Well 2020 had high hopes but didn’t really go to plan. While we did manage to run most of the series we did have to take out our Ross River Paddle Marathon and the favourite Saunders Beach. These paddles were undertaken as social events and it was fantastic to see so many paddlers getting out and on the water during 2020 (hey, social distancing is easy when your in a kayak in the ocean!)
Now we have big plans for 2021!
Some of the old favourites are still on the list but we have added in a Cairns Trip. We have had some dedicated Cairns paddlers traveling to our series over the last few years so this year were heading into Cairns territory. They have promised us this is a great paddle so we’re excited to check it out.
Etty Bay couldn’t be left off the calendar, who knew when Marty hassled us to put this paddle on a few years ago it would become one of our favourite weekends!
Years of work have secured us a spot on the Ross Dam for Adventurethon Townsville. We will combine with this a flat water paddle (I know, its the ocean series…..but its the ROSS DAM!) to check out all the Ross Dam has to offer while we can.
Cape2Cape is on the list, but tentatively. This event relies on a lot of work from the Australian Army and Sealink to make it all happen. If the planets align….its will be on…..
The series is finishing with the Eliminator race like last year. While hesitant at first, feedback from paddlers was that it was a lot of fun and a great opportunity to hang out at the end of the season.
SERIES POINTS
Some changes are happening to series points. Hopefully this will help keep the field together and clarify the ‘system’
Overall Points (Long Course only)
Overall points are awarded to Male and Female individual paddlers (all craft types) based on their overall finish position. 20pts for 1st, 18pts for 2nd, 16pts for 3rd etc. Everyone gets 1 point for attendance if they are not in the top 10.
Magnetic Loop points are different for overall
At each stage & overall finish time, overall points are awarded for Individual Male and Female Paddlers
1st-5pts 2nd-4.5pts 3rd-4pts 4th-3.5pts 5th-3pts 6th-2.5pts 7th-2pts 8th-1.5pts 9th-1pt 10th-1pt
So for example, if you win every stage you get 25pts, you then win the race overall so you get an extra 5pts – total overall points 30.
This set up also allows those further down the field to collect some points.
Category Points (long and short course)
Category points are awarded based on your position in your category (by age and craft type). Points are allocated the same as overall points. You may have come 10th overall (1 overall point) but 1st in your category (20 category points).
If you jump between long and short course or double and individual, you can’t move your category points. If you complete 1 long (3rd in category, 16 points) and 2 short courses (1st in category each time – 40pts) you will get 1 attendance point in the short course so show you have participated in 3 races (short course, 20pts + 20pts + 1pt = 41pts).
Magnetic Loop you only get category points for your overall finish, not at each stage.
BONUS POINTS
5pts are awarded for volunteering (cook the bbq, watersafety etc). Chat to Joel 0447496489 about helping out.
1pt awarded for attending and starting but not finishing
