Thursday, May 21, 2009

Wednesday's Child

WEDNESDAYS CHILD, By Shawn Alladio 5/2009

Ryan Levinson and Joe after our training session that ended early Wednesday evening pictured below.


We ran offshore on 3 Jet Skis. The goal is to find the break time of endurance. Starting out at clips of 3-5 miles of a fast run, a short break and repeating the reciprocal direction.

One of our riding goals is to develop landing strength for core stability on port and starboard, as well as the centerline of the craft fore and aft. The landings are always crucial, from the centerline of the craft, bow to stern, depending upon how we run the ocean, getting out of step can result in an injury or ejection from the craft.

We run triagulation patterns to build memory for both the decisions for craft handling and fast run stability, but not limited to taking loads against the hull at various water directions. Maintaining this load at a forward movement is not easy, as trim and throttle have to be constantly managed.

Peak peformance will come from a combination of trim/throttle control, environmental and trim choices underway at or near close peak of wide open throttle application. Many people can run a fast clip at one mile, but we are talking 60 mile jaunts, no backing off, no unequal loads and no ejections. That's PRIME TIME driving.

The ocean on Wednesday gave just enough clap to bring out the finer points of fatigue. The mindset of an operator is the brilliance of a finely crafted run. We train our minds, then our body to match the strength of our boat. Then apply increased speeds with applied timelines, and offset those by directional changes. This is where we find our level of mediocrity. When we find ourselves comfortable, it is time to push harder.

This is what we do. How we do it, matters on the water in the moment of decisiveness. Time limits compliment our breaking points, but we do not break our bodies down completely, we allow the push points to hold firm, then relax. When we have hit our max load, we retire.

The next transit run will depend upon weather and water. Running a course that is not familiar is important. When familiarity interrupts the level of desired output, we become weak. To surrender to that can translate into an injury. Not acceptable in my focus. If we cannot define everything we are operating with; boat, body, and water, and in step with forward movement 'at speed', we are not 'riding the ride'. We are merely talking about talk, and that story is boring and unacceptable, offering few moments of glory.

Training is nothing but preparation, until the battle begins, training is just time paid in. Those training results are exposed as a real world truth when we are placed under pressure, it reveals who you truly are. What are you made of?

The men I run with win. If they do not have the passion to excel, they will take themselves out of the equitable endurance of what drives a champion. Champions are those who have many layers of measured mindset connected to body execution. Having worked with thousands of athletes some things just stand out in human character. Passion is one element. When we run in teams, the team must win, simply put, it must. Whatever your boundary is, you own that, I prefer to drive through them and redefine the next movement.

I observe everything, above, below and within. I can choose who I train with, or they choose me. It depends upon the door. If I shut that door and that person still knocks and continues to knock and shows fortitude with strength and honor, the door opens. There are many who want to excel but are not willing to take themselves there. They believe there is some secret or stepping stone to leap from. Wrong.


That drive is internal and innate to character. It resides in the individual. I observe and I can spot one out of a group (If I'm lucky enough to have one there), you just know they are the real deal, nothing more said. In essence they will teach and lead themselves by example not by following or leading, but through duality in the moment of necessity. They simply go and put forth great effort in every movement. Their weakest moment can encompass anothers full moment, not acceptable in my book. If you want to run in a pack, you set the pace, you don't follow the pace. You push and drive the momentum beyond your pain or comfort.

At 48 years of age if I see a young pup falling behind me, disgrace, disgrace! They should be putting out beyond their comfort or my lead. Not acceptable. Weak minds and effort kill, they destroy synergy. People like this must go away or seriously ramp up. Of course the learning curve allows opportunity to trial, test and fail but the recovery is the weapon of choice, how you recover and respond is what makes the heart and soul of a spirited warrior, no matter what the discipline application is.

I had a student say he was afraid. That's honest and respectful. He said he didn't want to go back into the surf. That's honest. He said he was fearful because of his last experience. Now, here is the crutch. I challenged him to go back into the surf. Which he did. That was honorable. And immediately he created his prophecy. When the wave came he abandoned ship. Not acceptable. Fear is either going to enoble you to drive forward or it is going to kill. Passion and spirit diminish with fear, its is a bondage, a slavery of imagination.

I turned to him, 'are you hurt?'. 'No' he replied, 'but I'm scared and I dont' want to do this.' I said 'good, let's go'. He looked at me and he hesitated. One must simply go and accept the results within the boundaries of comfort. He was not hurt, the waves were not beyond his ability nor his craft, he was capable. But he crippled his mind so much and gave his power away to the ocean, instead of keeping it inside of himself. He threw himself away. His experience was yesterday. Today we go, with open minds to learn from our failures. If you continue to block your experiences because of a safety measure you create through fear, you will eventually call that out and damage yourself. There are moments where fear will save your life. But fear should not cripple you from your level of excellence. Keep Moving-Keep Thinking!

Do you see the message here? Most of you are intimate with it and could write novels on the subject of our spirited decisions and the relevance of going the distance and whatever results are derived. What motivates you? I know what my triggers are. I can define them and push that fold a little with each launch. Ryan defines it every single day because his situation forces him. If you are not being pressured you will turn feral on attitude. Keep primed, find inspiration. Folks like Ryan gift that to you through example.

After our ride, Ryan and Joe stepped up immediately without asking or having to be directed, they simply did what was needed to complete 'the ride after the ride'. These two go the distance to its ending. They aren't there just for the 'ride'. That is part of a champion's character. Examples are not looked for, they are set through action.

I rinsed off with the hose, changed my clothes at the boat launch and readied myself for the Water Safety Congress award I was to receive in 30 minutes at the Oceanside Yacht Club. Mike Alpha did a drive by and picked me up and we headed to the US Power Squadrons meeting where Paul Newman from the USCG 11th District did me the honors. A very fitting day. From family, friends, training and rewards. Our efforts matter, maybe not in our moment, but perhaps someone else's.


We will get there, one hot run at a time... We 'Ride the Ride'.



Double D-'The Ride After The Ride'

Monday, May 18, 2009

2009 Long Beach to Catalina & Back Offshore National Championship PWC Race

Press Release from R.P.M. Racing Enterprises

CONTACT: Ross Wallach - (310) 318-4012
rossdbos26@yahoo.com

REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA – May 18, 2009 - RPM Racing Enterprises released today the final details, plans and schedule for the 2009 APBA Offshore National Championship Long Beach 2 Catalina & Back PWC Race presented by Sea-Doo. Four separate racing events will comprise the Long Beach Power Fest which will take place over the weekend of July 11th & 12th, and are an integral part of the City of Long Beach’s summer long Sea Festival. In addition to the very fast Personal Water Crafts on Sunday morning the Long Beach Power Fest will feature the 61st Annual Long Beach to Catalina Water Ski Race on Saturday morning, and the 98th Annual Offshore Power Boat Challenge on Sunday. Just added for this year’s event is tunnel boat racing action as Round # 2 of the Western Formula Light Series (WFLS) makes its debut stop during Power Fest. These highly maneuverable 14’ long tunnel boats (cousins to the larger Formula One Tunnel boats) can literally “turn on the dime” and pull 4-6 g’s around the tight 7/8 mile course. The WFLS tunnel boats will race just outside of Rainbow Harbor (adjacent to Parker’s Lighthouse).

Ross Wallach, president of RPM Racing Enterprises said, “We’re very excited to bring these events; the world famous Long Beach to Catalina Ski Race, the famed Long Beach to Catalina & back PWC Offshore National Championship presented by Sea-Doo, the Western Formula Lights Series and the Pacific Offshore Racing Association’s Power Boat “Rum Run” Challenge, and being able to work with everyone involved to make this unbelievable event become a reality. The combining of forces offers a plethora of new opportunities to make this entire weekend an overwhelming success”.

Five classes of personal water craft including the “sportsman” first time racer class and the “manufacturer’s stock” classes to entice the average PWC enthusiast to participate are expected to swell the field to over 75 boats as the news of the weekend of racing stirs interest in the entire personal water craft community to enter and be a part of this momentous weekend. Offshore PWC racers from across the country are clamoring to get their entries in and compete with the elite West Coast group of offshore endurance experts try to break the new records in every class set last year for the challenging channel crossing.

The 2008 overall winner, Craig Warner, Corona, CA will be back again to defend his title on a Kawasaki Ultra 250X. Among the early entries are Mike Follmer, Newport Beach, CA on a Yamaha FZR, Mark Gerner, Aliso Viejo, CA on a Kawasaki ULTRA250X and Nick Vanis, Los Alamitos, CA on his factory Honda.

This race for the APBA Offshore National Championship will start off with a “rolling start” in Los Alamitos Bay near the Queen Mary in Long Beach at 8:00 AM by a flagman on an official vessel anchored in the harbor. The PWC’s will proceed from the start out through the Queens Gate entrance to the Los Angeles Harbor into the Pacific Ocean on a straight line across the channel to Catalina Island. Navigation always plays a large part in any offshore race but particularly here where racers lose sight of land and all fixed reference points at some time going in both directions. PWC racers are required to have a GPS system, compass, radio, cell phone and numerous other safety items in order to make the potentially dangerous crossing as safe as possible. When the PWC’s arrive at Catalina, they will have to negotiate around a three masted schooner with a large marker flying overhead that will be anchored one mile offshore and have race officials on board documenting their passage. With helicopters overhead guiding and filming the event, the fleet of PWC’s will proceed back to Long Beach along the same route they just traversed the channel on to reach the finish line just off the stern of the start/finish vessel. The entire event, as well as the other two events this Long Beach Offshore Power Fest weekend will be filmed for later editing and broadcast on the new, national Water Channel. The race is also expected to garner the largest and most diversified media coverage ever for boat racing because of the popularity of the three completely different types of races being run and the importance the City of Long Beach is placing on this weekend of events.

The renewed national interest in PWC racing and the emergence of the American Power Boat Association (APBA) as the sanctioning body and driving force in PWC racing have contributed to the promoter’s expectation that over 75 riders will be vying for titles in this race. In addition to the safety equipment required by the APBA rule book, several additional safety items will be required of the racers to insure a safe trip across the channel to Catalina and back, and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and Long Beach Lifeguards will be providing support for the events. An announcement will be made soon regarding which emergency water service has been contracted with to provide racers with towing and on the water emergency service, as well as the announcement of a host hotel that will serve as race headquarters.

Promoter Ross Wallach said, “I can guarantee everyone involved that I intend to raise the bar even higher with this event after what we learned from last year to ensure that every racer, fan and sponsor carries away enough memories to last them until next year along with some fantastic trophies for overall and class winners”. Race specifics and entry forms are forthcoming so be ready to enter soon because there will be no race day entries accepted.

All the components are converging to make this weekend of events the most talked about and must participate in extravaganzas of all time. Come to the Long Beach Sea Festival, Long Beach Power Fest, and race in the 2009 APBA Offshore National Championship Long Beach 2 Catalina & Back PWC Race presented by Sea-Doo and create your own memories.

For more information on the race and the weekend, please visit www.pwcoffshore.com or www.apbaracing.com. Ross Wallach can be reached at (310) 318-4012
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2009 LB2CAT, jet ski race, pwc offshore racing

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

2009 LB2CAT Race - ENTRY FORM now available!


The entry form for this year's 2009 Long Beach to Catalina and Back Offshore National Championship Race aka LB2CAT scheduled for July 12, 2009 is now available! Click here http://www.pwcoffshore.com/LB2CAT_Race_Page.html for the form and get your entry forms in ASAP! We are hearing some big names will be there and keep in mind that there will be multiple classes including Sportsman for first time offshore racers, "Bone stock" for completely stock craft, Amateur and Pro/Am. Come on out and be part of this epic event!!!

pwc racing, jetski racing, offshore racing
www.pwcoffshore.com