Training For San Francisco

Finally I decided to do the Surfski Championships this year in San Francisco. I secured a Huki S1R from Jude so I appreciated Jude helping me out. As you can see from the photos, I have my trusted S1R that I will be spending time in once a week in the biggest water I can find here in Rhode Island Sound including Ocean Drive, Beavertail and Sachuest Point. One of my paddling partners Bill Leconte who is in the pic to the above right, knows Sachuest Point intimately from a few years of paddling his Evo in 20-30 mph winds routinely in this area. While I paddle this area sometimes, I tend to pic it on the better days. However, since I will be doing the Surfski champs, I will be paddling these areas where the water tends to be much bigger than in Narragansett Bay and the Sakonnet River where I tend to do most of my training. Yesterday Tim, Mike, Bill and I did 2.5 hours around Ocean Drive on a flat day. Today Bill and I did Sachuest Point. Bill in only his 3rd time in my old Legend(above pic) did phenomenally well. I was in my S1R getting used to the feel again, since I will be paddling the same model boat in San Fran.

The bridge pics are of the Mount Hope Bridge at the opposite of Aquidneck Island where I live. This past Thursday it was blowing 25-30 and the current under the bridge makes for a confused seas. I am using my visualization that is so much talked about in any athletic event. The Mt. Hope Bridge looks like a mini Golden Gate Bridge in my mind, so I am using all my senses to get ready. Stay tuned!!