ScreamingO Entries Close today
Yep – today is the last day for entries. If you are intending to enter complete the attached form and get it to me asap. Email me to confirm that you are entering – I will need your name and race category.
I rode the course yesterday to check it out. Nice country. Very nice…
ScreamingO Marshals Needed
If you are keen to being involved but don’t want to race, I still need four marshals. Positions required are:
– Tail End Charlies (ideally two)
– Gate Keepers (approx 2km and 1 km walk in from Wainui Coast) – 1 each
If you are keen to help out (free event entry to another Better Than TV event for the next year is yours if you do) please let me know. All offers gratefully received.
Tristine Emery is Looking for a Flat
I have paddled with Tristine on the Rangitikei. A very competent paddler. Has done C2C.
From: Tristine Emery
I’m transferring to Wellington with work, and am on the hunt for a flat. I’m 32 female, house trained and more your “garden variety” of competitor (just happy to finish). I of course come with the standard sporting equipment so need a place with storage. Anything considered as start date is looming.
Please let me know if you can help at all.
Thanks
Tristine
Jill Westenra has stuff for sale.
This may be a bit late now although I know the paddle is still for sale.
Hey Shane
We have been lucky in some sense and won lots of things recently from c2c but I’m over supplied so can you forward etc and see if anyone is in greater need.
1) Fastera paddle Model W007 Z11 (2008 model) Race – 40% Kelvarcarbon,50% Fibreglass, 10% Carbon. Recommended price $475 from shop but of course I would sell for less (but don’t be too cheeky – lots of blisters, and scraping gravel won me this prize!!)
2) Thule vouchers worth $300 – again will sell for much less
3) Then a spot prize – Ventureout kayak – voucher for $2500 – so anyone wanting to upgrade, replace – more dealing to be had, ie let me know what boat you want I’ll organise, and we exchange $$ from there
Porirua Grand Traverse
From: carolyn
Hi everyone
I know most of you have completed the Coast to Coast so maybe you are looking for a fun challenge. Well, as I am on the organising committee I would love you to come and support the Porirua Grand Traverse event.
The mountain bike and run course provide amazing views – I can vouch for them sitting on the top of Battle Hill at 7.30pm on Tuesday night looking over the Porirua and Pauatahanui harbours and out to the South Island. The run is just as interesting and spectacular!!
I am co-ordinating some teams and have one keen female runner looking for a biker, so if you would like to participate but don’t want to do the whole thing let me know and I will try and match you up.
Love to hear your news and whether you are going to join me.
http://www.poriruagrandtraverse.co.nz/
Trans Taupo Update
From: Chester Burt
Hi All,
Neil Gellatly asked if we could send this out to our mailing group in Wellington.
A quick brief……….this event had good numbers last year and had a range of craft such as Surf ski, Waka Ama, Sea kayaks, Ocean rowing quads and double adventure racing kayaks.
Chester
Trans Taupo – Update
Hello again
We just want to take the opportunity to let you know of a few interesting developments coming with the 2009 Trans Taupo.
This year we plan to give all competitors a nice Trans Taupo event branded 300 series (winter weight) Merino Icebreaker Beanie; your choice of a Burger Fuel Burger or Hell Pizza voucher; Hammer Nutrition HEED Sachets; M’s Power Cookies; and a NZ Kayak Magazine; amongst other things in race packs.
In addition to the hot drink facility and Mrs. Gellatly’s famous Sesame Oaty biscuits at the finish, we have arranged for Heidie from ForteBody Reconditioning to provide her massage service to those in need; and competitor access to hot showers within the Taupo Yacht Club.
Since our last posting/news, we have a had a few new Sponsors come onboard with great prizes – one in particular were going to keep secret but love to give away to a deserving competitor.
We have revised the entry fee pricing structure a little and have brought down the cost for tri and quad rovers/paddlers. The new entry fee will be $75.00 per rower/paddler (to align with the multi seat W6 Waka Ama craft paddler entry fee).
We have completed all checkpoint / team transition diagrams and they are now up on the event webpage for your viewing.
In addition to this we now have a “Sponsors’ Offers” PDF file on the event webpage, where 2009 entrants can benefit from great discounts on offer from our sponsors.
Also – so we do our best to provide an enjoyable breeze/wind at your back paddle for entrants, we have the option of turning the event around or if forced running an alternative course dependant on the weather and forecast prevailing wind, with the full backing and support of the local Coast Guard. The registration and briefing times and venue will remain unchanged.
We now have 48 confirmed craft starting (62 competitors in total). Ocean rowers have now joined the mix of surf ski, sea kayak and waka ama craft, so we now have a complete flotilla of the 4 different types of vessels leaving the start line in Tokaanu Bay.
Our goal is 100 craft and 150 competitors, and with $20,000.00+ in goodies, prize money and spot prizes up for grabs there is a good chance you’ll go home with a good bounty.
There is still time to get your entry in before the late entry fee kicks in on Monday 23rd March. Otherwise late entries will be accepted at registration between 2:30-6:30pm at the Tokaanu Te Wharewaka Water Sports Complex on Friday 27th March.
We’d love to see you at the event, and can assure you it is once again shaping up to be an event not to be missed.
If your keen to pick up your paddle/oars and knock the crossing off or better your time, visit http://www.transtaupo.co.nz to view the 2008 results, report, photos/ video coverage and competitor feedback; plus all the 2009 event info and entry to satisfy the urge.
Kind regards… Neil & Kat
Web: www.multisportcoach.co nz or www.transtaupo.co.nz
Motorway Classic Kayak Race Results
From: Chester Burt
Hi Shane,
Had a great race in the weekend, typical sunny, flat Wellington day all the kayakers were really quite close together all having a good old chase up and down the motorway. Results from the Motorway race, 13km Petone to the Interislander and return.
Last Race of the Season of the Wellington Surf ski and Waka Ama Series. High tide 9.40 am (race started 10.25am), Harbour flat and glassy (still no wind). Further photos on www.surfskiandwakaama.blogspot.com
(47 paddlers in field)
Kokiri 63:12 O.C.6
Chester Burt 65:30 Mako 6 ski
Glenn Muirhead 66:04 UFO
Les Morris 67:27 UFO
Craig Anderson 68:13 Mako 6 ski
Sara Snow/Michelle Warren 69:28 O.C.2
Dave Rudge 70:26 Mako ski
Lyall Reedy 72:28 Millenium ski
Jeff Booth 72:42 swallow
Brent Harrison 73:20 Total Eclipse
Taranaki Whanui 73:30 O.C.6
Kokiri Chicks 74:14 O.C.6
Eric Barber 74:22 Evolution
Dave Ryde 75:42 Epic V10
Sandy Winterton 75:43 Opus
Dave Fisher 75:46 Total Eclipse
Rob Taggart 75:55 O.C1
Mark White 76:27 Mako XT ski
John Allen 76:34 Swallow
Peki Emery 77.00 O.C.1
Kevin O’Connor 77:09 Mako 6 ski
Chris Mike 78:10 O.C.1
Royce Gray 79:57 O.C.1
Anita Taggart 80:12 O.C.1
Mereana Mike 80:58 O.C.1
Dianne Morgan 82:21 Sprinter
Wil Van Breda 83:20 Mako XT ski
Star Olsen 84:42 O.C.1
Pere Gray 85:45 O.C.1
Trevor Mc Donald 86:23 Sea Kayak
Kris Dahl 87:58 O.C.1
Upcoming Events
From: Chester Burt
Just to keep paddlers in the loop I’ve posted these events on our Blogspot www.surfskiandwakaama.blogspot.com so I’d thought I’d pass them on. I haven’t set a date for the Wellington Mid Kayak winter race yet (Downriver on the Hutt) likely to be Manor Park to Sladden Park water permitting.
Foxton Loop is a date I’ve spotted with the highest tide so just needs to be confirmed with Max Grant. Last year the Ruamahanga Tri was on Aug 9. Tom Ehlen memorial to be confirmed, may be Saturday or Sunday 1st weekend in October as per e-mail a few months back
Anyway this will give people an idea what’s coming up and as it gets closer, confirmation of dates etc will be sent around the traps.
If I’ve missed anything just put in other events and we’ll all get them back to look at and pass onto others
Mar 24 Twilight kayak Series http://www.betterthantv.co.nz/
Mar 28 Trans Taupo 44km (Turangi -Taupo) http://www.transtaupo.co.nz/
Mar 31 Final Twilight kayak Series http://www.betterthantv.co.nz/
Apr 5 Multisport Porirua http://www.poriruagrandtraverse.co.nz/
Apr 5 Wairarapa Mountain Duathlon http://www.wmsc.org.nz/
May 3 Multisport Petone http://www.crazyman.co.nz/
May 16 Portage kayak race http://www.marlboroughmultisport.co.nz/
May 30 Matariki Waka Ama/Surf ski/Sea Kayak http://www.hoetonga.co.nz/
June ? Wellington Mid winter kayak race http://www.surfskiandwakaama.blogspot.com/
Aug ? Ruamahanga Duathlon and mulisport event http://www.wmsc.org.nz/
Aug 23 Foxton Loop race www.max@q-kayaks.co.nz
Aug 30 Ruamahanga River Kayak race http://www.wmsc.org.nz
Sep ? Twin Rivers kayak race www.marlboroughmultisport.co.nz
Oct 4 Multisport Tom Ehlen Memorial
Oct 17 Ruamahanga kayak marathon/relay http://www.betterthantv.co.nz/
cheers, Chester
Cheap Argentina Trip
From: Ross Bidmead
Aerolineas Argentina are offering return flights from Auckland to Buenos Aires for under $950. The flights can be taken until about September but need to be booked soon. This is about a third of the usual price.
Anyone fancy a couple of weeks there? Some options for a small group include:
– hooking up with Gravity and doing a series of big (4,000m) descents in Bolivia – and maybe combining it with a few good runs.
– Riding and cycling in Cusco (Gravity have opened a new centre there and are offering a one day 3,300m descent ride) – finish with a day in Machu Picchu.
– 2 weeks tramping in the Cordillera Huayhuash
– Skiing and tramping in Bariloche
– Skiing in Ushuaia (54 degrees south)
Drop me a note if you’re interested. I figure that we can do a lot for $3,000 – $3,500 as a small group of 6-10 people.
Hola,
The Auckland –Buenos Aires return flight offer for $935 expires on 31 March. We have done some quick work to organise two trips to take advantage of these fares. The first is skiing in Ushuaia and we think we have a package together that will work out as cheap as skiing in the South Island, but with better snow and more cross country options. The second is mountain biking the really big (4,000m) descents in Bolivia. See below or check out the Outdoor website for more info.
If this even vaguely interests you, get in touch as after 31 March the air fares are likely to rise sharply.
Ski in Tierra del Fuego
The area is gaining a good reputation for both cross country and down hill skiing. The newest resort in Argentina Cerro Castor, boasts good cross country facilities as well as 770m descents. It is only 26kms inland from Ushuaia which has heaps of good accommodation at reasonable prices. There is also a ski field within walking distance (just) of town and heaps of areas that look excellent for casual ski touring. Expect good powder snow in the inland valleys where the temperatures will vary from freezing to minus 20C. On the coast the temperature range is +5 to -5 C.
The cost for a two week holiday, including flights from Auckland to Ushuaia return and bed and breakfast accommodation looks like being about. $NZ2,750. There are plenty of cheap restaurants in town or we can cook for ourselves in a hostel. Lift passes at Cerro Castor are $NZ35-50 per day. My hope is that we get a good mixture of down hillers and cross country types as there seems to be heaps of both. Check out this review of Cerro Castor. Touring the historic Harberton Estancia , Tierra del Fuego National Park and some of the inland lakes also sounds like fun.
The provisional departure date is 22 August. If you are even vaguely interested – call or email now – as I need to get a group booking processed and paid by 31 March.
Mountain Bike in Bolivia
Gravity Bolivia run a brilliant program of huge 4,000m mountain bike descents. Most people have heard of the Worlds Most Dangerous Road (WMDR), but this is only a taster of the really good rides available to groups. Start at 5,300m in Chacaltaya and ride to the banana belt at 1,300m, or hack out a fresh route down the jungle rail trail. This is mountain bike heaven.
I’m working on a two week program with Alistair from Gravity. Provisional departure date mid July (this can change). Gravity is located in La Paz, from where it’s easy to extend the trip and take in Cusco, Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. Prices are still being worked out – but let us know what would interest you.
If this even vaguely stirs your interest – register quickly as air fare deals end March 31.
Regards
Ross. Home: 64 4 4795 447, Cell: 021 40 40 89