Early on a Sunday morning in August, while some were sleeping off hangovers, drinking coffee and making pancakes -133 paddlers were lining up on Catalina Island, preparing for the 32 miles that lay in between them and Manhattan Beach Pier.
The energy felt different than the evening before-everyone was way more subdued than when they had been drinking buffalo milks, paddling around to get a stretch in, and mingling at the pre-race meeting the afternoon prior.
Davy Thomas and Lachie Lansdown planning their start through the boats
Some racers were silent, while others ran around giving each other good luck wishes. Many of the faster racers on unlimited boards lined up on the north side of the line in a crowded pack. First timers were wondering the best way to get through the boats on the string-line a few yards off the start line. Trackers were on and the racers waited anxiously, knee deep in the Two Harbors lagoon.
Jack Bark took off FAST
The race started bumpy, with some wind and chop quenching any initial expectations of an exceptionally fast year. However, a few hours into the race, the wind died and it started to glass off. Once paddlers hit the R-10, the current and some bumps played into competitors' favors, and many saw their speed jump up a mile an hour. The conditions were a welcome change compared to the last three years of the race, which were some of the worst that racers had seen. Times dropped at least an hour from last year for most competitors. For the 45ish first timers, these conditions made their first crossing a lot smoother- and set the bar pretty high.
Toa Pere - 15 years old - finding the mile 15 glass off
"It was too good to be true- and made my first experience that much better," said finisher Anneliese Solberg about the conditions that they encountered in the last 10 miles of the race.
Miles 4-22 of the race are pretty interesting. Getting to the R10 is a mind game for many. You want to have enough gas in the tank left over to get to the pier, but you also want to position yourself in a good lead- you don't want to be behind at the R-10.
We all knew who would take first and second place in the men's Unlimited field relatively early on in the race as Jack Bark had a large gap over Max First, who had a large gap on the chase group of 3rd through 6th. The race for 3rd place was action packed from the start. Reaching the R-10 neck and neck was 2x champ Scott Clausen, shoulder to shoulder with Tristan Sullaway, and new guy on the block Lance Lerum.
(Left to right) Lance Lerum, Scott Clausen, and Tristan Sullaway approaching the R-10
Around the R-10, Jack realized a record time was in sight- if he pushed hard enough for it. Despite his mile lead, he sped up, hammering in from the R-10, leading him to finish the race in under 5 hours and break the standing record. For reference- his 25th mile was 8 minutes and 30 seconds long- a 7.1 miles per hour pace. Some of us can't even run that fast.
The end is in sight- but 10 miles away. Jack chasing the record down, just off the R-10
Lachie Lansdown had a similar realization once hitting the R-10. Also in a decent lead, he realized that if he pushed the last 10 miles he could break the stock record (that he currently held). He finished strong and broke his current record by 3 minutes and 6 seconds. Imagine if he didn't go off course to take 2 shits. Keep in mind this is the same dude that just won Molokai, sick, just a month prior.
Behind him came 15 year old Toa Pere and local lifeguard bad ass Davy Thomas. Davy and Toa battled nearly the entire channel until after the R-10. Davy took a more inside line and Toa stayed out further west. By the time the two converged on the finish line Toa had a hundred yards or so and took 2nd place.
Toa had finished 13th stock in Catalina the year prior, moving up 11 places for his 2nd place finish this year. Davy Thomas had come in 11th stock last year, and moved up 7 places to his 3rd place finish this year. It's pretty neat to see such jumps in the ranks in just one year.
In the women's race, Emily Bark and 16 year old Finley Murphy took off hot, staying shoulder to shoulder until about mile 17. Liz Hunter joined Emily and Finley as the three of them paddled neck and neck, but 50 meters apart, until Liz created a lead before the R-10 buoy.
Liz (left) creating a gap between her and Emily before the R-10 buoy
Liz held that lead until mile 30.5 of the race. Emily crept up in the last mile, pulling ahead at the very last second. She fell short of the Women's record by just 4 minutes and 8 seconds, coming in at 6:12:13, neck and neck with Liz at 6:12:15.
The final second of the Women's Race - Emily Bark followed by Liz Hunter.
This was one of the closest finishes we have ever seen in this long of a race. This was also one of the largest Women's divisions we have seen in this race. The competition was fierce- every woman who was out there is pretty badass. We have to note that Finley Murphy, the 3rd place female finisher is just 16 years old, the youngest woman to ever complete this race. The future is promising! Our bets are on at least 15 ladies next year as we see the sport continue to grow.
The 47th Catalina Classic will definitely go down as one of the most memorable Catalinas, let alone races that we've ever seen. Two records, an extremely close women's race, the largest year yet, and killer conditions all came together for a historical day that those who got to witness it will not forget. With a larger field comes heavier competition, and now the bar is set pretty damn high for next year after new records have been set. Until next year.
The 3 Champions - Emily Bark chaired up the beach by the two record holders: older brother Jack Bark and Lachie Lansdown.
NAME | DIVISION | PLACE | TIME |
Jack Bark | UL | 1st | 4:54:45 |
Max First | UL | 2nd | 5:06:40 |
Tristan Sullaway | UL | 3rd | 5:11:47 |
Lachie Lansdown | Stock | 1st | 5:35:00 |
Toa Pere | Stock | 2nd | 5:44:19 |
Davy Thomas | Stock | 3rd | 5:45:11 |
Emily Bark | Women's | 1st | 6:12:13 |
Liz Hunter | Women's | 2nd | 6:12:15 |
Finley Murphy | Women's | 3rd | 6:14:12 |
Full Results HERE
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