Mountains to Sound Relay 2011

           Mountains to Sound Relay 2011 from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

One man, One day, One hundred miles!!

Pacific Northwest native and adventure sport expert Jimmy Z. earned himself some impressive bragging rights as he dug deep for a good cause, doing what he does best from Cascade Mountain trails to Puget Sound waterways...

While racing in Seattle's 6th annual Mountains to Sound Relay, an event which has "contributed over $50,000 towards improving trails and recreation along the Mountains to Sound Greenway, for the I-90 Corridor from Thorpe to the shores of Seattle."

In a 17 mile mountain bike, 46 mile road bike, 12 mile kayak leg, 13.1 mile/ half marathon run and a final 10 km 'sprint' race to the finish...

With many liters of water, Gatorade, Gel Shots & caffeinated power gummies later...

Through leg cramps and into the pukes...

He surprised himself (but not us supporters:) with a strong, 1st place IRONMAN finish at 8 hours and 20 minutes in Seattle's finest fundraising, multisport relay race!

WAY TO GO JIM!!!

Unleash the Beast Triathon 2011

For the second year in a row we eagerly packed up bikes & boats and headed down beautiful, Pacific Northwest back roads, across a few islands and onto a small ferry

 to take us to the Olympic Penninsula, for the 2nd annual Unleash the Beast Adventure Sports Festival in the historically lovely lumber town of Port Gamble on the Kitsap Peninsula.

This year we excitedly cross-trained for months for a new addition to this two day, adventure sports demo & racing bonanza line up, an adventure sports triathlon. 

The first leg, the Paddle the Dragon 6 mile kayak race. 

Then those brave enough could opt to go on solo or switch out with teammates

for two more muddier than muddy legs in the nearby Port Gamble trails- jumping out of their wet kayak gear and onto their bikes to get dirty on a 14 mile sport class,

single track slip & slide mountain bike leg followed by a 5km run... 

With the grand finale finish line bringing the hardcore multi sport racers back to the waterfront to finish amongst rain sodden & windswept crowds with vendor booths

proudly displaying colorful array of kayaks & SUPs.

Ambitiously we both pre-registered in the iron man/woman solo triathlon divisions-

 with Jim using this as a warm up for his super endurance solo efforts in next month's '100 miles in 1 day' Mountains to Sound race and I as the next major fitness challenge goal I'd hoped to check off while still cautiously on my own personal spinal injury rehab journey...

 Unfortunately two weeks before race day I frustratingly got struck hard by case of acute bronchitis.  Even though I'd brought all my gear along  just in case I miraculously began feeling better overnight, at registration I had to stubbornly admit defeat and follow doctors orders to scratch my race and save my health...On the bright side, it then left my day open to be Jim's personal cheerleader and support person at every transition :)

While Jim had also been fighting a spring cold all week, luckily it didn't take him down nearly as hard, and with what he attributes to super hydrating the week before, Jim had the race of all races, months of training paying off as he led the way to an incredible
 *ironman* 1st PLACE OVERALL finish!  

  Proving that he and the skies could both be beasts that unleashed, Jim held a sweeping lead from the kayak leg all the way through each of the following sport legs in the triathlon race- beating the 2nd place finishing team by nearly 12 minutes!  AND in and through some pretty unforgiving weather conditions at times-

Sea kayaking across the Hood Canal  against 10 knot and increasing gusts o' headwinds while fighting ebbing currents on the return.  Then onto mountain biking and running along super-soaked trails...

Doug in a super beautiful, kevlar Necky Looksha 2

finished the Paddle the Dragon kayak race in first place overall,

 Followed by a Mens Double Sea Kayak with Jim close behind in third place overall, in his older & not-as-beautiful but definitely his most favorite boat, a kevlar Necky Looksha 3. 

 Jim then took over first place in the triathlon as he ran outa the cold Puget Sound salt water up the rocky beach, down a few hundred yards along rain-wetted grass to the kayak-bike transition zone to quickly change into biking clothes, while simultaneously refueling with Gu and downing gulps of Gatorade.   

Oblivious to the passing spring rain squall that was not helping his shivering as it turned briefly into even more unforgiving sideways hail,  Jim grinningly took off in a screaming first place solid lead on his next most favorite piece of gear, a tested, tried true & trusted, old school GT Zaskar LE mountain bike. 

By his time estimations, I made sure to be at the next  bike-runner transition zone, in a grassy field just outside of town about an hour and a half later.  Again it was awesome for a small crowd of us to see Jim come flying out of the forest this time, covered in mud from head to toe to the point of being nearly unrecognisable...except for that grin! 

 

With one final, quick shoe change again, a few sips of water & a few Power Gel gummies he was off again, to next be seen until he came cruising down the trail just under the flagpole back in Port Gamble, 20-something minutes later, still looking as happy & strong as when he started, as he came down onto the waterfront and around a final loop in the race course that hid him briefly out of sight behind a building before a final 200 yard straightaway sprint to finish at 3 hours 16 minutes...

 As the endorphin high still fuels that grin, he's already looking forward to next weekend's endurance cross-training plans, a 60 mile open water, kayak camping island adventure.~

Deception Pass Dash 2010 ~ Race start video

Deception Pass Dash 2010 ~Race Start~ from Island Paddlers on Vimeo

A trailside view of this years Deception Pass Dash race start with 150+ paddle sport competitors sprinting out of Bowman Bay on one the finest December days of the year.

A lot of fun was had by all at this years Dash.  For the second year in a row, marine weather conditions couldn't have been calmer for this 6 mile popular, paddling sprint race through these notoriously turbulent currents...

In my first kayak race in over a year since requiring two back-to-back spinal surgeries for a paddling-related injury,  Jim & I were pretty excited to be able to duke it out together again in our trusted Chiquita Nootka in a tight race in the mixed doubles class against Werner Paddle's Andy Bridge and his paddling partner, to finish 36th overall in a time of 60:38. 

Debbie feeding the gratefully hungry masses!

We extend a big thanks to Bill Walker, OAC and all of the awesome volunteers who make the Dash possible!

*Race photos & video courtesy of one of the youngest 'Island Paddlers', 11 year old A.V.

Alert Bay 360 ~ Race Results

Unofficially official Race Results

2010 Alert Bay 360 Eco Paddle

courtesy of Alert Bay 360 Race Chairman Eric Gregory 

compiled by village administrator Madeline McDonald

*double click on images to enlarge

**There are a few errors in these results. 

If you are aware of a discrepancy in your time/place,

please send a kind email to the Alert Bay 360 race chairman  

Alert Bay 360 ~ Race Report

Arriving on tiny Cormorant island for the
2nd annual Alert Bay Eco Paddle Race, 
one can't help but quickly become peacefully overwhelmed 
by the incredible natural and cultural beauty 
combined with the unbelievably unending kindness of the 
extraordinarily friendly locals.

That is until another sense is jolted as one listens to the
updated marine forecast on the VHF radio! 

With gale force winds forecast for the morning of the race, 

many paddlers were left nervously pondering
or excitedly anticipating their final boat choices
for this very off-the-beaten-path

and now potentially
prevailing windy paddling race.

 Most in town rose early on this blustery, blue sky summer
Saturday morning to join hundreds of other
fellow paddlers and spectators
gathering at the waters edge for a
rootsy fun race around this ruggedly small island.

Sharing smiles, we all watched in awe at the vast array of colorful boats continuing to line up along this gem of a Johnstone Straits islands shorelines.

Joining 'Team USA' this year as a volunteer race photographer,
I happily jumped aboard one of the safety boats
with Alert Bay locals Herman and Sandy and gave
last minute, pre-bumpy race seas departure
cheers to my fellow Sound Rowers companions-
Seattle rowing and paddling racing club president Steve Bennett,
former Olympic rower Sherri Cassuto,
and my ultra adventure lovin' athlete hubby, Jim Zimmerman. 

 

One last look back at them on the beach and I could tell they were pretty pumped up.

But then again, who wouldn't be totally jazzed to be racing 

for a chance at $12,000 in cash prizes and random draw donation giveaways, eh?!

As the start of the race neared the winds had steadily increased to about 15 ~ 20 knots, with white caps dotting the sheltered bay where approx. 130 racers bounced up and down while lining up in preparation to sprint into a strong and unyielding headwind until they made the first turn at a blink horned point.  ~ NBZ

Going into the shallow waters, dodging rocks and beam seas

I couldn't wait to make the turn so the wind would be on my back. 

Within a few good rides I find my rhythm- synchronizing my breathing, my strokes, connecting waves and reading the water ahead of me...I fall into the zone. 

Then suddenly a blow from a gray whale
quite close by grabs my attention
and puts a smile on my face!  
I usually spend a good deal o' my free time attempting
to photograph whales in the wild from my sea kayak...

but today I'm on the water with a different purpose-

so don't allow even one extra second to

linger with this massive marine mammal. 

Instead I immediately go back to focusing on chasing down

the next paddler in front of me.

As we continue circumnavigating tiny Cormorant island,
the wind subsided and the currents collided!  

Paddling as tight to the shoreline as possible while finding the right line between the thick kelp beds and numerous rocks becomes the predominant strategy 
for this years Alert Bay 360 kayak race.

With opposing currents and a headwind making the final push to the finish seem further and further away, I found the break I needed in the last stretch provided by the pilings from the old docks as I returned to finish line. 

Fueling me on even more is a loud thunder from a roaring crowd... ~JZ
~   ~   ~

Kudos to 'Team USA' for all finishing in the top 20,

with Jim placing 10th, Sherri 14th and Steve 18th overall! ~

We also really enjoyed watching
Sherri make us proud
as her victory

earned 'er $1000 in cash for finishing
FIRST PLACE FEMALE OVERALL!

CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS Sherri!!

We offer big thanks
 to 360 Race Chairman Eric Gregory, 
to Donna and Norman Stauffer for exceptional catering
of the freshly caught traditional seafood dinner,
and to the Gwa'wina Singers & T'sasala Cultural Group
for extending a special invitation 

to a once-in-a-lifetime cultural performance 
in the Namgis Big House.

And an extra special thanks to our new friend
and most graciously kind and talented host,

 Bear Dancer.

*More race photos at
http://picasaweb.google.com/expeditionpaddlers/AlertBay360#/

1st annual NW Adventure Sports Expo ~ Unleash the Beast!

Having grown up on the Kitsap Penninsula, I couldn't help but be intrigued when I saw the press release for a new multi-sports event, 'Unleash the Beast!', being thrown out there for a weekend in the most beautiful little logging town around, historic Port Gamble. 

 So we marked the calendar and Jim began strategically training...as he eagerly took the opportunity to register for not one, but two different sporting races being offered at the NW Adventure Sports Festival.

New this year on the Puget Sound paddle racing schedule was the Paddle the Dragon 5 mile kayak race- in the venue of all venues, absolutely beautiful Port Gamble.

As well as three Dirty Dozen mountain bike races. Jim signed up for the 25 mile 'expert' class, single track race as well as the paddle race.  *To this multisport ultra-athlete, this was a great warm-up, racing double-header as part of his Mountains-to-Sound,  ironman trainining.

We arrived a few hours before the kayak race on Saturday morning to allow plenty of time to check in,

as well as check out the different race courses.

Along with the numerous colorful and assorted vendor displays of mountain bikes, rec plastic kayaks, sea kayaks, stand up boards, canoes, pedal sail boats... all available to demo on trails & seas!   We were in true Northwest adventure sport lover's heaven!

Boats and bikes, bikes and boats = so many toys, so little time....

Start of the Paddle the Dragon ~ 5 mile kayak race

Race Report by JZ~ 2nd overall,1st place kayaker- "Before the race conditions were as calm as can be, then a slight breeze came in across the bay...

The field was small with a lot of non-rudder rec boats, a few triples

and a double.

Also a couple of fast outrigger canoes. By the time the race started we had a stiff 10 to 15 knot headwind with up to 1 foot chop. It was a grind to the turn around buoy at the Dragon but knowing we were going to have a downwind run to the finish made it worth it.

At the turn around the fast double missed the turn around buoy so it was 2 outriggers and me. The wind waves were small but perfect to connect one after another. The wind was blowing us right to the finish. Awesome! Overall it was a great course- Great for beginners and also in just the right conditions for the experienced racer."

Start of the Dirty Dozen -Expert class- 25 mile- single track- mountain bike race

Race Report by JZ

  "The sign up was a bit unorganized, but for the first year is understandable. The expert field had some awesome riders...some were so fast they never even got dirty? (*reference to the 20 guys who never passed him, yet somehow finished ahead of him)  Could have had a check point half way so riders could check in  (* Reference to reference above)...The course was excellent, roots, tight trees, steep down hill and really fast rolling terrain made it an awesome warm-up for the season."

Rainbow display of plastic kayaks ~ recreational boats

The British have arrived in Port Gamble...and taken over our waterways?!

(*I may be 1/2 Pom myself, but the other Kiwi half of the gene pool in my family taught me that if you wanna paddle far and/ or fast around the PNW waters, you need a RUDDER!!)  

 

Kayaks, SUPs, canoes, pedal sail boats-

you could demo just about anything that floated!

Jim finishing in 2nd place to a smokin' hot OC-1 & 1st kayaker overall

Jim was the only bi-athlete racer of the day to participate in both the kayak AND the 25 mile mountain bike races

Olympic mountain peaks and floating Hood Canal bridge backdrop

Olympic Outdoor Center's new Port Gamble retail store location
OOC and it's extremely friendly helpful crew deserves a big kudos for all the hard work they did in helping making this great Multi Sport Adventure Expo event happen! 

Cheers to all of the race organizers, volunteers & vendors who helped put on the
 1st annual NW Adventure Sports Expo!

 EVENT PHOTOS @: http://picasaweb.google.com/expeditionpaddlers/NWAdventureExpo2010#/