OC: Grand Prix Regatta (Te Ika Nui)
Ettalong
9-10 February 2008
PD RESULTS
Short Course Men 5th 46.20
Short Course Women 2nd 57.03
Open Women Black 2nd 1.26.12
Open Women Purple 7th 1.32.14
Open Women Orange 11th 1.38.13
Open Men 9th 1.24.52
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Race Report Quick recap
– Thursday boat loading and trailer packing in heavy rain, ok couldn’t get any worse we all said
– Saturday Morning weather looking a little average but hey its an adventure
– The eventful car trip to Ettalong, and seeing Allen reduced to near tears as his "boy racer" car was being towed back to Sydney on the back of a flat top truck (I know mate we all feel for you)
– Super Russ coming to the rescue with Oil water and transport to attempt to resurrect Allen’s car cheers mate
– Arriving in time to start the men’s long course race to find out that its been delayed for an hour
Saturday’s Racing
– After seeing the smiles on the PD Girls faces we knew we were in for something special
– On to the race briefing and into the canoe ready to rock
– As the men’s crews lined up on the start line the wind swept up and the heavens opened in full force
– And their off…
– Visibility ok but hey it looks like we’re in for a great race and what a start
– Even heavier rain and what visibility Christian being the true boy scout had packed his trusty seeing eye dog to no avail
– No left… was that right, where’s the turning buoy wow swells are a great 2 metres plus this is fun you can hear the crew smiling
– Turning for home runners aplenty 3 huts 4 huts 5 huts still on it 21km/h said the GPS damn that was fast
– Strong finish pretty sure we placed 10th on the line
– big thanks to Steve Dawes for coming on the journey with the PD boys for a second weekend
Party time!
Sunday’s Racing
– Again the Girls returned smiling and with assured bling for the second day
– Gav’s completed his recognisance mission and has all the best tactics for the conditions
– Weather’s looking heaps better you can actually see Lion Island today
– And they’re off…
– Great start again canoes ripping along
– punching out to the turning buoy challenges the crew but we’re still sitting in the top 5
– we make the turn get a bit blocked and then find our line and clear water
– Runners everywhere lets get to it forward in the seats push push pushhhhhhhhh!
– YE HA 4 huts 5 huts 6 huts more more still on it
– set it up again here we go again and again we having so much fun and we flew past 3 crews
– Home in 4th place
– ….and we’re done
NOW TO THE THANKYOUS’
To Doug who made getting the canoe’s to Ettalong possible (even at the last minute) thanks mate you rock
To Steve Dawes who came to the rescue when we were a man and car down
To Russ our roadside assistance service and coach’s chauffer
To the Steerers thanks for making the races a cracker I hope you had as much fun as the rest of your crews
To the Paddlers thanks for your hard work and enthusiasm in training and in the races how much fun was it
To everyone who loaded, unloaded, rigged, unrigged, rigged again, packed and unpacked and returned all the gear to the shed
Thanks to you all for making it a great weekend.
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