Dearlove smashes time trial series

As he has done for the 10-week time trial series, top paddler Reuben Dearlove dominated the last handicap race of the series on Wednesday.

As the fastest paddler throughout the series, Dearlove started 11 minutes and 30 seconds behind the first paddler to start the staggered handicap race, Jane Pearson.

The 17 paddlers battled into the wind and wish-washy seas from Avarua harbour towards the Club Raro turn before catching little runners to the second turn at Avatiu harbour.

On the return leg, Dearlove began picking off paddlers and burning the field to lead the pack heading past the Avarua harbour towards the final turn buoy.

”They didn’t see me coming,“ commented Dearlove of his fellow paddlers he left in his wake.

Most of paddlers never did see Dearlove coming until he ripped past them and all wore ‘I was waiting for that to happen’ expressions.

At the Avatiu turn, Dearlove executed a strong turn as paddlers in their numbers barrelled down behind him including Paul Pearson in the next V1, Josh Burrell in an OC1 and Marouna Mita on a surfski.

After the turn Dearlove gathered speed and momentum riding any bumps and swells all the way back to the Boiler where he skimmed the icon and turned his nose towards the finish line crossing in 49.57 for a final race time of a blistering 38.27 over the approximately 8km course.

Josh Burrell took out second place overall and first OC1 in a race time of 41.21 and Paul Pearson in third and second V1 with a race time of 42.47.

Marouna Mita crossed in fourth overall in his surfski followed by John Raita in his OC1 to place fifth overall and second OC1 in 43.27.

John Beasley crossed sixth overall and third V1 in a race time of 43.45 followed by Marc Cowan (CO1) and Sani Sosene (V1).

The general consensus from paddlers was the bumpy race, including the leg back into the sunset, was all part of the fun of oe vaka racing.

Their next challenge will be next weekend’s annual Te Aito Cook Islands for singles paddlers.