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Fun And Fitness In The V8!
2011 West Coast Champs – Clearwater Canoe Club – Florida
By Brian Houston
The racers paddled strongly into the Gulf of Mexico, sweating under the Florida sun and straining against the incoming tide. I was focused on my own race within the race, a duel with Terry Streib – we were doing our best at representing the over 60 crowd!
I had been waiting to make my move, timing a push to catch the kayak just ahead of me, and I was right on pace. A mild ache was creeping into my body as the race approached the final two miles, time to step it up I told myself. Have to catch that yellow 18XS!
Terry was rounding the channel mark in the yellow Epic, but instead of following the surf skis and outriggers, he inexplicably set off in another direction! I knew Terry was race savvy, with years of experience, so I didn’t question him. Perhaps he had seen a faster line to the next mark. I picked up the pace and rounded the mark, catching a swell that launched my V8 towards the next turning point, near the fishing pier. Ahead was a racer in an OC-1; grinding in the V8 I quickly closed the distance, catching one small bump after another. As I approached the turning point to the pier I saw Terry angling towards me from the starboard side of my ski – son of a gun put in a strong interval and was going to beat me to the turning point!
I dropped my chin to my chest, focusing on my hip rotation and technique, and barely beat Terry to the turn. I was concentrating on closing the distance between my V8 and the OC-1 ahead when I heard a familiar sound - Terry’s paddle blades, smooth and rhythmic, close behind me. What a great race, the finish was going to be a sprint!
Terry and I passed the OC-1 on our way back under the bridge and into the Sound. The tide was with us now, and the extra speed added to the excitement as we raced to the finish line. Terry came up on my port side; neither of us was going to yield as we sprinted to the line. Side by side we dueled and as we reached the finish, muscles burning and sweat pouring, we crossed the finish in a dead heat!
The crowd went wild! What a race, what a finish! This is why we compete - for moments like this. Terry and I congratulated each other, thrilled with the rewarding competition.
By the way; Reid Hyle, Rob Mirlenbrink and Dave Robertshaw finished 1,2,3 - at least 20 minutes ahead of (and a good twenty five years behind) Terry Streib and myself!
Thanks Greg and Oscar for the V8 and the 18X, what a blast!
