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Bair Island News: October 2004 Editor: Min Tang (1) Paddling news BIAC CREWS AT THE CATALINA ISLAND OUTRIGGER CANOE RACE This race is the biggest and most competitive OC6 (six person outrigger canoe) race in the mainland USA. Hui Wa'a (BIAC's outrigger canoe program) has a history of having Northern California's top placings at the big races. For this reason, other paddlers (and sometimes whole clubs) come to us to be a part of our success. At this year's Catalina races, we raced under the "TEAM WAVECHASER" name because we had so many non BIAC/Hui Wa'a paddlers and to help promote the race series we run(see www.wavechaser.com). When the dust had settled after the Saturday's 26-mile womens and coed races from Newport Beach to Catalina Island, we had five of the top overall nine places in the coed race, including a first place in the senior master coed class. In Sunday's very competitive 30-mile mens race from Catalina Island back to Newport Beach, our open mens crew battled most the way across with a group of canoes occupying sixth though ninth place overall. We finished ninth overall, but were first place in the Bradley canoe class. Additional info and full results are available at WAVECHASER SERIES HAS FIRST EVER SUMMER EDITION We started the WaveChaser series two years ago as a winter series for single and double outrigger canoes and kayaks. This year we added a three-race summer addition. Our goal was to take advantage of our summer Bay Area winds to host down-wind races similar to those that are very popular in Hawaii. Good downwind-with-the-waves paddling requires a skill set that - when honed by many hours of paddling in the big water - enables the paddler and boat to get an extra push from the waves. When done successfully, it is like literally paddling downhill. For our first two races (Coyote Point to BIAC, and Crissy Field in San Francisco to Berkeley), the wind gods cooperated and we had great surfing conditions. The third race was from Davenport to Santa Cruz. The summer afternoon winds often make conditions on this run the biggest and gnarliest of the Bay Area. Unfortunately, on race day we had dead-flat conditions. Oh well, I guess two out of three ain't bad. For more information and full results of the WaveChaser races, visit http://www.wavechaser.com WORLD OUTRIGGER SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIPS Our senior master womens crew competed in the International Va'a Additional info and full results can be found at MOLOKAI RACE The open mens OC6 crew is preparing for the Hawaii's October 10th More info can be found at http://ohcra.com/molokaihoe/molokaihoe.htm (2) BIAC Novice/Intermediate Sweep The morning and evening novice/intermediate sweep programs combined to field 7 entries at the Lake Merritt Sprints, Sunday August 1, 2004. Under cloudy skies that gave way to sunny and windy conditions, the rowers with up to about 18 months experience boated 2 mixed 8+s (taking 1st and 3rd in the Intermediate class), a men's novice 8+ (2nd), a women's masters 4+ (7th), a women's pair (3rd), a women's open 8+ (6th) and a mixed masters 2x (3rd). Congratulations to all for the turnout, the rowing and the increased cooperation among programs! The morning and evening novice/intermediate sweep programs will be At last weekend's Head of the San Joaquin, the intermediate and novice programs joined forces to field a mixed four. Along the 5000 metre course the competition they faced were battling wakes from locals who took no notise of the race volunteers flagging them down and dodging the occasional water hyacinth cluster. All in all, a pleasant morning to go out for a row and an enjoyable lunch was had by all. The morning novice/intermediate program is also proud to acknowledge the Meanwhile, the morning and evening programs have developed an effective communication system for processing interested new or returning rowers and have had success in responding more quickly to inquiries about rowing and in following up with new rowers. As a result a number of new rowers are now rowing and sculling at BIAC and more are expected. Coach JP Sekulich has retired from coaching the morning Kate Demers, a rower who learned at the high school and University LAKE MERRITT SPRINTS Once again the Lake Merritt sprints provided an opportunity for the scullers to get together and race. Cliff took first place in the G 1x cat. Brian came second in the 1x Open Lwt. Stephanie and Kristin came 2nd and 3rd in the Womens open 1x. Kristin and Jenny took second in the 2x. Jenny took fourth in the womens A-B 1x. Sue finished second in the 1x B Cat. Luis came second in the 1x B Cat. Graham finished first in the 1x D Cat. Jess took second in the open water Cat. Ted finished third in Novice 1x event with David coming in second. Luis and Cliff came third in the x2. Julie and Dan came in fourth in the mixed x2 with Luis and Sue coming third. A very impressive set of results for everyone! HEAD OF THE SAN JOAQUIN Ian Cox finished first in the singles event. SCULLING CLINIC On the weekend of September 25th BIAC a sculling clinic was held for those who would like to improve their sculling skills. Coach Karole from Lake Merritt spent the weekend working with scullers on the water and reviewing technique on video. The consensus was a positive experience. We look forward to our next clinic to be held November 13th, details to follow. CANADIAN NATIONALS At the end of the sprint season we had a small WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT BOAT? If you were wondering what happened to the single in the red cover that seemed like it was snapped in half. Well that was Ian's boat. It was hit while travelling by road to a Regatta in Klamath Falls. Ian was hit by someone that ran a stop sign and totaled his car and boat. This was of course after Luis Yanez had told him to be careful! Fortunately Ian is well and has a new car and a repaired boat. It GETTING READY FOR HEAD RACING SEASON? For those of you interested in getting ready for head race season we are running some workouts at 6.15am on Wednesdays meeting up at the Stanford dock. Contact Ian for details. SOCIAL EVENTS! We are thinking about planning a get together of the scullers one (4) BIAC's 13th Annual Fall Regatta on Nov. 7 Throw your backsplash on home waters at our 5000-meter head race on the San Mateo Marina Lagoon. This is a challenging course that's kn own for its excellent flat water. Open, Masters, Collegiate and Junior rowers are welcome to participate on and off the water! See the Regatta Website for more details. As you know, BIAC is a volunteer-run, non-profit, community-based For sponsorship information, contact Alison Green or Molly Newman at mollyfn@yahoo.com. Remember, anyone can sponsor a race: your boss who doesn't mind when you begin meetings with "All Hands On", the grocer who stocks your favorite Clif Bars, even you! Registration packets are available at http://www.gobair.org/events/fallregatta04.html and entries are due October 22, 2004. BIAC Juniors & Silicon Valley Crew have completed their merger and are now NorCal Crew. We are very excited about the new team. Combining forces will give us the strength and depth to allow us to compete at a much higher level. We have a fabulous coaching staff consisting of Mike Still - Head Coach, Ally Bocchieri - Varsity Women's Coach, Wayne Rickert - Novice Women's Coach & Kevin Burt - Varsity Men's Coach. Mike will also be coaching the novice Men until we hire a full time coach for that position. If you know of anyone 8th grade to 12th grade that would like to come down and check out our team, more information can be found at www.norcalcrew.org. Norcal Crew Fall 2004 Racing Schedule: Sunday, Oct. 17th: Head of the Port - Sacramento - Varsity Only Saturday & Sunday, Oct. 23/24th: Head of the Charles - Boston - Saturday, Oct. 30th: Head of the American - Sacramento - All Squads Sunday, Nov. 7th: Fall Regatta - San Mateo - All Squads Sunday, Nov. 14th: Head of the Lagoon, Foster City - All Squads NorCal Crew Fall 2004 Practise Schedule: Novice Women: Sunday: OFF Varsity Women: Sunday: OFF Novice Men: Sunday: OFF Varsity Men: Sunday: OFF Winter 2004 (Dec. & Jan.) Varsity Women: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 4pm to 6pm Varsity Men: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 4pm to 6pm LOS GATOS SCRIMMAGE Bair Island squads joined the Los Gatos Rowing Club for a morning of scrimmages preparing for the Lake Merritt Sprints which followed on August first. The morning's events concluded with a potluck lunch in the well-endowed Los Gatos Rowing Club's boathouse. Although LGRC graciously lent shells for the BIAC club to use for the event, BIAC rowers were treated to a steep ramp which led to the dock but was quite a challenge to hike up with a shell in hand after their rows! A good show by all crews, BIAC coxswains were ceremoniously treated to a dip into the reservoir following the festivities. LAKE MERRITT SPRINTS BIAC was well represented in most of the events! The advanced women's sweep program's training paid off by taking first in the Women's Open 4+, unofficially finishing first in the Women's Masters 8+ event (Lake Merritt Women had an additional 2.0 second handicap!), coming in fifth in a competitive Women's Masters 4+ and finishing fourth in the Women's Open 8+ despite withstanding tremendous wind at the start. The Men's Open 4+ which competed out of the heat racing, finished fifth in the finals of the event and the Mixed Open 8+ came in third. NEW BOAT A purchase was made from Vespoli for a women's mid-weight 8, complete with BIAC's colours and racing stripes along its bow! The M2 has yet to be named and made its debut in the Women's 8+ event on Sunday's head race at Head of the San Joaquin, finishing first. FALL 2004 RACING SCHEDULE Following is a list of races which the Advanced Programs participate: October 3, 2004 Head of the San Joaquin Stockton |
Bair Island Aquatic Center 2004 http://www.gobair.org |
