Boating the hard way - Airlie Beach 28th July

[bay_firey]

My son Mitchel (mitch92) competed in the annual Outrigger Whitsunday Regatta at Arlie Beach on the weekend.

The weather was absolutly perfect for the day.

Mitchel (at just 15 ) competed in both the open mens and Junior divisions on the day, completing a total of 26 competitive kilometers as well as paddling from the boat ramp to the competition area and then returning the boats to the ramp at the end of the day.

The juniors from Rockhampton outrigger canoe club also secured Champion team for the AOCRA Northern Zone for the this season.
It is their FIRST season of competition

Here are a few pics from the regatta

Mitchel (on right) and Lachlan before the open mens 14 km

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u263/Bay_Firey/Outrigging/Picture026sml.jpg

All the open men (mitchel is 5th from the left)

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u263/Bay_Firey/Outrigging/Picture028sml.jpg

Here we go - Open Mens 14k

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u263/Bay_Firey/Outrigging/Picture035sml.jpg

Off and racing - Open Mens 14k

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u263/Bay_Firey/Outrigging/Picture048sml.jpg

Finnished at last - Open mens 14 k

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u263/Bay_Firey/Outrigging/Picture096sml.jpg

All the juniors ready to go

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u263/Bay_Firey/Outrigging/Picture137sml.jpg

Junior 7 k - Lets Go

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u263/Bay_Firey/Outrigging/Picture156sml.jpg

Finnished at last - Junior 7 k

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u263/Bay_Firey/Outrigging/Picture218sml.jpg

[Chimo]

Good stuff, conditions look great and they should be on the way to building up arms so they can drag hoses too. By the way where are the rod holders?

Cheers
Chimo

[mitch92]

By the way where are the rod holders?

;D ;D ;D


i have actually suggested this to my coach ::)

unfortunately everyone else would rather be going fast then pulling a lure behind :o

the best bit is the perfect place to have rod holders would be at the back with the steerer....which is useful as i AM one of the steerers :D





oh yeah the guys that were in the lead support boat were smart, they were trolling a lure behind as we all paddled behind :-X ;D

[Wahoo]

good stuff, keep at it, we have a close friend thats into this, she has traveled quite a few places doing this


Daz



Ps: im sure you can sneak a fast trolling lure on the back :P

[mitch92]

wahoo

what club is your freind a member of??

i know that members at my club have travelled to hawaii, new zealand etc. nd hopefully i can as well...oneday

[Wahoo]

wahoo

what club is your freind a member of??

i know that members at my club have travelled to hawaii, new zealand etc. nd hopefully i can as well...oneday


hi Mitch

she is with Cairns Cruising Yacht Squadron

i no she has been to NZ and Hawaii, and spends a hell of alot of time at Arlie beach

Daz

[mitch92]

hi Mitch

she is with Cairns Cruising Yacht Squadron

i no she has been to NZ and Hawaii, and spends a hell of alot of time at Arlie beach

Daz


i know i would spnd plenty of time there if i could as well ::)


never raced against cairns, although she may have been racing under a different team for different regattas, alot of paddlers do.

[Redspeckle]

Well done there Mitch 92 being at Outrigger Whitsunday Regatta at Arlie Beach and part of team securing Champion team for the AOCRA Northern Zone for the this season. have you competed at Hamilton Island yet
Myself I used to competed in Hamilton Island race week of outriggers and surf ski race's in the 90's
One was around the Hamilton Island it self on the Friday and other ski from the resort on a set course Saturday and race in Sundays marathon and paddle for Outrigger Australia which contain the Surf Life Saving Ironman Stars which we done pretty well
I like the outriggers for the cross training ( treated as fun only do it once a year ) which help my kayaking and Surf Ironman
the hardest thing I found was when you had to change team members when paddling and picking up new paddlers when moving at speed and I loved when a swell was on and white caps
you talk about towing lure when use to do my training on Moreton Bay and in the long surf paddles use tow lure bending me on the surf ski and use a rubber foot thong the run the fishing line off and the rubber thong would also act in flexing and catch the talior and other fish as well and put my crab pots out in bay which gave me reason to train and get some nice reward out of it and yes its is a hard to go boating

Mitch

[mitch92]

red,

no havent competed at hammo yet, although next year i will hopefully, either with open mens, or juniors.

They still do the around the island race and from what i can tell all the races are loads of fun.

The changeovers are some of the most fun, but it is hard to get into the outrigger when everyone keeps paddling. the only time ive been on a surfski was when we had to many people for the amount of outriggers so myself and the coach took out a double surfski, and to add to the fun we used outrigger canoe paddles on a surfski, all this paddling side on to the waves.
ill tell ya what it was a heap of fun, but i can wait for it to happen again.