Here is a link to the video from this weekend's race. It was a 68-70 mile race, depending on your course, from Fort Desoto (St. Pete, FL) to Grande Tours (Placida, FL). I did the race in my Fenn Mako 6 and finished first overall in the Ultra Marathon (which runs concurrently with the Everglades Challenge) and set a new course record for Class 2 Paddle Craft. I was actually third overall behind two small racing sailboats to Placida which was the first checkpoint for the Everglades Challenge.
The first 35-miles was very grueling with only a light head wind. Fortunately, the wind picked up to 15-knots around 1:30pm and I got a nice push the second half od the race. The last 2.5 miles to the finish was shallow and flat with a headwind. I put it all on the line and was able to finish in 10 hours 59 minutes and 17 seconds, roughlt 9 minutes faster than the record to Grand Tours set in 2007. I am already making plans to do the entire 300 mile Everglades Challenge next year...
www.watertribe.com
