With regrets, this first communication from remnants of collective responsible for last year´s Qajaq Aviisi bulletins. Bare bones resources available this time.
Here in Nuuk 105 competitors involved. 12 in women´s 20-35 group including Malina Amondsen. Only 8 in men´s 20-35 including Erik Amondsen, last year´s winner. Also Jakob Peter Enoksen, a former champion and current president of Qaannat Kattuffiat, and Ulloriaq Davidsen. First time competitor Niviaq Chemnitz Berthelsen, using kayaking as off season training. Both her and Erik Amondsen hoping to qualify for the cross country skiing world championship in Finland next year. She has won the Arctic Circle Race, 160 kilometer from Sisimiut to Kangerlussuaq, seven times. (!) Can a top athlete step into traditional kayaking and take the top title so easily, or are the special events such as ropes, rolling and harpoon give advantage to more experienced kayakers. Today´s individual rolling event seemed to rule out the former. Niviaq succeeded in only one or two rolls.
Present in this year´s lineup: Camilla Leander, Esajas Berthelsen, Karla & Sørine Reimer. Kristian D. Josefsen, Abel Jakobsen, Elias Inusugtok.
Not attending this year:Jens Peter Jeremiassen, Kunnunguaq Davidsen, Jaffet Davidsen, Karen Marie Jensen.
On very sad note: Knud Jensen, long time senior member of Qajaq Ilulissat and father of Karen Maire and Pia Jensen passed away earlier this year.
Random notes:
KNR TV giving extensive daily coverage.
Qaannat Kattuffiat experimenting with drone for aireal videos of races etc.
Adam Hansen attending as observer for next year. Championship to be held in Aasiaat in 2017.
New innovation, daily sportsmanship awards given.
Greenland Qajaq Championship ends for another year. Qajaq Nuuk cleans up, taking both adult and children´s team trophies, and Male and Female titles - unprecedented in the history of Qaannat Kattuffiat competition. In women’s 20-34 group 7-time Arctic Circle Race champion skier Niviaq Chemnitz Berthelsen got first place in all the races, but did poorly in harpoon, did not compete on ropes, and only managed to do one roll (getting 2 points, not a qualifying score). She finished overall in fourth place. Malina Amondsen finished way ahead of the others in the final standings. 1st place with 156 Malina Amondsen, 2nd place with 105 was Karla Reimer, 3rd with 91 Sørine Reimer, 4th with 90 was Niviaq, and 5th with 70 was Pia Jensen.
In the men’s group last year’s champion Erik Amondsen’s disqualification in the harpoon distance and accuracy events was more than offset by his first place finishes in everything else. Runner up, and former champion Jakob Peter Enoksen performed commendably well but was 15 points shy of Erik’s score and would have had to do somewhat better in the ropes and harpoon to have a chance at the title. 1st place with 147 Erik Amondsen, 2nd place with 132 Jakob Peter Enoksen, 3rd place with 110 Jens Jensen, 4th with 76 Michael Johansen, and 5th with 66 Ulloriaq Davidsen.
Notable scores in individual events: Ropes boys age 13-14 Hans Christian Berthelsen from Sisimiut 296 points. Boys age 15-17 Noah John Davidsen, Sisimiut, 374 points; Heine Biilman, Sisimiut, 304 points, Hans Peter Jeremiassen, Sisimiut, 239 points. Men’s 18-19 Karl Peter Jonathansen, Sisimiut 554 points; Men’s 20-34 Erik Amondsen, Nuuk, 469 points; Ulloriaq Davidsen, Sisimiut, 412 points.
Rolling boys age 10-12 Ujarneq Tobiassen, Nuuk, 63 points; boys 15-17 Kristian Evaldsen, Nuuk, 148.5 points; Heine Biilmann, Sisimiut, 85 points.
Esajas Berthelsen a big hit at the awards dinner, doing impromptu stage routine to wild approval. Kristian D. Josefsen does M.C. announcing throughout the week, when not on the water competing. Abel Jakobsen and Elias Inûsugtok´in 35-49 men’s group hold ropes and rolling rivalry. Rsolling: Abel 55 points, Elias 57.5 points; ropes Abel 50 points, Elias 41 points.
Next year location confirmed – Aasiaat. Adam Hansen to be local point man. Date TBD. (early to mid July is the usual time frame). Look for detailed 2016 Championship recounting in QajaqUSA Masik newsletter soon.