Happy Summer Solstice!

~Here's to a summer paddling season of long days on the water full of endless adventures~

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 ! ;)

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#/

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/