Fifteen Miles Of Ghostryders Style
The 2010 Ghostryders Paddling Club Davenport to Collins Cove Santa Cruz 15 mile downwind paddle race could not have asked for much better weather. Twenty knots of wind and a strong following sea made for quick times and big fun. (All photos courtesy Ghostryders)
At first arrival, this past Saturday, June 5th, it looked like a grim day for the paddlers. A heavy fog bank lay over the coast, suppressing both wind and visibility and foreshadowing a 4-hour grind. But by race time, the fog had burned off, leaving near-perfect conditions for a downwind paddling race.
The event started off with the paddlers congregating at Davenport, California for pre-race registration and a mass group start. Some of the top paddlers in the central California region showed up for the event, including Craig Waltz, Igor Krzolica, and Brian Spear. With a 1 o'clock start in front of the paddlers, a line was drawn in the sand and the countdown began.
The fleet stretched out pretty quickly, with the longer craft surfing ahead by maximizing their gliding capability on the open ocean swells. Two hours of surfing and paddling saw the leaders making the left turn into Collins cove and, in a tight race for the lead, it was Igor Krzolica (stand-up paddle) and Craig Waltz (paddleboard.) Waltz took the inside line again despite the risk of being taken out by a set wave, and it was just enough to give the paddleboarders line honors.
Beyond the winners, some impressive paddles were turned in. In particular was the effort of Jeff Denholm. Denholm competed in the paddleboard division despite having only one arm. Sporting a custom carbon paddle attachment in lieu of his missing arm, he was able not only to finish the race, but to put up a solid time in the middle of the pack. Check out the club and see the results by visiting their Facebook Page.
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