The river was running high, but a little bit lower than last year. Weather was pretty good for paddling. We got some short rain showers, but headwinds in last 10 miles of the race were not so strong as usual.
Only 5 solo paddlers showed up at Saratoga hot springs. 4 race veterans finished the challenge. You can see our results below together with finishing times from the previous two years. The fifth paddler in a very narrow racing canoe overestimated his chances with the fast turbulent river. He capsized just after start and had troubles to retrieve his boat. I am not sure how his story ended (his boat still jammed in a tree?).
2009 Race Results (flow: 6000-7000 cfs)
| paddler | class / boat | Pick Bridge | finish time |
| Scott Cummins Denver, CO |
solo double blade Kirton Stiletto Maxi K-1 |
4:05:33 | |
| Mike Lesnik Helena, MT |
solo double blade WSBS X-par Missile |
4:20:04 | |
| Marek Uliasz Fort Collins, CO |
solo single blade Sea Wind canoe |
1:05 | 4:44:18 |
| Rob Bean Fort Collins, CO |
solo single blade Spencer X-treme canoe |
1:05 | 4:49:06 |
2008 Race Results (flow: 7000-8000 cfs)
| paddler | class / boat | Pick Bridge | finish time |
| Scott Cummins Denver, CO |
solo double blade Fenn surfski |
0:57:40 | 4:05:30 |
| Mike Lesnik Helena, MT |
solo double blade WSBS X-par Missile |
0:57:43 | 4:07:51 |
| Marek Uliasz Fort Collins, CO |
solo double blade WSBS Thunderbolt-X |
0:59:45 | 4:27:36 |
| Rob Bean Fort Collins, CO |
solo single blade Spencer X-treme canoe |
1:08:05 | 5:07:55 |
| Clem McHale CO |
solo single blade Bell canoe |
1:09:05 | 5:42:00 DSQ |
| Bob Willits John Schukei, MT |
tandem double blade Fenn Mako Surfski |
0:57:41 | 4:05:50 |
| John Murphy Steve Daniel, CO |
tandem double blade Spencer tandem canoe |
1:01:15 | 4:15:00 |
| Sean DeVean Mark Norford, MT |
tandem double blade Prijon plastic tandem kayak |
1:15:17 | 5:10:55 DSQ |
2007 Race Results (flow: 2000-3000 cfs)
| paddler | class / boat | Pick Bridge | finish time |
| Scott Cummins Denver, CO |
solo double blade Fenn surfski |
1:06 | 4:55:10 |
| Jeremy Rodgers Boulder, CO |
solo double blade JKK Supernova |
1:07 | 4:58:57 |
| Mike Lesnik Helena, MT |
solo double blade WSBS X-par Missile |
1:08 | 5:06:08 |
| Marek Uliasz Fort Collins, CO |
solo double blade WSBS Thunderbolt-X |
1:16 | 5:19:37 |
| Danielle Ballengee Dillon, CO |
solo double blade Vaihala surfski |
1:18 | 5:28:26 |
| Rob Bean Fort Collins, CO |
solo single blade C1 canoe |
1:26 | 7:10 DSQ |
My Race
I paddled this year single bladed with Kruger’s Sea Wind canoe and had a quite interesting race against Rob Bean in his Spencer X-treme. I used to train in my X-treme on the North Platte before Texas Water Safari, but it was at a lower water level and I used a kayak paddle (see my old report at Mountain Wayfarer). For sure I was not ready to race X-treme with a single blade. I was considering to take my outrigger canoe, but a few days before the race it wasn’t still clear how high water to expect.
I completed the race in 4:44 hours. It was about 16 minutes longer than in 2008 in Thunderbolt-X kayak. Scott Cummins changed Fenn surfski to Kirton K-1, but had almost the same winning time. Rob paddling X-treme was 19 minutes faster than a year ago.
My speed and heart race recorded by Garmin Forerunner 305 reveals some information what was going on along 44 miles of the river. First hour and first 11 miles of the race were very intense to meet the cut off time (1:20) at the Pick Bridge. I didn’t miss a single stroke. We reached this checkpoint together with Rob in about 1:05. His boat was obviously faster than mine, but he had to avoid bigger waves. I could look for the fastest current and enjoy wave trains in my Sea Wind.
After the Pick Bridge my paddling was a little bit more relaxed. I started to eat and drink more. Rob paddled ahead. I missed a lot of distance in one wrong “shortcut”. However, later Rob took a scenic longer route and I managed to pass him.
A few miles before Eagle Nest rapid I had a little crisis with muscle cramps, but I managed to recover after the rapid and paddled somewhat faster to the finish despite of the headwind.
We saw a lot of wildlife including deer and antelope swimming across the river. Exactly halfway, there was a bald eagle sitting on a tree and obviously watching the race.
Speed (blue) and heart rate (red) from my Garmin Forerunner GPS recording
Is Wyoming Outback Challenge a History?
The Wyoming Outback Challenge has run for three years. It was a great race. A very scenic, fast and challenging course. Generous cash prizes. However, it looks like CanoeColorado is not going to organize and sponsor this race any more.
Racers’ interest and attendance was quite disappointing: 2007 – 6 paddlers, 2008 – 11, and 2009 – 5. Why? A remote location far, far away? Economy situation discouraging longer travels? Other paddling races taken place during the Memorial Day weekend? I think that they are other reasons as well.
It seems to me that CanoeColorado dind’t promote their race. They rely on a traditional “word of mouth” promotion and don’t really use possibilities offered by internet despite running their own website. Try to find information about this race there! The other race they are running in August on the Colorado River has also very low attendance despite cash prizes and other rewards.
I posted several articles on the Wyoming Outback Challenge in this blog including reports, results, pictures, movies, and course description. I tried also to post information on different paddling and racing forums, but I didn’t feel that I have a right to submit the race to different event calendars since I was not an organizer.
I believe that the race to be successful needs not only to attract competitive racers, but also to encourage more advanced paddlers to race. Tight cut off times and disqualifications did not encourage any beginners. Probably, Rob Bean is the only one who started to race on the North Platte. Ironically, CanoeColorado was running a trip on White River during the Memorial Day weekend this year, so in time conflict with the Wyoming Challenge. And in the weekend following the race they will be running a trip on the North Platte River. Why not to allow for some interaction between touring paddlers and racers?
The last three Memorial Day weekends I spent with my wife, Connie, and our dogs in Saratoga racing, paddling before and after the race, photographing, enjoying hot springs, and having great time. Of course, I will keep paddling the North Platte.
Race Pictures
All pictures were shot during the race with Pentax Optio W30 camera mounted on a bow of Sea Wind with the sticky pod. The camera was set in an interval mode to shoot a frame every 30 seconds.
I will try to assembly an animation movie like from the previous year race. Unfortunately, the pictures are not so good this time. I set up the camera too close to the bow and I was getting many splashes on the lens despite my improvised hood. I also forgot to turn a flash off. With cloudy weather the flash fired quite often and drained a camera battery. So, my picture coverage goes only to Eagle Nest rapid.
Some related posts:
44 Miles of the North Platte River in 2 Minutes
44 Miles on Big Water – 2008 Wyoming Outback Challenge Results
7 Landmarks and Highlights of the 2008 Wyoming Outback Challenge
2007 Wyoming Outback Challenge on North Platte River- Results and Pictures
3 Days on the North Platte River in Wyoming: from Treasure Island to Fort Steele
Wyoming Outback Challenge on the North Platte River – Strong Current and Head Wind
North Platte River in Wyoming – Eagle Nest Rapid
Other resources:
The Floater’s Guide to Wyoming Rivers: Paddle and Portage
Wyoming Atlas & Gazettee
map of public access areas by Wyoming Game and Fish Department
North Platte River flow: Northgate, CO | Ft Steele/Dugway
The 2009 Wyoming Outback Challenge was my third race along this course and my best time to date. I felt more comfortable this year than in any previous race in Saratoga. I also felt the most confident in my paddling and was not fazed by the other challengers (which is still a little new to me) and felt comfortable to run my own race, on my own terms. Unfortunately, though my mind was in a “happy place”, I was fighting a terrible respiratory infection and midweek was not sure I would even make it up to race. My major goals included; shortening my paddling time to 1-80, not get disqualified by the chase boats, and then try to beat anyone ahead of me. I achieved the first two goals and did my best to catch Marek after a couple bad paddling calculations. I felt really good to still finish within five minutes of him. I am still learning a lot about “execution” in races and how little choices add up.
My race in a nutshell
It began with a botched start and caused me to lose more than a minute right out of the gate. As we were waiting to leave the side stream we start in, I didn’t notice that my stern was getting pulled into the current. So as everyone else began the race I was again facing upstream….arrrg.
As I began my pursuit of the rest of the pack and saw the other C1 paddler in our class flip while going into the first set of waves. When I last saw him he was on top of his boat and was flushing up into a yard just downstream. I can confirm that the boat is well lodged under a log jam above The Foote and they tied it off to return later after the water drops.
I was able to catch Marek a few turns above the Foote and we paddled pretty much together until Pick Bridge. I sprinted a little and made Pick just slightly ahead of him. We traded leads back and forth for many turns of the river until I got a sizable jump when Marek took a “scenic route”. Unfortunately, I made a worse decision just a few miles later and saw him pull out a wide margin by going around the West side of a large island. At that point we had miles to go and I assumed I would pull him back in well before Eagles Nest.
Well, it began to rain about 8 miles above Eagles Nest and I only had a thin layer on top. I decided to do a quick 30 second stop to pull up the rest of my wetsuit. I waited until I was within shouting distance of Marek and then pulled into a wide eddy. While exiting the cockpit, my foot caught in the skirt and I fell out of the boat while the current filled the cockpit with a bunch of water. That turned into an eight minute stop altogether and now I felt I was in a weird “no man’s land” between chasing Marek and trying not to let the chase boats get me, as they should only be about 5-10 minutes back.
I got back in and picked up the pace in an effort to try and catch Marek. I paddled alone for quite a while then saw him in the last turns above Eagles Nest going just out of view as I came onto the stretch. He was minutes ahead but I hoped with no errors I might still catch him at Eagles Nest. Last summer I ran Eagles Nest on the left without issue but was sick of making bad decisions so decided to play it safe and drag around. It was totally run-able but I felt much better by being cautious on this very remote course.
The last ten miles to I-80 were not too bad. There was some wind on a few stretches but nothing like I have experienced in year’s past. I even had a tailwind coming into the last two miles. I finished with a sprint of well over a mile and it felt great to be back with the rest of the pack. I felt really good with the effort I put in this year. Even though my body was fighting me much of the race I still had my best finish ever!
After three years of competing in the Wyoming Outback Challenge I feel like it has taught me something different each year. 2007 – The first year I learned how to finish a long race (the longest paddle I had ever done to date) even after my gunnels snapped and I had a demoralizing DQ. 2008 – The second year I learned how to prepare for a big race by focusing on eating, drinking and steady high intensity paddling. I had a faster boat and felt ready to take on the challenge. I used my first place winnings (Thanks Canoe Colorado) to feed and house my crew in Saratoga over the 250 mile Big Moo Canoe for Heifer International that happened in Saratoga just two weeks later. 2009 – This year was just about showing up and doing the best I could. I felt comfortable in my boat and have come to really enjoy this weekend spending time around other paddlers.
I am bummed that the Outback Challenge is going away and hope that something of its length will take its place soon. It has been my first real racing experience and with little kids and a family, the most convenient race to fit in my schedule. I feel kind of jealous of those Texas and KC paddlers because of their close-knit and dedicated racing communities and I wish we had something like that in Colorado. I hope to someday compete in some of the longer ultra-marathon events around the country but until then I will focus on long personal paddling challenges. Thanks again to Canoe Colorado for putting this on and for all of the paddlers who competed in the event over the years.
Well, racing Sea Wind designed by Verlen Kruger I tried to implement his philosophy: “keep paddling”.
🙂
A few pictures from the race by Rob on facebook: 2009 WY Outback Challenge
As always, I had a great time going with Marek and our dogs to Saratoga, which is definitely one of my favorite Wyoming destinations. We stayed at the Sand and Sage, in a room with a cool 1950’s kitchenette, complete with gas oven/range, and sink, fridge and microwave. It’s a true, original “motor hotel” and was designed for car travelers. It’s definitely showing its age, but the managers are helpful and dog friendly, and it’s an easy five-minute walk to the boat ramp and the Hobo Pool, so we love it.
I was recovering from a difficult semester, three years into my Ph.D program in ecology, and within 2 weeks of defending my M.A. thesis in philosophy (both at CSU and focusing on environmental ethics), so I went feeling mighty stressed out. I enjoyed the comraderie (sp?) at the beginning of the race but was back in my room zoning out, so I missed the end of the race and by the time I got there to pick up Marek everyone else was already gone. Bummer.
Well, at least I got the chance to cheer everyone on at the beginning, and then again about a minute later as Rob got his Spencer turned around and sprinted off nicely to catch the others. The dogs and I hopped in the car and tried to get to Saratoga bridge in time to cheer for them again, but I was just slightly too late and got there only in time to watch the paddlers go around the last turn of the river leaving Saratoga.
Marek took me to dinner with some of his winnings, at the popular eatery that’s right on Saratoga’s main street and next to the river. As Marek was paying, the waitress said, “Hey, weren’t you here with your boat during Memorial Day last year?” Yup, she remembered us from before, and you gotta love the people in these friendly small towns.
Marek had some nice paddling experiences the day before and the day after, with his latest crew, our corgie, Pixel. Pixel has been raised since puppyhood by our glorious and wonderful Newfoundland dog, Dax. She is a true water-loving newfie, so for Pixel it’s normal to love the water. He thinks nothing of swimming, wading, and will completely submerge his head to pick up things off the bottom of large water bowls, shallow riverbanks, etc. Yes, indeed, Marek, Dax, and I may have one of the world’s few water-corgies. Marek’s Sea Wind is plenty big and stable enough for himself and Pixel, and they seemed to really enjoy their trips together. On Saturday before the race they went from Saratoga to Pict bridge, and on Monday they went from, oh, somewhere (can’t remember) to Saratoga, Marek paddling, Pixel looking around and resting his head on Marek’s leg. Yeah, watching my boys paddling together was lovely.
So, all in all it was a fabulous and relaxing trip and we really enjoyed ourselves, and many thanks to the race organizers for putting it on again.
Sounds like a challenging race. Shame to see less participants showing up due to the down economy.
Mark Martinez,
Testing out hypergain like the energizer bunny
Hey! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the excellent work!
Pingback: paddling with a camera » Blog Archive » Paddling with Pixel on the North Platte River in Wyoming