Tonight was the Big Chop #9, the next to last race of the season for the series. I wanted to go to this race because I haven't been on the ski for over a month and I missed it, and I needed to buy my “winning” ticket for the year end party.
Not being on a ski for so long, had me a little worried. I hoped I would remember how to paddle out on the ocean again. I started next to Shane, who has won so many of these races, I have lost count. So if I could stay with him for a little while, I know I would have a good start. Brian got to two on the count down to the start, and everyone was going. He actually blew the horn twice as a false start but no one stopped. It was pretty funny.
Shane was off to a blazing start as usual, and I managed to stay close to him, as we headed to the front of the pack, or should I say, he was headed to the front of the pack. I settle in next to Matt and his daughter Olivia in the Double XT. I was getting used to wash riding again, but kept coming very close to the double. Good thing I practise have a vertical catch. Even then, Matt and I hit blades more than a couple of times.
As we approached the first turn at the red buoy, I could see I as going to be squished between Matt and the marker. So I asked if he could please move over a little, which he promptly did. Coming around the marker I swear the side of my ski scraped the buoy. I stopped paddling and glided past the buoy and after passing I immediately turned to the left and gave Matt some room. Then it was off to catch Gary in his EVO, and the double outrigger he was wash riding.
I powered up and jumped the gap between myself and the double OC. From there I rode the left wash, and Gary the right wash to just about the next turn at the sand barge. Just before the turn the OC started to pull away from us, and I had to really pull hard just to stay on, but they were too much and a gap started to form. Coming around the sand barge I could see Mike and Denise in their new Huki double ski, having a little difficultly.
I think this was their second race or even their first race in it. From here to the next turn I was behind them and the double OC, which just kept making the gap bigger. As we approached the next turn I could see that Mike and Denise were going to make a tight turn, so I knew this was my chance to pass. I lined myself up for a wide turn, that way I could carry my speed through the corner. Sure enough they went too tight, and ended up slowing down and going real wide in the exit. I came in underneath them and exited close to the buoy, with go speed and managed to pass them.
From what I could hear, Denise was not happy about me passing them in the corner. So now going with the waves, its was time to concentrate on technique and to put the power down. Off a scooted toward False Creek and the next turn. During this time I was by myself, or so I thought. Coming up to the next turn someone had bumped the back of my boat. I though it was Gary who had caught up to me, and I said “hi Gary” but there was no answer. Hummm. Again I set myself up for the corner, and as I went around it was Caroline who came underneath and passed me.
I though good move Caroline. She must have saw me do the exact thing to the Billys in their Huki. Off she powered and had a little gap in no time. I powered up just to keep the gap from getting bigger. Caroline really has gotten a lot faster since a saw her a month ago. Well Done. In the distance I could see the front guys making the turn at the sand barge for the last time, but it looked a little strange, they all seemed to be taking a funny line around the bouy. As I got closer I noticed that Paki Nui took a really hard left, and then a hard right to go around the buoy.
Something was not right. When I close enough to see, there was a big rope, the one that ties up freighters floating in the water. I though there is no way I am going to try to go over that, and off to the left I went to avoid it. Caroline did like wise. As I cleared the rope and headed to the buoy, I saw in the corner of my eye, an OC1 heading straight for me. He was going for it. I hammered to get out of his way.
I don't know if he had actually made it over the rope, because I was off like a scared rabbit. After the race I found out that a few people tried to jump the rope and got caught, and had to swim to get untangled. Good practise remounting the ski.
The last leg, I was just trying to get my technique down and try to catch Caroline, who now had a good 25 meter gap between us. It was all I could do to bring the gap down to about 8 meters at the finish line.
It was a good hard race for me, I really enjoyed myself. As usual the food at the end of the race was great. Thanks very much to all the volunteers who help Ryan and Brian put on the race for us.
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