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!!!

Tight race, every stroke of the way!

Many thanks to Gary Luhm for these great DPD race photos,

of our tightest, funnest race yet as tandem team;)

For more great paddling photography 

visit  http://www.garyluhm.net/.

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.

Final Countdown to the DPD 2010 race!

Final Countdown to the Deception Pass Dash 2010... from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

T minus one week to go!

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  

de Fuca Downwinder

We at Island Paddlers Nature Photography are proud to be among the sponsors of the

1st annual

PNW's newest 13.5 mile paddling race.

June 12th

 from Freshwater Bay to Port Angeles, WA

There will be two start times:

 11:30 am start for: Sea Kayak, Outrigger, SUP

12:30 pm start for:  Surfskis, OC2s, OC6s, All Rowers

Complete race info. at:

http://www.raftandkayak.com/de-fuca-downwind-race

Sound Rowers 2010 Race Schedule

(Click image above to enlarge.. then find the nearest open water racing event to your town and make 2010 the year to

'Race or Rally'!

Make your local race directors day by joining in on the fun- either on the water or on land....Jump in a boat & race or jump on board & VOLUNTEER ! ;)

Unleash the Beast!

NW Outdoor Adventure Sports and Film Festival

NEW Multi-Sports EVENT THIS YEAR!:

"Unleash the beast from within May 8-9th, 2010 at the Northwest Adventure Sports Expo in historic Port Gamble, Washington. Whether you are a beginner or advanced, young or old adventurer you will appreciate the weekend of fun filled demos, classes, vendors, films, food and the festival atmosphere..."

**including New Races!!

KAYAK:  6 mile Paddle the Dragon Race

BIKE:  Dirty Dozen Moutain Bike Races

Full event info @ http://www.unleashthebeastnw.com/

Alert Bay 360 Eco Paddle Kayak Race

Alert Bay from Robin Thacker on Vimeo.

North end of Vancover Island, BC, Canada ~ July 24th, 2010

Alert Bay 360 ~ Eco-Paddling Race

                                 www.alertbay.ca 

Glassy Dash through the Pass !

No wind and barely a ripple of current,

meant flat, calm conditions

for this years big race turnout, as the 2009 Deception Pass Dash

will go down as

one of the fastest Dashes through the Pass...First male and female overall wins were both

well-earned by former Olympians, Greg Barton and Sherri Cassuto,in this years record-setting heat

of 158 boats and boards of all varieties....

Giant Thanks to Bill Walker (on the left below), OAC crew,
and all of the awesome volunteers and sponsors who make the Dash possible~

Check out more race photos at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/expeditionpaddlers/DeceptionPashDash2009#

28th annual Bainbridge Island Marathon Race

Jim & Nadja racing through Agate Passage ~ photo by Michael Lampi

Marathon Race Start ~ photo by Michael Lampi

Capt. Steve Bennett -pre coffee- setting up for the race at sunrise ~

Sound Rowers President & longtime Bainbridge Island Race Director

Mt Rainier glowing to the south at sunrise...

Race day sunrise over Cascade Mts ~ from Bainbridge Is.

This years conditions for the lengthiest, open water paddling and rowing race in the Pacific Northwest were fantastic, as the results on the Sound Rowers website will show... http://www.soundrowers.org/

5 outa 17 of us in the 26 mile marathon long course around Bainbridge island set records in our class- as well as 2 outa 7 racers in the 'short' half marathon course. While the 1st overall in the long course was won by a rocketship fueld by Jeb Besser & Grant Dull in a 2X-OW, with a time of 3:09:02.

The records in classes were set by Theresa & Jeff Knakal,Theresa Batty & Susan Kinne, Peter Hirtle, Traci Cole, Jim & I, Alan Clark and Sherri Cassuto.

Despite my recent battlings with bulging disks and Jim's bruised ribs, this long of a push on this hot of a day was worth it for the scenery & wildlife encounters (multiple up close porpoises:), Mt Rainier looming, Seattle skyline, the Olympic Mts & Mt Baker...

A big 'shout out' to Steve Bennett, Sound Rower's Prez & Bainbridge Marathon Race Director for many years....his bread, homemade clam chowder & humor makes the race.

Afterwards, Jim & I raced back to our island to drop off the boat, pick up his bike & race to the base of Mt Baker to rise this morning just before dawn for him to test his endurance as he raced up & down & up & down Mt Baker in a road bike field of only about 9 in the 'D.u.m.b.' 100 mile race category of the Mt Baker Hill Climb ride 542- he finished 2nd at 7 hrs and a few seconds, (although they only 'officially' time the first 75 ?!)...

~Quite the'Ultra' weekend!...Ultra driving, ultra campin', ultra racing = Ultra FUN!!

Deception Pass Dash- newspaper story

Jim & Nadja lining up for the start of the race

The Skagit Valley Herald did a story on the already legendary 2008 DPD....check it out!

http://www.goskagit.com/home/article/recreation_kayakers_dash_through_the_pass/