... Texas Water Safari, MR-340, Burlington C1 Pursuit, Remounting Surfski

Thu - June 7, 2007

Texas Water Safari starts as usual on the second Saturday of June, i.e., June 9. After very low water race last year, this year brings high water. The entry list contains 101 boat and 198 paddlers. You will be able to see "life" results of the safari (by checkpoints) on-line.
The Second Annual Missouri River 340. The entry list is closed. The current roster lists 73 boats: 46 - Men's Solo, 8 Women's Solo, 15 - Men's Tandem, and 4 - Mixed Tandem. Launching 70 boats from a single boat ramp for a mass start at the Kaw Point may be challenging.
I see many familiar names from the previous year race, WaterTribe and Texas Water Safari. It looks like strong Safari paddlers appear in each single class: West Hansen and Richard Steppe in Men's Tandem, Erin Magee in Women's Solo, Lee Deviney in Men's Solo and Phil and Mary Jo Gumbert in Mixed Tandem. The 2006 race was won in 53:40 hours by West Hansen paddling solo.
Richard Hodgkings posted numerous prictures from Burlington C1 Pursuit race. I understand that there are plans for the next year to organize a kayak race in a similar pursuit format after the canoe race.
surfski.info provides excellent animated instructions for remounting a surfski in their Essential Surf Ski Skills series.

Posted at 01:46 PM