PORT ANGELES — It’s the kind of competition that could save a life.
The rescue skills championships — a new event for the 11th annual Port Angeles Kayak Symposium — will test paddlers’ ability to rescue themselves or a comrade from danger.
“They’re basically on the clock to do four different paddling rescues with somebody else in the water needing to be rescued,” said Dave King of Olympic Raft and Kayak of Port Angeles, event host and founder of the symposium.
“That’s going to happen Sunday at 11 a.m.”
Kayakers of all skill levels — and those interested in learning the sport — are encouraged to participate in the three-day event at Hollywood Beach and the Red Lion Hotel, 221 N. Lincoln St.
Three-day symposium
The symposium will be from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. today, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
The event is free to those who want to browse and talk to exhibitors, $5 to try out kayaks and paddleboards, and between $5 and $35 per session for classes.
King has asked his friend and business supplier, Bill Walker of Oak Harbor, to co-direct this year’s symposium.
Walker organized the debut rescue skills competition in Port Angeles Harbor off Hollywood Beach.
The four rescues for the competition are:
■ Kayak self-rescue: Exit and re-enter, pump water out of the boat and race to the finish line.
■ Assisted rescue: A “victim” volunteer exits a kayak wearing a wetsuit or a drysuit. The competitor pumps water out of the boat and helps the mock victim back in.
■ The “Hand of God” rescue: The competitor assists a mock victim who is stuck in a kayak but upside-down in the water.
■ Towing: Connect to another kayaker and tow the mock victim to the shore.
The cost is $5 to enter the rescue skills competition.
“Somebody came up with an idea to turn rescue skills into a contest,” Walker said.
“None of us are aware of any symposium or event that has ever done this before.”
Mark Peloquin of Blue Water Kayak Works of Vashon Island is the head judge and sponsor of the rescue competition. Peloquin will award two electric kayak bilge pumps to the winners.
Walker said the electric pumps cut the time it takes to pump a flooded kayak from three or four minutes to about 30 seconds.
Walker said it is important for every paddler to know how to get back into the boat when they encounter a “dicey situation.”
“We teach that in basic, beginning-level classes,” he said.
Classes ranging from beginning paddling clinics to advanced-level courses will cost between $5 and $35 per session.
The Red Lion Hotel’s Peninsula Room will host 17 sessions of classroom instruction and entertainment.
“We have presenters coming in from all over,” Walker said.
“Then there is, of course, the test-drives of demo kayaks,” King said.
60 to 70 kayaks to test
King estimated that there will be 60 to 70 boats available to test.
He said the popularity of the event crested five or six years ago, when there were 500 to 600 attendees.
“I’m guessing we’ll have maybe 400 [this weekend],” King said. “We had about 350 last year.”
Keynote speakers will talk from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. both today and Saturday in the Peninsula Room at the Red Lion Hotel. Admission will be $5.
Deb Volturno will lead a clinic on “Debacle Deterrence,” a two-hour risk-management clinic, and host a show featuring the exploits of the Tsunami Rangers, of which she is a longstanding member.
She and Gary Korb will teach experienced paddlers how to build their skills in the surf.
Standup paddleboard instructor Rob Casey will lead three clinics for beginner paddlers and one for more experienced sport practitioners in the surf.
Also planned will be a kayak polo tourney, clinics on racing skills for those who want to join the growing paddlesports competition circuit and, on both weekend mornings, an hour of movement with the Feldenkrais method titled “Whole Body Kayaking” and led by Peninsula local Jory Kahn.
For the complete schedule or to register for classes, visit http://tinyurl.com/y3phqu9.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
