Ft. Laud. To Crandon Park Kite Race In Photos!

[ricki]

Kent and Neil had a good idea, a downwind race from Ft. Lauderdale to Crandon Park on Key Biscayne, about 30 miles. Originally, Kent wanted a two leg race, down and back for 60 miles but mother nature interceded with NE winds. So south we rode.

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/36_G.jpg
Neil and Terry at Tiki Beach in Ft. Lauderdale.

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/Ft_Laud_to_Crandon_Race.jpg
The course, past FIVE inlets from open ocean conditions into the northern limits of Biscayne Bay

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/31_G.jpg
Wind looks good. In fact we will probably have an unheralded SEVEN days of winds in the 15 to 20 to 30 mph range in late May.

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/newgraph_53.gif
We took off at around 2 pm rode for 1 to 2 hours plus

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/38_G.jpg
Andrea riding for Viking rigs up

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/Demian.jpg
Demian is always a serious contender in these distance runs and not to spoil the surprise too much, he won.

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/39_G.jpg
Grace hits a warm up run

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/32_G.jpg
Get those kites up

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/34_G.jpg
Still rigging

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/37_G.jpg

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/30_G.jpg
Had some nice chop in the northern part of the run, diminishing southward until almost flat off Crandon

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/20_G.jpg
We're almost off. I was using a disposible UW camera for this portion so apologies for the poor image quality.

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/21_G.jpg
There's the start and we're moving out!

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/22_G.jpg
Coming up on Pt. Everglades in no time

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/23_G.jpg
Skipping quite a bit of coast, here's looking north over a sand bar off of Crandon

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/24_G.sized.jpg
Resting up at Crandon and grabbing a suds infusion for strength

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album276/25_G.jpg
Kent and Neil at their ease sucking down some suds. Well done guys, yet one more fun event among so many others over the years.

Thanks!!!



Here are the results again ...


1st Damien Thomas 1hr 13 mins (slingshot 15 Fuel w/ ss circuit board)
2nd Kent Marinkovic (Cabrinha SB2 12 w/ DC directional quad board)
3rd Jordan ??? (North older version, not sure of board)
4th Garry Menk (Cabrinha SB2 w/ large water ski)
5th Todd Greaux (Cabrinha CB2 w/ production Cab Custom 133)
6th Hamish Macdonald. (Slingshot 9 Fuel w/ strapless tri fin surf board)
7th Stew (Slingshot 11 Fuel w/ custom directional)
8th Louis (Best 11 w/ stock twintip)
9th Neil Hutchinson. (Slingshot T2 14 w/ ss srt one strap)
10th Alex Bloechinger. (Slingshot 13 Fuel w/ custom twintip)
11th Packet (Slingshot 12 Octane w/ stock twintip)
12th S.A. Alex (Slingshot 16 Octane w/ stock twintip
13th Rob (Naish 12 w/ ss srt)
14th Matt M.B.S. Best 12 w/ stock twintip)
15th Dougal Macdonald. ( Slingshot 15 Fuel w/ Strapless Surf Board)
16th Grace Marcell(Slingshot 12 Link w/ custom twintip, 1st lady)
17th Burt (Slingshot 17 Fuel w/ stock twintip)
18th Rick Iossi. (Cabrinha ContraB 14 w/ Waterboards twintip)
19th Andrea Esno (Slingshot 15 Fuel w/ stock twintip, 2nd lady)
20th Terri Flicek (Slingshot 11 Fuel w/ stock twintip)
21st Jay (Slingshot 15 Fuel w/ stocktwintip)

[ricki]

The things that stick in my head from this one is how it almost seemed harder than the actual 60 mile race last year. That was before I messed up both calves. You think something is healed but it may not quite be there.

The other thing is cramming 12 people into one pickup, a big one, for the ride back to Ft. Lauderdale. That includes all of our gear as well. Pretty amazing and thanks for the lift! I want to get a photo next time.

Any other memories before this one sets into the past?