1st ANNUAL-RUNNING OF THE CARP- RESULTS: GREAT FUN!!!

[RickHeninger]

FIRST OFF, Thanks Craig, for keeping an eye on the weather specifically for this over the last month... Thanks Sarah, for warning me a month ago that you'd be out of town for memorial day and being on call all the other days for food! Murphy's law came into effect here!

Well, we were running out of good norths to do the downwinder... And after doing this again, I am reminded that it really is more of a downwinder than you think... However, 20 sailors and 8 kiters were present whom I don't want to start naming for fear of missing a bunch... But the wind was a little bit of a question mark, so I don't blame anybody for not going for it... A few just didn't have time to go the distance! Next time!!!

There was actually quite a crew of people out... It really was reminiscent of the Gorge Blowout... The angst and excitement of what to rig and/or whether to go!!!

For what I wanted out of it, this couldn't have gone better... The safety nets all held... The rescue boat worked great... The company at the starting line was great... I wish everybody could've enjoyed the company at the finish line!

We had good wind... But a cloud toned the wind down a bit on the east side... The kiters, four warriors, Jake, Salvador, Jason, and Mark fired of the beginning and seemed to be over to Provo Boat Harbor within about a half hour... Three did end up in a hole for a little bit about a quarter mile from Provo Boat Harbor... Jake made it into Provo Boat Harbor no sweat... Way to go Jake!

After a bit of a diedown, maybe a half hour, the wind picked up like a banshee picking me up off my slight downwind schlogg and with in 20 minutes 3 of we windsurfers were through the jettys at PVU... Mostly on 6.7's to 7.5's and 115 Liters or more... Ralph!, Rick H, Josh S, and Bob! Dimitri would've made it no prob, but half way acrossed he decided he was too tired from sailing yesterday and simply sailed back! You're the man Dimitri!

SO, essentially, 8 people made it... 4 kites, 4 windsurfers... The cloud not a factor, 20 could've made it quite easily... I had cancelled the bus halfway acrossed the lake from the cell phone in the boat... On the way back, we had quite possibly the funnest boat ride I've ever had... The boat cut through the 4 foot swell like butter! It made for quite a spectacular ride with we four sailors looking off the back of the boat going 30MPH with spray going 30 feet up and turning smokey from the strong wind... Being that for the way back the wind was blowing 4.5!!! It would've been quite a session later!

We finished the evening off with Hotdogs on the grill at Pelican, Chips, and a few beers/sprites!!! And great company... Snapped a pic of the finishers and rescue boat personel and drove away with big smiles! Thanks Jake for getting my nephews on the trainer kite!

I wish the people who were out of town could've made it, but this was a good learning experience for how to do this the next time... NO CLOUDS FOR SURE!!!

I tell you though, we could've sailed back the way the wind picked up on the way back... It blew 5.0 from 5PM until about 8PM!!! Ryan was getting a great session while we were eating up!

NOTE: If Sarah had been in town she'd have been the rescue boat back up! If Carl C. had more time on the water this year, he'd have been the same on his gear... Actually, there are a lot of people with gear perfect for this kind of race, although, I know, this kind of thing isn't for everybody! That's why we have a few different flavors of events... The Windsurf/Kite freestyle stuff might be good during the Utah Summer games in the future.

OH PSS! I think that Charleston Jim Southwick felt the challenge needed some modifying and he sailed from Charleston to the dam, down the river, to Provo Boat Harbor, did a few laps around the lake, and decided to get home for dinner sailing back up the Provo River, up the chute, and downwind to homebase! But that's just my theory!

Jim, you'd have also done circles around me! I thought you'd have been there.

[Ralph Morrison]

Just want to say that I agree it was a great outing! At first the wind was perfect and it was great fun surfing the swells with no worries about having to make it back up wind.
Even when the wind backed off it was still interesting. Trying to balance in the big swell with little wind is a challenge and a test of will. Not alot of fun while it's happening but added to the epic nature of a crossing. After awhile I started talking to the carp that were flapping around me. I felt like Tom Hanks on the raft. Wilson?? Wilson!!!!!!
When I finally made it to the marina I felt like I really achieved something and now have a comradire of a shared experience with the other guys that made it. If the wind was perfect the whole way it would have been more pleasant but would have been almost too easy.
Like Rick said, the high speed boat ride through those swells was incredible!

[Trip Houk]

Rick and "crossers",
I had hoped to join the crowd for the first UWA Down Winder but projects got the better of me. I can imagine the chalange of keeping track of even 8 or so sailors. Did anybody get any photos? Congratulations on completing the event without losing anyone! I look forward to hearing more details. Sorry to miss it.

[RickHeninger]

Trip...

Well, we did learn quite a bit... The buddy system will work even better if the wind is more consistent... If at the starting line the wind would've been more consistent (i.e. Clear skies)... I think that many more people would've made it. I announced a $20 fee for anyone requiring rescue! HOWEVER, since so few ended up going for the full DOWNWINDER we waived the RESCUE FEE!

There would have been minimal rescue if the wind would've stayed a little more consistent like it was right after the downwinder... And people would have been across in about 30 minutes like Jake B.!

It's a fun workout... Also if the wind would have been up... It's an easy cross and on the other side would have been more session to be had... But we were a little tired on the other side!

[Jacob Buzianis]

Awesome event. I can't wait to do it again.

It was awesome to see the Utah windriders getting involve into this downwinder event.

The rescue boat, Downwinder race event, the Utah windriders and the food turn out an epci time. You did Awesome JOB Rick. Thanks for putting on this together.

I hope to see you guys out there again.