US Champs - Pre-race Interviews

Martin Sundberg and Katie Standke met up with five of the top paddlers yesterday and made this multi-media presentation of the interviews.  (You can see why Martin & Katie have such an awesome reputation as photographers/artists!)

Katie Standke interviews...

Greg Barton (USA)

"I'd like to be in the top three; I'd love to win it!  But there's a lot of tough competition here and even a top five finish would be good."

"I would say the best part of this race is: the caliber of people that are here... ...and also the challenging conditions!"

Daryl Bartho (RSA)

"I want to be in front... there's competitive spirit in all of us!"

"Just being here... it's so, so different to home ... it's fantastic..."

Barry Lewin (RSA)

"Strategy - is to be as adaptable as possible...  especially on this course.  It's a race against the course!"

Oscar Chalupsky (RSA)

"There's a lot of skill [required]... us old guys, old and weak and slow, we need every bit of advantage.  When it comes to skill, we like to have a little bit more than the youngsters!"

"This is a sport that most Americans should be doing...  They're using heavy [60lb] plastic things whereas these weigh 20lb."

Zsolt Szadovszki (USA)

"Strategy?  Hmm...  you're gonna go with the flow...  probably change your plans maybe a couple of times during the race.  I'm usually really hard on myself...  My plan is just finish the course...  ... with a smile, like a good smile, not a fake one!"

"...at least five or six guys could win this race.  Should I name ‘em?"

The Interviews 

Click here for the Sundberg/Standke multimedia presentation (drum roll)...

Martin and Katie 

For more on their work, see: http://www.martinsundberg.com/

Live Coverage

 Live coverage of the US Surfski Champs will kick off on this website at approx 11h00 California time.  The race starts at 12h00.

Course & Waypoints

US Surf Ski Champs - course waypoints

For those who would like to follow the race on Google Earth, here are the waypoints.

Google Earth .kmz file

To load the waypoints instantly into Google Earth, download the kmz file: US Champs.kmz

Weather Update

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING







TODAY



NW WINDS 15 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 3



TO 6 FT. NW SWELL 5 TO 8 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

Looks as though the competitors are in for a rough ride - they'll be going out into the teeth of the wind and currents...

See: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/zone/west/mtrmz.htm

Comments (1)

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Great for the sport...
written by Troy Squires, September 29, 2007

Those pre-race interviews we simply AWESOME. I know they do video interviews etc for most of the filmed races in SA, but for those of us placed else where in the world we don't get to see or hear them. All sports thrive on personalities. It allows the neutral spectator to get a taste of what the top guys are like, their attitudes and ambitions. Allowing people to get to know the big names in the sport will grow it day by day.

Well done to Katie and Martin. Brillant audio and stunning photography! Best of luck to the SA boys. The backdrop to that race looks breathtaking.

Troy, from a surfski starved London. (ex Durban boy)

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