Avon Descent Check List
Let's build a list of the 'must do' things for an Avon preparation.
I'll start by suggesting that we break the list down into time periods.
Please either email or post your suggestions & I'll add them to the main list.
6 months prior
Get your race boat sorted out (fix from last year or buy). Make sure that it is sound & comfortable.
Set your goals
Base fitness training
Do the odd race to help get you into the swing of things
Start a training log
Get your training group together
2 months prior
Intensity in training
Paddle the day 2 flat water stages.
Recruit your support crew
Base fitness + speed training
Race as much as possible
Study RBP for video footage of trees & valley
Enter!
Read rule book
1 month prior
Valley runs
Ti-tree runs
Test your drink system under race conditions
Prepare race day clothing
Create & test your race day eating plan
Try paddling a distance in your race boat with your PFD, boots, pants, helmet, tops whatever
2 weeks prior
Take your support crew up to the valley & let them get to know the area.
final valley run
Attend scrutineering
Work out travelling times- to notham, to cobblers. Add margin for fog or traffic
Sticker your boat (see advice below)
1 week prior
Run through weekend check list
final tree run
prepare your support crew kit (stuff they carry around to help you out)
Tape up the tips of your paddles
Tighten all nuts
Cover sharp bits
Name and phone no on all paddles and boat. Do it in several different ways
Maps and written instructions for support crew
Friday night before the event
Travel to Northam & drop in boat
Set up at overnight camp
write start grid on back of left hand in permanent pen
Saturday pre event
Get to start line
Sort out drink system
final boat check
strap hands
3 x toilet stops
Never try anything new "on the day"
Saturday night during the event
Soak up the atmosphere (smell the roses)
Hot bath
Confirm start grid for Sunday morning
repair boat (help your support crew)
Take care of sat paddling gear early after the race. Make sure you have dry sunday gear prepared. things dry poorly overnight.
Sunday night after the event
Make notes so that you don't forget how hard it was & what you want to change for next year.
Cheers,
WP.
Rookie stickers
... and for the rookies ...
As soon as you finish Avon, get that damn rookie stripe off your helmet ASAP. It sticks very well, and is a b*tch to get off the next year (from experience).
As for sticker order, in my rookie year, I put my numbers right up on the bow so I would stand out for my support crew (and I didn't read the rules) ... scrutineers were not impressed ... it must have caused quite a Fiasco ... boom boom!
Except.
Put the Northam Tourist ones on at scrutineering. that way when they blow off as you drive home it doesn't matter. It's annoying when they blow off on the way there.
Glue
From previous experience, putting stickers on an Endorphin was a challenge. In the end, I used paint on PVA glue from any hardware store. Paint in on and let it tack up for a minute or two and then apply the numbers on top. The glue can be peeled off later if you are selling your boat. As for the spirit, the numbers just stick to the boat, no messing about. Don’t put them on until the day before scrutineering as you may bump and scrape them down the valley before then and please don’t leave it to the day of scrutineering. Nothing worse than standing in the cold, checking boats off and someone in the queue putting their stickers on at the last minute, holding everyone else up behind them.
Enter!
I'll add this to the list;
Train in flowing water (ocean or river)
Get your training group together
set goals
Enter!
Attend scrutineering
tape up the tips of your paddles
create & test your race day eating plan
Stickers
When applying stickers to a plastic boat, makes sure the boat is really dry and use a hair drier or heat gun warm the stickers when in position. This makes them stick better and dosn't leave them all down the valley!
You can use soapy water and a rubber Squidgey on a composite boat the soapy water helps to position it then press all the water out to stick!
more sticker
..and put them on BEFORE the scrutineering day and IN THE RIGHT ORDER.
(a scrutineer)
Sticker grumble
Or they could give us stickers that actually....you know....stick. I've got a 415 with channel 10 stickers from 6 years ago still firmly attached, yet the giant Multiplex ones never lasted more than half a valley run - they're obviously different materials, so why doesn't the AD crew give the sponsors some guidelines on what works?
more stickers
bloody put the stickers on BEFORE scrutineering and IN tHE riGHT orDER.
Tell your friends
-scrutineer
101 things
Never try anything new "on the day"
Test your fluids/food/whatever in training.
Test your fluid system in training
Try paddling a distance in your race boat with your PFD, boots, pants, helmet, tops whatever.
tighten all nuts
cover sharp bits
Name and phone no on all paddles and boat. Do it in several different ways
work out travelling times- to notham, to cobblers. Add margin for fog or traffic
Maps and written instructions for support crew
Take care of sat paddling gear early after the race. Make sure you have dry sunday gear prepared. things dry poorly overnight.