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Bittersweet feels starting the last event for the 2022 season of Canadian Paddle League. Grateful for this annual challenge to push me and get me out on the water early each weekend but exhausted and bored of paddling on the local water.

This paddle was last Sunday but I needed time to collect my thoughts before posting.

It was a fantastic day – crisp air, sun had just risen and flat water. I was the only one out on the water for most of the 12k.  Absolutely no wind and a body of water too small for a point to point. It was a reflective paddle – I pushed myself for some intervals and also jut paddled rhythmically to soak it all in. Time was not a consideration for me – it was more about completing the goal – get in all the events and finish with a sense of accomplishment and smile. And, that I did!

Successful completion and looking forward to better planning the events for 2023 that will bring me to race on different bodies of water throughout Colorado for the Canadian Paddle League Endurance Challenge AND recruit some more people to do it with me!!!

Thank you all for another great season – it was fun reading everyone’s race reports and seeing their social posts. I admire you all!

ChrisGrackWilson

1st paddle after the 110! Huge congrats to Ryan Blake for signing up last minute and racing a great race and finishing strong! Great to see a CPL paddler pushing those limits at River X.  That monster 72 km paddle on Simcoe last year did well for this race  !!

I have a 300 meter ski course in front of my launch and another nav buoy another 300 m away for a V course 5km on the V course with more then enough turns finished off with an 1km sprint to finish the race.  Had some waves along the way crossing the boat wake that was cutting thru MY course haha!!

I was hoping for wind the weekend cannot see any for a downwind run and time is running out might be first race I can’t complete ruining the 3 year steak dammit.  I ll be looking for wind all week long haha.

Great year to every paddler taking part can’t wait to see what next year brings everyone in this great community…

MustokaPaddler

I looked at this Endurance Challenge with both intimidation and excitement. This would be my biggest physical challenge of the year but also one that would take a great deal of time; during a summer where I was already struggling with balancing everything in my life. With an inflatable non-race board, I was not confident that I could put in the hours necessary to get this one done. But, stubbornness and intrigue in my capabilities made me push myself more than I thought I could.

Day 1 – This one a treated like a normal Saturday out on the water. I chose the local reservoir near my house – I have spent countless hours paddling on. It was a beautiful sunny day with a light breeze. I thought it would be two laps but quickly learned that was not enough. Kept paddling the buoys until I hit the 15k. I struggled with preventing my feet from falling asleep. I was happy with the time – always happy to hear my watch say “Distance Complete!”.

Day 2 – I didn’t have the time in the weekend to drive the hour to the larger reservoir, so I stayed at my local water. I also knew that I was not going to be able to come back for the second 15k of the day later that afternoon, so it was going to be a 30k morning. The fear of boredom set in pretty quickly… the water was glass so no challenge to keep the mind alert.  The sunrise was beautiful, and the birds and fish were out in force. I was pleased with my first 15k. After a thirty minute refuel, I set out for 15k #2. This one was harder, my back hurt and the water was crowded with boaters and casual SUPers and it was HOT – Colorado is experiencing another heat wave – almost 100 degrees by 11 am and the sun was brutal. Halfway through I wanted to quit – I wanted to be out of the sun and away from people. It took a long mental talk with myself to force me to push through; I was not crazy with the time, but proud that I got through it.

Day 3 – Out on the same reservoir, about thirty minutes earlier, though mentally not excited for more of the same route. I paddled into a beautiful sunrise – this re-energized me and pushed my through. The water was like glass the whole time but it got hot fast! I was able to finish strong and sprint the last 1.5k.

I will cherish the lessons I learned about myself this weekend. I am grateful to live so close to water on which I can paddle. My calloused hands will remind me of my accomplishments all week. And, the high five and kudos of admiration I got from my teen daughter when I finished this challenge will be ingrained in my soul forever.

Maybe I will have a race board before 2023 League starts back up! I am in awe of the times you all are putting in! Congrats to all who took this big one on! You are all my inspiration!

https://www.strava.com/activities/7748956414

https://www.strava.com/activities/7754143007

https://www.strava.com/activities/7755561727

https://www.strava.com/activities/7759324279

ChrisGrackWilson

The last weekend the schedule and the weather would allow I decided to take the leap and commit to the Endurance Championship! UGH! What a grind, but so glad I did it! The smoke blew in the heat warnings were still out but the WIND stayed away for the most part! Had people having their morning coffee timing my laps and cheering me on which was kind of fun! This has been a season of big paddles so seemed fitting to complete the challenge! Had to copy Robyn Bell (my fierce paddle buddy otherwise known as HELLZ BELLZ) with her pictures to celebrate each leg down!!

Jana Miceli

Smooth water with minimal wind. A great evening with amazing friends.

11ainslie

2000M double header with the Goat Boater crew on Lake Wylie, South Carolina.  Back to back sprints.  My second run handed me a sub 15 minutes.  I’ll take it and I’m happy with it.  Had a little chop, yet paddled a flat water, inland, lake.  Beautiful evening to be on the water with a great tribe of paddlers!

TheGoatBoater

What a great way to wrap the summer being able to paddle on a river, choppy lake, and attempted downwind turned crosswind.  3 different boards and very different conditions.

I had actually started the challenge a few times paddling 170k+ over the past 10d.   I finally buckled down and put things together to finish the event in some very interesting conditions..

Day 1 was a gorgeous river paddle during on a quiet morning with a second 15k paddle at night on my Infinity Whiplash.   I haven’t really done much river paddling but loved how you can just shut off and enjoy the glide.   I decided rather late to do MuskokaRiverX race in September so figured a bit of nighttime paddling would be good.

Day 2 was a choppy out and back on a Starboard Allstar on Kempenfelt Bay again finishing well  after dark.   Definitely understand how balance gets quite difficult in the chop once the sun goes down.

Day 3 – Not remembering anything I’d learned from the night before before, I set out for what was supposed to be a 15k downwind paddle hopefully ending before dark.  The wind shifted and became a heavy crosswind with waves 3-4’ blowing me into shore.   I was on an Infinity Downtowner 27 and needed every bit of that stability having to paddle 90 deg to the wake then surfing toward shore(repeat).    The finish was not pretty getting tossed off the board several times while it was pitch black.  Many lessons learned…

Thanks again CDN Paddle League for motivating me to get out in all types of conditions and help me toward become a more well rounded paddler! Really enjoying the process!!💦💦😀👍👍

Blakeinbarrie

I did m’y endurance championship from thursday to saturday morning ,hopefully i live beside 2 différent water site at 2 minutes walk from home .i have  to do many turns to reach 15 km.

i find the formula more easy that the last year twelve hours in a row évent.

i was lucky with the weather forecast.ligthwind ,no boat wake,but lot of  seaweed in my second 15 km.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/9476360286

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/9477946738

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https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/9487573097

SylvainStCyr