Wet and Windy for Harrys Paddle in Stockton, NSW
In fact it was perfect weather for ducks, with winds in the 20 knot range and overcast skies all weekend, but that didn’t dampen the mood at this charity BOP event! Harrys House, named after Harry Meyn is a retreat for families living with cancer, or grieving after the loss of a child within the past two years. The Harry Meyn Foundation, relies on public donations to continue the great work they do to support these families, and what better way to raise money than to organize a paddling event!
Professional paddlers and amateurs alike battled to complete a BOP course amidst the choppy and windy conditions at Stockton Beach, because it was all in the name of Harry. Both the guys and girls raced in one, making for a very busy start line considering the wind strength!
Kelly Margetts showed the younger guys how to do it, winning the race over James Casey and Toby Cracknell, who battled for second place for the first few laps before James pulled away. Not bad going considering he had more than a couple of falls during the first half of the race!
“It was tough conditions out there, with the wind made it quite challenging.” Said Kelly after the event. “It ended up being really technical, but it was a good event though, it was tough and long, and we had to put the whole race together.“
In the womens fleet, Karla Gilbert edged out Currumbin paddler Angie Jackson, who was followed by Terrene Black. These three were all in the running to win it, but Karla picked the right lines, and made sure she picked up the runners she needed to get her home. It was definitely a case of paddling safe over paddling fast, with most of the competitors falling at least once during the battle of the paddle.
To see what it was like for yourself, check out the video below thanks to event sponsors VMG blades.
Minnamurra, NSW
