Pacific Paddler December 2013 - (Page 18)

The whole story, only in the digital edition XCEL European Championship (Kai and Kaihe's great European road trip!) What makes paddling outrigger canoes spe- cial? The people you meet and the places you can see around the world that create memories for a lifetime. While this sport certainly doesn't pay its elite paddlers in the uS, it has provided many (and not just the elite) with the opportu- nity to travel and meet new friends in many dif- ferent countries. Top paddlers have earned trips to Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, New Caledonia, Canada, and recently Europe. In 2012, Kai Bartlett and Patrick Dolan were invited by the organizers of the XCEL European Challenge to come participate in this relay. They did and had an incredible, adventurous, and exciting experience. They were invited again for this year's relay, and there was no hesitation on Kai's part. Although Patrick would have jumped on this repeat opportunity, he had more significant events happening in his life at this time (like getting married! moving to the mainland!). So he was not able to go. Kaihe Chong was asked to partner up, and like Kai, there was no hesitation! Last year the race course went from Hossegor to Biarritz to Guethery to Hendaye. This year it started in Getaria, Spain (a very picturesque town south of San Sebastian) running 34 miles north to Hendaye, France. As this was the first time most of the people had paddled in this area of Spain, no one really had the advantage of local knowledge. Nearly 100 paddlers participated, and came from various parts of the globe: Australia, Hawaii, Tahiti, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Spain, and, of course, France (Brittany, Paris, Medoc, Lacanau Ocean, Biarritz, Marseille). Thanks to the generosity of XCEL Europe and Carl Reiser, Kai and Kaihe got to meet new people, share their paddling experience with a clinic prior to the race, and have a terrific time seeing new places. Kaihe and Tanya GumpacMcGuire made the most of it by first visiting Italy checking out the cities of Rome, Venice, Lucca, and the leaning tower in Pisa in six days 18 Pacific Paddler December 2013 making for a whirlwind tour! Then it was off to along the coast, the course turned at a beautiful then to St. Jean De Luz in the Basque Country. rolling out along with an outgoing tide, and the Bordeaux, a few days in Lacanau Ocean, and Kai and Kea Kimball arrived in Bordeaux a week before the race , and were driven straight from the airport to Anglet, by friend Jerome Fabre, for a dinner party at the home of Pascal and Kenza Seunaneche. This was a two hour car ride after a seventeen hour plane trip! The next day was a day of rest and surfing at Anglet. French hosts, Sylvain Mercandalli, Christophe Amestoy, Bertrand Baechler, Vincent Conrie, and Remy Lavie, showered Kai and Kaihe with incredible hospitality during their visit. Marcelo Diaz Rodriguez, of Gondolin SuP club and school in San Sebastian, along with his friends, welcomed the visiting Hawaiians to this beautiful city. They paddled OC1 and SuP in the bay, had lunch on Santa Clara island, and at night visited some of the many tapas bars around "old town" San Sebastian. Race day started flat and glassy however the course was full of magnificent scenery of the Basque coast. From the start at Getaria, the first leg (6 miles) went north to Orio. Paddling point where a river flowed to the sea. Fog was transition point was a ways up this river making for a bit of a challenge. From there it was on to San Sebastian (11.5 miles). The third leg (4.5 miles) made its way out of San Sebastian to the harbor of Pasaia which is also located up a river (just not as far as Orio). A bit of concern for the organizers was that all of the paddlers needed to be out of the harbor by 3 p.m. This concern was based on the format of the relay in that the second and third legs of the race were started only after the last paddler finished the previ- ous leg. It was not a "tag" and "go" format. A little headwind greeted those on the last leg (12 miles) to Hendaye, but surfing from the ocean into the river and meeting up with a somewhat favorable current made finishing at the sailing club a welcoming sight. Hot showers were provided by the sailing club, re-energizing paddlers for the awesome after party with cold beer, dinner, and live entertainment. XCEL and Hoalen provided wonderful prizes! Europeans are becoming very competitive in

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Paddler December 2013

Molokai Hoe
So Cal - Winter Season begins
Image and Reality in Polynesian Voyaging
Canadian Outrigger Heats Up
XCEL European Championship
Take It to the Next Level
COVER 1999 Edition
December 1999 CONTENTS
1999 Na Wahine
1999 Na Wahine
1999 New Products
1999 Ocean Tides, Currents & Racing
OC-1, OC-2 & Kayak 2000 schedule
1999 Canada Outrigger
1999 P3 Masters Waa Kaukahi Relay
1999 Hawaiki Nui Va‘a, Tahiti ~

Pacific Paddler December 2013