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Kayak race around Venice

On the 23rd May 2010, Bristol Explorers Ingrid Kvale and Mark Ressel will be paddling 30 kilometres (19 miles) in a double kayak around the canals of Venice, to raise funds for the Devon Air Ambulance. They are taking part in the Vogalonga, a rowing race that was started 35 years ago, and today includes five thousand participants and over one thousand paddle craft of all shapes and sizes from row boats, dragon boats and gondolas to kayaks.

The Vogalonga (which means the “long row”) was first conceived as a protest against the motorboat traffic that was damaging Venice’s buildings through wash and pollution. However, over the years, it has become more of a celebration of paddle craft and sporting challenge with a carnival-like atmosphere.

After a canon is fired from St Mark’s Basin at 9am on the race day, a flotilla of a thousand boats will set off on their long journey across the lagoon to the island of Burano and back. Last year the participants experienced strong winds and rough water, and several boats capsized! Mark and Ingrid are hoping for better weather, but it could still take them as much as 5 hours of solid paddling to complete the race.

Mark has won a number of Surf Ski titles for ocean kayaking, but this will be the longest distance both he and Ingrid have ever paddled in a sea-kayak, and will hopefully be a ‘warm up!’ for some longer international kayak expeditions that they are planning in the future.

If you are interested in sponsoring Ingrid & Mark, check out their website: http://justgiving.com/Vogalonga2010

If you’re interested in finding out more about the Vogalonga, check out the official website: http://www.vogalonga.com/

By BristolExplorers | Published in: Adventurers, News | Tags: Kayak, Venice