Biggest fleet ever takes on the Rose Bay Challenge - (18/4/10) - By Len Hedges

130 paddlers lined up on the beach for the start of the Rose Bay Challenge.  Perfect conditions of brilliant sunshine and a gentle breeze greeted paddlers. Consequently, conditions on the harbour were very calm, alleviating the anxiety of some of the less experienced paddlers. The start was the most orderly of the series so far with all paddlers standing beside their skis in knee deep water.

Those familiar with the ‘on-water’ starts of many open water events have come to understand that the start is often signalled by the call ‘Five minutes to start’ so actually getting a 5 second countdown and an official ‘Hooter’ was a welcome change.  Many of us regular Rose Bay paddlers had some reservations about the short cut inside ‘The Rock’ off the northern headland of Rose Bay being only a couple of kilometres after the start. On our regular Saturday morning time trials, only 2 paddlers abreast would take on the gap, being careful to avoid the rocks just below the surface at low tide.  Being so soon after the start, the pack would be unlikely to thin out sufficiently to allow all to pass unscathed. Miraculously however, I successfully threaded the gap with 3 other paddlers without hearing that sickening ‘crunch’ that signals an unfriendly caress by Mother Nature.

A lack of wind also meant a lack of catchable runners but it was the same for all of us so no one complained. To be truthful, expecting catchable runners inside the harbour is a little ambitious and should always be considered a bonus rather than an expectation.  Up front, Tim Jacobs was in a class of his own, obviously in good form for Molokai. Tim finished with a very convincing gap of almost 3 minutes over second place getter Cade Barnes, with Rose Bay legend Tommy Woodriff completing the podium.

Tony Hystec from Lane Cove River Kayakers was a similarly convincing winner of the 50s age group finishing 15th overall and a minute ahead of the winner of the 40s age group - Peter ‘smuggler’ Geisbuhl.  It was great to see the double ski category swell to 7 entries although regular double ‘THE BEAST’ failed to make an appearance. The Boer & Hall combo took out the division with an ‘over the horizon’ gap of 5 minutes over the second placed team of Odgers & Haines.

It was great to see 9 ladies front the starter with Rachelle Irving taking out the open division followed closely behind by Under 19 year old Jessica Duncan with Rose Bay regular Rozanne Green being the popular winner of her division (chivalry prevents me from mentioning Roz’s age group). The sea kayak division fielded 9 starters with Tom Simmat taking line honours in his Horizon Tourer, no doubt in training for yet another ‘Yukon’.

The rapidly growing sport of ‘stand-up paddleboarding’ was contested by 5 intrepid paddlers with Darren Pease proving the best on the day. The Rose Bay team did a great job in organising the event with lots of comforting rescue boats in evidence and huge ‘easy to spot buoys’ marking the course. The last event in the 2010 series will be held on Pittwater and promises to be a fitting conclusion to the inaugural series. If you haven’t yet entered one of these harbour races, you’ve only got one more opportunity this year. Miss it and you’ll need to wait until 2011 for the next series.

see story on Kate McGrath’s outstanding result