Boater attempts world record on Whitefish Lake
A world-record attempt is under way on Whitefish Lake.
Greg Kolodziejzyk, 47, of Calgary, Alberta, is racing to set a 24-hour distance record for a human-powered boat.
The current record is 242 kilometers by kayaker Carter Johnson.
Kolodziejzyk began Monday morning at 9:30 a.m. traveling a six-kilometer loop along Whitefish Lake's northwest shore. His wife, Helen, said Kolodziejzyk chose the lake because it is generally calm and protected from strong wind gusts. He had researched locations throughout Alberta and British Columbia.
Kolodziejzyk set his first human-powered boat record on June 3, 2007, with a 173-kilometer effort on the Glenmore Reservoir in Calgary.
During the world-record attempt on Whitefish Lake, Kolodziejzyk will continuously pedal a carbon-fiber trimaran.
The 24-foot-long hull is only 9 inches wide, weighs less than 20 pounds and displaces only four inches of water. Kolodziejzyk sits in a recumbent seat mounted on the deck. The pedals turn a right-angle gear box that spins a shaft leading to a propeller under the water.
The main hull is kept balanced by two small outrigger floats. The entire boat weighs less than 40 pounds and can maintain a speed of 10 kilometers per hour with a moderate cycling pace.
During his 24-hour endeavor, Kolodziejzyk will rely on a support crew to provide him with food and water.
Helen, along with Kolodziejzyk's sister and his two nephews, drive a pontoon boat stocked with energy-boosting foods. Each hour, they deliver 200 to 300 calories of food and a bottle of water to Greg.
As of Monday afternoon, Kolodziejzyk was averaging 10.71 kilometers per hour and was on pace to break the world record by about 14 kilometers.
Kolodziejzyk is an accomplished endurance athlete.
He has finished 12 Ironman triathlon races since 2001 and owns two world records for distance in a human-powered land vehicle.
On July 17, 2006, he traveled 1,041 kilometers in 24 hours in a high-tech recumbent cycle and set the mark for the world's fastest 1,000-kilometer time trial in 23:02.
As time drags on for his latest attempt, boredom will be his biggest enemy. To offset the monotony of a continuous loop, Kolodziejzyk will use music as a distraction.
Kolodziejzyk underwent two months of music deprivation to ensure that listening to music would keep him entertained during the record attempt.
To view the attempt online, and to keep up with the latest news, visit www.adventuresofgreg.com
Reporter Michael Richeson may be reached at 758-4459 or by e-mail at mricheson@dailyinterlake.com