Refueling and Water Pits

Wednesday July 8th 2015

Refueling and Water pits 

As the name implies, marathon canoe races can be long and that often requires taking on fluid and fuel during the race. Long distance paddlers get good at eating and drinking on the go, and find their favourite snacks and drinks to help them stay fueled and hydrated.  Some typical brands used by SCC racers include Vega, Cliff, and Hammer. As with any racing strategy, it is a good idea to try out your race plan several times in advance to make sure your hose is long enough, your drink powder doesn’t give you a tummy ache, and you are carrying enough for the distance. Bring your water bottle and snacks with you on longer paddles so you have a chance to test them out. 

At big, long races like the Marathon Au Sable or the Classique, paddlers need to replace their empty water bottles during the race.  Typically this is done by a pit crew which brings full water bottles out to paddlers so they don’t have to stop. ‘Pits’ (changing bottles) can be done on land when paddlers are portaging, or on the water when the pit crew takes another canoe out to meet them. 

This week we will practice dropping and replacing water bottles.  This will help everyone see what water pits are like, and will also develop our steering, balance, and communication in the boat. 

Please bring a waterbottle to practice (and tube if you have one)!! 

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