So the time had come, the time to put my training to the test and actually do the race.  My team-mate Rhys, Will and I set off after work on Friday to head up to Northam where the race starts to have our gear scrutineered.  Once we had collected the registration packs we dropped off our skis in the start zone for them to be ready in the morning.

There was a few there!!!!!!  It was still pretty early so we thought we might as well go and see what goes off in Northam on a Friday night…. The answer – not much!!!!

We ended up in  pub which I thought had karaoke on the go, turns out it was a band…….  after a few pint it was time to head back, as we walked out the pub next door had three blokes escorted out with handcuffs on by the local plod.  Northam is a great place to have go on a Friday night.

Waking up on saturday was fun.  I am still pretty resilient from the cold from living in Scotland, but the others I was with could not stop going on and on and on about how cold it was.

Yes it was icy but you would have thought it was the start of the next ice age the way they were all wearing everything they owned.  Once the sun had burnt through the fog it warmed up quick.  Off to the start line we went

people were set off in groups of 10 in 30 second intervals.  I was doing the next leg so got to watch them all go.  The first obstacle was Northam weir.  A 10m concrete chute that turned a lot of people sideways and caused a lot of pile ups

Will above in the green ski.  He managed to keep it straight and got away clean.  Rhys ended in a bit more of a pile up! (red helmet and blue tshirt)

Once they had all gone through it was time for me to jump in the car and get down the road to get ready for the change over with Rhys.  He had 25km odd of paddling so I had a few hours so wasn’t in a rush.  I go there on time and soaked up the atmosphere.  I never realised how big an event it was as there where literally hundreds of folk out cheering and watching all the racers.

Once I had changed over with Rhys I had about another 25km for my leg.  This past fairly eventless as the first day is fairly flat water,  I just had the tea trees to contend with.  As people were so spread out by this point it was no hassle.  I was definitely glad that I had practised them as otherwise navigation would have been interesting!  Day 1 done. 50km down, 75 to go.

It was time to build a fire, try to dry the clothes out as much as possible and sink a few cold ones……

A great evening was passed just sharing stories of the day and meeting other racers around a fire.  To bed early, the fun day was on sunday so didn’t want to get too carried away with over indulging.  Another clear night.

I woke up to sounds of more thin blooded locals ” Jeez how bloody cold is it?!!?!?” and ” streuth I am freezing my balls off” etc….  where commonly heard phrases.  I must admit it wasn’t pleasant getting out of my snuggly warm sleeping bag into my wet paddling clothes from the day before when it was 1C outside.

Once up and ready to rock – Will and I went down to the start.

6:30 am and ready to go!!!!!  Today was the fun day, the rapids!  excitement and nerves in equal measurements.  We all lined up in our heats from the previous day seedings and quickly we were off.  The only real cold part now was numb hands but that was soon forgotten going into the last section of tea trees elbows out ready for battle!

And battle it was, there were people rammed into the sides and then swinging out and blocking the river, people trying to paddle of the top of them, people up trees, massive pile ups and other trying to avoid it all dragging their boats along the shore.

I got through with a moderate amount of success, I didn’t ram any one too hard, wasn’t rammed my self too hard and didn’t have to do any swimming so a success.

It took a while for the sun to burn off the fog, the picture above is just after existing the tea trees, and it is actually a colour picture!  Was pretty surreal.  Soon the sun was burning off the fog and warmth started to return through the body, with this, energy and a determined spirit to get a move on!

The rapids were great fun, people all over the place, a good high level of water than my previous attempts made them a little less of a rock banging episode.  I got to the Big rapids called ‘Emu’s’ and had to wait there for 5 minutes for a red flag (safety teams red flag when there is a rescue in process), others got out their boats and ran around which was probably faster, but I wanted to paddle these rapids.

I got through the first section fine,no problems, then it all went a bit pear-shaped and I went for a swim!

Once spat out the other end and resurfacing, paddle check, yes!  I held onto it, Surf ski check – oh bugger where was it!?!?!?!?!  looked back up the rapids and there is was stuck on a rock getting smashed around by the current.  The safety crew were on it quickly and pushed it off the rock and it leisurely floated back down the river and I was reunited with it.  Remount and head off!!!

It was great fun, I was nailing most of the rapids, then all of a sudden a women in front of me some how start to turn sideways, a bit of vigorous paddle stroking and I was on a path to avoid her, but something felt weird.  My brain registered a loud noise and then I noticed it.

Bugger!  I didn’t have the spare as was recommended as I couldn’t find one cheap enough and I thought it would never happen to me.  Lesson learnt!

I had 6 kms to my change over with Rhys.  In a strange way it was fun going into the rapids with a one-sided paddle, if they were straight or left-handed I was ok as I still had my left paddle to brace with.  Right handers I was back in swimming!

I got to Rhys no worries, albeit a little slower, swapped out and he was off.  I then ate some food, chucked my ski onto the roof and set off to meet him at the next change over.  Rhys had the second half of the rapids to do and appeared with a huge grin on his face having the same level of enjoyment as I got.  we swapped over and I set off on the mind numbing flat water paddle for 20km to finish my part of the race.

It was boring!   I managed to get tucked in behind a bit double kayak that was setting a good pace and wash rode them for a good while.  The 20km I did finally came to an end and that was my race completed.  Rhys just had to suffer his portion of the flat water paddle to Bayswater and the race end.

I drove down there to meet his and Lara and Ellis and 5 or 6 other friends all down there waiting for us on the river banks.  Pleased it was over, a great race, and I have a horrible feeling I will give it a go solo next year….