The 2009 Canoa Open
The second and last day of the Canoa Open was run in slightly
lower winds. Cloud base was again about 1,200'. In the start cylinder all the
pilots were striving to get to cloud base at the edge. If you are eleven seconds
off the edge of the start cylinder (as I was) you are already 300 meters behind.
It is tricky getting to the edge at exactly the right time, but the top four
pilots were there with Dustin in the lead.
This is what your altitude looks like at the start going from 1,200' to 500' as
you cross a 1km wide gap in the hills:
The race was run between 120' and 600'. We had the same course as the previous
day with a 4 KM run over the town, so that all the beach-goers could see us
fighting it out. We would arrive back at the small ridge at 120', three quarters
of the way down its face, then climb as we raced across it to launch level. We
then left this little ridge to cross the next gap and again arrive at about 120'
on the main ridge.
Dustin and Kraig averaged 41 mph throughout the course on the second day.
The prize-giving ceremony was bigger than the one at the 2009 Worlds in France.
With a huge fireworks display, the Minister of Tourism here to present the
awards, two musical acts, lots of media, hundreds of people from Canoa and
tourists, an experienced announcer pumping up the audience, trophies for all the
winners. This is the fourth time in a row that Dustin has won the meet.
It's hard for me to believe how much this little country without great financial
resources puts into this little ridge race. And how much respect we as Hombres
Pajaro get from the crowds and the country. Quite a contrast with the US.
Ten years ago Canoa was a sleepy fishing village with one hotel. Today maybe
thirty small backpacker hotels. We stayed in the fanciest hotel in town for
$50/night/room. Or about $20-$25/person/night.
http://OzReport.com/1257255043
|
