In the middle of March almost 100 people gathered in the woods between Port Renfrew and Lake Cowichan. They gathered for the purpose of paddling the Gordon river and beer. It was the weekend of the 2nd Annual Gordon Creek Race (Paddle Royal), people came from all over. There was people from Calgary, the Kootenays, Golden, Whistler, and more. Groups arrived from thursday onwards to get a number of different laps in. There was 2 different races happening this year. One was a two person team race, as fast as you could, down the upper section. The 2nd was a slalom race on the main feature of the upper section, Triple Drop.
With 48 people racing in 2 person team race on the Saturday morning it was going to be a fun day. One of the warm up laps had the most paddlers I have ever seen on the Upper Gordon at anyone time. There was a bit of carnage, a few swims. The river was changing with almost every lap, with so much rain coming down.
Shayne and myself managed 4 laps through out the day. The last lap checking to see if everyone made it down okay. We came across Dan and helped him get back his boat and paddled out the river with him. Afterwards heading back to the camp, settling in for a number of beers, good stories, laughs, food and the awards(which are very good, especially the ones for the swimmers)
Till the next year.
Mens Downriver
1=Mikkel St. Jean-Duncan and Christopher Mctaggart @8.10
2=Steve Arns and Maxi Kniewasser @ 8.29
3=Sam Drouin and Luke Borserio @ 8.35
4= Sven Perschmann. and Sam Butler @ 8.37
5= Chase Crisfield and Slimmer Michael Reeder @ 8.40
6 = Raphael Boudreault-Simard and Richard Kemble @ 8.46
7= David O Sullivan and Ash Bullivant @ 8.54
8 = Chris Rhyman and Mike Grant @ 9.04
9= Shayne Vollmers and Dave David Prothero @ 9.13
10= Geoff Price and Andraz Krpic @ 9.19
11= Rob Porter and Louis Bissonette @ 9.29
12= Mason Lacy and Matt Iwama @ 9.30
13= Klade Glasgow and Ben Bedingham @ 9.54
14= Paul Dempsey and Scott Ballhorn @ 12.04
15= Liam Yeoman and Scott Bell @13.16
16(DNF) Kiah Schaepe and Lawrence Brennan, Glen and Brandon Willms, Adrian and Dan, Chris and Luke, Denny and Hamish.
Womens Downriver
1= Monique Boag and Amy Whitaker 11.00
2= Alison Homer and Annie Lagueux @ 12.07
3= Aliye Tz and Meg Seiling@ 17.34 (plus one swim)
4= Katrina Van Wick and Teagan Owens(with two swims from Teagan) – DNF
Slalom
1= Raphaël Boudreault-Simard @ 1.53
2= Richard Kemble @ 2.14
3= Ash Bullivant@ 2.15
4 = Matt Iwama@ 2.25
5 = Mikkel St. Jean-Duncan @ 2.31
6 = Slimmer Michael Reeder @ 2.37
7 = Chris Ryman and Glen Carpenter @ 2.41
8 = Maxi Kniewasser@ 2.45
9 = The person who started 2 people behind Katrina Van Wijk @ 2.46
10= Mason Lacy @ 2.47
11 = Katrina Van Wick @ 2.55
12 = The person who started just before Rob Porter @ 3.01
13 = The person who went just after Katrina @ 3.20
14 = Louis @ 3.40
15 = Rob @ 4.58
16 = (DNF) Brandon Willms and Sven Perschmann
A huge Thanks to the Sponsors of the Event. Looking forward to the next year.
Sponsors
Enjoy a few Photos Below,
Stoke
Raphaël Boudreault-Simard looking stoked before the race.
Kayakers heading off for a warm up lap.
Beauty day, with loads of rain.
Heading out from the put-in
Red Kayak in the rain
Boats Reflected
After race beer, around a fire… west coast style
The chef at work over the grill.
Staying warm
Lonely beer
Sven soaking in the rain after the race.
Seeking shelter before dinner.
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