The PaddleNSW 2022 Marathon Series Race 4 was held at Saratoga Sailing Club on Saturday 7th May; hosted by Brisbane Water Paddlers.
Arriving early morning to crisp sunshine and a light 5 knots westerly, the early course conditions looked quite benign in this beautiful location.
As the morning progressed and competitors arrived, so did the wind. Nature’s energy blew from the west which made for challenging conditions for the race start and it stayed for the duration.
Fastest speeds were recorded down the first 1.5-2 kilometres of the 5 kilometre course with the toughest conditions around Saratoga/Yattalunga Bay at the bottom end of the course with side chop and rebound creating a sizeable bump and tricky conditions especially for the K1 paddlers.
66 Craft took part in the race across all Divisions. Well represented by 12 clubs across the State and ACT. Congratulations to all who took part in the race where skills were certainly put to test.
Thank you to all clubs, competitors, volunteers and sponsors who contributed to this event.
Results via Webscorer: https://www.webscorer.com/PaddleNSW
Thank you Craig Dodd for this report and Ian Wrenford for the photographic evidence