for both spectators and competitors. I carried the lead through about 3/4 of my heat, then lost it at a rapid called Lost Legs when another competitor and I chose different lines. I was planning a pass attempt in an upcoming slide, and then suddenly as three of us entered a small constriction of boulders in a really insignificant spot on the course, I got pushed sideways, broached on rocks, run over, and was out of it. I yelled to my friend, Will P, who slowed to make sure I was OK, to keep going as only the top placer from each heat advanced and it was too late for me. I even had to pull my skirt to free my boat and paddle and walk out of the river, frustrated, but with a smile. It was awesome, and such is the nature of Boatercross. Dan Burke won our heat, and as the Kelty/Sierra Designs rep, also helped provide great prizes for the competitors.
The final Boatercross heat came down to Dan, Scott, Will and Colby, with Scott Gilbert coming through in the end with the least mistakes and fastest lines. Congrats goes out to Scott as the 2010 King of the Ledges. He'd put in a lot of time on the New Haven and it was great to see him take the win, and claim another incredible trophy carving from Ken Packie at the Spotted Dog Wood Factory.
Thanks goes out to Ben Guttridge, Danny, Ryan McCall, Dave Packie, Ken Packie, Chris Weed, and all the volunteers, sponsors, and competitors who made the event possible, safe, and fun. Special thanks goes out here to Curtis Savard (Curtis Savard Photography) and river photographer staple, Patrick Rogers (KayakingPhotos.com) for these great images.
We're all looking forward to next year's event as this venue continues to grow and exemplify the great, and growing, paddling community in VT.
See you on the river.
D
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