Given I had never paddled in the Waitemata Harbour before, never done the race and had no real idea of who was racing, my goal really was to paddle as best I could and see where I ended up. My Auckland host Tim Grammer (who I consistently beat in AR and MS I must ad), informed me of all the good paddlers who were racing, listing at least 20-names and not including mine. He did suggest it wasn’t to late to go on the well proven and popular ‘V’ program, which could produce freakish results but did have it’s own inherent risks (insomnia, diabetes and false teeth).
    
Another event sponsor Mainfreight made it extremely easy for people around the country to attend the race by offering return ski transport from Christchurch, Nelson and Wellington. With skis being delivered and collected from race registration, I think it was easier for the out-of-towners to compete than the locals.

The event and adventure begins on the Friday night with registration and the 200-metre sprints, a series of heats in the viaduct between million dollar launches. I decided that one humiliation a weekend is suffice so I’d save it for the main event on Saturday, but I enjoyed the spectacle from the Italian restaurant quay side. (Had Friday’s race been a 100km night paddle with navigation I would have been super keen).

The Big One - Contegro King of the Harbour

Predictwind.com, another sponsor, predicted perfect wind for drying washing but not for paddlers wanting waves … try again next year. Auckland mysteriously entered the Intertropical Convergence Zone, more commonly known as the Doldrums. With no thermal column or activity present, even the sea birds couldn’t be arsed flying, opting instead to float about on the oily surface. None the less, the sun was shining, I had a ski, a paddle and there was water, so I was as happy as a penguin on ice. With all 80-skis loaded aboard the ferry cruised to Waiheke with pre banter echoing around the decks. While it was a familiar scene to all the Aucklanders, for the 5 South Islanders and 8-Tahitians (including me, I was mistaken for a Tahitian 7-times) it was an exciting boat trip with a hive of bustling activity, fishing boats, sailing yachts, paddles, ships, all action. Like most adventure sports, the atmosphere was fun and very social amongst the camaraderie of ocean lovers. I had a pleasant chat with Warren Trethewey from the Royal Akarana Paddlers club on the boat trip, he went on to complete the crossing in 2:04’40.

I have to admit travelling to a single discipline event, especially one expected to take me 2-hours, is a highly relaxing affair. As I lay on the beach awaiting the start in an hour’s time, I made a note to savour the moment when I go to the Adventure Racing World Champs in November, 700km, 5 days non stop and 6-disciplines. I can see myself sliding to ski paddling as my sport!

Once on the water it was time to race, what I was there for. It was humbling and amazing (and intimidating) to be warming up next to so many accomplished ocean ski paddlers, the Kiwi legends. I regularly get my arse kicked, but this was going to be an arse kicking of epic proportion. I didn’t know that many paddlers but I believed that at a minimum, Ben Fouhy, Ben Keys, Simon McLarin, Travis Mitchell, Sam Newlands, Mike Walker, Paul Wilford, Oskar Stielau (anyone called Oskar must be quick) and Tamas Pinter would all be faster than me, making my top 10 goal look a bit unrealistic, was 9th a possible result, better make that 10th, I have to reluctantly concede Tim Grammer had a chance also.

At 12:30pm everyone was set to go and after a few anxious minutes on the start line as the race was held for a ferry to berth, the horn was sounded and the race made way. In a melee of spray and a fury of paddle blades, I couldn’t see much of what was going on until after the first 1km and we entered the open water. From about 30th place, I could see a small group had got a gap, then 2-large bunches started to form up, left and right, both of about a dozen paddlers. I was in the 2nd of these bunches, determined to start sensibly for my ability.

By the 6km mark in Motuihe Channel, it looked to me like 2-3 paddlers had been tele-transported way ahead of the race, the gap they had created was not in my reality of paddling, not possible. Later through process of elimination I figured out it was Mike Walker and Ben Fouhy, desperately keen to get to the finish as they realised they had not put money in the parking metre.

For those that had paid there parking fees, a more sedate paced was being enjoyed. Passing through the Motukorea Channel, approximately 10km, I was on my own, trailing a group of about 7-paddlers. In the group I thought recognised Paul Wilford, Rob Nicol, Oskar Steilau, Simon Longdill, Simon McLarin, Tamas Pinter, spear headed by Leopold Tepa. Out to the left slightly ahead were Tim Grammer and Sam Newlands, and from what I guess was another group ahead that contained Travis Mitchell, Matt Sutton and Tim McLaren, but I couldn’t be sure. The double ski of Malcolm Hall & Peter Boer was somewhere way ahead too. Finally after chasing for nearly 18km I made contact with the lead group that had now swelled to 11. Going through the heads and passing Devonport the boat washes and finish line started sparking all sorts of shenanigans and as a result I was spat out. With Ben Fouhy delivering what I term an extraordinary race to take the victory over an equally impressive performance from Mike Walker, the chase group set up in a big long line resemblant of 747’s in a landing queue at LAX. Tim McLarin led us all home.

I asked Ben after the race how it went for him. “I’m very happy with the race. Early on I had to race fairly tactically as I didn’t have the conditioning in the boat to push the pace early, so I had to work up the groups. As the race went on Mike Walker and I got away and worked well together. Mike got a lift around Bean Rock; I had to work pretty hard to stay with him. I kept the rating up and got the next run and managed to get a gap so went for it with about 5km to go.” he said.

Ben won the race in 1:34’41, over a minute in front of Mike who clocked 1:36’00.

Women’s Race

A total of 8-women were paddling in the event. Katie Pocock having won the previous 9-editions had to be race favourite. Dene Simpson was expected to be close to Katie, partially because Katie is taking a break from full load training. Talented surf lifesaving athlete Bailey Elliot was racing as well Coast-to-Coast winner Sophie Hart who also made the trip up from Nelson. Sophie only decided to compete a week prior after taking a deserved break post Coast-to-Coast, but she has a fast growing passion for ocean ski paddling and wanted experience the event.

Katie Pocock comments on her race “My race was pretty straight forward, I just tried to hang on the washes for as long as I could, milking any bump, boat wash, whiff of wind or ripple I could find, thankfully there was lots of moving water out there (that is Auckland Harbour on a sunny Saturday for you!) so it was actually a lot more fun than I originally thought it would be. I had a few issues with cramp in my left foot about half way across which made steering difficult for a while and I ended up falling of the back of a good group - that was a bit of a blow in the end as I would have liked to beat a few more of the guys, but i was happy to hold off Dene for the victory (albeit only-1 minute or so) she is strong in the long races.”

As Katie mentioned, Dene Simpson paddled superbly to finish with Bailey taking third, with Sophie close behind in 4th. 

In closing, I finished in 1:41’04, 11th place. I was pretty chuffed to be 99-seconds back from 3rd place, even though I know spanning that gap would be an expanse the size of the Tasman Sea. I wasn’t part of the race but at least I had a good view of it. I’ll be back and I’d like to place an order for the 10th spot please. Sophie said she struggled through the race, lack of conditioning primarily and fighting a cold, but she thoroughly enjoyed herself and is already keen for 2012. She left Auckland with a new surfski.

For those that weren’t there, especially the ski paddlers from all over New Zealand, I highly encourage you to make the effort and get to this fantastic event. The day after we paddled out to Rangitoto and went running, that capped off a weekend as good as they get.

To the Mainlanders, just quietly, like you, I try and avoid Auckland as much as I can, but the King of Harbour race is one trip I’m up for.