A TEAM from Royal Canoe Club, Teddington, narrowly missed first place in the Liberty World Challenge Outrigger Race in New York last weekend. The team raced in the mixed event and came second to the home club, New York Outrigger, by less than half a second.
The crew of Sue and Ian McNuff, Sue Hornby, John Griffiths, Amanada Barratt and Dave Ralphs can boast an Olympic medal and a good haul of World Championship medals in both rowing and paddlesport, but this was the first time they had attempted an international outrigger race as a crew and the first time anyone has entered the event from Great Britain.
The grueling 12 mile race goes down the Hudson River to the Statute of Liberty and back. Royal Canoe Club captain Sue Hornby said: "After the turn at Liberty we powered past last year's champion team Maui and found ourselves in the lead! New York Outrigger Club took advantage of local river knowledge to catch us up as a tug pulling five barges blocked our way to the finish line. The rules meant we actually had to wait to let it past! We sprinted for the line and thought we had won, but the result went to the home team by 0.4 seconds in 1.48.17.21 seconds. Our steerer Sue McNuff did a brilliant job in the challenging conditions."
If you would like to support the team or find out more about outrigger paddling contact Sue Hornby on 020 8941 2714.
July 8, 2002 17:00
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