HCC 2019 Report


You can download the FULL HCC Race Report in two parts:

Report Highlights

Part 1:Part 2:
Records and HonoursShort Tales of a Long Night
Stories from LCRK doubles (Rich & Keg, Pete & Dave, Duncan & Jeff)Stories from LCRK singles (with a few records thrown in)
What did the camera capture?Short Tales of a Long Night
...and lots more!Wonderful Volunteers...and lots more!



Above: 2019 team photo



Above: final results for LCRK associated paddlers


Records and Honour

For the third year in a row, Brendan Trewartha was in the Lane Cove boat to make it down the river the fastest. Despite his “not quite a PB” time of 8:48:56, he was the first single home. Alongside the LCRK perpetual trophy for fastest outright boat, he also earned the HCC Canoe Specialists Trophy for the fastest Vet 40+.

Following an epic hunt for a suitable K1, Tony Hystek put Chris Johnson’s Spirit XXL to good use, cracking the Men’s Vet 60+ K1 record with a time of 9:39:00 despite a run-in with some serious mud near Spencer. His duathlon effort earned him the Blue Earth Trophy for the fastest Vet 60+ paddler on the night.

Tom Simmat proved that age is no barrier to a solid trophy haul, creating a brand-new record in the Men’s Vet 70+ LRec1. He again took out the LCRK trophy for Oldest Paddler to complete the race – hand-carved by Justin Paine – along with the Classic's Bruce & Joan Morison Memorial trophy for fastest Vet 70+ paddler in the event.

While constituted classes were slim on the ground at this year’s Classic, Duncan Johnstone and Jeff Hosnell were the fastest in the three-boat Men’s Vet 60+ LRec2 class. The record just evaded them…is that a good enough reason for Jeff to be talked into taking the Classic on again?


Above: Tom Simmat and Justin Paine

Above: Pete and Dave with the inaugural doubles trophy
 

Naomi Johnson rounded out a mammoth season by setting a new record of 9:28:55 in the Women’s Open K1. She received the Classic’s Waterski Gardens Pro Assoc trophy for fastest women’s crew in the race, along with LCRK’s beautiful trophy for the Fastest Single Woman to paddle. With a handicapped time of 9:08:26, she was also the fastest LCRK paddler on handicap, and 4th fastest on handicap in the whole competition.

The final LCRK K1 was Ruby Ardren, who cracked her own Women’s Vet 40+ K1 record of 2018 by half an hour, setting the new bar at 10:38:19. Ruby was also the most successful in predicting her final arrival via the club Hawkesbury spreadsheet!

The LCRK award selection was again augmented this year, with Justin Paine donating a new hand-carved trophy for the Fastest Double to complete the race. Despite a few mishaps along the way, the flying crew of David Young and Peter Manley, paddling in the Men’s Vet 50+ UN2 took out the award in a time of 8:51:40.

Peter Fitzgerald was again recognised as the highest fundraiser for the Classic, raising a fabulous $8,700 for Arrow. Since 1998, the SHOcKers have raised around $239,000 to support Arrow’s research, an impressive effort alongside actually paddling the race. Fitzy’s efforts were rewarded with the Spencer Township Shield and he set a new race PB of 9:19:05.

Two more Lane Cover Paddlers were recognised for their fundraising efforts, with Don Johnstone raising $2,306 and Rob Llewellyn-Jones $1,130.

The Straightjacket Awards celebrate paddlers who have completed a milestone number of Classics. This year, Kenji Ogawa achieved an impressive quarter-century, Tony Hystek clocked up ten years, and both Duncan Johnstone and Don Johnstone hit the five-year mark. None of these paddlers could quite say why the awards are named ‘straightjacket’, insisting that they might need another five Classics to work it out!


Above: HCC Dinner - Commonwealth (Club) Cup, Kenji x 25 HCC's, Tony Hystek fastest Vet 60


Wonderful Volunteers

As ever, it is the Lane Cove support crew of fabulous volunteers who make the night what it is. It all starts long before race day, with coordination of newsletters, gear, familiarisation paddles and boat wrangling. On the day itself, there are those up at the crack of dawn to collect BBQ meat, deliver gear in vans and set up, those who talk their nervous paddlers into getting on the water in the first place, and make sure that they get back in at Sackville and Wiseman’s. Those who get numb toes in the name of photography at Pitt Town, and in the name of mudlarking at Wiseman’s, who stay at checkpoints to see the final boats come through.

Paddling the Classic is hard work, but you made it a fantastic and much easier night. Thank you!

HCC Organising Committee: Roger Deane, Richard Barnes
Equipment and transport: Oscar Cahill, Tony Hystek
HCC direct volunteers: Matt Swann (starter)
Photos: Ian Wrenford, Jana Osvald & Marg Fraser-Martin
Windsor set-up, sales and decamp: Oscar Cahill (about 18hrs of service!), Paul van Koesveld, Alanna Ewin and Fiona Rae
Sackville checkpoint team: Peter Harris (coordinator), Paul van Koesvald, Tim MacNamara, Adrian Clayton, Justin Paine, Merry Surgiato
Wisemans checkpoint team: Caroline Marschner (coordinator), Tony Carr & Chris Deng (catering), James Farrell & Alanna Ewin (catering supplies)
Mudlarks: Mark Hempel, Jeff Tonazzi, Chris Johnson
To Action Sound (Tony & Alanna) for providing the van and equipment at Windsor, Wiseman’s and the post-HCC LCRK BBQ

Hawkesbury Famils: Duncan Johnstone
River guru, tactician and dark arts: Tom Simmat
General coordination, hassling and systems: Rich Yates, and Ian Wrenford
Report author and editor: Naomi Johnson