Here is more information and race perspective from the top finishers of last weekend’s Phatwater Challenge Kayak Race.

Reprinted here courtesy of the Natchez Democrat, originally published Sunday, October 12, 2008 and written by Krysten Oliphant

Woods Wins Phatwater Challenge - story and image courtesy of the Natchez Democrat

Woods wins Phatwater Challenge in record time

NATCHEZ — The Mighty Mississippi is one big river.

But it wasn’t big enough to stop nearly 150 people from racing 42.5 miles down the river in tiny boats.

Steve Woods of Durban, South Africa, finished the trip from Claiborne County Port Facility at Grand Gulf to the boat ramp at Natchez Under-the-Hill in 3:54:00, smashing the previous record of 4:16:55 set by Mike Herbert.

Herbert, of Rogers, Ark., finished third, besting his previous time with a mark of 3:55:50.

“When I started off from last year, I’d kind of seen what I had to do to beat (my time), and I put a lot of training in to achieve that,” Herbert said. “Even though I didn’t win the race, I was very happy to get in under four hours because that was one of my personal goals.”

Woods and his South African kayaking partner, Bevan Manson, finished within one second of each other after training together for two years.

The two flew neck-and-neck down the river for the duration of the race.

“We talk about what we’re going to do and how we’re going to do it, how we’re doing time wise and how things are going,” Manson said. “Also, we watch out for the other guys.”

Woods said he knew after about the first hour that he and his partner would finish at the four-hour mark, something that has never before been done in the seven years of the race.

He said it got difficult during the midpoint, when the sun came overhead, and he and Manson struggled a bit at the end of the race.

They misjudged the current, which nearly pushed them past the buoys marking the finish.

“That side was kind of strong,” Woods said. “I was trying to keep up, but at the end I ended up knocking the buoy. But I was also not all there. I had helium going out my ears. It was a bit of a tactical error, but it worked out.”

The two had another miscue early in the race that they thought might cost them precious time.

“There was an island, and it looked like all the good water was on the left,” Manson said. “But the local guy, Mike Herbert, he kept going right. It was quite late when we decided to go left. That probably cost us a couple minutes.”

Herbert and fourth-place finisher Erik Borgnes (3:56:00) saw the leaders pair up and decided to do the same, even though the two had never met.

The tactic worked well, as all four finished under the four-hour mark.

“It was kind of like tag-team kayaking out there,” Herbert said. “They were pecking their way and he was pecking his, and I kind of stuck with him.”

The South Africans have been training in Natchez for two weeks for the race and will now travel to New York City for a race around Manhattan Island.

They bought a 15-passenger van and have driven cross-country, from San Francisco to Natchez and now to the Northeast.

“It’s been awesome,” Woods said of his time in Mississippi. “We’ve been playing golf and tennis and 10-pin bowling. I just haven’t been fishing yet — next year.”

Herbert said he expects to be back next year. After 30 years of kayaking and three Olympic appearances, Phatwater is the only endurance race he does.

“I’ve not normally done anything over about two hours so this four-hour race is a new ballgame,” he said. “It’s pretty intense.”

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Kayak Race Report: The 7th annual Phatwater Kayak Challenge, a 42.5 mile kayak and canoe race on the Mississippi River from Grand Gulf, near Port Gibson, to Natchez Under-The-Hill.

7th Annual Phatwater Kayak Challenge on the Mississippi River

This year, this charity event for the Natchez Adams County Humane Society, was held on October 11th 2008.

This race is a big happening, The USCG closes the Mississippi River to commerce for the Phatwater, from the start until 7 hours later. If you don’t think it’s a big deal, just wait until you see the barge traffic passing under the Natchez Bridge as the river is reopened. Our thanks to the Coasties and to all the safety boaters, staff and volunteers that made this years Phatwater a great event.

Once only a local event, 3 paddlers from South Africa were roiling the waters of the Mississippi with two fighting it out to the phinish. The 4 hour barrier was shattered with a one second difference between first and second place. Steve Woods and Bevan Manson phinished first and second, respectively, one second apart, at 3:54:00 and 3:54:01.  Mike Herbert chased Steve and Bevan down a minute later for a third place phinish, with Erik Borgnes phinishing fourth; all four top phinishers making the 4 hour barrier little more than an historical footnote, with the first solo paddler eclipsing the 4 hour mark taking home a $2000 cash prize. It just cannot get cooler then that.

But don’t let these phast Phatwater phinish times, hold you back from participating… times ranges from the phantastic 3:54:00 to 6:50:54. Completion of this grueling event is an accomplishment in itself, and many compete just to beat their own times from prior years.

The Phatwater is a BornToPaddle.com race favorite, the organizers, volunteers and competitors friendly and the event well organized. Our BTP entry missed a “Sub-V” Swiss army knife by a scant 8 minutes and 15 seconds. However, there is always next year, which by the way will be the 8th annual Phatwater Kayak Challenge and will be held on October 10th 2009.

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