Weekend: Sun Dog Race in BC, Canada

Friday lunch time I just happened to check Facebook, something I rarely do during the day and saw an entry from Stroke the Slough about a SUP race in White Rock (British Columbia), Canada at the weekend put on by Sun Dog.  The weather looked great and I had been looking for an excuse to take Benny (our 1985 VW WestFalia Vanagon) on a field trip.  So I picked up the phone and contacted Scott at Sun Dog to see if they would appreciate a photographer for the event.  The man from Sun Dog said yes, so the adventure was on.  Oh by the way I am the spontaneous one in the family and it freaks Sarah out every time I do last minute things as she is the planner and organizer I can't live without.   With the decision made to go the next hurdle was equipment, I knew the race would be open water and having been covered a few races I did not think my 18-200mm lens would get me the shots I wanted.  A quick email to a friend led me to a camera shop in Seattle.  We discussed what I wanted and landed on a 70 - 400mm lens.  Buying it at the moment is out of the questions but the good news was that there rental shop had one left and I snagged it.  A quick trip over to Seattle followed by a long wait in rush hour traffic home and I was nowhere near ready to go.

Sarah was amazing sorting out my meals for the entire weekend to ensure that I did not have to risk eating out, packing it and helping me get Benny ready for a last minute road trip.  By 11pm Friday night I was mostly ready.  Saturday morning the last bits of equipment including my bike was loaded into or onto Benny and by 10:30m I was ready to roll.  2.5 hours and one border crossing later.  I feel sorry for the boarder staff as it has to be a mind numbingly boring job, but do they really have to look at you like you’re a criminal.  I gave her my best smile and rolled on White Rock.

Meeting Scott and Kim for the first time was great, very friendly people.  It took me two passes to find them and if they had not parked there truck outside I would have missed them the second time as well.  We had a great conversation about boards and technology.  It sucked that Scott's website had gone down the day before race, but he looked like he had everything under control, either that or he was doing a great impression of a duck.  Calm on the surface and paddling like mad underneath.  With parking pass in hand I headed to the park to setup for the night.  The camp site was in one of the parks about 2.5 miles from the race location the next day so I parked up, unhooked the bike for a scout of the area. 

 

I headed to the end of the park which was blocked so I turned towards the beach and followed the railway and found myself at the start of a street market.  I had a little look around and met a local selling local product out of a great VW van, as a member of the VW camper family I had to say Hi, wish him luck with his business and of course take a picture of the van.

 

Leaving the market I headed along the coast to check out the race location, I knew it would be just past the Pier but I did not know exactly where.  Having taken a look, I decided to get a little bit of bike riding in before heading back to the Van for some dinner.  Back at the site, I met up with the owner of iSup a great guy called "Jeff", sorry Chris (in joke), I am really bad with names and I am working on getting better.  He runs his business out of his garage and it sounded really cool, I hope I get to see it someday.  After a chat, I thought it would be great to do a little yoga on the beach to stretch out after the long drive and bike ride.  I rolled out my mat and started my workout.  All of a sudden I got a fragrant whiff of doggie droppings, looked up and realized I had missed the land mine by not a lot.  Seriously I love my girls and always pick up after them, what is it with people who cannot pick there dog's mess up after them, especially on a public beach, it irritates the hell out of me, not just because of the hygiene but because they are the very people that spoil it for the rest of us who do pay attention and clean up after our animals (minor rant).   

Mat moved away from the land mine, I completed my yoga session and headed back to Benny for dinner.  Just after dinner a little lady came sweeping into the van and exclaimed "Are you Camping",  Taylor gave me a big hug and we talked for a bit before she told me she was off to see her parents.  It was great to see my friends and catchup.  We headed down to street market to  stake a spot for the parade that I had heard was one of the best to see.  It was a bonus to me as I had no idea there was going to be a parade.  Shortly after staking our spot with chairs and a blanket we were informed by a local that the parade this year had been cancelled, no floats, just a people parade.  This was disappointing news that had clearly not reached everyone, as like us the street filled with eager on lookers illuminated with florescent bands.  

The parade started at 9:30 and finished at 9:45, it has to be the record holder for the shortest parade I have every waited to see.  On the way back the lead told us (well the crowd) that a fire show would be held in the park, so everyone joined the parade and headed to the park.  The park just so happened to be the park I was camping in so not far to stumble once the show was over.   As shows go it was a lot of fun and definitely made up for the 15 minute parade.  Here are some shots.

 

Back in Benny, I bedded down for the night keen to get a good night's rest and be up early a ready to go in the morning, the plan worked great until 2am when I was woken by a trains air horn followed by what felt like 30 minutes of van shaking, all of the movement and none of the fun if you catch my drift.  Oh and then again at 4am and 6am at which point I just plain gave up and got up.  Not quite in the raring to go frame of mind I broke camp and headed to the race site. 

When I arrived Sun Dog was setting up and racers where already arriving and unpacking.  I watched the furious activity from the comfort of Benny, as I popped the top, lit the stove and proceed to cook myself bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes with hardboiled egg from breakfast, it sure beat a protein shake and healthy to boot. 

Breakfast finished I prepared the camera's and headed out to introduce myself to the racers and hand out cards so they could find there pictures after the event.  I love the SUP seen in PNW as the racers I have met so far are a great bunch of people and great to hang with and it is always great to talk VW Camper and to take a look at other great vans.  Here's one with its proud owner, it heard you when you said you had projects planned :)

 

10K Race

The first race a 10K started at 10:30ish before which Scott gave a pre race briefing

and then everyone became silent as Scott had arranged for a Spirit ceremony to be delivered before the race.

my plan was to take pictures at the start and head to the pier to catch them as they passed through a narrow channel and under the pier.  The start captured.

 

 

I jumped on my bike and headed over to the pier.  I had planned to take pictures of the leaders and then head back to the finish but it quickly became clear that I would not make it as bikes are not allowed on the trail or pier and I could not cover the distance quick enough.  Plan changed, I camped out on the pier as most of the racers passed by and then headed to the finish to pick up the last ones in.  I thought I had made a mistake but reviewing the pictures I am pleased with the choice.

The race winner

The first female finisher

Heading for home

Final placing order 1st, 2nd, 3rd

 

Kids Rely

Next up was the kids rely before which I was able to snarf down some lunch and recover a little before heading back down the beach.  It is great to see the young ones put so much effort into the race, there are clearly some up and coming champions in the making.

 

 5K Race

The last race of the day was the 5K.  By the time the racers headed out the wind had gotten up and the calm flat surface that greeted the 10K racers was now choppy and far less inviting.  Talking to racers after the event (of which some of them had participated in the 10k) the verdict was that the 5K was harder than the 10K so a big shout out to all the paddlers for the great effort needed just to complete the race.

you ROCKED IT.

The Start

 

The winners congratulate each other

Scott removes the flags

 

 After the events of the day Sun Dog put on a great prize giving followed by a draw which I left few people empty handed by the end of the day, except the poor photographer who retired to the Benny to review the spoils of the day.  Don't feel sorry for me,  OK feel a little sorry for me having to stand in the water all day and watch my toes turn to prunes and get cold from the feet up.  No seriously it was a great day, spent with great people and I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them.

 

The Kids division winning line up

 

The prize giving line up

 

A tired buy happy photographer

 

A quick snack in the car park and I said good bye and headed back to Seattle to a warm and wonderful greeting from Sarah and my girls, full of stories to tell and pictures to show.  Yesterday I spent all evening sorting through 1000+ pictures and I hope to have the full gallery up in the next couple of days - Stay Tuned and Power Up people.

(There are always more stories to tell and I will try to share more in the next post once I have all the pictures posted)