SKIS, Paddleboards and StandUp Paddleboards are now eligible to compete in this years Australian Outriggers Title event - there will be no “National Title” medals for these divisions, but prizes will still be awarded!

It was agreed at last weekends AOCRA (Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association) AGM that other craft including Ski's, paddle boards and Stand Up Paddleboards would be eligible to compete in all outrigger sanctioned events around the country, and as such they will be included in the 2008 Nationals Program at Coffs Harbour on 13th & 14th December 2008.

Over the weekend there is an 8km race, a 15km and then you can either do the 25km Downwind solo or as a relay.

The registration form will be updated soon on the official website to accommodate these craft. www.coffsoutriggers.com/category/events.

You will find the entry form on the Coffs site. Fill out the entry form, save as a new file and then email back the saved file to Barry at bgreenwood@typac.com.au

To help maximise participation the organisers have increased the number of divisions, the main change will be the addition of the inaugural "Coffs Coast 25k Downwind Relay Challenge". They have chartered a 120 seat Seacat to allow a mid ocean change halfway between Woolgoolga and Coffs Harbour, this race will run in conjunction with the 25k Downwind Iron event, but it has been targeted to open participation to a wider range of paddlers, with the aim of making the combined race a marque event on the race calendar.

Costs per entry :- (8k $20).....(15K $25)....(25k Iron $30).....(25k Relay $50 incl Jetcat fare)

www.coffsoutriggers.com/category/events for more details.

It being a home town gathering you might be able to drag me out of the surf.

I have checked out their site to try and find info about the different courses, the juniors is covered inside the harbour and the downwinder 25km is from or to Woolgoolga depending the wind, but do you know where the 8km and 15km courses are?

Do they want SUP to be a minimum of 12'?

S'pose I should email Lynchie.

Rod

boardbumps said...
.. do you know where the 8km and 15km courses are?

Do they want SUP to be a minimum of 12'?

Rod...there are course maps on the Coff Outrigger site for each race. The 8km and 15km are "up and back" formats. Only the 25km is pure downwind.

As I just posted above..any board can enter.

Hey Stuey are you and the gang going in the Coffs event?

Rod

Sue thats great stuff so does that mean we have to join an outrigger club to compete or can we enter like we did for the point to point.

Rob

i am going to be there and i know that most of the guys who have DC16's will go. Should be a good test for my new board!!

25km with the wind is not that bad but you would want to do some training before hand. So any one on the goldy who wants to train there is about 5 to 10 guys and girls who paddle every Tuesday at 5:30 down by currumbin so come and join in.

Jacko

dism said...

How can it be a downwinder going from Coffs to Woopi (going north), when NE's are predominant during Summer

Hey Disms...The course will run from the north to the south due to the predominant winds ie. From Woolgoolga to Coffs Harbour. The organisers have allowed enough time between events to have enough time for competitors to drive and get their craft to Woolgoolga for a 1.00pm start.

If by some chance the wind is SE then the course will be reversed.

You're right Rod..I don't think Mark realises how many SUP he may get. Which is great. Thanks for all your info on the wind directions and area etc. One thing Mark did mention to me originally when we were trying to get SUP included in the program was that SUP can enter any event/distance but they time MUST finish in the allocated time on the program. As the event must run according to exact race times in order to get the whole program complete be the end of each day.

They only have a set amount of escort/support craft for each race. Usually a lead boat for the craft to follow, a couple cruising through the mid field and one at the end behind the last paddler. A problem may occur if the last paddler/s have not completed the race before the next race begins as the support boats are required for the next race.

I'm not sure if this will become a problem with SUP. I mentioned to Mark yesterday just to give him some idea of SUP pace that IMO the fastest male SUP would be approx the same pace as a mid-ranked female OC1 (Outrigger one person craft)

So that means that the SUP would have to complete their events in the following times 15km in 2 hrs.....8km in 1hr.....25km solo or relay in 3 hrs.

So Whats everyone's opinion here...are those times realistic for SUP? I'd love to hear from those who paddle distance regularly. Don't forget the 8km and 15km are "up wind/chop and then back". Only the 25km is pure downwind.

Rod..maybe you could talk to Mark about the response to this post when you speak to him. They can't start us early due to the support boats. So can we do it ?

I have been in discussion alot over the past 2 days with the Race Organisers and the following updates have occurred:-

1. All 4 Races (8km, 15km, 25km Solo & 25km Iron) now have Divisions ie. 12'6" & Under (Stock), 14' & Under (Fixed Fin/Rudderless) and Unlimited.

2. They will now be offering Medals for each division & each race.

3. We must wear a leg rope and carry a PFD (Personal Floatation Device) to be covered by their insurance and to be eligible to race. I know you may not agree with the PFD but we need to abide by AOCRA rules if they are going to include us in their events in the future. PFD's are fairly small and can be worn around the waist or fixed (somehow) to the board.

4. All SUP will start slightly earlier than the outriggers for each race. ie. 15 mins for 8km, 1/2 hr for 15km. Not sure yet if an earlier start will apply to the 25km races.

5. Please note that a $20 late fee will be charged if you haven't registered on line by December 5th.

6. Coffs Harbour Outrigger Canoe Club have been granted hosting these National Titles for the next 3 years and they will include SUP at there event every year.

Please let me know if you indend to race either via PM or on my web site (Sorry Laurie...have to mention it) as I need to give the Race Director some idea of how many SUP entries they can expect.

I have just finished a phone chat with Mark Lynch, he is the co-ordinator for this weekends event at Coffs. Mark asked me to post that there is a $20 daily insurance fee for the event.

Depending on how many SUPA paddlers attend the event, Mark will organise a straight downwinder race for the SUPA crew. The larger the crowd of Downwinders, the more chance there is of a specialist race for you.

If you google earth and use the path thingy there are four natural catches, two for southerlies and two for northerlies. The start would be from the harbour out thru the entrance about 1.5k turn north if southerly and McCauleys headland is about 3.5k with Sapphire another 4k.
If it is a Northerly turn south out of the harbour and trapdoors is about 8k which is the first headland or Sawtell which is the seconfd headland and about another 3k.

There was some rumour that insurance was going to be a problem, but Mark assures you that there is no problem and wants this to be the first of many events for the Down winder crew with maybe waves at a later date.

Rod

Probably ssw both days, w to sw in the mornings turning ssw by 11am then easing by 2pm and going s. Hopefully we will get some swell from this low.

Rod

nnw friday looks like wsw saturday. Due to our local micro climate it could be wsw in Coffs and wnw at Woopi. We have this big upland plateau on the coast here and Coffs is on the south side and Woolgoolga is on the north side, it tends to split the wind.

We will have to wait and see what happens, but it looks like wind.

Rod

yes a very hard day at the office againts a strong current slight head wind at times and a cammel pack that didn't want to feed me( big thanks to the guys in the boat who gave me a powerade and some lollies to chew on. Well done to woogie.
Jacko

I don;t normally write on these things but after the weekends effort I thought it important to congratulate all the boys who fronted up and completed in what was one of the most grueling things I have done in a while. I keep forgetting that racing is so much more intense than just going out for a training run and will take a few more SOL beers to numb the body for a relaxing sleep.
so thats that and I concur with Jacko some one bring the wind to the next one DOWN WIND

Woogie

nice work boys

which way did you guys go? ( N to S ) or (S to N)

must have been hell

where is the next comp?

spewing i didnt make it to watch you guys

been to busy trying to catch up with every thing after being away for so long on the road

maybe next time

congrats to all that competed