Decided to enter the contest with these pics. We'll see what happens. The winning shot will probably be a low-quality P&S photo taken of a cute little girl and her poodle watching the competition :)

<img src="http://petri.zenfolio.com/img/v3/p804484593-4.jpg">

<img src="http://petri.zenfolio.com/img/v3/p915942665-4.jpg">

<img src="http://petri.zenfolio.com/img/v1/p329144783-4.jpg">

#2 would be really nice composition if face wasn't partially covered =\.
#3 looks like you're front focused ::ducks::

Yep, the first one is also my favourite. The third one is indeed a bit front-focused, probably because of the splashing water blocking the line of sight to the kayak, but I do like the sense of movement and the amount of splashing water in it :)

It was very, very difficult to get shots without the faces being covered. They are paddling so feverishly :)

I also think it might have the needed explosiveness. Don't know if any of the contest judges even know what front-focus means. I'm suspecting they like action, even if it's a bit blurry and front-focused.

The first and third pics are pretty similar, so that might be a problem but I liked them both, so I decided to take the risk.

That 300/2.8 would have been really useful on Sunday!!! :) I couldn't get quite close enough with the 70-200 and I didn't want to use the TC since it was so dark and I needed to shoot almost wide open.

and it sucks your probably right on who will win..:(

Luckily it was pouring rain most of the time, so there weren't too many families with kids around. But you only need one kid to take that winning shot. If there are 2000 pics of kayaks and one pic of a kid, then it's the kid pic that gets the first prize, you can bet on it...

cleanliness of the water and the freezing splashes..

:)

<img src="http://personal.inet.fi/surf/photography/poop_power.jpg">