WAIS Canoeing News
The local paddle scene this week will see WAIS paddlers line up in the popular Bay to Beach Paddle from Mosman Bay to Cottesloe.
The challenging 17km course will see a battle between ocean racing specialists and kayak paddlers with Reece Baker (Marmion)WAIS’ best chance to win the race with the rapidly improving Steve Bird (MtPleasant) achance for a podium finish if conditions suit.
Meanwhile on the East Coast ironman turned kayak paddler Brendan Sarson (Balcatta) will compete in the Kellogg’s Nutrigrain Ironman Series Trial at Wanda Beach, NSW. Sarson’s chances of qualifying for the finals held early in the New Year have been put in jeopardy as a result of a serious foot infection sustained during the recent Anaconda Adventure Race which left him in hospital for three days and a further eight days with intravenous antibiotics which put a dent in his training program. Now in his second week back, Sarson is still working his way back to full fitness, but he is a tough competitor who will certainly give himself every chance of doing well.
From Wanda, Sarson will fly direct to Dubai to contest the richest Ocean Race in the World with $130,000 prize money up for grabs in the Dubai Shamaal over 30km. This event will provide arguably the greatest collection of ocean racing specialists and kayak paddlers the World has seen in one event. Olympic Gold Medallists Ken Wallace (Australia), Tim Brabants (Great Britain), Eirik Larsen (Norway) along with Olympic silver medallist Ben Fouhy (NZ) and multiple World Marathon Champion Manuel Busto (Spain) are all taking on the best ocean racers in the world headed by the legendary Oscar Chalupsky (South Africa). Brendan Sarson is going to be in elite company and a position in the top 20 would be an exceptional result in a field of 200 paddlers from 20 countries.
Back at home following the Bay to Beach Paddle, Reece Baker, Steve Bird, Jesse Phillips (Nollamara) and Lee Davey (Myaree) will head to Adelaide fora National Men’s Squad camp for two weeks into the lead up to the first Grand Prix of the year in Adelaide from 12 – 14 December.
Gold Coast based Rachel Simper will be in town next week to train with K2 partner Alana Nicholls (Dianella).