by Ingrid Juchem
 
Ten local athletes of the Port Douglas Outrigger Canoe club geared up last Sunday morning to take on the inaugural Great Barrier Reef Challenge. The 40km downwind race, one of it's kind in Australia, from Palm Cove to Port Douglas was part of the Cairns Airport Challenge and hosted by Cairns Club Hekili.

Starting near the Jetty at Palm Cove, the field headed out for 2km to round Scouts Head Island before turning north towards the Port Douglas peninsula, which could barely be seen in the distance.

Perfect weather condition with 15 to 20 knots s/se winds created a beautiful down wind run. In the time of 3hrs 47min 53sec,the team of Wendy Morris, Lili Jansen, Monique Johnson, Jan Ward, Denise Lee-Long and novice paddler Mia Messinger won silver in the Master women OC6 class behind the team from Hekili.


Justin Whyte came third in the Master Men OC1. In a sport where lightweight equipment is definitely and advantage, Justin's result is outstanding, as he raced in a older style canoe more than 50% heavier than those of his competitors.

Ingrid Juchem and Sheralyn Bush came first in the Master Women OC2 class, however Glen Thorp had a race he would rather forget.

"My canoe took on water, so I could not get any surfing action happening. By the time I reached the beach my craft was so heavy, I could hardly lift it out of the water. But I finished!" he said. Glen now has his sights set on the Club's Marlin Coast Challenge Relay race in October.