One Week To Go!!!

Less than a week till the second and final race in the Pita Pit Summer of Racing, the 15km downwind race finishing at Takapuna Beach. There are four possible courses depending on the wind and the race start is 2pm. And as per usual we will have cash prizes and hot spots so all you in form clubbies should def make the effort.

All the details are on the "Race Details" tab above, so check it out and email katiepo@ihug.co.nz early to register your interest and keep up to date with the pre race txts about the course.

Good wind, great prizes and outstanding paddlers!

Well team all the weather forecasts are predicting building east nor east winds for this Saturdays Christmas Cracker Race at Mairangi Bay Beach. Wind guru are predicting 14 knots gusting up to 17 while Met Service are predicting 20+ knots as outlined below




And if that isn't enough of a reason to lock in Saturday afternoons race then consider all the great prizes - not only do we have great cash prizes for hotspot and overall winners, but we also have great product and spot prizes from our awesome family of sponsers - Pita Pit, Sierra Coffee, Fenn Kayaks, Muscle Therapy and of course The Paddling Project.

Aaaaaannnd we can already confirms some real super stars on the start line - Travis Mitchell, Robbie Ford and Teneale Hatton have all confirmed their entry to this the first race in the Pita Pit Summer of Racing.

You still have time to secure a cheaper entry by emailing Katie directly at katiepo@ihug.co.nz or otherwise just turn up on the day and pay your $40.

See all you sports stars Saturday.

Race Report from Race 3 of Pita Pit 10km Winter Race Series

Sunday September 25^th marked the third and final race in the Pita Pit 10km Winter Race Series. And ironically the Takapuna venue and the date closest to summer combined to produce the race that with the wintriest of weather – go figure!? But even with the drizzle, crisp and light south west wind and gray cloud cover we had 29 starters when the gun went off just after 3.30pm.

29 starters at Takapuna Beach

Despite the mundane weather conditions there was plenty to race for at Takapuna. The series competition in the open mens field was tight going into the race, with race one champ Tim McLaren leading race two champ Samuel Newlands by only nine seconds in the overall series. Behind them Tim Grammer and Travis Mitchell were also going head to head with only 14 seconds separating the training partners. There was a show down lined up in the women’s field with race one champ Dene Simpson back from illness lining up beside race two champ Tracy Wilson. John Soko was looking strong in the 50+ field but no one knew if could take three from three wins on the back of his beer drinking tour in Croatia earlier in the year. And there were some last minute entries in spec ski category challenging the current champ Sam White. There is no doubt that there was an air of anticipation as they field set off towards the first turning marker at the witches hat buoy.

As expected the pace was fast at the front of the field with Samuel and Tim both trying to exert their authority earlier. Flat water specialist and long time club paddler Scott Bicknell was also in the mix keeping the pace high with Travis Mitchell, Tim Grammer, Brendon Davey, Robbie Ford and John Soko. Further back in the field new comers Andrew Roy and Andrew Molon were battling it out with Vaughan Reed, Dene Simpson, Sam White and Tracy Wilson.

The course, which basically went north and south along the coast and cliff line slowly started spreading the field far and wide. By half way the leading mens pack was down to four: Newlands, Mclaren, Bicknell and Mitchell all looked strong in the second part of the race. The final 500m was an epic sprint with the young Newlands finally pulling away from McLaren, a bigger gap back to Bicknell and Mitchell in fourth. Newlands taking the win by 11 seconds giving him the series title by just two seconds from a frustrated but always gracious McLaren.

Samuel Newlands takes the win from Tim McLaren by only 11 seconds

Tim Grammer took the 40+ race and series title however he did drop sometime against Travis Mitchell in the overall series ranking. Ian Mercer and Garren Cooper were second and third respectively in the competitive 40+ category for the race.

John Soko took the 50+ race and series titles comfortably with the absence of Paul Gillard, with Dave Chambers and John Land slipped into second and third spots in the race and series rankings. The women’s race was equally tight in the end with Dene Simpson taking the victory by only 31 seconds from the inform Tracy Wilson who took the series title due to her consistency across the entire series. Newcomer Andrew Roy took the races spec ski title from the consistent Sam White who took the overall series title, this growing category is sure to be a hotly contested one at future races.

New comer Andrew Roy took out the Spec Ski catagory from Sam White

Other series results worthy of a mention are Greg Jones who has travelled down from Whangarei for all three races and was rewarded with a third place in the 40+ series category and Maddie Boon who has battled it out on a spec ski, but came home in second place in the womens series.

Prize giving was a festive affair in the bar at Takapuna Boating club with Pita Pit owner and former NZ Surf Lifesaving and Sprint Kayaking rep Duane Dalton presenting the cash prizes to the winners (after the rugby of course!). And as usual there was much banter about what the summer of racing would involve and who would be beating who at the club races at both RAYC and TBC, the State Beach Series which starts early November and of course the Christmas Cracker race at Mairangi Bay on December 10^th. If the standard of the winter series is anything to go by, then this summer is sure to be a cracker!

To see more photos from the race click on the "Gallery" tab above

Series Finale

Despite the wintery weather and the changes to day light saving we managed to get 29 quality paddlers on the start line this afternoon for the final race in the Pita Pit 10km Winter Race Series.

The onform Samuel Newlands demonstrated how his marathon preperation is on track by taking todays race win and the series title from Race One champ Tim McLaren - jeepers it was a close one!

Full Results from this race and the overall series rankings are on the "Race Results" page, so just click on the tab above to see exactly how it all paned out.

Thanks again to all our awesome sponsors

Pita Pit
Sierra Coffee
Muscle Therapy
Delmaine Fine Foods

The Mad Butcher - Northcote Rd
Mairangi Bay Surf Club

Full race report and more photos will be up tomorrow.

Free Pita at the final Race of the 10km Winter Series

Only a week to go untill the final race in the Pita Pit Winter Race Series. We are really looking forward to the show down at Race 3 at Takapuna Beach on Sunday September 25th! Will the experience and conditioning of Tim McLaren be able to hold off the young and inform Sam Newlands to take the prestigeous series win..... Make sure you are there to find out.

And the really exciting news is that Pita Pit have just confirmed they are going to bring down some fresh Pitas to the beach from their Takapuna store to help with our recovery post race - NICE!

We have also released all the information about our Christmas Cracker Race at Mairangi Bay Beach on December 11th.

All in the info on both of these up coming races is on the Race Details page, so just click on the tab up top to stay in the loop.

Catch all you sports stars at Taka in a week, for one tuff race and one yummy Pita!

Race Report from Race 2 of the Pita Pit Winter Race Series, RAYC, Orekei

Most improved paddler Maddison Boon setting up for the start.

Auckland turned on another warm sunny afternoon for the second race in the Pita Pit Winter race series at RAYC, Orakei yesterday afternoon. But it wasn’t just the warm temperatures keeping things hot, there was some smoking hot competition on the water also when a record high 34 paddlers lined up for the start off the breakwater at 3.30pm.

As predicted a strong group set a fast pace straight of the bat, this included race one champ Tim McLaren, up and coming Samuel Newlands, multisporter Tim Grammer, spec ski gurus Travis Mitchell and Ben Keys, the wiley sea dog Garren Cooper, fast starters Daryl Forsyth and Brendon Davey and Oskar Stielau and Robbie Ford freshly back from racing at the US Surf Ski Champs in San Francisco.

It was a two lap course close to the RAYC club rooms, and while the goal was to utilise some of the strong tidal movement in the area, in the end the wind came up and made for a tuff slog in bumpy, windy, technical conditions, which eventually blew the field apart creating a quite a spread from first to last and playing havoc with everyone’s percentages behind the winner – GO FIGURE!?

Tim, Sam and Travis slowly whittled away the leading group in the first lap meaning they could just focus on beating each other over the final 5km. In the end it was the fast finishing Samuel Newlands who crossed the line first only three seconds in front of the determined Tim McLaren. Travis Mitchell also finished strong in third place (on a sexy V10L) just under a minute later showing he is but a sleeping tiger waiting for summer! Tim Grammer, Robbie Ford, Garren Cooper and Oskar Stielau all followed behind showing their consistency across what it setting up to be a very tuff 3 race series.

The eventual winning margin was only 3 seconds for Samuel Newlands

The womens race was also hotly contested with a strong turnout of spec ski paddlers from the local surf clubs. In the end the experienced and fit Tracy Wilson showed her local knowledge and good form to take the win from a fast improving Maddison Boon who narrowly snuck ahead of a tenacious Georgia Butt.

As usual the 40+ race was fiercely fought with four of the top eight finishers falling into this category. The very fit Tim Grammer showed his consistent form to take the win from Garren Cooper, Oskar Stielau and Daryl Forsyth. John Soko backed up his first 50+ win at Mairangi Bay with another win, although he may be paying for those good times on his recently holiday in Croatia as Paul Gillard looks to be bridging the gap back to second, Peter Dallimore waved the flag for TBC to claim third in this competitive category.

There was a big fleet of Spec Skis on the course also which was great to see. Sam White took another comfortable win from the clubbie chicks. Special mention to both Laura Josephson and Emma Sissons for toughing it out in the challenging conditions – hopefully we will see you ladies at Taka for race three.

So things are looking mighty close at the front of the series with Tim McLaren holding onto a narrow lead by only 9 seconds from yesterdays champ Samuel Newlands. Bring on the final race at Taka on September 25^th I say – there will be some very good racing that afternoon I am sure. We are also hoping to break the 45 paddler barrier and have our biggest field yet – so round up your club mates and utilise the warmer conditions for training. We’ll see you in four weeks or so.

Oh and thanks to all our awesome sponsors, in particular Pita Pit who continually step up with prizes and vouchers for EVERY competitor – you guys are the best! But thanks also to Sierra Coffee, Muscle Therapy, Delmaine Fine Foods, Mairangi Bay Surf Club who keep an eye on us all on the water and RAYC for hosting us. As I said before we are looking forward to the final hit out on September 25^th.

More photos and an interview with our latest World Champion Lisa Carrington are on our face book page

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Paddling-Project/195511777173666

Well the Auckland weather stepped up once again to provide the 34 paddlers at todays 10km race at RAYC, Orakei.; there was plenty of sun and tidal movement even if the wind didn't really play the game.

Todays race was the second in the Pita Pit Winter Race series, so to see the full series standings click on the "Races" Tab above.

Todays $100 Bar Tap for the Waterfront Bar for most improved paddler (by percentage) goes to Maddison Boon, who improved her % of the winners time from 77.67% to 80.25%. Other big improvers were Brendon (Doon) Davey and Jeremy Kuggelijn. Maddi, flick me an email so we arrange delivery of this awesome prize care of our favourite healthy take aways Pita Pit.

Race #2 Results Pita Pit Winter Series, RAYC

1 52.19 Samuel Newlands

2 52.21 Tim McLaren

3 53.20 Travis Mitchell

4 53.41 Tim Grammar

5 54.06 Robbie Ford

6 54.18 Garren Cooper

7 54.20 Oskar Stielau

8 54.51 Darryl Forsyth

9 55.01 Brendon Davey

10 55.41 Ben Keyes

11 56.55 John Soko

12 57.38 Paul Gillard

13 57.44 Garth Spencer

14 57.53 Jeremy Kuggelijn

15 58.29 Peter Dallimore

16 59.00 Greg Jones

17 59.04 Robert Askew

18 59.18 Sven Hanson

19 59.34 Sam White

20 1.01.19 Tracy Wilson

21 1.02.35 Cam Scott

22 1.02.50 Maddison Boon

23 1.02.52 Georgia Butt

24 1.03.52 Dave Chambers

25 1.04.17 Alan Williscroft

26 1.05.01 John Land

27 1.08.06 Greg Morrison

28 1.11.18 Laura Josephson

29 1.11.21 Neil Wackeneir

30 1.14.30 John Cooper

31 1.17.34 Emma Sissons

32 DNF Christine Sabin

33 DNF Warren & Doc

Category Winners

OPEN MEN, Sam Newlands, 52.19

OPEN WOMEN, Tracy Wilson, 1.01.19

40+ MEN, Tim Grammer, 53.41

SPEC SKI, Sam White, 59.34

A full race report with photos will be posted tomorrow.

Thanks again for everyones support.