Tropical Power Coast 2 Coast 2008

---

Day 2-Bike, Run and Paddle

Kip Koelsch and Clay Abney / 23.10.2008

After limited internet access on the island along the race route…we finally have the final race report from the Trinidad Coast 2 Coast.

Day Two’s 5am start had teams scrambling after the race to get refueled, re-hydrated, gear cleaned and sorted and to get some well-needed sleep. With Richard Ussher more than 30 minutes ahead of second place, and Elina Ussher more than 15 minutes in first, the battle—barring tire punctures or other issues—seemed to be for second and third places in the solo categories.

The second day started where the first day ended—the orange suspension bridge over the Marianne River in Blanchisseuse. Cyclists readied their lights for the pre-dawn start of the 56 km cycling leg and race officials warned of challenging road conditions for the first 20 minutes or so of riding—narrow, twisty roads and a combination of potholes and unevenly patched pavement. Once through that section, racers were assured that the conditions improved—just in time for the climbing to begin. While the start was near sea-level, the riders eventually worked their way over climbs steeper and longer than Day One’s ride—getting to the heart of Trinidad’s Northern Range. The long steady climb past the Maracas lookout put racers up to a race-high altitude of 1300 feet—but, at least they had wider, smoother roads to make the attempt. Following the climb was another steep downhill, a shorter, lower climb, and a flat, fast section through busier streets of Diego Martin to the next TA.

What racers encountered next was just an 8k run—albeit nearly half was a steep uphill. While the Day One run from Matelot to Blanchisseuse was challenging in it’s length and moderately technical in places, the run on Day Two was know for the technical nature of it’s uphill—requiring racers to search for secure foot and hand holds—rocks, roots, tree branches—on several nearly vertical pitches. The views from the top were tremendous—peering through the vegetation just inches from the trail and being able to look hundreds of feet to the crashing waves below. Though there were a few flat spots on that scenic ridge, the trail plunged from the top almost as steeply as it went up—allowing good technical downhillers to gain speed and time. As runners moved from single track trail to an obvious old road, the passed abandoned US military bunkers from WWII and a government Seed Centre. The final few kilometers were along a paved road to the kayak TA at Maqueripe.

Maqueripe was the start of the 32 km paddling leg. It was here that racers were confronted with one of the most challenging sections of the race. A passing storm front had set up ground swell waves running along the coast—great news for those competent enough to surf the large waves and bad news for those not quite as confident in the massive swells. Race leader Richard Ussher and Trinidad’s own Robert Sharpe were among the few that used to the waves to their advantage, clocking the fastest paddle times on the day. Other paddlers struggled not only with the swells, but, even once “inside� the First Boca and in slightly more sheltered water, they struggled with the pounding rain and high winds generated by a few short-lived local squalls. Luckily, the course provided occasional shelter from waves and wind as it took racers around several small islands and then along the leeward coast from the yacht club on Cumana Bay to the kayak landing in Williams Bay.

Top 3 paddling times were:
Robert Sharpe (Trinidad) 3:16:54
Richard Ussher (NZ) 3:21:42
Mike Devine (Trinidad) 3:39:53

After beaching their kayaks, racers had a 200 meter run along the shore and through the finishing chute where they were greeted by a local drumming band, cheers from a large crowd, and a commemorative finisher’s medal. Of course, they also enjoyed copious amounts of food, beer, Gatorade, and were treated to free post-race massage.

Racers were able to race in several categories in the 2008 Coast 2 Coast. All of the international racers competed in the individual male or female categories. The other categories included the team relay and for the first year…competitors were permitted to participate in the individual stages. There was a 13 year old that completed Stage 4 and vowed ‘to come back next year and bring his younger brother to run with him as well’.

The race results for the top finishers in each category are as follows:

Men:
Richard Ussher (NZ) 10:34:39
Martin Flinta (Sweden) 11:41:52
Clarence Tobias (Trinidad) 11:54:54

Women:
Elina Ussher (NZ) 13:24:32
Nina Ostman (Mexico) 14:28:35
Nina Chaves (Trinidad) 15:49:08

Masters:
Robert Sharpe 12:55:24
Kip Koelsch (USA) 15:23:18
Roger D’Abadie 15:34:18


To view all of the results, visit http://www.odesseytiming.com





See All Event Posts