pletchparadise: November 2011

Monday, November 7, 2011

2011 C2C Race: Evil Twin

Cayucos Make History

Congratulations to all the cayuco paddlers, support teams, and spectators who participated on November 4th in the historic occasion of the first time Panama-style cayucos participated in a paddling event in the U.S. Four cayucos participated in the Fifth Annual C2C (Causeway to Causeway) 11/22 Mile Paddle Challenge organized by the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum. Many thanks to the organizers for welcoming the cayucos to participate and congratulations to all of the race participants to include stand-up paddle boards, prone paddle boards, outriggers, kayaks, surf skis and surf boats. More info can be found at this link: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/C2C-1122-Mile-Paddle-Challenge/126644374042796

Due to adverse weather conditions most of the Challenge participants elected to do the 11 mile course only. Three of the four cayucos did so. Big props to the paddlers of the fourth cayuco, "Evil Twin," Geoff Pletcher, Wyatt Werneth, and Megan Kramer for doing the whole 22 mile challenge in 5 hrs and 50 minutes (unofficial time.) They battled winds of 20 to 25 knots from the NE on the upwind leg of the challenge. Crew member Werneth is a paddleboard record holder, renowned for paddling an 18 foot paddleboard 345 miles from Miami Beach to Jacksonville Beach over a 9 day period and setting three world records in the process. http://www.worldrecordsacademy.org/sports/longest_paddleboard_journey_set_three_world_records_70811.htm

Two of the other cayucos held a neck and neck race to the finish of the 11 mile course, leading the fleet of paddlers. The "Diablo Rojo" was paddled by Darrell Canamas, Richard Grimison, Steve Mallia, and Scott Roche and completed the 11 mile in an unofficial time of 1 hr. 40 min and the "Chancleta" paddled by David Cohen, Johnny Magee, Peter Pusztai, and Matt Rigby was right behind at the finish with an unoffical time of 1 hr. 41 min. The fourth cayuco, as yet un-named but recently built here in Brevard County by Bill Huff, was paddled by Cari Chiscon, Rachel Grimison, Emley Henter, Ted Henter, and Guillermo Payne. The cayucos "Diablo Rojo" and "Evil Twin" are the Panama Canal Museum sponsored cayucos built in Brevard County several years ago and used for local crews to practice for the annual Panama Canal O2O (Ocean to Ocean) Cayuco Race. The "Chancleta" is an O2O practice boat from the Tampa Bay area. The annual Panama Canal O2O is organized by the Balboa Paddle Club (Club de Remos de Balboa,) an organization created to keep this great paddling tradition alive following the final transfer of the Panama Canal to the Republic of Panama in 1999. The race began in 1954 and was run by Boy Scouts of America Exploring until 1999. http://www.cayucorace.org/ Cayuco paddlers in this year's C2C included many current members of the Balboa Paddle Club, including several founding members, as well as many past O2O champion and trophy-winning paddlers.

Special thanks and recognition to Al Schonert who captained his escort boat for the event and to Rob Munchbach, son Ace, and Trina Herring who captained and crewed a second escort boat provided by the Pletcher family. Many thanks to the spectators who came out to cheer on the paddlers including members of the Canamas, Grimison, Payne, Pletcher, and Werneth families. We hope that this is the beginning of cayuco participation in the C2C for many years to come and hopefully with more cayucos entering in future years!

Photos and Photo links to follow!