Opawa Blast Results 13 December 2016

A strong head wind on the upstream paddle, along with a lot of chopped up weed made for  tough conditions in Tuesday nights Opawa Blast.

Mandy McFarlane was first off on 10 minutes, paddling her ski, Mandy had a good paddle with the field chasing hard, catching her on the turn. The group of Allan Martella, Mike Pike, Thomas Walsh & Tim McFarlane stayed in touch thru out the race. This was Thomas’s fist outing in his new his new green Vadja K1.

Murray “granddad” Gane (two minutes) joined the scratch bunch of Nick Webby & Ian Martella on the start line, Ian & Nick worked hard on each other’s wash on the down river section giving them a slight advantage. Murray showed some old cunning and fortitude and managed to stay in touch.

Results

Ian Martella        31:20:00

Nick Webby          31:37:00

Murray Gane         33:32:00

Allan Martella      37.10:00

Thomas Walsh        38:21:00

Tim McFarlane       35:48:00

Michael Pike        36:10:00

Manday McFarlane    47:08:00

Marlborough Multisport Series 2017

This summer, the Marlborough Triathlon and Multisport Club are again partnering with Transition Events  to present the Marlborough Multisport Series.  This series incorporates our three iconic events held in the Marlborough Sounds each summer.

The series is designed so that distances in each event are roughly the same and they incorporate interesting and challenging courses. In an effort to encourage new people to have a go, the paddle section of each event has been reduced to 4km, meaning that the experts can have a super fast hit out, but beginners can achieve the distance on most types of paddling craft.

You can choose either the swim tri or kayak tri option, individual or team.

Entries are open now! So what are you waiting for? Get entered, get training, have fun and we’ll see you on the start line!

Click for more info on the Marlborough Multisport series.

Tuesday Kayak Sprints Race Report

Kayak Sprint Results 25 November 2016

In near perfect conditions Tuesday night, kayak sprints were held at the Blenheim rowing club. Tide was outgoing with a slight Nor West wind and a slight ripple on the water. River flow was approx. 50 cumecs which made for fast racing times. Time keeping was Tim McFarlane and Ian MacAlpine  

Girls started first, with some close finishes between all three in the 200 meter sprints with Abbie doing well in her first race. Carol I’m sure you won’t mind me telling everyone you were trying that hard you had a swim in your fourth heat. 

Next up was the mens multisport with a mixture of multisport boats and skis. Murray Gane showed his cunning that comes with age (Grandad) with some good finishes, whilst Thomas showed that his latest training paid off especially in the longer 500-meter discipline. Mike Pike shared the “submarine award” with Carol having a swim in his 3^rd heat. Some close times across the board with even the 69 year old Martella being competitive. Dave Bullivant pulled out the power in the short race but was out manoeuvred in the longer version.

In the k1 section, Paul Bourgeois and Matt Loveridge showed why they are some of NZs best paddlers with an awesome display of power and technique. Marty and Nick Webby hatched a plan that pulled them back with some start line readjustments with and a handicap being applied to Matt and Paul, it made for some exciting and close racing. Well done to Matt having started back in his boat after a recent injury.

 Well done to all racers for competing, hopefully we might see FATS [AKA Dave Fernandez] back along with some of the school kids which would be great.

Next sprint racing to be Tuesday November 22^nd at 17:00 hours, some volunteers will be required for time keeping duties.

 

Club AGM 18 October 2016

The Marlborough Triathlon & Multisport Club AGM

Date: Tuesday 18 October, 7.30pm

Venue: Fairweathers, Scott Street, Blenheim

Come along and share any thoughts you might have on what the club is up to, have a drink or three if you think it’ll improve your general knowledge in the famous Quiz and share some laughs.

All existing and intending members and interested parties are welcome, and it would be great to get lots of people along to consider the aims and goals of the club of the next year and beyond.

Hope to you see you there

Twin Rivers Kayak Race Sunday 4 September 2016

Twin Rivers 2016 results

The Twin Rivers Kayak race  is on Sunday 4th September 2016 from the Blenheim Rowing Sheds to Riverside Park in Blenheim. The 20km flat water race is one of the club’s oldest races and is always popular with local and away paddlers who are keen to kick start their summer season or make the most of the effects of the hard work training in the dark over winter.

The course is 5km down the Wairau River and then 15 km up the Opawa River assisted by the incoming tide.

Entry can be on the day or beat the late entry fee and enter before 2nd September.

Download an entry for here

For further information contact Andrea andreakoorey@hotmail.com phone 027 451 8577

Beavertown Badboy Kayak Race 24 July 2016

The annual Beavertown Badboy Kayak Race is on Sunday 24 July 2016.

It involves 32 K’s of flatwater water racing on the original course including the Opawa and Wairau River’s, Roses Overflow and the Opawa loop. Small amount of portage in there as well.

Start time is 10am, Registration from 9am

Beavertown_Badboy_2016_Entry

The Portage Race goes from Strength to Strength

Matt Loveridge (L) fights a close battle with Hayden Lockie to take the win by one second after the better part of three hours racing.

Portage 2016 Results

Waka Ama Results 2016

A few years ago we had such low numbers in this event that there were more race officials than competitors, but in recent years, that has all changed.

In 2014 we gave the event a bit of push and celebrated the race’s 25^th anniversary with a big field. We achieved this by promising a bit of a 25^th party, reinstating the 10 km kayak event from Picton to Torea (we won’t go into the minor detail that the paddlers then have to get back from Torea!), and inviting Waka Ama paddlers to join us for a 20km or 10 km race.

And, now we have a bit of a party every year in Picton for this event. My thanks goes to all the paddlers who have kept the event the special thing that it is and also to Waka Ama paddlers who have joined us and for bringing your style and enthusiasm – I love it!

This year we had more than 120 paddlers, and they were all racing to Torea together – what a sight.

There were 10 kayakers who didn’t want to brave the portaging sections of the race and took on an unscheduled ferry, and each other in the battle for the 10km crown. Carole and Nick Webby teamed up in their double ski and used that advantage to make it to Torea first, followed closely by John Blackmore, and then Thomas Moore who was back visiting old haunts for the weekend. The 10k’ers then had some fun on the return trip to Picton checking out the dolphins, fish-eating seals, wash riding (I’m not so sure that was part of the support boat drivers’ brief!) and generally enjoying the beautiful waterways we have on our doorstep.

Meanwhile the long course “hard bastards” were away from the crowds in the Kenepuru and challenging themselves with some hilly running with some extra unwieldy weight. Matt Loveridge and last year’s winner Hadyn Lockie pretty much held hands most of the way and could well have been still doing so at the finish line with less than a second separating them. Nice racing guys.

Naomi Whitehead was our only women on the long course – and made it look easy too, which is more than I can say for some of the old timers our there!

Back in the Queen Charlotte Sound the 13 W6 Waka Ama teams were a great sight as they paddled together from Picton to their start line at Mable Island. The field spread out after the start with some racing within the race going on between many pairs of boats. The boys from Motueka (Abel Tasman Soul) cleared out from the field to lead home from the mixed crew of ATG (Against the Grain) and the women’s team Katcha Whaea.

Thanks to all the volunteer race officials and the sponsors, We look forward to seeing everyone in Picton again next year for another great day, and we’ll see if I can get the ferrys to give way to us!