Raced in the 25th Annual Lake Tanzawa Canoe Race. One thing I love about signing up for races, it forces you to explore new areas. It was a super scenic drive into a very remote local area of Japan, a place I probably would have never visited.
The race was awesome, like most races in Japan, 200+ participants. It was a super hot day with a heat stroke warning in place. I paced myself during the first part of the race and actually got to enjoy the scenery of the the man-made lake. A bit before the turn-around point, the slight breeze shifted to behind (where you couldn't feel it) and it got super hot...had to splash myself with water on several occasions. I finished strong and ended up 7th of 15th in the 10km touring sea kayak category (my bib# was 42).
Total Distance: 5.64 miles
Duration: 01:09:48
Average Speed: 4.9 mph
Max Speed: 6.0 mph
01.12.2025
Returned to the Matsudo Canoe Race on the Edogawa River in Chiba. Nick joined and gotta give him props, the first time he's been in a kayak for over 5 years minimum. I trimmed 10 minutes off my 2019 time which I'm super pleased with. It's not all me though, faster kayak and racing paddle better make me faster! Came in 143rd out of 356 boats.
A note from the race director (translated to English): "On Sunday, January 12th, the "Chiba Prefecture Governor's Cup Competition 43rd Club Competition Canoe Competition" was held in Edogawa. The weather forecast a few days ago called snow, so I was worried, but this year more than 400 people participated and competed in various canoes, starting at Kamikatsushika Bridge in Matsudo City. The weather was cloudy and low temperature, but there was no wind and we were able to finish the operation without any accidents or injuries this year. Practice and get stronger this year from elementary to seniors and break records next year!"
Total Distance: 3.3 miles
Duration: 00:37:36
Average Speed: 5.2 mph
Max Speed: 6.0 mph
10.06.2024
First race since moving back to Japan. Super fun race participating in the 7th Annual Kanazawa-hakkei Canoe Race. Felt like I held my own pretty well and beat quite a few surf skis...sadly didn't do so well with the kayaks in my category, finishing 6th out of 9. Still had a great time.
Total Distance: 4.44 miles
Duration: 00:49:05
Average Speed: 5.4 mph
Max Speed: 6.3 mph
03.16.2024
Last race in the US for quite some time... worked out well as it's right before all my stuff gets packed out to Japan. Ben joined me in St. Paddle's Day 2024. Beautiful day for a race as I placed 2nd in kayaks (although mostly SUPs in the race). I pushed hard as I couldn't lift my right shoulder after the race!
Total Distance: 6.58 miles
Duration: 01:12:47
Average Speed: 5.4 mph
Max Speed: 6.6 mph
09.23.2023
Third time doing the Big Hurt, but sadly Phil couldn't join us for the mountain bike leg so Kyle substituted and did a fantastic job, we were appropriately team "Phil-less" this year.
Lots more teams this year which made it fun, we ended up 6th out of 32 finishers overall in the team category and I held my own in the kayak leg again.
Total Distance: 2.48 miles
Duration: 00:28:44
Average Speed: 5.4 mph
Max Speed: 6.5 mph
07.29.2023
2023 version of the Elk River Challenge and it was another fun one. I came in first and last in my division, but felt like it was a good race overall as I was the first single non-rower to finish. Granted, most of the rowers I beat got stuck in the shallow mud at least once!
Total Distance: 7.90 miles
Duration: 01:32:23
Average Speed: 5.1 mph
Max Speed: 5.9 mph
06.03-04.2023
Jon, Jeramy and myself embarked on Seventy48 2023 and I'm not going to lie, it was WAY harder this year than last...and I deserve it because I said I wanted to do the race in a year where there were the fewest finishers. This year it turns out there were the most participants (131 teams), but only 70 finishers...I came in 48th.
The only thing that was nicer this year was it was clear out (sunny all day and moonlight at night). The sun gave me gnarly tan lines, especially since I didn't put on sunscreen. It was way harder this year due to a northernly wind the entire time and the tides weren't as helpful.
It started off decent with a moonlight paddle through Colvos passage and I didn't even stop on Blake Island, however paddling past Blake and up Bainbridge Island I got incredibly sea sick... Ended up chumming the waters and stopped in at Fay Park as the sun started to rise to have some hot cocoa and regroup my head. While resting, Jon and Jeramy paddled up to camp for a few hours.
I pressed on and paddling during the daylight really helped my sea sickness. The tough part was none of my food sounded good anymore and was worried about having enough energy for the rest of the race. Pretty smooth trip and stopped really quickly at Point No Point before making the final push.
Glassy waters heading towards Indian Island with only the flood tide to battle with (which at the time I thought was hard enough). This part of the trip felt like it took forever as all you can look at is Indian Island very slowly getting bigger and bigger. However once I got there, thats when things go crazy difficult.
A very strong headwind emerged that was super hard to paddle against (plus the flood tide). After winding my way through the Port Townsend Ship Canal finding eddies and avoiding wind as much as possible, the waters got really big in Port Townsend Bay. I tried to just power straight towards the finish, however ended up heading to shore and paddled along the shoreline into Glen Cover until I could surf the waves to the finish...and passed a lot of races on the shore who ended up giving up.
I was super pissed during that last stretch, however looking back I had the energy to finish the tough part of the race so could have pushed harder earlier in the race... good lesson going forward to next year. After the fact, another awesome experience and no regrets, also always good to push both mentally and physically.
Total Distance: 71.07 miles
Duration: 23:42:00
Average Speed: 3.1 mph
05.13.2023
Participated in the Commencement Bay Race in Tacoma on an absolutely beautiful Saturday morning. Fun race as it was along Ruston Way roughly 6.2 miles. Ended up getting first (and last) in my category and there was only one other sea kayak (I was in the FSK category). All others were rowers, outriggers, or surf skis. Still a fun event, just wish there were other kayakers.
Total Distance: 6.87 miles(including warmup, waiting for the start and cooldown)
Duration: 01:08:43 (official race time)
Average Speed: 4.5 mph
Max Speed: 5.8 mph
04.29.2023
Participated in my 2nd 10k Gig Harbor Paddler's Cup, which also the 10th annual event. I say participated because very humbling going against the competition.
Absoulely beautiful day, fun event, and definately great training.
Total Distance: 6.58 miles(including warmup, waiting for the start and cooldown)
Duration: 01:09:13 (official race time)
Average Speed: 4.6 mph
Max Speed: 6.2 mph
03.25.2023
Finally got to participate in the St. Paddle's Day Race. This was the first race I tried to register in the US, but was cancelled due to COVID.
It's a great race as it takes place at Alderbrook... Race went OK...got beat by too many SUPs and definately didn't take the shortest route, but good training as my arm was dead after finishing the race.
Total Distance: 6.86 miles(including warmup, waiting for the start and cooldown)
Duration: 01:08:40
Average Speed: 4.4 mph
Max Speed: 6.3 mph
02.04.2023
Family came out and spent the weekend in Oak Harbor for the race which was awesome... The race itself did not go so well, once again.
I did not attend the pre-race brief the night before via Zoom, so did not realize the race course was completely changed due to the weather...I signed up for the early wave (since I was so slow last year), which consisted of mostly SUPs and a couple outriggers this year. I ended up starting the race facing the wrong direction since the course was changed.... During the race, had to make sure I wasn't in the lead since I had no idea where the turnaround point was. Ended up following a SUP and outrigger where they turned around at the ~3 mile point...I knew it was short, but wasn't sure if the course was shortened or not. I followed them around the buoy and then couldn't keep up with them to the finish
Ended up only doing 5 miles, but the race director were nice enough to make a "5 mile" category instead of disqualifying all 11 of us who didn't do the entire race course. Good workout either way and nice to have the fam out to explore La Conner.
Since we stayed on Whidbey Island, got to see Deception Pass for the first time...definately want to paddle there!
Total Distance: 5.29 miles(including warmup, waiting for the start and cooldown)
Duration: 00:55:18
Average Speed: 4.5 mph
Max Speed: 6.0 mph
09.24.2022
Our team re-united this year for another round of the Big Hurt, this time our team name was "Get Real, Get Better". This year they shortened the kayak leg and changed the route a bit, but didn't mind in the end.
I got sick the night before and had to deal with night chills all night and feeling like shit during the race. I powered through it not wanting to let my team down...ended up with the fastest kayaking time in the team category and we ended up third overall! Podium finish was awesome, but in hindsight it may have been the rona for me during the race...
Total Distance: 2.47 miles
Duration: 00:28:45
Average Speed: 5.43 mph
Max Speed: 7.26 mph
07.23.2022
26th annual Elk River Challenge and also the first race I did in the US last year. Fun race as always, but less in the sloughs this year due to a lower high tide. Did fairly well as I was first of the kayaks, and behind a surf ski that destroyed me!
Total Distance: 7.17 miles
Duration: 01:35:200
Average Speed: 4.5 mph
Max Speed: 6.2 mph
06.25.2022
Raced in the 2nd Annual Bremerton 2 Bridges Tidal Race, which is awesome as always to have a local race. Met up with a couple repeat participants this year, so was nice to chat with them again.
Race was fun, the current wasn't as strong this time, but couldn't beat the weather as it was the first nice weekend of the year. I placed 4th overall and 1st of the "normal" kayaks.
Total Distance: 5.16 miles
Duration: 00:55:60
Average Speed: 5.4 mph
Max Speed: 8.2 mph
06.10-11.2022
Well, I finally did it! I completed the Seventy48 race!
Absolutely awesome, and humbling experience. It dumped rain for 3 hours prior to race start, but stopped right at the start and couldn't have asked for any better weather.
First stretch was from downtown Tacoma to Blake Island. Ran into a kayaker I previously met in Colvos passage and was good company. The sun set in the middle of Colvos and started seeing amazing bio-luminescence! Definately one of the coolest things I've seen kayaking. I took it really easy during this stretch to ensure I had enough energy. When I finally landed on Blake and it was packed with racers! Since there was a nice tail-wind, and a soon approaching ebb-tide, I decided only to do a quick bathroom break and headed back out.
I quickly met up with a fellow kayaker I met while waiting for the race to start and we paddled together from here. This stretch was basically from Blake Island to Fay Park, where we both pulled out and had another pee break. Fay Park was exactly half way, 35 miles!
It was a quick stop and we both headed out again with the goal of making it to Point No Point. My company started to tire out and faded back around Kingston, but I pressed on. This was the point I realized I was still feeling really good and decided to pick up the pace. Also got to see the sunrise in this stretch. Pretty cool to see both sunset and sunrise on the same paddle.
Another bathroom break at Point No Point and the tide shifted to a flood... Only 20 miles left so I decided to press on to the finish! The water was glass on officially Day 2 which made for a great paddle. Finished at roughly 14:09 Saturday after just over 19 hours and 37th place overall.
Had a quick beer and noodles when the family showed up to take me home. The race staff also interviewed me about my trip. I brought all the camping gear and extra clothes, but didn't end up using any of it...better to be prepared though. My biggest takeaway was I was basically constantly eating for energy. My favorite ended up being peanut M&M's. Amazing event and look forward to next year! Thanks to my family for letting me do this and all the time training, and of course my kayaking buddies who helped me get ready.
Total Distance: 71.12 miles
Duration: 19:09:00
Average Speed: 3.6 mph
04.23.2022
Participated in the 2022 Gig Harbor Paddlers Cup, 10k race. It was a different race for sure doing four laps around the harbor...
It says something when someone in a surf ski has to draft off of me for three laps, which was pretty annoying. Then he passed me on the last lap and pulled away. Karma definately hit though as boat wake near the finish line capsized him and I ended up passing him! Too funny.
Cool event though as they had lots of vendors and kayak demos
Total Distance: 6.59 miles(including warmup, waiting for the start and cooldown)
Duration: 01:28:18
Average Speed: 4.47 mph
Max Speed: 9.33 mph
02.13.2022
Felt better about this race, mostly because the competition wasn't as fierce.
Super fun race as the race was from Ballard Elks south around 4 mile rock and back. Most of the race was into the fog which made it more interesting. Ended up beating 2ea outriggers and also a gentleman paddling an Epic 18X.
Total Distance: 7.51 miles(including warmup, waiting for the start and cooldown)
Duration: 01:36:48
Average Speed: 4.65 mph
Max Speed: 7.64 mph
02.05.2022
It's races like these that really humble you. The competition was elite (in my eyes)... It didn't help that I was in the last wave which consisted of the fastest paddlers, so I felt like I was in last the entire race! Ended up 61st out of 78, yikes!
Makes me want to work harder, so it's a good thing. Beautiful area to paddle though, the nice things about races is it forces me to paddle new areas.
Total Distance: 7.46 miles(including warmup, waiting for the start and cooldown)
Duration: 01:47:06
Average Speed: 4.18 mph
Max Speed: 7.44 mph
01.16.2022
Participated in the Elk Crossing Benevolent Benefit race (8.2 mile long course) put on by Salmon Bay Paddle. Super calm conditions and the race consisted mostly of SUPs. I was 1st (and last) in my class and only managed to beat SUPs (and got beat by 2 fast ones)! Overall very fun race and felt good stamina-wise throughout the race.
Total Distance: 8.93 miles(including warmup, waiting for the start and cooldown)
Duration: 01:53:56
Average Speed: 4.7 mph
Max Speed: 8.59 mph
10.16.2021
Raced in the inagural Narrows Challenge and man was I humbled. I guess it doesn't help when the autograph on my epic mid-wing paddle is in the race (2x Olympic gold medalist Greg Barton).
It was a tough race trying to pick the best tidal lines, plus it was my longest race yet. My left shoulder was completely dead just over halfway during the race. Seems like the best line was to race down the middle of the narrows and closest to the shore on the way back.
Total Distance: 13.67 miles(including warmup, waiting for the start and cooldown)
Duration: 03:08:48
Average Speed: 4.34 mph
Max Speed: 11.55 mph
09.25.2021
Raced in the kayak leg of the Big Burt and it was such a great event. Team Flank Speed (inside work joke) got 7th out of 28 teams, and 11th overall. I got 4th best kayak time in the teams and overall...so not bad.
The fog and breeze rolled up right before my leg and I pretty much paddled blind the entire race. I passed 8 people and got passed by 2 (1 was in a surf ski). Awesome event and hopefully will do it again next year.
Total Distance: 3.15 miles
Duration: 00:39:34
Average Speed: 4.78 mph
Max Speed: 6.78 mph
08.21.2021
Raced in the Great Cross Sound Race and got my butt handed to me, haha... but still lots of fun. I guess I did get 2nd place in my class (FSK), but there were only 3ea...and 1st was really a surf ski. Overall kind of a small turnout comparing to past years with only 31ea racers...and mostly olympic shells and only 1 other kayak like mine. Now I'm really debating getting a wing paddle for racing.
Total Distance: 8.12 miles (including warmup and waiting for the start)
Duration: 01:41:58
Average Speed: 4.78 mph
Max Speed: 7.94 mph
07.25.2021
Second race in 2 days! Participated in the 1st Annual Bremerton 2 Bridges Tidal Race hosted by Salmon Bay Paddle. This one made me nervous as it starts out heading towards the bridges from Lions Park against the flood tide. I think I managed to follow the eddies well enough to finish 3rd of sea kayaks (1st and 2nd were right there, just couldn't do it), and 10th overall.
Total Distance: 5.36 miles (including warmup and waiting for the start)
Duration: 01:13:53
Average Speed: 4.36 mph
Max Speed: 9.83 mph
07.24.2021
My first race in the US as I participated in the 25th annual Elk River Challenge hosted by Sound Rowers. It was a fun race in windy conditions. The course was challenging as you have to go trough a maze of sloughs...I even took a wrong turn and had to backtrack some.
In the end I did fairly well, 1st sea kayak (of only 1), and 15th of 25 finishers.
Total Distance: 7.77 miles (including warmup and waiting for the start)
Duration: 01:58:12
Average Speed: 3.95 mph
Max Speed: 8.24 mph
06.02.2019
Participated in the 21st Annual Matsuzaki Sea Kayak Marathon. It was a calm overcast day which were perfect conditions for the race. I struggled more than I wanted unfortunately as I wasn't sure I was going to finish 75% of the way through... Think I should have ate more before the race. I ended up finishing 72nd out of 96 total racers for the 14km course. (I really should have got 71st, but I didn't know how to finish and the guy passed me at the last second).
It was a beautiful paddle as the Izu landscape is pretty breathtaking. The first turnaround point is going through a tunnel which was pretty cool. I also met a nice English-man named Pete and Australian named Jan. The Australian makes his own kayaks Viking Kayaks
It was a 3.5 hour drive down to Matsuzaki and ended up leaving the house around 04:00... well worth it in the end!
Total Distance: 9.22 miles (including warmup and waiting for the start
Duration: 02:14:02
Average Speed: 4.13 mph
Max Speed: 7.21 mph
01.13.2019
Got to participate in the 37th annual Matsudo Canoe Race on the Edogawa River in Chiba. It was cold morning at first, but the sun came at right in time for the beginning of the race.
It was super fun, but very chaotic as there were 324 different boats on the water starting at the same time. I even got clipped and turned sideways during the middle of the race.
I ended up finishing 171st overall with a time of 47 minutes and 50 seconds. I think I took 13th out of 24 sea kayaks.
Total Distance: 4.87 miles (including warmup and waiting for the start
Duration: 01:22:44
Average Speed: 3.44 mph
Max Speed: 7.51 mph
10.21.2018
Participated in the 37th Annual Trans Yokohama Canoe Festival. It was awesome racing through the canals of Yokohama with 205 different kayaks/canoes/surf skis/SUPs.
I did the long section, 14km, which was very tiring. I finished 7th in my group (A-6) with a time of 1hr, 37min, 42seconds. I think I actually was in the wrong division based on kayak lenghth and really should have finished 11th (A-5)
I was introduced at the closing ceremony and had to give a short speach, since I was the only foreigner!
Total Distance: 8.47 miles (including waiting time in the water)
Duration: 02:12:09
Average Speed: 3.85 mph
Max Speed: 7.03 mph
05.27.2018
6th Annual Hayama Seakayak Ekiden! It was touch and go this year whether we could participate with the crazy work schedule, but the stars aligned in the end.
Lots of churn in our team this year... Our mainstay, Nick, couldn't make the trip from Singapore this year due to work, so Tommy stepped up in his place (only his 2nd time kayaking). Dave recently got into a bike accident and wasn't 100%. Clayton hasn't been in a kayak since last year, and I've gotten out of kayaking shape due to work!
In the end, couldn't have asked for a better day. We ended up coming in 6th out of 14th, not bad due to the circumstances...
Total Distance: 1.31 miles
Duration: 00:17:00
Average Speed: 4.61 mph
Max Speed: 7.31 mph
05.28.2017
Annual Hayama Seakayak Ekiden! Team this year was myself, Dave, Clayton and Nick. This year's course is going to be one of the offical Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic event courses, which is pretty damn cool. Pretty good showing as we finished 4th in our division, and right behind 2nd and 3rd. We also toasted all the advanced class kayakers.
I did the third leg and passed four kayakers, two of them at the very end going around the last buoy with 3 other beginner class kayaks.
Total Distance: 1.34 miles
Duration: 00:17:03
Average Speed: 4.72 mph
Max Speed: 10.52 mph
06.05.2016
Participated in the Hayama Sea Kayak Ekiden, team "Kosteclac" consisted of myself, Dad, Ben and Nick. We took 3rd place in the Intermediate category. We were paddling in a Sentom Hiyori Sea Kayak.
Total Distance: 1.7 miles
Duration: 00:22:43
Average Speed: 4.48 mph
Max Speed: 8.61 mph
