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2014 Orange Bowl Paddle Championship - Part II
Now, on to the Recreational Race of the 2014 Orange Bowl Paddle Championship.
They're off in ones, twos and threes down the short course, turning fast and hard to charge back to the start. This is a demanding discipline and one that might mess you up if you don't use good paddling form. Ninety-eight paddlers raced the three mile recreational course as depicted above. Getting into position as the tension for the start builds. Click on image twice for full sized photo There's the start and they're off! Click on image twice for full sized photo It is impressive just how fast the racers charge down the channel to the bay. You need to power up to stay out of the way. The Recreational race moves into the canal as they work towards Biscayne Bay. Click on image twice for full sized photo Near a hundred paddlers fill out the marina channel pretty well. Moving across the Miami skyline, always a dramatic backdrop to this unique race. The Freedom Tower and palms How about sprint races one year with two teams of 50 or so paddlers towing megayachts against one another? Click on image twice for full sized photo Moving westward into the mouth of the Miami River. Jogging into the river before turning south just to the west of Brickell Key. Henni from Germany shows good form. The competition heats up as folks try to pull ahead. Click on image twice for full sized photo The Recreational racers round the south end of Brickell Key. August, son of race organizer Ken Russell rounds Brickell Key making dad proud. The racers stack up north to south as they charge around Brickell Key. Back out into the bay for the run back north to the Bayfront Marina and the finish. Stacking up as the racers move north of Brickell Key. The finishers cross the line in the marina. Tandem riders finish the recreational race Click on image twice for full sized photo Recreational racers wait as paddlers finish. Garry Menk keeps track of scoring along with dozens of other tasks during the races. Manatee and even dolphin show up along the race route in most years. I think this one came right into the area of the marina. Perhaps he wanted to sign up for the sprints? Ken waves to the racers after the finish. Results of the Recreational Race You can see the complete Recreational Race results at https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...c_Overall.html Some random shots from the event. Alex of Jimmy Lewis takes a short break from helping to run the event for a paddle. Folks keep coming in as the finishers hang out and catch their breath. Mini and MAB Annette rests up after the seven mile run. Packet shows off his new Warrior race board design. Ken checks out the event with his GoPro Barbara Sage is up from Key West to race. Laura of Fanatic gets out for a paddle. The Surf Rider Poly Bagman gets temporarily bagged by some KW racers. August Russell looking for another race, takers? Andres Pombo tools around in what must be a record sized inflatable SUP/water-going trampoline. Nessa happy as always and looking good! Many thanks to Captain Jimmy Whited for co-founding the race and sponsoring it and to Lydia Muniz, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami for her good works and providing a worth cause to be supported by this event. Maui dog of Adventure Sports Miami works the event hard. The dynamic paddling duo of MAB and Mini pose for a shot. Chasing the racing fleet around we missed the Heat Dancers but fortunately, Alexandra was on the job and got this shot. I learned a new term, "photo bomb" or jpegs that go bang? Event organizer Garry Menk comes in from setting up the sprint racing course. Now for the sprint races ... Jesse Kautz surges from the start, these guys go fast! Paolo Marconi in from Europe sprints hard off the mark! Click on image twice for full sized photo Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the kids go for a paddle. The awards ... (Special thanks to Ken Russell and Alexandra Villarreal Menk for proving excellent photos of some of the action which I missed. Their photos are the ones without markings in this writeup.) What could be more natural than oranges at an Orange Bowl event? Lina and Slater are in first and in the money! MAB, Mini in the winner's circle. Thanks to all the organizers, sponsors, racers and spectators who came together to make this great event happen again! More about the race on its Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/OrangeBowlPaddleChampionship Great job on the race to one and all, hope to see you next year! (p.s. - be sure to checkout Part I of the 2014 race at: http://fksa.org/showthread.php?t=12066 ) .
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FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi Last edited by ricki; 02-13-2014 at 04:36 AM. |
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