Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

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Cheat Race Spring Training


CheatraceIt doesn’t matter if you race or not. It doesn’t matter if you are fast or last. Join what has become a rite of passage for intermediate paddlers in the DC area, and you will find yourself, building endurance, improving your forward stroke, learning the rapids on the Cheat Canyon, and enjoying the company of friends – just what you need to get you started for a new paddling season and help you up to the next paddling level. In addition to the new skills you will learn, there is great financial value to this package, even if you miss a couple of the workouts. This program is great for intermediate Class 3 paddlers who are looking to get out on the river early in the season.

It takes getting in shape to be comfortable in white water and to feel strong in your boat. When you work-out, over time, with persistence, you will develop balance, strength, endurance, and unconscious skill. Spend quality time in your boat, and you will begin to feel that you belong on the river and that you are ready to take on more exciting challenges. These are coached workouts (as opposed to classes), so expect to be moving almost the whole time, and expect a larger class size than our usual 5:1 ratio.  You will need a long boat to keep up in these workouts, and were not talking about an RPM.

Embrace the long boat! You will need to get a little “old school” in your boat selection to get the full benefit of the program. To acquire such a boat we recommend going on the chat rooms, looking at the gear swap pages of Boatertalk and others and picking up a good used one, usually around $200-400. We have a limited number of them for rent for $60, call to make an appointment to try one out. There are a few updated and modern versions of long boat designs currently available on the market from companies including, Drago Rossi, Dagger, and Pyranha. It will also help if you have a dry suit or an equivalent level of thermal protection. To secure your spot in this exciting program you will need to register online and pay in full. Register early, this one always fills up fast.

The program consists of:

  1. Attainment workouts on weekday evenings, every Wed. 6-dark, to build strength and boat control. 9 total
  2. Downriver workouts, Saturdays at 10 AM – 2PM , in March. 5 total
  3. One-day trips to the Cheat on Saturday’s in April with Liquid Adventures. 4 total
  4. The race is held the first Friday in May, kicking off a whole weekend of Cheat Fest events. Stay tuned to Race info at cheat race official website .

Please consult the calendar for other dates and times. Please use online registration.

All plans are weather and river level dependent, so you have to stay in touch. We stay in touch with Google Groups. When you sign up we will add your email address to the Google Groups list-serv.

The cost for participation the two month program is $225.

’09 Results:

  • We had 25 entries in the race, in five different teams.
  • Andrew won the race in a Wildwater Boat for his fifth victory in the Cheat Race.
  • Tom was third in the men’s long boat class and 18th overall, paddling a Prijon Typhun.
  • Simon came in 8th in the very competitive B class, paddling a Wavehopper.
  • Kristin Wood was 1st and first timer Cherie Bartozzi was 3rd in the
 women’s short boat class.
  • Helene Scalliet was 4th in the women’s long boat class.
  • Great finishes for Hank Durand (50th overall and 2nd LAKS finisher),
 Craig Campbell (53rd overall and 3rd LAKS finisher) and Eric Colbert
 (61st overall).

Special recognition for Mark Schrieb, who apparently beat out other
 racers still in their boats, on his way to his finish at 130th
 overall. Just proves that it’s really the paddler — not the
gear! :-) Kudos to those who interrupted their race to assist other paddlers:
Paul Harrison, Marka Petersen, Carlos Ifarraguerri, the ever present 
Hector Pickart and Jen Sass…and any others I may have missed. The
 river gods will smile on you!

Fast LAKS finished 5th in the team standings. We’ll have to try again
next year to push higher!

I counted 22 LAKS entries, not including honorary LAKS member, Peter Lutter — who only finished 2nd overall!
Best of all, everyone met the challenge, performed well and —
despite a nervous moment or two — finished the race safely. Congrats
to all!!!

Tom McEwan, co-founder of Liquid Adventures, has spent over 30 years paddling and racing in the DC area.

Cheat River Profile cheat river map

Section 1: Start Bridge to Big Nasty

  1. Beginning ledge rapids and second ledge
  2. Decision (two parts)
  3. 2. Small to medium boat scoutable rapids
  4. third rapid on far Right side
  5. Cindy’s long rapid
  6. Misc. small rapids
  7. Big Nasty

Section 2: Big Nasty to Surfing wave

  1. Typewriter
  2. Med rocky rapid (stay center)
  3. Little Nasty (long rapid, start L., stay L. )
  4. Flat pool
  5. 3 tricky rapids
  6. Surfing wave (Armadillo Rock on L)

Section 3: Surfing wave to Tear Drop

  • 1-2. Med rapids
  • Logjam (stay R. from the top)
  • Doldrums
  • False Fist
  • Cue Ball
  • Fist
  • Second cue ball
  • 2 Left side rapids

Section 4: Tear Drop to bottom of Pete Morgan Rapid

  1. Tear Drop (stay L.)
  2. High Falls (center and 20′ L. of knob rock)
  3. Maze
  4. Coliseum (L. of hole but stay away from big square rock)
  5. Lower Coliseum (stay R.)
  6. Pete Morgan (line down center L.)

Section 5: Bottom of Pete Morgan to Jenkinsburg bridge

  1. Med, long rapids (stay L.)
  2. Small, long rapids
  3. Finish Bridge
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