| Field Report 41 Catalina Challenge |
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Catalina Challenge From Avalon to Dana Point’s Baby Beach 29 March 2009 (39.8 Miles)  Team Core NCP 4, Skipper, EJ leading the crew to the finish, Dana Pt. (photo: Andie Johnson) On Saturday, 28 March the crew of four paddlers got underway in Ernie “EJ” and Andie Johnson’s 38’ Morgan sailboat, “Librada” from Dana Point to Avalon, Catalina Island. The “Skipper”, assembled the team. From North County Paddleboards (NCP): Brian Szmanski and Matt Friedman, two fantastic characters known all over California for their traditional paddleboard prowess in design and practice. Brian has numerous traditional stock class (12’) paddleboard victories in the Catalina Classic on his on self designed/built equipment. Mr Szmanski is also one of the spiritual ringleaders of the traditional paddleboard renaissance in San Diego County. Brian’s partner in NCP , Matt “Frito” Friedman, a tougher, more solid, salt of the earth gentleman there is not. Matt and Brian have recently starting building stock class (12’6”) flatwater stand-up paddleboards. EJ has been winning most of the latest stock class races on an NCP stock 22” wide missile that most paddlers could not even stay mounted on. EJ has an extreme work/training ethic that is legendary among the Orange County paddlers. EJ also builds strong, light wooden paddles (Johnson Big Sticks) www.johnsonbigstick.com. The crew set out just abaft of dawn, in the mostly sunny morning, and was relieved to slip the cantankerous bounds of shore and responsibility.  Halfway across the channel the sun finally showed  Taking a Rocky Mountain beverage break in port, Avalon Four paddle boards were brought on the crossing to accommodate potential sea and wind conditions affecting the crew: 3 stock NCP designed and built SUP’s from EJ’s ultra narrow glassy water rocket to a never been “christened” rough water stock board in the “desert camo”. A C4 Vortice XP was also brought in case the conditions warranted an even more “seaworthy” board for high winds and a strong following sea.  All four boards were paddled by the crew, and based on the forecasted sea-state and winds the new NCP 12’6” board was chosen. The race meeting took place ashore amongst many familiar faces:  After a nice supper ashore the crew retired early to sounds of much mayhem and merriment ashore, as “spring-break” was commencing. The next morning dawned with a dreary red sky with low scud on the horizon.  Skipper EJ motivated the crew with a calliope of heavy metal music. One half hour before the start we slipped the mooring lines and got underway to the race start area of “Lover’s Cove”, just to the south east of Avalon Bay.  Core NCP 4 gets underway to the race start (photo: Chris O’Kieffe)   Above left: Helmsman, Brian Szymanski “Gamming” with one of the other race crew boats, while Captain EJ looks on. Above right: the ladies “Bee Team” also deploys (photo: C O’Kieffe).  EJ leading from “the pointy end” takes the first to take a pull to start the race; below he is assisted by Brian:  Standing by for the starting gun
The race commenced at 0800 under an overcast sky with a chilly south
wind. The teams rapidly dispersed, some heading on a more northerly
track to take advantage of the forecasted afternoon northwest winds.
The outriggers and surfskis started 2 hours later. Chuck Patterson on
his long Hobie unlimited board took off into the lead, followed by many
of the unlimited teams.
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 14 April 2009 ) |
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