by Allison Sutton
Training partners Zach Jirkovsky, Jake Glick and Anthony Perez were in a dead heat when they ran up the beach to the finish line in the Rock2Rock paddleboard race, after having exchanged leads throughout the 22-mile Catalina Channel crossing, from Two Harbors to Cabrillo Beach.
That’s when the shoving match began, with Jirkovsky, of Redondo Beach, coming out on the losing end. He got shoved across the finish line first.
“We had a gentleman’s disagreement about who should win, and then my friends actually pushed me over the line,” Jirkovsky said.
Despite taking home the first place trophy, in a time of 4:09, Jirkovsky said his victory was a team effort.
“The whole race, we were talking and laughing and just keeping each other motivated. So to have us all have a podium finish was the real prize,” he said.
The trophies were wood reliefs carved in the shape of a Catalina buffalo by Lindsey Cadeno, whose husband, Eric, finished second on a relay team with fellow South Bay Boardrider paddlers Cam Harding, Jani Lange and Ed McKeegan.
Rock2Rock’s characteristic camaraderie is unusual in long distance paddleboard races.
“Usually in a race, you’re just rooting for yourself. In the Rock2Rock you’re rooting for everyone,” said Los Angeles County Lifeguard Tiana Pugliese, who won the women’s division, in 4:42.
Many of the nearly 100 paddlers participated as relay teams with family and friends. But the race also serves as a qualifier for the upcoming, 32-mile Catalina Classic, from Two Harbors to the Manhattan Beach Pier, on Sunday, August 24.
Pugliese said she viewed the Rock2Rock as a training run for the Catalina Classic.
“Rock 2 Rock is two-thirds of the way through the training season. It’s a great measure to see where you’re at,” said men’s stock division (12-foot boards) winner Rick Strobel, 61, of San Diego. His time was 4:38.
Strobe used Rock2Rock as a training run for last weekend’s 32-mile Molokai 2 Oahu paddleboard race. He finished second in the Hawaii race, in the stock 60-and-over division.
“I get to spend [quality time] with my son and my cousin. They were my escort boat captains,” Strobel said of Rock2Rock.
“It’s a fun race with not a lot of pressure. The South Bay Boardriders Club put on a great event,” Strobel said of the Rock2Rock.
This coming Saturday, August 2, as part of the International Surf Festival, Oceans Prone will host the eight mile Oceans 7 paddleboard race, from Torrance Beach to the Hermosa Beach Pier, and back to Torrance Beach. To register go to PaddleGuru.com.
On Sunday, August 3, also as part of the International Surf Festival, the South Bay Boardriders Club will host the two mile Velzy-Stevens Pier to Pier Paddleboard Race, starting at 7:30 a.m. at the Manhattan Beach pier. To register go to SouthBayBoardriders.org.
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