April 2012

 NEWSLETTER
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE
APRIL 2012
In this Issue
Paddler Profile ............................................................................................................ 2
2012 Race Calendar .................................................................................................... 7
2012 TCKRA Board and Officers................................................................................ 7
Training Tips .............................................................................................................. 8
Race Reports ............................................................................................................... 10
Palmetto Hotline ........................................................................................................ 13
TCKRA Points Program 2012 ..................................................................................... 18
About the TCKRA ....................................................................................................... 20
TCKRA Membership Application............................................................................... 21
Paddler Profile
Upper Thames Rowing Club at
Henley.
(Editor’s Note: In each edition of the 2012
Newsletter we will feature interesting and
accomplished members of the Texas paddling
community. If you would like to nominate
someone to be featured in the Paddler Profile,
please email their name and contact
information to castevenson@gmail.com.)
I paddled canoes in Brownies & Girl
Scouts.
I owned a Grumman
aluminum canoe in college which I
used for camping trips in the
Boundary Waters.
Back in 1975 we went to Wilderness
Equipment to buy a canoe to extend
our camping options.
We were
trying to get to the wild areas on the
opposite side of the Colorado River
above Austin. We came home with a
light blue, used, fiberglass, Sawyer
Champion I. This was because the
salesman asked us what we wanted
to use the canoe for. When Peter
found out there was such a thing as
canoe racing naturally that’s the kind
of canoe we got. We actually did put
all our camping gear in it a couple of
times and paddled to a little creek on
the opposite side. All our gear was a
bit damp from the motor boat
washes splashing over the gunwales.
Once we started racing, however
there was little time for camping.
This edition’s featured paddlers are Kathie and
Peter Derrick.
TCKRA: What are your full names?
Derricks: Peter Derrick, Kathie Derrick.
TCKRA: How did you get started racing?
Derricks: The fellas Peter worked with knew he
had a canoe and read about the TWS
in the Houston Chronicle. They told
Peter about it but none of them were
willing to do such a thing, so it fell
upon me to be his partner.
TCKRA: Where are you from originally,
where have you lived and where
do you live now?
Derricks: Peter is from Yorkshire in England
(that’s the biggest county like Texas
is the biggest state). He worked in
London and Louisiana then was
transferred to Houston.
There were 3 prelims in those days.
The one remaining was San Marcos
to Luling. It was pouring rain when
we arrived in San Marcos and the
river was flooding. They had to stop
the race at Tom’s because it wasn’t
possible to get people out at any of
the other bridges.
Putting the
woman in back was still in new idea
in TX at that time. We started out
that way because I was the one who
knew how to steer – recreational
style that is – with lots of back
sweeps. Peter kept telling me the
I’m from Minnesota. I met Peter in
Houston and have been here ever
since.
TCKRA: How did you get started
paddling?
Derricks: Peter rowed as a school boy in 4 & 8man rowing boats starting at age 14.
He was captain of his school Rowing
Club then president of the University
Rowing Club at Manchester. While
in London he was a member of the
2
turned them off pretty quickly. Not
knowing any better we took every
low water bridge and log jam broad
side and somehow managed not to
get sucked under anything. The 1st
night we slept wrapped in our
aluminum blanket, after that we got
into a rhythm of paddling 8 hrs. then
sleeping 2 hrs. Our team captain had
a harrowing experience at Swing
Bridge when he woke in his lawn
chair to find a big snake lying on his
chest. We paddled across the bay in
a rain storm with a tail wind bailing
with a paper cup we had found and
were amazed to be met by Mike
Wooley who came out in the foul
weather to give us a patch, a meal
ticket and directions to a free
shower. Time: 75 hr. +
back sweeps were slowing down the
boat but I insisted that was how it
was done. We’d barely begun when
we saw the boats in front of us
disappearing over the horizon. I
tried to steer to the place where the
last one had disappeared but we
ended up just on the edge of the
chute at Rio Vista.
The canoe
immediately tipped over and Peter
was washed downstream but being in
the back I was caught in the
hydraulic and thought for sure I was
going to die until my feet started
being pulled downstream and I
decided to go with them. We saw
people in the middle of the river
standing in the waves emptying their
boats but it didn’t occur to us to do
that and it took ages to get the boat
to shore. We finished the race when
someone motioned us to paddle
through the trees and onto the
Goynes’ flooded campground. That
was our first race.
TCKRA: What are your significant
accomplishments
in
paddlesport (races finished,
races won, records held, etc.)?
Derricks: Peter has done 16 Safari’s, eight with
me in Mixed Cruiser, 1 with Dennis
Borowicz, 2 in 4-man with our
students, and 5 solo. Peter set a solo
record in 1981 which he broke again
in ‘82 & ‘86. He held the record for
13 years. Peter & I set a Mixed
record in ‘77 before it was a
recognized class then again in ’97 &
2004.
The Water Safari was our second
race (1975 – year 11 of the TWS). In
those days people were allowed to
put their boats in on Spring Lake the
night before & paddle down to the
dam. Jim & Carol Keirnan had put
in before us and we saw them
switching sides. Peter thought that
looked like a great idea so we asked
them to show us how. We learned to
call huts and got to practice it all
down the river. We didn’t know
about duct tape, pop rivets, seat pads
or foot rests. Peter made an amazing
light system out of plywood and
three 6 volt lanterns. He spent ages
screwing it in place in chest deep
water on Palmetto Bridge walking
back & forth getting things from the
middle of the boat never know he
was on a bridge & could easily have
stepped over the edge. When we
turned them on, the one in the
middle was just fine but the other
two were pointing off into the trees
on either side of the river so we
I have done 10 Safaris, eight in
Mixed with Peter, one solo in 1976 in
a Phoenix downriver kayak and one
in Women’s C-2 in 2000 with Lori
Yonley (our 16 yr. old student). I
was the 1st woman to race it solo and
no one else tried it for 10 years.
I’ve also won a number of State
Championships,
1976
Women’s
Kayak, 1982(I think) Women’s C-2,
then numerous other Women’s C-2
with Teddy Grey in the 2000’s. I’ve
had two separate racing careers in
my late 20’s then again starting up in
my late 40’s.
3
prepared, set a new record and came
in 3rd overall.
TCKRA: What is your favorite race?
Derricks: The Texas Water Safari is our
favorite race.
Oh, if you mean a specific race then
the 2004 Safari was our favorite.
That year Tommy & Sandy were our
competition for the second time. It
looked like they were going to be
pretty fierce. They had an ICF boat
with double paddles and Tommy had
decided this was his year to beat the
Derricks. This was the year the
Safari was postponed twice. We had
had some problems with injuries but
overall were better prepared than we
had ever been. They were ahead of
us all the first day but then we caught
up to them somewhere near the
confluence of the two rivers. They
then did an amazing time to
Gonzales Checkpoint but about a hr.
past the gravel bar there they were
again. That turned out to be the last
time we saw them. At the end of the
race we were paddling up to the
point and were surprised to come
across Erin & Richard in a K-2. We
passed each other going opposite
directions so we took off at whatever
was left of our top speed and reached
the finish first. Michael & Wade
finished an hr + ahead of us and
Michael told us a funny story after
the race. He said they were feeling
badly somewhere around Dupont
and were told that we were about 30
min. behind. Wade said to Michael,
“Peter and Kathie wouldn’t come
after us would they?” Michael said,
“You’d better believe they would.”
They then quickly put an additional
30 min+ between them and us. It’s
always fun to scare the guys
especially when they’re bigger. We
also set a record that year so all in all
that would have to be our favorite
race.
TCKRA: What is the most interesting or
exotic race you have done or
place you have paddled?
Derricks: We paddled the Snake River when
Peter went for the Governor’s cup in
1976. We had no idea what we were
doing in that kind of water. We saw
some standing waves and headed for
them.
(Actually that was Peter’s
idea not mine – I didn’t much like
the ones we’d already been through.)
Once we got close there was no
turning back. They were 3-4 feet
high and coming from several
different directions. We flipped in,
tore our spray skirt coming out, our
back end got spun around every time
we tried to get to shore a current
would come off of the bank and send
us away again. It was very cold but
somehow
our
friend
Dennis
Borowicz who was ahead managed to
hold onto a root, grab the end of our
boat and pulled us to shore.
Something similar happened to Tom
& Pat the next day. We all learned to
stay away from those standing
waves.
TCKRA: Do you still race and, if so, what
races?
Derricks: We’d like to think of ourselves as still
racing but in actual fact our last
Safari was 2006 and available time
or health has kept us away since.
We’re still hoping to do it again
before we get too old.
TCKRA: When and how did your canoe
school get started?
Derricks: Back in the early 1980’s Peter was in
the process of changing careers and
we bought some canoes from a friend
who was going out of the rental
business. We ran some weekend
trips for church groups. Then our
friends the Rasks asked us to teach a
canoeing, physical education class to
their boys, Tim age 7 and Michael
Peter said 1982 was his favorite solo
race.
That year he was well
4
paddlers themselves. Why do
you think your students are so
successful?
Derricks: There are several reasons for this.
age 9. This was in the early days of
home schooling when there was little
available outside the home, not like
today when home schoolers can do
any sport under the sun. After a time
Tim & Michael brought along 2 of
their friends, then the next year
Tommy Yonley turned 8 and I
started a bigger class of boys for him
and his friends.
They all began in recreational boats
and learned good boating skills from
an early age. We do lots of fun things
like exploring tributaries, jumping
from bridges, learning to identify the
plants, trees & birds, building fires,
swimming in cold or rainy weather,
gunwale thumping, etc. In other
words a wide variety of fun activities
centered around canoeing were part
of their lives long before any of them
thought about serious racing.
TCKRA: How does the canoe school
operate – where do the students
come from, who are they, do
you break up the students into
age or ability levels, do the
students train for particular
races?
Derricks: As time went by more and more kids
came to canoeing class. I started a
girl’s class which was later combined
with the boy’s class, an intermediate
level class for their younger brothers
and a tiny tot class for little kids
below 7 which the older kids ran
while they were waiting for their
“advanced”
class
to
begin.
Eventually there were 3 levels for
students interested in racing divided
roughly by age, size and ability and
other classes for young beginners
and some for teen-agers not
interested in racing. All our students
are home-schooled.
Once they started in racing boats &
kayaks,
they
learned
good
foundational skills such as sitting
position, posture, efficient use of the
strong muscles of the body etc.
They had enjoyable competition in
canoeing class. When they were little
they tried to beat me or Peter, then
as they got older we would try to
combine them in boats of similar
speed so everyone had a chance to do
well if they used their skills wisely
and exhibited guts.
Most of all they grew up with their
minds full of canoeing heroes. For
many years we ran weeklong boys
camp and girl’s camps for different
ages. We went to various locations
in Texas and Arkansas and also did
some hiking camps in New Mexico.
There was lots of time during meal
preparation and around the campfire
to talk about Water Safari stories and
canoeing exploits.
They heard
stories from Tom Goynes. They also
got to meet and paddle with Steve
Landick when he was here from
Michigan and John O’Donovan who
visited from Scotland. Here’s an
example: Brandy Zeek (about 12
years old) was at girl’s camp standing
on the edge of a 50 ft. precipice
The canoeing classes participate in
two Dickinson races, the Greens
Bayou
race
and
the
State
Championships. Individual students
also paddle the TWS, the Colorado
100, Jr. Texas and various other
races.
Tim Rask and Jeremiah
Jackson went to the Nationals and
Tim
participated
in
several
International kayak races.
Max
Feaster paddled K-2 in the 2011
Devizes
to
Westminster
International Canoe Marathon in
London and finished in 4th place.
TCKRA: Many of your students have
gone on to be accomplished
5
Derricks: The racing students use a variety of
old racing paddles from many eras
that we have gathered over the years
but as soon as they can afford their
own Zaveral they get one. Some have
the cheaper flat paddles but many
have power surges.
trying to get up the courage to jump
into the water. To ease her in her
hesitation,
Peter
shouted
up,
“Brandy are you Water Safari
material or not?” She said, ”Yes, sir!”
and immediately jumped off.
TCKRA: What is your typical training
regimen or a regimen that you
recommend?
Derricks: We haven’t done any short races for
a long time, in fact even the Colorado
100 is not long enough for us. We
seem to excel at endurance rather
than speed. For the Water Safari we
do fairly longish paddles 6-10 hrs. at
Water Safari speed. If it’s a long
paddle we might rest part way
through. Some of our students are
into much longer training runs. I
tend to think it’s that youthful desire
to be more extreme than those who
have gone before.
TCKRA: What kinds of food do you use
or recommend during training
and racing?
Derricks: Whatever works for you, it takes
some experimenting and people
change as time goes by.
TCKRA: What do you enjoy most about
paddling?
Derricks: (Kathie) I like being free and going
places on rivers, bayous & creeks
where other people seldom go. I like
the plants, the trees, the birds and
animals. I like the feeling of an
efficient, powerful stroke propelling
my canoe forward. I like being out
under the stars, on the water,
listening to God’s world.
TCKRA: What types of cross training, if
any, do you do or recommend?
Derricks: Well in the old days, when we still
had time and energy we ran and
lifted weights. I would certainly
recommend that for young racers,
especially young men with lots of
energy to burn and anyone who
wants to perform at their best.
(Peter) Most of us lead sedentary
lives and canoeing gives the
opportunity to get out in the wild and
do something physical. Growing up
in the more formal sport of rowing,
canoeing seemed at first to be a
primitive sport. If you compare it to
running it’s more like cross-country
and rowing is more like track. The
Water Safari, I enjoy for its
adventure and risk and greatly regret
things like trackers which degrade it
from its original intent. I do however
understand the pressure that comes
from our litigious society and nanny
mentality.
TCKRA: What kinds of boats do you and
your students paddle?
Derricks: The little kids and beginners paddle
in Mohawk ABS canoes. For the
older kids who are into racing we
have USCA C-2’s, multi-man boats,
several downriver kayaks and
Olympic style trainers and two,
posture, very old C-1’s. If anyone
has any old C-1’s they would like to
donate to the cause or sell cheaply we
could use more.
Also we like being able to share our
enjoyment with the next generation.
Canoeing gives both boys & girls an
opportunity to develop many
admirable character qualities. As a
result they are naturally attracted to
one another. So far the unofficial
Peter and I did our 1st 5 Safari’s
USCA C-2’s and our last 3 in a
Savage River pro-boat.
TCKRA: What kinds of paddles do you
and your students use?
6
2012 Race Calendar
Derrick Canoeing marriage bureau
claims 7 successful matches.
April 14 – Hidalgo Falls, Navasota
April 21 – TCKRA ICF State Championship,
Austin
May 5 – Texas River Marathon/The Prelim, Cuero
May 12 – TX River Championship, San Marcos
June 8 – Texas Water Safari Check-In, San Marcos
June 9-13 – Texas Water Safari, San Marcos
June 27-30 – Yukon River Quest, Whitehorse, AK
July 28 – TCKRA Surfski Championship,
Galveston
July 31-Aug 4 – MR340, Kansas City, MO
Aug. 4 – Neches Wilderness Race, Palestine
Aug. 25 – TCKRA Alum. State Championship,
Bastrop
Sept. 1-2 – Colorado River 100, Bastrop
Sept. 15 – Jr. Texas Water Safari, San Marcos
Sept. 22 – Trinity River Challenge, Carrollton
Sept. 29 – TCKRA USCA State Championship
Oct. 5-7 – Tour de Teche, Port Barre, LA
Oct. 6 – Come and Take It, Gonzales
Oct. 13 – Cuero Turkeyfest Race, Cuero
Oct. 13-14 – Laredos Rio Fest, Laredo
Oct. 27 – Martindale Triathlon, Martindale
Nov. 3 – Dickinson Bayou Brawl, Dickinson
Dec. 1 – December Solo Race, San Marcos
TCKRA: Do you have any advice or
words of wisdom for paddlers
just starting out?
Derricks: Learn the basics first before you
worry about going fast.
Learn how to maneuver the boat
from both ends, bow and stern.
Learn how to empty out the water
before you tump in.
When you get a new boat set it up
comfortably right away.
Finishing the TX Water Safari is a
worthy goal. Accomplishing this will
give you confidence to tackle many
other hard things in life.
TCKRA: Do you have any advice or
words of wisdom for other
racers who have been paddling
for a while?
Derricks: If you enjoy the sport as a family it
will draw your family together and
you will also be able to spend more
time paddling.
2012 TCKRA Officers and
Board of Directors
Officers
Jay Daniel (President)
Michael Vandeveer (Vice President)
Grady Hicks (Secretary/Treasurer)
Canoe racers make a great
community.
You will likely be
welcomed among them wherever you
find them.
Board Members
Pete Binion
Michael Vandeveer
Cindy Meurer
Chris Stevenson
John Baltzell
Tommy Yonley
Jay Daniel
Bob Spain
Sandy Yonley
Grady Hicks
It’s a small sport run by volunteers.
Don’t expect everything to be perfect.
Don’t waste time getting too
political. Be grateful toward those
who sacrifice their time to make
things happen.
Enjoy
and
appreciate
the
opportunity the sport gives you to
rise to the challenge of achieving
your maximum potential.
Alternates
Holly Orr
Joy Emshoff
7
Training Tips
HIIT Training
Phil Bowden
This article is aimed at the new racer wanting to get faster. It's simpler than you think. If you want to
paddle faster then paddle faster! Paddling for hours on end really hard will make you faster, but high
intensity interval training (HIIT) will get results much more quickly.
First let's look at energy systems and the effort level of them.
The creatine phosphate system produces energy for 8 to10 seconds. It is the only level you can
perform at 100%. I don't mean 100% perceived effort, I mean actual 100% output. After 10 seconds
you will slow slightly, even if you are going as hard as you can. These are great for building skill and
strength. It's like very specific weight training because you are actually paddling. You can do a whole
bunch of these and will not get very sore.
The anaerobic system produces energy for up to 45 seconds or so. Trained athletes can go longer. You
can perform at 90 something percent at this level. It depends on the athlete. After that you're going to
slow up some. This generates lactic acid and drains your glycogen levels. Anaerobic sprints will leave
you tired and sore.
The aerobic system produces energy indefinitely. You can go 80 something percent effort with your
aerobic system. You're VO2 max is the measure of your aerobic capability. Raising you're VO2 max is
the key to going faster.
We're marathon racers so it seems that putting in a lot of miles paddling aerobically would be best
right? That will work, and it will raise your VO2 max. But the more time you spend above your aerobic
level the faster you will get faster.
Why HIIT training? I'm going to be lazy here and avoid retyping everything. There is an excellent
youtube video explaining the benefits of HIIT training and referencing recent studies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQa-xlk9LXg&feature=relmfu
8
There are infinite variations of HIIT workouts. The key is to have a quality effort above your anaerobic
threshold. If you get a workout from a more advanced athlete the rest intervals may not be long
enough for you to recover. If you start the next interval still gasping for air you are just going to
struggle through at your anaerobic threshold and not work above it. Most people have GPS heart rate
monitors now, use it. One great method is to recover to a certain heart rate instead of a certain time,
say 50% or 60% of your max before starting the next interval. This ensures a quality effort.
I will provide one HIIT program I use for my clients. This is a GPS sprint workout. You need a pretty
straight piece of no current water. GPS units tend to read funny when you go around corners, usually
too slow. How fast are you now? How fast do you want to be? Let's say your a 6 MPH paddler now and
want to be a 7 MPH paddler. I wouldn't go much more than a 1 MPH increase. Paddle comfortably
and slowly increase you speed up to 7 MPH and hold it there. Don't go too fast. We want to go 7 MPH.
As the interval progresses it will become more and more challenging to maintain 7 MPH. When the
reading starts to drop to 6.9, 6.8, POUR IT ON, get it back up to 7 MPH. Once you've gone 15 seconds
and just can't get it back to 7 MPH stop and rest 3 minutes for a full recovery. In a 1 hour workout the
caparison between the HIIT training and steady state is amazing. Let's say you could maintain 7 MPH
for 2 minutes before you had to recover for 3 minutes. In an hour you have spent 24 minutes paddling
7 MPH! Your body will begin to adapt to be able to paddle 7 MPH. In a steady state effort at 6 MPH
(your anaerobic threshold) your body will adapt to handle it, except it can already do it.
Another benefit of HIIT training is perceived effort. When you do go for a long endurance paddle, the
pace will seem easy and relaxed.
If you want some hands on training call riverfitness 512-618-2816 or visit the website at
www.riverfitness.net. We have river access, paddling ergo's, GPS heart rate monitors, and plenty of
passion for helping people out.
9
Race Reports
La Ruta Maya
Andrew Condie
was joined by northern paddlers Bill Torongo
and Nick Walton to form “Las Animas”. Wade
Binion, another race veteran, team captained
the all Texan female division entrants “Wade’s
Women,” consisting of Morgan Kohut, Virginia
Parker, and of course Wade’s #1 woman,
Samantha Binion. After my first team fell
through I was lucky enough to be able to jump
in at the last minute with young brothers
Adrian and Darren Williams, the “Wateva
Boyz.”
Every year in March, while most Texas
paddlers are still donning wool socks and fleece
coats to train, one of the world’s most
competitive ultra-marathon canoe races is
taking place deep in the jungles of permanently
warm and sunny Belize. For those not familiar
with the event, La Ruta Maya Belize River
Challenge is a 4 day stage race on the Belize
River that travels almost all the way across the
small country. The race starts just a few miles
from the Guatamalan border at the base of the
Maya Mountains in San Ignacio and winds
through 170 miles of lush, unspoiled jungle
before ending in Belize City, just a few miles
from the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean
Sea. Teams consist of three paddlers, and
canoes can be no longer than 20 feet. And to
anyone doubting the “most competitive”
statement, bear in mind that there have been at
least 2 Belizean paddlers in every winning
Texas Water Safari boat for 6 of the last 7 years,
and some of those guys didn’t even finish in the
top 5 in this year’s race.
After an unusually warm and dry winter, the
race was shaping up to be one of the lowest and
slowest on record. But just days before the race
started, the skies opened up and it rained. And
rained. And rained some more. On the eve of
the race, it was clear everyone that 2012 would
be one for the record books. It was a grey
morning in San Ignacio when 84 teams lined
up to start the first stage – 49 miles downriver
to the banana bank campground. It seemed
that half the town had turned out to watch the
start of the race. The river banks were lined
with people as far as the eye could see, and
traffic was at a standstill as both of the bridges
in and out of town were packed with onlookers.
The morning of the race was the first time my
team of 3 had been in the boat together, and I
was a bit nervous about how tippy the boat felt.
It was hard to hear the race countdown over
the roar of the crowd, but suddenly everyone
was moving. Having seen videos and heard
horror stories of all the teams that flipped at
the start, we were extremely relieved to get
clear of the start without flipping the boat.
Unfortunately, this was not indicative of the
rest of the day. We flipped 3 times that day,
and each time it seemed like we floated for an
eternity before we could find a spot shallow
enough in the fast, swollen river to get back in.
Shortly after the third flip one of our team left
the boat with stomach cramps and we paddled
the last half of the stage as a 2 man team,
limping in at 28th place. We were crushed,
having planned on a top 15 finish, but there
were still 3 days left to race. Las Animas
This spring I was fortunate enough to be able
to travel to Belize a month early to get in some
good training time before the race began. It
became apparent very quickly why these guys
were so hard to beat – they train a lot, they
train extremely hard, and they never quit or
complain. Sprinting is the name of the training
game in Belize.
Because 3 paddlers are
crammed into a 20 foot canoe, the boats run
deep and throw a massive wake, making it very
difficult to drop teams even if they are a bit
slower. Therefore it is important to be able to
sprint fast and frequently to pull away from a
group if you are fast, or to stay with the pack if
you are a bit slower. For the top level teams, a
week consists of three 45 mile training runs,
and it is pretty typical to put on a good long
sprint every 5-10 minutes or so for most of the
distance. Even on “off” days, teams will often
get out and do one minute sprints for an hour
or more.
The TCKRA was well represented in this year’s
race. La Ruta Maya veteran William Russell
10
overcame some early difficulties to finish in an
impressive 11th overall, and Wade’s Women
were the 2nd female team to cross the finish
line. The post-race festivities were something
to behold. Food and drink booths galore,
enormous tents with sound systems and DJ’s,
and a decent sized tent city had sprung up in a
clearing 10 miles past nowhere, where
spectators and racers alike took part in a party
that lasted well into the wee hours of the
morning, something they certainly regretted
the next morning, and for good reason. At 56
miles, day 2 was to be the most grueling stage
of the race. After a strong start we settled in at
a steady pace in the third pack as the third boat
in a wake train. The river carried us through
extremely remote sections of the jungle, where
we were screeched at by howler monkeys,
watched tapirs digging for grubs along the
riverbank, and saw numerous iguanas and
crocodiles warming themselves in the sun.
Though we again had a teammate leave the
boat a couple hours in, (in the middle of a
jaguar sanctuary, which seemed like a terrible
idea to me) we managed to finish in 16th place,
leaving us in much better spirits. Las Animas
finished in 13th, and Wade’s Women came in
2nd, albeit much closer to the lead female boat
than the day before. Things got easier on days
3 and 4, at 40 and 25 miles, and the post-race
celebrations got even bigger.
The river
flattened out as we got closer to the coast, and
the starts got much easier with a wider river
and 2 days of practice under everyone’s belt.
We managed to keep 3 paddlers in the boat
both days, and finished in 14th and 12th
respectively to finish in 17th overall. Las
Animas finished in 11th and 9th for 11th overall,
and Wades Women got a little closer to beating
the 1st place women’s team both days and
finished as the 2nd place female boat. Several
other boats of interest to Texas paddlers
include: Belize Bank, consisting of Erwin Cruz
and 5 time Water Safari champions Daniel and
Amado Cruz, who set the river on fire and
knocked almost an hour and off of the old
course record to claim first overall; Team
Oceana, consisting of Canadians Steve Corlew,
Mike Vincent, and local paddler Chris Guydis,
in 2nd; Armin Lopez’s team, NICH, which
included future safari novices Oscar Cordon
and Jimmy Valdez in 3rd; and Jerry Rhaburn,
Efrain Cruz, and Felix Cruz, paddling for
Ziprider in 6th overall.
11th Place Overall: Las Animas Team with William
Russell in the bow.
2nd Place Women’s Team, L-R: Virginia Parker,
Morgan Kohut and Sam Binion.
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River Cleanup
Holly Orr
Thank you to everyone who came and helped at the San Marcos River Clean Up. It was a huge success.
Last year we only had around 10 people attend the clean up. This year was quite the contrast with
around 35 people meeting at Palmetto State Park to help out. There were also a few other racers who
took on the task of cleaning some of the more technical sections of river upstream from Luling. It was
good to see so many new faces and families participating.
Having so many hands enabled our group to clean the entire stretch from Luling dam/Zedler Mill
down to Gonzales. We pulled hundreds, if not thousands of pounds of trash out of the river. After
gathering it all out of the river each group had the task of hauling it all up one of the steep
embankments to the vehicles. Either the muddy Ottine portage, poison ivy covered Slyaden Cemetery,
or the long hike under Gonzales HWY 90. This experience made it memorable and gave a sense of
rewarding satisfaction knowing we helped do our part in keeping the river clean. According to Tom
Goyens, who is the coordinator of the entire San Marcos River Clean Up: “Out of the 80 plus miles
from San Marcos to Gonzales, you guys cleaned about 45 miles - 56% of the river. And, what is really
amazing is that you did it with about 30 volunteers. We probably had 300 volunteers for the entire
clean up, so you guys only made up only 10% of the workforce, but covered over half the river!”
Good job everyone and thanks again!
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Palmetto Hotline
River Guru
(RG’s Note: Thanks to the numerous readers of last month's Hotline who wrote the River Guru to
say how much they liked the Moldie Oldie versions of the Hotline that were published. As a special
treat for these history buffs, this issue includes one more of Uncle Russ' finest. Feel free to email the
RG (palmettohotline@yahoo.com) to comment on the high quality of this Hotline or just to tell him
how great he is.)
Have you joined the TCRA yet? Please note that the RG does not recognize the TCKRA name; why
stop at canoes and kayaks? Let's add stand up paddle and outriggers and rubber ducky rafts to the
name! Please join the TCKSupOC&RDRRA. Put this in yer pipe & smoke it! << hey, that could be
Mark Simmons team nickname!!
Although it’s the year of the long boat (Except for Freddie and Gaston who’re odds on to win,
provided they can focus and keep the yapping down to a dull roar) the plethora of mixed teams - and
no, Sammy “Plethora” is not a flower- should make for the most couples offshore since The Love
Boat got cancelled. RG is reminded back when he and Mrs. G were practicing for a mixed run.
Actually RG is reminded almost daily of that time, whenever someone says, “Dude, how’d you get that
scar?”
Anywho… with Wade and Sam, Tommy and Sandy looks like no need at check in to remind
anyone to “Pack their skirt”. He, he, looks like they’ll all be trying to -he, he- “Keep up with the
Joneses”, - that’s Ed & Brenda to their friends. No doubt RG is not now one of those friends,
having stooped to this comedic level, but they’ll be madder still when they try to check in at any hotel
within 60 miles of Seadrift with the last name “Jones”. As for the Erin/Jerry Cochran team, the
RG had a tough time figuring that one out until the "compromising photos" of Jerry were secreted to
me by a team mole (thanks Linda!).
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Here's a look at one of Jerry's Walkon-the-Wild-Side pictures:
The Right Reverend Jim Pye and Mike Shively look set to maul the Aluminum division.
They’ve even gotten a variance from the Safari board to carry a handgun-to be used in case anyone
suggests going into Alligator Lake. Warning shots only, Boys!! With a preacher and a professor in the
same boat it should be a true test to see who has to stop to take a breath first.
Multiple Choice Quiz: The Safari Board has pushed the banquet to Wednesday. That way every
finisher under 80 hours…
a. Gets to eat at Barketts
b. Receives the same sun exposure for a nice, even tan
c. Has time to enjoy all the tourist amenities in Seadrift
d. Has time to sober up
The correct answer is e. It’s a small, unpublicized component of the Obama Stimulus Program,
providing a much needed boost to the local economy. Plus I think we all get a Chevy Volt and a
Spot Tracker.
RG is pleased that Chris P has taken the Bull by the Horns –and by “Bull” RG does not mean M
Vanderveer, and by “Horns”, RG does not mean “scruff of the neck” - and started “adopt a
novice”, a program paring novices and veterans. This provides a tremendous benefit as the Veterans
are able to explain many elements of the Safari and marathon paddling to the novices who have not
yet experienced one of the most difficult challenges known in the sporting world – getting a Safari
veteran to shut up.
Solo class doesn’t show a lot of depth at the moment but, judging by the crying seen in The
Cowboys boat, It might be Andrew Three-Days-of-the Condi, judging by the crying on the Jay
Horsefly Daniel & Michael No, I don’t own a picante company Vanderveer boat, it isn’t Tim
Mildman –nered Curry. Since the rumored breakup of the Home-Schooler 5-man, the long boat
division breathed a salted plum-y sigh of relief, until of course they realized that just makes more
14
tandems and solos to be humiliated by- and with that maddeningly sincere “Are you guys OK?” they
always greet a long boat they’re passing with. Not that RG has ever been in a position to know.
Darryl J and Scott Johnson's fiver requested the name Cops & Robbers, but with Rendon,
Boyette, and Aziz rounding out the team, the Safari board changed the moniker to Cops &
Nerrds.
The hands down favorite to bring home the Argosy Cup is once again the Andrew boat with a couple
of Belizeans and a couple of Michigan racers in the mix although Andrew himself may be the
chink in the armor of that boat. RG noticed that at the Town Lake races in January he looked like he
hadn't passed up any enchilada plates since the 2011 Safari. He swears he's in shape but as RG told
him, "Round is a shape."
C2 should be fun to watch as Edoh A (if that is his real initial) and Liam is right Price look likely to
wreck their b rule their class! The Facebook is all abuzz with the rumor that their team is named after
their must pack accessory- “Come Along”. Jerry get thee to a Nunnery and Eric W could surprise
everyone by not using the phrase, “Back when you were but a gleam in your pappy's eye…”.
Looks like the 50th anniversary has pulled in some old-timers besides Jerry; the RG caught a
glimpse of the Derricks in a C2 recently on the upper river; the other C2-ers better not get
complacent on the river as Peter & Kathy have been known to break a few hearts. Also heard thru
the gravevine (that is spelled correctly) that John Dunn is back in a long boat with 3 unproven but
extremely strong paddlers from the firefighting community. Perhaps the Cops and Firemen can get
a side bet going.
Standard class even has an entrant- finish & win Meagan! Teenie Bopper Alert !!! The Justin
Beiber of the safari crowd (Dodd) is going C-1 this year. Once all those Derrick paddlers and Tim
Anglin get into the same class and spank him in the prelim, he'll be looking for a way to paddle
Standard with mom.
Women’s class. Where fore art thou, Hippy Chicks? RG hopes they are in fact going this year It
would be a pity if the Safari had to resort to their earlier strategy of awarding the women’s trophy to
the team that most “paddled like girls”, You don’t believe the RG? Check the trophy out yourselves,
RG’s pretty sure ChrisTevenson's on it.
Molly Binion has outsmarted dear ol' dad, avoiding having to drag his carcass down the river by
paddling the race solo; Pauline also ditched Pops by signing up as her TC. Pete, you got their
message yet? RG noticed that even Becky's giving him that "don't even ask" glare. Other teams that
are attempting to fly under RG's radar, but are now being outted: Logan & Clay in tandem U; Clay
says they are serious but with a partner who's practically got mother's milk still on his face, RG has
doubts. Petriski Clan: Pat & Patrick for an attempt at the Parent Child division. (Please nobody
spill the beans about the age requirement). John Bugge in a solo unlimited, maybe stretched to a 6man, depending on who he's speaking with. He's really been showing his poker face this year.
RG highly recommends the new Spielberg TV show, “The River”. Terrific actiondrama about a
boat full of guys with strongly conflicting personalities; starts off pleasantly enough but as they move
downstream, ever closer to the bay, trouble hits, and the crew devolves into cannibalizing their boat
and each other. Terry Alford’s suing Mr. Spielberg for stealing the theme from his safari career.
As promised here is one last look at the Uncle Russ' Hotline of Yesteryear – 1993:
15
16
YOUR AD HERE
50 TEXAS WATER SAFARI
TH
Edition Comes Out June 1, 2012
Email castevenson@gmail.com for details and rates
17
TCKRA Points Program 2012
Purpose: The purpose of the TCKRA Points Program is to encourage people to join the TCKRA and
participate in races and to reward paddlers who participate and excel.
TCKRA Youth Program
1. “Youth” will be defined as the USCA defines “Junior,” which is any paddler who has not reached
age 18 by midnight of 12/31 of the prior calendar year.
2. No TCKRA membership is required for youth participants in the TCKRA Youth Program.
3. There will be awards for the top female and top male youth paddlers of the year.
4. Points will be awarded for the following races: Green’s Bayou, USCA State Championships,
Dickinson Bayou.
5. Points will be awarded as follows: 1st place – 5 points, 2nd place – 4 points, 3rd place - 3 points,
4th place - 2 points, 5th place - 1 point.
6. The paddler with the highest point totals will win the award, which is to be presented at the
conclusion of the Dickinson Bayou race.
TCKRA Team
1. The “Paddler of the Year” awards will be replaced by the creation of a TCKRA Team. The team
members will consist of two men and two women.
2. The team members will be determined by a calculation of points that can be earned by
participating in races throughout the year.
3. The qualifying races are:
Green’s Bayou (3/24)
Colorado River Ramble – K2 only (4/1)
TCKRA ICF State Championships (4/21)
Zedler Mill Classic (4/28)
Texas River Championship (5/12)
TCKRA State Surfski Championship (7/28)
TCKRA State Aluminum Championship (8/25)
Jr. Texas Water Safari – (K1, K2, Solo Unlimited and Tandem Unlimited Only) (9/15)
TCKRA USCA State Championships (9/29)
Come and Take It (10/6)
Turkeyfest Race (10/13)
Dickinson Bayou (11/3)
4. In order to earn points at a race, the paddler must be a member of the TCKRA before the race
starts.
5. Points will be awarded as follows: 1st place – 5 points, 2nd place – 4 points, 3rd place - 3 points,
4th place - 2 points, 5th place - 1 point.
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6. No points will be awarded at non-race events.
7. Points acquired are by paddler, not by class.
8. Points will be awarded in each class in which there is at least one participant. The classes will be
defined by the individual race directors.
9. TCKRA Team members will be the two male and two female paddlers who accumulate the most
points. In the case of a tie, the paddler with the most 1st place finishes will be chosen. If still tied, 2nd
place finishes will be compared, then 3rd and so on until the tie is broken.
10. TCKRA Team members will be:
a. awarded a TCKRA Team jersey,
b. Have race entry fees reimbursed or paid, by representing the TCKRA at these race events,
up to $100 on races approved by the TCKRA Board of Directors
c. In order to be reimbursed for race entry fees, the paddler must wear the TCKRA Team
jersey.
d. Team membership lasts for one year.
e. TCKRA Team members are encouraged to wear their team jersey even at races where the
TCKRA is not paying the entry fee.
11. TCKRA Team members will be named and awarded their jerseys at the TCKRA Annual Banquet.
12. The TCKRA recognizes that it is possible to “game the system” by entering classes with few or no
other paddlers to maximize the amount of points earned. While this practice is not technically against
the rules, it is against the spirit and purpose the TCKRA Points Program. The TCKRA reserves the
right to modify any points awarded under the program.
TCKRA TEAM 2012
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About the TCKRA
The Texas Canoe and Kayak Racing Association is a statewide club for persons interested in paddle
sport racing. The primary focus of the club is USCA and ICF class marathon racing, but other
disciplines of paddle sports are promoted through TCKRA’s Race Calendar and Points Program.*
In 1971 a group of canoe paddlers with an interest in canoe and kayak racing joined together and
formed the TCRA (which later evolved into the TCKRA). During the past years the organization has
grown to one of the largest canoe and kayak clubs in the state. The club is now recognized as the voice
for canoe racing in Texas and its members have gained national recognition. Each year the TCKRA
participates in approximately 20 canoe races and the TCKRA also organizes and sponsors the Texas
State Canoe and Kayak Racing Championship Series. These championship level race events
compliment the other annual racing events by recognizing the top competitors in a variety of paddle
sport disciplines and classes. Additionally, the TCKRA culminates the season by awarding the top
overall paddlers of the year. This recognition is determined through the accumulation of TCKRA
Points.*
Whether you are a novice paddler, intermediate or seasoned racer, TCKRA is a great way to meet new
people, improve your skills and get out on the river. Our membership spans the state and varies
widely by age, gender, skill-level and boat type; even our working careers and professions. We also
share a great deal in common - the competitive spirit and an enduring love of the water.
Your annual dues help fund events and activities throughout the year and around the state.
By joining the TCKRA you enjoy the following benefits:
•
4 championship races, (Unlimited, Aluminum, USCA and ICF)
•
The Martindale Triathlon
•
Race discounts for TCKRA members
•
Spring and fall river cleanups
•
Bi-Monthly newsletter
•
Texas paddler directory
•
Annual banquet
•
Paddling clinics – free to TCKRA members
•
2 TCKRA decals for every member
•
Paddler of the Year points competition*
A TCKRA membership will give you a voice in the racing community and allow us to continue
to promote canoe and kayak racing in Texas.
•
Our members paddle kayaks and canoes crafted from wood, plastic, aluminum, carbon and Kevlar.
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TCKRA Membership Application
Name
Date
Address
New Member
Email
Birthdate
Publish contanct information in the membership directory (check one)
[ ] Yes, [ ] No
[ ] Yes, [ ] No
Type of membership (circle below)
Youth
$5
Individual
$15
Family
$20
Business
$25
Business Name
FAMILY MEMBERSHIP shall consist of the members of a household. The household dependents other
than the parents or guardians must be less than 18 years of age as of January 1 of the membership year.
Dependents age 18 as of January 1 of the membership year must obtain their own individual membership.
YOUTH MEMBERSHIP is available to any person under 18 years of age as of January 1 of the
membership year.
BUSINESS MEMBERSHIP is available to any organization.
If a Family membership, please list family members below:
Name(s) for additional family members
Send form and payment to:
TCKRA Membership
444 Pecan Park Dr.
San Marcos, TX 78666-8544
Birthdates