Balmoral Blast's main man Dez running the show
I took my new kayak out for it’s maiden voyage on Saturday down at the Spit at the same time as the Balmoral Blast combined with Sydney Harbour Kayaks to run the first Blast time trial from the Spit to Bantry Bay. As usual I bobbed about in the water camera in hand as very fit and fast ski paddlers zoomed past me on their time trial, but did manage to fire off a few shots of some the paddlers. Then about 40 minutes later the returning paddlers were treated to a bbq breakfast courtesy of Sydney Harbour Kayaks, and thankfully left a hungry Fat paddler a cheeky sausage sandwich as a reward for my efforts. Great stuff Shannon and Dez! Cheers – FP
Shannon from SHK on the rescue boat
Synchronised reach! Nice!
Bow-wave riding....
The introverted paddlers wear red (not!)
Paddle parallel to the hull post-exit - nice
Double the power in a VERY long ski!
The stealthy ski - it's like Knight Rider on the water!
Dez publishing times & results to the web in real time - awesome!
The weapons primed and ready for use, Balmoral Beach Sydney
You don’t need to kayak on Sydney Harbour for long before you realise which paddling sport has become really popular. You’re cruising along at a nice pace through dawn waters in your sea-kayak, when a long white pencil-shaped boat with a hard-paddling rider zooms past you in a blur of flashing wing-blades. These speed machines are known as Ocean Racing Skis, and are the Formula 1 of the fitness paddling scene.
Ocean racing skis - seriously fast
The popularity of this sport is being helped along in Sydney by the enthusiasm and boundless energy of a bloke names Dez Blanchfield, who late in 2008 started Blast Paddlers to help facilitate the growth of paddle groups in Sydney. Having seen my earlier post on the Balmoral Blast, Dez invited me to come and check out race-day at the Balmoral chapter.
Dez on the right, firing up the paddlers
What stands out is the incredible organisation of these events. Dez, unable to find the right “race day” software, simply commissioned and built his own. Now his paddlers can register online, race or run time trials, and before the ski is back on the car the results and paddlers times are already posted online and via email. This remarkable efficiency allows paddlers to monitor their times, and their personal progress, as they compete each week, and helps motivate their fitness and paddle training.
The days winner, a double from Long Reef SLSC
On this particular day the paddlers were doing a race with paddlers and support crew from the Long Reef SLSC to warm up for the Fenn Cup 2009 Series, an upcoming series of summer ocean races on the northern beaches. This race was an easy 18km paddle from Balmoral to the Roseville Bridge and back. Not that I saw much of it mind you, as I busy sitting at the start/finish line with a coffee and a fresh muffin!
This guy was ridiculously fast!
At the end of the event, Dez handed out prizes to paddlers and congratulated the winners, before talking up the newest chapter of Blast Paddlers in Cronulla. It seems expansion is well and truly on the agenda, and can only be a good thing for this growing sport.
Lastly, my mate Olli, who had competed in the Blast race, convinced me to try his Fenn XT racing ski before I left. You can see my incredible performance on the ski here. Enjoy. 
Unique ski transport!
Tags: Balmoral Beach, Balmoral Blast, Dez Blanchfield, Fenn Cup 2009, ocean racing ski, ocean ski, racing ski, ski
Fat Paddler trying to balance the Fenn XT
Trialling a racing ski has been in the back of my mind for some time, and whilst at the Balmoral Blast race event this morning, paddling mate Olli offered to give me a go on his Fenn XT. Now keep in mind that I had forced him to get up early for the 18km race he’d just completed, so he was smiling evilly looking for his revenge. It didn’t take long.
This Fenn ski feels a bit tippy?
For a man used to a sea kayak, a ski is going to feel pretty tippy. The Fenn XT is the “beginners model” of skis and is more stable than the narrower/faster versions used by the pros. This lulled me into a very false sense of security, because it wasn’t long at all (ie about 4 strokes into the paddle) before I fell into the drink.
Oops! Man overboard!
Now I’d like to say confidently that had I been using my own paddle and not Olli’s wing paddle, that I might have been able to get enough speed up to stay on the ski. This would likely be a brazen lie however. The fact was I was unable to take more than 4-6 strokes at most, with my feet and legs dangling over the edges of the Fenn for stability, before falling in. Olli of course, thought it all hillarious.
Overboard again!
Needless to say I didn’t get too far, and only really succeeded in getting myself extremely wet. Olli had had his revenge, and I was in dire need of a change of clothes. Of course, next time I’ll do it with my OWN paddle………..
Olli showing how it's done
Tags: Balmoral, Balmoral Blast, Fenn, Fenn XT
