3D Rotorua - Off-Road Winter Multisport Festival
Aussies take on the Kiwis in NZ
Jarad Kohlar - Steve Cooper / 12.06.2011
And what a backyard it is, here is Jarads Report:
“Up, up, up!� I scream to myself. Two boat-lengths ahead, on my right, is a K1, and on my left, Richard ‘Crusher’ Ussher is slowly pulling level with me. After a few hard strokes around the first turning buoy, I find myself on the outside of the corner and off the Crusher’s wash. If only I was paddling one of the four K1s I own back in Australia!
“Stroke rate, catch, up, up, up!� I scream to myself again, determined to stay close. Jetski wash and wave bounce-back from the shoreline help as we approach the second turning buoy. Now I find myself about two boat-lengths off Richard’s wash, with New Zealander, Sam Clark, powering up on my left. This young kid can paddle! I hang on to his wash as he puts the power down along the length of Lake Okareka, before hitting the third buoy. At this point, Richard is about 50 metres in front, working well with a team paddler. Sam and myself work well together until the end of the paddle, and we hit the shore about 100 metres behind Richard.
I’ve paddled in my MTB shoes, so I manage to have a fast transition and am out on the ride in second place. After doing a recky of the MTB course on Friday, I know what I’m in for, and am looking forward to this ride even though my legs aren’t! The first three kilometers is a solid climb on bitumen. My legs don’t like this one bit, and Sam comes past me. Then I can hear this humming sound coming from behind me. At first I think it’s a swam of bees or wasps, but it’s Kiwi Dougal Allen’s nobbies on the bitumen! I swear he is braking into some of those corners going uphill. Next to pass me is Grant Suckling – he has had had a rough paddle with boat and rudder issues, and now has a look of concentration and determination on his face.
SleepMonsters
