fitness paddling: exercise, train, race by kayak & canoe

It was very tough run for Texas Water Safari due to very low water conditions. Some teams reported to walk numerous times through shallows and sandbars on Guadelupe River between Gonzales and Hochheim. A lot of teams dropped out, but the race is not over yet (as of Tuesday night). There is a dozen of boats still making their way to Seadrift.

It was a tough race for me because I wasn't racing. After 5 years of participating in the Safari it was difficult not to be there and just gather some scraps of information from the Texas Canoe and Kayak Racing Forum:

The river is so slow its depressing.

Omar looked cool through Rio Vista but broke his boat. He impressively patched it at Thompson and trudged on in last place, passed 7 boats between there and Martindale dam. By sheer determination he braved the low water and ran out of Duct Tape around Prairie Lea.

Devo was in 4th place at around 1:30 and looking good.

~ 30 boats have pulled out of the race so far. Doug Rhude has large hole in his boat but is continuing ...

Belizians 13 minutes ahead of the Mynars at Thomaston

Everyone looked good, sounded strong- and in spite of the heat and low water, were paddling well.

Belizians 16 minutes ahead of the Mynars at Nursery

64 boats remaining in race. By Hochheim 37 boats had dropped reporting that they had to carry or drag between Gonzo and Hocheim at least 100 times several of the protages being 100 or more yards.

Devo felt and pulled his shoulder bad at Ottine Dam. He continued on. He looked strong at Gonzo, but his shoulder wasn't doing good so he pulled out at Hocheim.

Dornack had the lead in solo, but I have heard that he's out at Victoria.

waiting in an office........waiting ....waiting.....looks like I will be there next year...this internet safari is killing me!!!!

Beliezians won

Mynars in Second

Yonley and Crew in third

First solo, Cory Laskoskie

There are already hundreds of pictures and a video clip posted at the forum. My picture above is showing the Rio Vista Dam during Texas Water Safari 2001. A 4-person team including West Hansen and Ian Adamson reached the dam portage as a first boat but Mynars were coming.

The dam started to break down and was replaced by a white water park consisting of a series of three rapids earlier this year. That construction was a real success of Tom Goynes, local paddling community, and city of San Marcos. Ironically, the Rio Vista Dam with a runnable boat chute was the only paddler friendly dam in the course of Texas Water Safari.