I am preparing to enter my first REAL race. Thank goodness it is only 10 miles long. It involves going upstream against a strong current and then back down stream.

I did the course as a practice 2 weeks ago with my Wind Swift (a very fine paddle!) and then again this past weekend using a Fenn 4 wing paddle. WOW! Although the wing took more out of me to weld, it forced me into more high angle paddling and cut 20 minutes (yep, 20 minutes!!!!) off my time from the week before!

Overall, I had to put a lot more effort into using the wing. But I am amazed at the time difference!

Going upstream, it was remarkable! I was able to keep up with the boys (well I was pretty close). However, going downstream my GPS showed I was slower than when I did the same route the week before with the Wind Swift.

I'm attributubg the difference to the effort it took to go upstream. I did have a lot less umph when I started down. By mile 8 I was almost spent, but pushed on.

Should I just continue to work at using the Fenn4? Could it be too much paddle for a 5"4" female and consider a smaller blade wing? I do believe if I am going to enter more races, I'll need the wing.

Opinions????

Deb, do you have any way of knowing how much your improved speed was due to the wing itself, or to the extra effort you put into paddling? I'm an agnostic when it comes to the wing paddle--only one of our usual group of paddlers uses a wing, and even he isn't sure whether it's the paddle or what--he's just used to it now, and we all paddle along at whatever speed. IF the wing offers an advantage, I think it's the kind of tiny advantage that highly trained and conditioned athletes are always looking for to get a tiny edge over the rest of the pack. But I could be wrong; it's happened before!

Well let me think... I paddled the same river under the same conditions (or as close as possible, I guess) going the same distance. I think the wing forced me to paddle better in order to be efficent. I lost added momentum when I broke down to low angle because I was getting tired.

The biggest improvement was on the upstream. Average speed went from 3.8 to 4.1 (according to my GPS), with some much better bursts. Going downstream with the current, I did not notice vast improvement in watching the GPS, but I believe that was because I started to tire out. I wish I knew the speed of the current.

I think you're right that other factors could have contributed without me thinking about them at the time. Having done the same route the week before, I had better prepared for taking certain bends that gave me some fuss before. I prepared and edged a little more than before, I think too.

I do believe the wing made a significant difference though. Even if was just making my stroke more efficent. Fenn 4 is a fine design and somewhat forgiving. It is a heavier paddle than my Wind Swift.

At one point I was directly behind (but a short ways back) from one of the guys and started matching him stroke for stroke. I steadily gained on him until the turn around point.

I'm just excited about a big improvement in time and getting excited about the race. I still have to be better to be a contender, but I'm on my way (with a wing paddle).

Deb, were you able to use the eddie line to your advantage. Always pick the deepest side of the river and try to stay inside the eddie line if the depth allows.

This river is a spring fed run with springs swelling up from the bottom all the way down. By eddie line, are you talking about the course that the current runs in? My strategy is to hug the inside corners going up, cut diagonally across the current to hit the next inside bend (lots of those). Use the current course going downstream.

This river is not very wide and power boat traffic is common on weekends. They are held to "no wake" by ordinance. I did get the opportunity to "draft" one boat through a bad section of current, then we he swung wide to stay in the deeper water, I scooted through the shallower inside bend and passed him.

Does this sound like the right strategy?

Deb, I think it is actually "eddy line", but either eddy, or eddie line, it's the line on the surface of the water that is created by the faster and slower running waters and even water that is running reverse to the main stream. If your steam has such characteristics, obviously it is much much easier if you are able to take advantage of it when paddling upstream. I guess if your river is really crooked, you're most likely right about cutting the corners, but still you have to read the water and hope you choose the right course.

Thanks! I can use all the help I can get.

Thank you for the suggestions! I came in first in my division. (Still feel the wing paddle made a difference). Then Tom & I headed for the Everglades looking for warmer weather...

Way to go Deb. I assume you were paddling your Cypress.

Hey Magooch! Yes, I was in my Cypress. I'm gonna try again in March on the Rainbow River. This is another spring run, so current going upstream and paddle like you-know-what coming back downsteam.
Won't start working for that one until middle of January. Tom & I have a trip to the keys coming up (his son's wedding). When we get back from that then I will start training again. Still think the paddle helped a lot. It got pretty heavy about mile 7ish. The Fenn 4 is a bit big for me and much heavier than our friends' Onno wing paddles.
Guess I'll have to put an Onno wing on the wish list. Won't be this Christmas, but hope to have one before next Christmas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL WHO READ THIS THREAD! May Santa be good to everyone. Happy New Year as well!