Marlin Coast Challenge 2009 October 10th
Check out last years write up or photo gallery.
11.00AM START Hello OC1/OC2 paddlers, Yep it’s on again! Mark on your calendar Marlin Coast Challenge Saturday 10/10/09! For those who missed the inaugural race last year you definitely missed something special. So now’s your chance to start training and test yourself against whatever nature decides to present to the paddlers on 10th October. Last year with 20-30 knots it was fast and furious and although a bit scary I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for similar conditions (well maybe just a tad less!) because everyone had wow of a ride! The distance is 35km and the race format will be the same as last year with four legs starting at Ellis Beach. The 1st leg Ellis Beach to Wangetti Beach 11.5km, 2nd leg Wangetti to Oak Beach 8km, 3rd leg Oak Beach to southern end of Four Mile Beach 10.5km with a final 5km dash along Four Mile Beach finishing at the rocks at Rex Smeal park. We’ve got all our fantastic sponsors from last year locked in again plus our major sponsor the Court House Hotel so there will be some great prizes & medals. Winners will also be inscribed on the gorgeous Marlin Coast challenge timber trophy. You’ll be treated once again to a feast from Port Douglas Catering after the race and lots of beer and refreshments to go with it. And the next morning you can look forward to a slap up breakfast and OC1/OC2 paddling clinic. We’ll also have 2 rooms at the lovely Mantra Aqueous on Port Resort to raffle off to paddlers who nominate early. There will be some tough records to beat especially the blistering OC1 times of Steve West/Chris Maynard 2.39.03 and the mixed team of Mick de Rooy/Kylee Muldoon 2.45.08. The OC2 times to beat are Open Men 2.50.25, Open Mixed 2.59.37 and Open OC2 Women 3.14.04. Looks like Chris Maynard will be up again this year and I’m hoping to lure a few more top paddlers up this way as well to put out a challenge. Steve West won't be able to join us as he is currently in the UK pursuing his new obsession, Stand Up Paddling Boarding. The nomination fees of $50 for OC1 teams (2 paddlers) and $100 for OC2 teams (4 paddlers) includes food and refreshments after the race, a race shirt and a free breakfast clinic – how’s that for great value! The divisions will be Open OC1 Men, OC1 Women, OC2 Men, OC2 Women & OC2 Mixed. We had 23 teams (60 paddlers) on the water last year which was brilliant for the first year so this year I’d like to aim for 30 plus teams! And of course we’d love to have some surf skis too! If you’re flying up for the event I’ll make sure & get a canoe for you. So come up to the warmth and spend a weekend in Port Douglas….it’s not just a race it’s a whole weekend experience! Faye Lilley
Race Co-ordinator
Marlin Coast Challenge
0422 531 897
faye@huntdesign.com.au