Connor Wins the Gorge Event – Clean Sweep!

The 2014 Naish Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge was an epic event. It was an action-packed two day weekend with three races. It could have been the most packed field of competitors ever assembled – except for possibly Battle of the Paddle.

Day One: The first day started with the flat water technical course race. The famous wind of the Columbia Gorge dialed down to zero. It was flat and hot. The course was about 5 miles – a 5 lap course with a lot of buoy turns. All the men competitors were on 14 foot race boards. I had my Starboard 14′ Allstar.

The women went first and after they finished their race all the men lined up. There were about 50 Men Elite paddlers so the start line was packed. The line was stacked with the best talent on Earth – Danny Ching, Travis Grant, Kai Lenny, Jake Jensen, Georges Cronsteadt, Kody Kerbox, Slater Trout, Chase Kosterlitz – just to name a few.

I was rail to rail with everyone around me, it was a cramped, crowded line. When the horn blew and I went to take my first stroke I hit the board and went right over the handle bars. By the time I got up I was in about 25th place. I took a deep breath and said the race isn’t over until it’s over and started passing a few people.

When I got to the first buoy I was in about 18th place. It was about then that the drafting train started. I hopped over to the side of everyone and used the side wake to catch back up to the front. I heard later that the spectators were wild when they saw that move.  Getting the most of any bump or glide is so important – and I used everything I could.  By the next buoy I was in about 10th place and at that turn I passed a few more people.

The next flat stretch was longer, so I was able to hop into fifth place behind Danny, Jake, Travis and Kai. We all turned a few buoys and I started to notice Kai slowing down so I got on his side and passed him. That move set me up into fourth place with 4 more laps to go. I stayed in that spot for a bit and then for the second to last lap I put my head down and beat it to the front of the train. I took the lead and led for that lap. When we started the last lap the pace picked up behind me – so I picked up my pace as well to stay in front.

Coming into the fourth to last buoy the pace picked up even more and I made sure to turn that buoy first. It’s very lucky that I did – because Georges tried to get the inside and took Danny out.  That let Kody and Travis go around the chaos of Georges and Danny. All I heard was a splash and yelling. I didn’t have a chance to even look back, I just took off and tried to hold the guys off until the finish.

I turned left, then right, then made my last left turn into the beach and knew I had it. I sprinted one last time and ran up for the win! I ran that chicane with my Starboard in hand. The beach was filled with cheering spectators, the energy was incredible. I was super stoked to have won after that horrible start.

After Day One: I got some great food and got a lot of sleep for the next day’s “Double Downwinder”. When I woke up the river was dead calm and super glassy. It wasn’t looking good  for the two downwinders. Everyone was thinking that it was going to really be a grind. I went to the event site and after the skipper’s meeting – there was still no wind.

As we drove up to the start at Viento, 8 miles west of Hood River, it got windier and windier. As long as there were bumps I was happy. The elite women had their start 30 minutes before us. When we lined up it was a lot like the course race start. We were super close to each other. I didn’t weant a repeat – so when the horn blew I was up and out. It went from flat to small bumps to bigger bumps and by the time we were halfway to the first buoy the bumps were fun. It was  Danny, Travis and I  up in front and having fun surfing the bumps.

We all stayed like this until the the next buoy. At that buoy the wind died. I knew I needed to get ahead and hold the OC1 paddlers off (Danny, Travis, Georges). Luckily there were some sloshy bumps which I love. So I just kept a steady pace and held the guys off for the rest of the distance.  I whipped around the final buoy and my got to run up the beach with my board in first place.

The Double Down: After that finish, I knew I had another downwinder – so I got some UB Super in me, stretched out and then got up to the start line. We had about 30 minutes until the next start. We wanted to go with the wind so we all lined up quickly because the wind was lightening up. This time I had a great start and took the lead pretty quickly away from Jake. The bumps were there but you had to work hard. I know what to do in those conditions.  I put my head down and found the rhythm and didn’t look back. I just did the same thing I did last time and held them off again.

Right at the end there was some shuffling around behind me. Travis and Georges were closing in and making my lead a bit smaller. At the very end there was some strategy to consider. I decided to take an inside line to the finish buoy and Georges who was parallel to me at that point decided to take an outside line. That decision sealed the deal – I gained even more of a lead and by the time I rounded the final buoy and surfed a small bump into the beach I was about 50 yards ahead. I ran up with my board for a clean sweep.  It felt amazing to run up the beach through the chicane knowing that I had won with a clean sweep in an event that was so highly competitive.

I want to thank my sponsors for all their support –  Starboard, Dakine, Maui Jim Sunglasses, Rainbow Sandals, Futures Fins, UB Real, Virus Sportswear, Trident Sports, GoPro, OnIt Pro, Waterman’s Sunscreen, Garmin, Igloo Coolers, Hammer Nutrition, iDcard, Sunrite Maui, and Hi-Tech Sports Mahalo to Andrew Welker Photography for the great photos. Also a big Mahalo to all the event organizers – Steve Gates, the excellent commentating by Al Paterson – and all the great volunteers. Fantastic Event!!  A definite must for next year!!!Aloha,
Connor Baxter