2nd Annual CMW Canadian Surfski Champs – July 18, 2015 from Deep Cove Canoe & Kayak Centre on Vimeo.

So maybe you have heard?  The Canadian Surfski Champs is the Kick-Off event for the North American Triple Crown.  

Gorge Paddling Festival – July 20 – 26 will include a Solo Race and the Classic Wildside Relay, plus clinics, parties etc

US Surfski Champs August 1/2 The new date will make 3 weeks of great racing and downwind paddling.

To top it off, all three events are a part of the World Surfski Series so competition should be fierce.

Up Your Game!

This represents a great opportunity to move your downwind paddling skills to the next level.  For each of the events its good to arrive early pre-run the race course, take in some clinics, and enjoy the party atmosphere.  By doing this you’ll see some serious personal skill development.

The course for the Canadian Champs was flat last year, being a kite boarding hot spot there is always chance for winds. By moving it earlier in the year there is a better opportunity for nice downwind.  When conditions get big in Howe Sound novice and intermediate paddlers are challenged and experts have fun working the waves.  Marine Traffic is minimal.  Scenery is spectacular.  Squamish is a cool town with lots of great hiking and mountain biking. So its a great course as a warm-up and to build some confidence.  There will be clinics the week prior, and as a bonus the currents at Ambleside in West Vancouver will be running at 4+ knots the whole week prior.  Just add wind and it becomes an awesome downwind playground. Be sure to take in the popular Tuesday Night Paddlesport Race in Deep Cove, followed by race video and antics at The Raven Pub.

At The Gorge, conditions can vary from friendly to furious.  The “Home Valley” run from

Stevenson is a great 10 km downwind run to get used to the organized Gorge waves. There is minimal kite and sailboard traffic and the waves are nicely organized, starting off small at Stevenson and building to the finish at Home Valley.  Shuttling boats and cars is easy, with little to no traffic.  If you want to step it up, try the Drano Lake to Salmon Hatchery Run where you pass through Swell City.  Here the waves can be scary big, breaking, but are organized.  If you keep your nerve, hold your line you can ride em out.  Cross traffic from kite and sail boarders can be intense.  Wear your florescent hat and keep a whistle in your mouth.  Spend a week here and your skills will grow exponentially, setting you up for the USSC.  Hanging out in The Gorge is a riot.  Hood River is an iconic outdoor rec town, with the Matterhorn-like Hood Mountain looming.

The US Surfski Champs will challenge the most seasoned paddler, and will throw everything at you.  Currents, ocean swell, side chop, freighters, sailing fleets, fast cat ferries, lunging sea lions and best of all some great downwind.  If you can make it to the Wednesday Night Wavechaser racer that will give you some great experience.  Be sure to pre-run the sections of this race. Muir Beach to Fort Baker,  then Fort Baker to Berkley.

It’ll be a great summer for surfski racing, so you’d better start training and booking your hotels.

Regards

Bob