Blowy Wet Brisbane Waters Open, Harbour Racing Race 5

The weather Gods were not looking after Brisbane Water Paddlers again this year. With a predicted 20 knot southerly, it was looking doubtful that the race would even go ahead on Saturday 3 September 2022. Clever planning from BWP members late on Friday afternoon produced an alternative course that would be protected from the southerly. 5am Saturday (race morning) BWP Vice President, Murray Dell, arrived at Patonga to check the course before distance paddlers left home; the race was confirmed as proceeding. 6:30am the heavens opened up and the rain started to come down hard. BWP boat crews were trying to set up the buoys, visibility was very low & the wind was getting worse! A judgement call was made due to the wind, rain, low visibility & paddlers safety and the course was changed again. Laps around Patonga Bay it was, the laps turned out to be fun with a little downwind section from the top turn.    

51 Paddlers started the race.

  • · Division 1 – Open Long Course: 34 paddlers (32 single skis & 2 double skis)
  • · Division 2 – Intermediate Long Course: 3 single ski paddlers
  • · Division 3 – Short Course: 9 paddlers (7 single skis and 2 doubles)
  • · Division 4 – SUP Short Course: 5 paddlers

There were 5 juniors – 4 in a single ski the other was as in a double. Race start was slightly delayed due to the last-minute course change. Thank you to BWP President Craig Dodd for overseeing race start & quickly organising the buoy placements.

The 2 rescue boats were kept busy monitoring the paddlers especially on the top two turns. No rescues had to be made only some guidance on ski remounting.

Of the 65 entries, 51 paddlers competed in the race. There were 3 DNFs.

  • · Div 1 (Long Course) – the overall winner was Trent Mozzie Martin from Brisbane Water paddlers with a time of (45:00), the fastest female was Nicci Vesley from Learn to Paddle now (49:27)
  • · Div 2 (Long Course) – the overall winner was Pat Quinlan from Manly Warringah with a time of 52:23, the fastest female was Julia Ong from Manly Warringah (01:08:05) 
  • · Div 3 (Short Course) – the overall winner was Emanuel Freer from Learn To Paddle Now with a time of 00:36:03, the fastest female in a single was Kate Lane from Sydney Harbour Surf Club (43:41)
  • · Div 4 (SUP Short Course) – the overall winner was Lee Johnson 49:25.

Feedback from paddlers “It was great to just get this race done, the conditions were terrible, but the course was fun & exciting on the downwind section”. Some good stories were told at the Patonga Pub after the event.

BWP really hope to see everyone back next year when the weather might allow us to paddle the Lion Island course that we so much wanted to do this year. Massive thank you to Brisbane Water Paddlers, volunteers & Paddle NSW race officials.

Full results can be found at 2022 Harbour Racing (5) Brisbane Waters Open | Race results | Webscorer

Race photos can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/paddlensw/albums/72177720301802619

Next race in the series is the rescheduled Newy Harbour Classic, Sunday 25 September and the final race in the series is Hacking Classic, Saturday 1 October. https://paddleaustralia.justgo.com/workbench/public/events?ref=04878C71E05100709395DDD48CC005FE26A30032 Enter now via JustGo and save!

Murray Dell, 2022 Brisbane Waters Open Race Manager, Vice President of Brisbane Water Paddlers

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