Marathons, Crossings, and Circumnavigations.

It is interesting and sad that there used to be quite a few of these in Victoria. I would guess it is the same elsewhere since the demise of the 'Longboard' from the dominant type.

Two classic events which are sadly missed are:

The 'Hollands Landing to Lakes Entrance' marathon which was organised as a non-competitive event annually by the Paynesville windsurfers. It was a group sail up the Gippsland Lakes from Hollands Landing (the entrance to the the straights which separate Lake Victoria and Lake Wellington) via a number of rest and 'catch up' stops at Wattle Point, Paynesville, and Metung to the final goal of Lakes Entrance foreshore. I only had the privilege of participating on one occasion in 1983. I think this was the last year the event ran.




The 'Round Raymond Island Marathon' was a race held by the Paynesville Yacht club annually for many years from the Late '70's until the late '80's. It attracted fleets of well over 100 at it's peak with many of the windsurfing 'boomer babies' entering just for the fun of it on their Windsurfer One Design's, TC Runner's, Waylers YPSI's, F2's Lightening's, Mistral Equipe's etc. There also developed a strong competition in the open class in later years with many of the states top racers turning up with 8m+ sails and custom race boards. Of course, there was always a band and a HUGE party in the yacht club in the evening!
The strongest competition was always amongst the Die Hards on the Windsurfer OD's and there has always been a strong fleet at Paynesville. They have the Nationals this Easter I hear and are doing the round the island as the Championship Marathon. I was thinking this would be a good opportunity to join them do the circle again. I think I will use a Formula this time though, unless it is very light and then I will have to dust off my old 'Speed' Raceboard.



There was also a race held in conjunction with a Lakes Entrance Festival in the mid '80's. It went from Lakes Entrance, up the lake around Rigby Island and back to the start - about 9kms. (I think I might have won that one :-)



The potential for this sort of event is making a bit of a comeback now that the Formula and Wideboard revolution is with us. I recon the first two of these would be quite possible, and enjoyable on a Go 150/170 or Formula board and many people nowadays have something like that. It would be a no-brainer for a Starboard Gemini Tandem and any of the new Hybrids or Longboards that have come onto the market in the last couple of years.

I wonder if we can get a fleet together to follow the Windsurfers around Raymond Island at Easter? Just for fun! Any Takers?

If I have managed to learn water starts by then ..count me in

Back in the homeland we used have a race around an island. It was about 19km long, and like the marathons here attracted large numbers of sailors (100+). It was a bit tricky getting under the roadbridge and railbridge, but that was part of the fun. The decline of windsurfing as a mainstream sport resulted in fewer entries and the event died off in recent years. Modern gear would not get around the course as the channels at the north of the island would be too narrow (too shallow for formula, too narrow for gybing)

We also had shorter races around the "littler" island in the picture (20-30 minutes), as well as a race around the open harbour. They were all well supported and great fun events. Unfortunately most people nowadays do not have boards that get upwind well, so that restricts the viability of these marathon type courses.

L to L is obviously still well supported, but does have iconic status and is a downwind slalom event. If the course were Ledge to Lancelin and back to Ledge it would be dead by now because of the upwind component.

It would be great to see the revival of some of these marathon courses in a fun environment. Sadly, even though I have gear that goes upwind well, I am far from skilled or fit enough to get it around a 20km course thesedays.



JB

Anything similar in NSW? The way to start a revival is to just do it informally at first. A small group could decide to do something, for example do a down winder from Gerroa to Shoalhaven Heads, or Kyeemagh to Sandringham or those examples in Victoria.

It would be better the other way round, Kurnell to Kyeemagh. Everytime I've been to Kyeemagh its been like "Bankstown at the beach" or an episode of Pizza. Not my scene.

Kurnell seems much more relaxed in comparison.

Yeah

Call it the "TRIPLE K BOTANY DASH"
Kyeemagh-Kurnell-Kyeemagh

Any/every Sat or Sun the N/E blows (if it ever will this summer)