Seattle woman wins U.S. surfski championship

   Tracy Landboe is a girl with a mission.
   The first mission was accomplished in mid-September when she captured the U.S. Surfski
championships off the turbulent waters near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
    Landboe beat out more than 100 competitors – including Olympic medalists from the U.S. and Canada, the world champion from South Africa and surfski experts from South Africa, Tahiti and Japan. Landboe completed the 16-mile course in 2 hours, 29 minutes and 42 seconds.
    Her second mission is getting more women into racing kayaks and outrigger canoes.
“There is a great women’s group that meets at Green Lake every Sunday morning and Wednesday evenings as part of the Seattle Canoe and Kayak Club,” said Landboe. She added that Sound Rowers promotes a year-round race series that takes place in the Northwest for all personal powered watercraft.
    Landboe’s group, Women on Waves, will host a women’s surfski demo day from noon-4 p.m., Nov. 11 at Bloedel Donovan Park in Bellingham. For more information, log onto http://soundrowers.org/wow.htm.
    For those interested in winter outrigger racing, the Pacific Northwest Outrigger Association
coordinates with the Canadian Outrigger Association, allowing paddlers to compete in Western Washington and B.C. races.
    For more information on the Seattle Canoe Club’s women’s group, contact Traci Cole at watersprite@email.com; for Sound Rowers, log onto www.soundrowers.org, and for the Pacific Northwest Outrigger Association, contact www.PNWORCA.org.

Kirkland passes state’s first complete streets ordinance

   Kirkland has become the first city in the state of Washington to support improved roadways for cyclists and pedestrians when its city council voted in favor of passing a Complete Streets ordinance in early October.
    The ordinance follows a Washington state directive that requires most new and reconstructed roads in the state to include bikeways and walkways.
    The ordinance is one of the remedies that Seattle’s Cascade Bicycle Club advocates call “Left by the Side of the Road Report” which pushes for more complete bicycle routes in Puget Sound.
    Last April Cascade released the findings of this report to government officials. The report challenged cities to take action to improve bike facilities on high-priority routes and pass complete streets ordinances to improve failing segments of the regional bicycle/pedestrian network.

Don’t be SAD

   Fight Seasonal Affective Disorder the two-wheeled way. The Bicycle Transportation Alliance promotes rides throughout the winter, finding it helps keep cyclists moods sunny when the weather in Portland is anything but. BTA staffers are experts on waterproof apparel, booties, goggles and fenders, and want to pass on their winter bike-handling techniques.
    You’re invited to join the BTA for a free Winter Biking Workshop at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 14. Cozy up at BTA headquarters (1979 S.W. 5th Ave.) for a live presentation and demonstration of the proper gear and techniques for staying comfortable on your bike in winter.
    Please RSVP to info@bta4bikes.org or visit http://www.bta4bikes.org/at_work/.

Discovery Grant program benefits paddlers

   So your team dragonboats every Tuesday in the Willamette River and you’ve already explored the countless inlets of Puget Sound. You and your fellow paddlers are seasoned and ready for the next step, but just don’t have the resources to bring that kayaking expedition to fruition.
   “A successful expedition is often a matter of funding,” says Azimuth Expeditions owner Ken Campbell. “Sea kayaking should be about adventure and the joy of exploration.”
    Campbell’s company, based in Tacoma, has recently announced they are accepting applications for its new Discovery Grant program. Beginning in May, 2007, a $500 cash sponsorship will be awarded to a small team that uses sea kayaks as an integral part of the proposed activity or expedition. Proposals that include an environmental element are strongly encouraged. Adaptive programs, youth outreach and water quality monitoring are examples of specific applications that have been proposed to this point.
    Judging will be done by a panel that includes kayak guides and instructors, educators and representatives of various environmental organizations. Applications must be received by March 31, 2007; early applications are encouraged. Contact info@azimuthexpeditions.com to receive an application, or see www.azimuthexpeditions.com for more information.

Seniors on Wheels

   The Portland Office of Transportation is launching a great new program to help seniors get on back on the bike.
The Senior Cycle program, created by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, Elders in Action, Portland Parks & Recreation, and OHSU, intends to provide seniors new to cycling (or who haven’t been in the saddle in years) with the information and support they need to revitalize their lives through bicycling for transportation, exercise and fun.
    A recent fall workshop taught seniors skills training and took them through guided rides on paved bike loops.
    To learn more about the Older Adult Three-Wheeled Bicycle Program, please RSVP to Kirsty Hall at 503-823-7854 or by email at kirsty.hall@trans.ci.portland.or.us.