Catalina Channel Crossing 2009, US Championships

September 12-13, 2009 marked the Southern California Outrigger Race Association hosting of the 50th Catalina Channel Crossing US Championships outrigger race. After a year of training 4+ times a week, two VI Va’a race crews joined over 1000 paddlers from the US and a handful from Canada participating in this race.

This was a special year, marking the 50th anniversary of the first race from Avalon on Catalina Island to the Newport Dunes along the Californian coastline, and was special to us for other reasons as well:

Two of our crew members trained for Catalina 2008, but were not able to join our race crews until Catalina 2009. It was the first time our coaches Brent Bagnall and Risa Greenwood travelled down with both a men’s and women’s crew. To celebrate the 20th anniversary since his first Catalina Crossing, for the first time ever, Brent would coach to the island and race back. Risa would do likewise for the return leg.

Upon arrival and throughout the weekend we enjoyed reunions with paddlers from other Canadian and American clubs, as well as spending time with a fabulous group of old friends and new. We met Rupert from Comox, Linda from Vancouver, Allison Knode and Carol Schick from California, who would be joining our crews.

The day before the women’s race we were all pretty awed at the sight of the half naked, buff, tattooed Polynesian and Californian paddlers (nobody shy here!) and DANNY CHING! As we spotted paddling “celebrities” at the Dunes we asked ourselves what other sport offered non-professional athletes the opportunity to be amongst such elite and respected athletes, but also to compete alongside them?

Women’s Race

Race day dawned early for the women with a 4:45am wake up call! Just enough time to down some rib sticking carbs (oatmeal or such) and guzzle coffee before heading to Offshore Canoe Club for 6am. En route to the club we mentally prepared ourselves for the 27 mile race from Newport Beach to Casino Point, Avalon, Catalina Island. It’s surreal knowing the race is about to happen, there is no backing down now, the only option is to go forward and live the adventure. 

Excitement and nerves were high as we uncovered the canoe and made the final preparations for the race. Number 54, was a well-loved canoe from Offshore Canoe Club, home of the famous Mindy Clarke, JoJo Tepner and their crew who have completed (and won) more Molokai Crossings than any other team (and we sat next to them on the start line!). This canoe was thought to be “lucky” and one of the “most favourite” of some of the club’s members, having made the crossing more than a dozen times. Little did we know the luck we’d have.

Race day conditions were in our favour with warm temperatures, an overcast sky, very little wind and fairly flat water conditions apart from the significant boat wake that would affect us once the race started.

Those of us who raced last year were excited to see our escort boat was a real boat this year! Although there was a moment of trepidation when the boat wouldn’t start and flashbacks of last year’s zodiac momentarily crossed our minds. Then the engine turned over and we let out a group sigh of relief. The captain, Fred,  wasn’t worried, he said his craft is faithful and never gives up. A sign of good things to come. Once we loaded our race food and gear we headed off to launch the canoe in the warm Newport Beach waters and make our way to the start line.

Its hard to describe the feeling of warming up with 50 other women’s and mixed canoes. It’s a crazy choreography with canoe’s zipping here and there miraculously avoiding collision. After the warm up and a few chuckles at the antics of sea lions and pelicans around the bell can marker, Carol Schick, our 5'1" steerswoman from Santa Barbara expertly positioned our canoe on the start between the two Offshore crews. It sure is something to sit on the start line bobbing in the large ocean swell with all those canoe’s together. This is the part of the race where you feel like a coiled spring under control focusing on what is about to happen. Then without warning the line started to slowly paddle forward  and kept paddling forward, the tension increasing. All eyes watching for the green flag. Ready, Steady, Go!  

Our crew worked hard together throughout the whole long distance change race, some pushing themselves so far outside their comfort zone that we have to look back at the photos to believe we did it (thank you to our official race photographer Douglas). Trader Joes treats kept us well nourished throughout the day.

The collective experience of our team mates greatly benefitted us all, as did having one coach in the canoe, the other in the escort boat. Carol’s steady encouragement and expert steering kept us on track and focused. The crew worked very well together, everyone supporting each other in and out of the canoe.

Our changes went fairly smoothly & kept to the schedule despite a few lumps, bumps and bruises, and some unfortunate butt-chafe caused by the foam cushion seat pads and killer leg drive. As Tania learned, tegaderm doesn’t stick to wet skin! The best was when Brent loaned Linda his 10 yr old racing shorts so she could sit down and paddle the rest of the race – the bright blue bloomers kept us laughing. Pauline's signature crooked hat and glasses every water change brought some comedic relief, as we all stretched out in the water between changes, trying to conjure the strength to haul our carcasses up into the escort boat.

At about the three-hour mark of the race, a particularly large wave coming off another escort boat's wake raised our ama quite high. The ama came back down with a loud “crack”, and unbeknownst to us at the time, the tower supporting the iako had cracked and started to take on water. The rigging securing the back iako slowly loosened and the ama dragged and wagged behind us for the remainder of the race. For the most part it escaped our tired notice as we pushed to keep up with a few crews we had been ahead of in the first half of the race.

After the race our coach said it was the worst condition of an ama he had seen on a racing canoe in an event. The men looking at the ama figured it had taken on about 70 gallons of water. Funny enough we assumed we’d been in the paddling doldrums and couldn’t figure why we’d lost our glide! 

As the time headed towards noon, the sun broke through the clouds and we got near enough for our first clear glimpses of Catalina Island. It was around this point in the race that two long grey dorsal fins sprouted up from the depths and headed across the bow of the canoe. In complete synchronization, each paddler in the boat sat straight up in visceral, momentary panic. Sharks?!?!

As the dorsal fins headed between the escort boat and canoe, our coach called out to appease the paddlers “It is okay—they are dolphins.” Our escort boat captain muttered under his breath warily “Those aren’t dolphins.” Looking over the edge of the escort boat we experienced pure joy to witness the pilot whales turn onto their side so that they could get a better look at us as they passed by.

Saddleback Mountain, the Casino and the shores of Avalon became more and more visible. We also spotted Mark Black, our escort captain from last year, bouncing along in his zodiac, the Tiny Rhino. He waived and hollered enthusiastically when he recognized us. This year he was the official photography boat taking pics of the crews as they approached the island.

As we neared the finish we could hear the spectators cheer us in, and spot our teammates, friends and family, where they waited for us with anticipation. Those on the escort boat were thrilled to see the faces of the first-timers filled with awe, pride and disbelief at the finish line. What a race and what a canoe – lucky number 54 despite having a broken ama, held out long enough for us to complete the crossing and reach safety.

Later on, sitting at the reception at Descanso Beach after the race, we couldn’t believe how quickly the race went flew by. It was hard to wrap our heads around the fact that we had done it. In the words of a new paddler “take a moment to enjoy it...it goes by fast”.

To commit to a team and a common goal for an entire year and then see it come to fruition is one of the most satisfying experiences. This sense of accomplishment can not be described, it can only be felt.

In spite of dragging a broken ama half full of water, VI Va’a women finished in the top third of all women’s teams. This also put us 5th in the Bradley category and our time beat over 1/2 of the mixed teams.