... squall across Table Bay. But conditions had improved considerably within that time, with some sunshine even appearing as the wind eased off. Both the men's and women's races were decided on the downwind ...
... amount of prize money in the big races is a third). Do feel you have enough there to make a viable career out of surfski paddling?
We actually have 4 revenue streams - we are trying to get the MOCKE ...
Gold Coast paddler, Cory Hill, took first scalp in the five-event ocean ski racing series, the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week, winning the inaugural race today, the 24km Fenn West Coast Downwinder from ...
You’d think that in a field studded with Olympians, Aussie SLS Champions and Iron Men, competition would be intense… but you wouldn’t expect one athlete to dominate no fewer than four races in row. But ...
South Africa’s Hayley Nixon managed to hold off Australian Iron Woman star Jemma Smith in a nail-biting finish at City Beach at the end of the first of two Sunset Series Races, part of the Shaw and Partners ...
... think that you’re heading out to sea, but when you look at your GPS track, you’ll find that you’ve taken a straight line if you’ve done it properly.”
Goals
My goals in these races are fairly simple: ...
...
The Races
The Shaw and Partners Western Australian Race Week (to give it the full title!) starts on Sunday, 17 November and comprises:
Sunday, 17 Nov: Fenn West Coast Downwinder
Tuesday, 19 ...
The start whistle for the women’s race coincided with the arrival of a set, a breaking wave smashing into the surfskis, sending their noses rocketing skyward before they plunged down the other side… One, ...
... sessions,” says Dawid. “Not just at Surfski School, but at races and events all over the world.
“There’s a set of recurring questions and themes that come up time and time again.”
And hence the videos. ...
An angry sea and some supercharged paddlers gave the 2019 Zest Brokers Poor Knights Crossing ocean paddle race a dramatic edge with race records tumbling thanks to strong tailwind conditions for the event ...
... race will take place on Thursday.
Both races will use the same course from the Gâvres Beach to Pentièvre Beach, just to the north of Quiberon itself.
NB: If the forecast changes over the next day ...
“Big prize money has been offered before in surfski races, but the massive handicap prize-pool is really going to shake things up,” said Russell Sadler, Race Director for the newly announced West Coast ...
... you need to know about the race, with insights from some of this year’s competitors.
The Race Course
The Molokai Challenge is one of the oldest surfski races in the world, being run for the first time ...
“This was one of the toughest races I’ve done in a long time!”. When a campaigner like Oscar Chalupsky says that, you know the conditions must have been challenging. Chalupsky had been in New Zealand for ...
... They’re mandatory at most races around the world, and in my opinion it’s a no brainer: wear a PFD at all times!
My gear setup for a big day - (clockwise) PFD with whistle, Mobile in Pouch, Pencil ...
... River Canoe Marathons, 2010 Dusi, and plenty of other river races). I am fit, and have been training for the 2012 Cape Point Challenge for the past 3 months. In addition, the boat I was paddling (Fenn ...
... Run takes place in Hong Kong on Saturday November 10, 2018. This year’s event will run two races for surf skis and OCs: the “normal” long course race and the out-and-back short course race. In conjunction ...
... were allowed in the races, but were made to start on the beach, 20m behind the seeded paddlers (a cause of some controversy given that it put the unseeded paddlers completely out of contention).
Conditions ...
... said Nixon. “We’re working to bring the handicapping system to other races; it really adds interest to have the women racing against the men.
“It’s been a long trip, but I couldn’t be any happier,” ...
... and Bevan Manson, were disqualified for breaking the rules governing life jackets in surfski races on the first stage, leaving Luke Nisbet and Gene Prato solidly in second, and Masters Herman Chalupsky ...
... the first few times they ran the race,” said Sean Rice. “The event got a bit of reputation for hot, flat conditions. But things have changed completely; four out the last five races have had good downwinds.” ...
Sean Rice (2013 ICF Ocean Racing World Champion, 2017 Molokai Challenge Champion plus a host of other titles) of PaddleLife and Huksu Coaching recently re-published these tips for improving your surfski ...
... an elated Ward.
"It is a wonderful way to start the year, racing on Friday evenings, and it has become an important part of my bigger training plan.
"We get involved in such competitive races with the ...
... oldest surfski races in the world, it was long regarded as the surfski world championships; and in the 2017 race only three of the past 43 year's winners weren't back to tackle the challenge once more.
The ...
Kenny Rice and Stuart MacLaren dominated the Western Cape Double Surfski Championships in False Bay on Sunday, in perfect downwind conditions… Bianca Beavitt and Angie Austin won the Women's title.
Course ...
Durban, South Africa: The Marine Surfski Series is an annual set of 10 surfski races that use the light of the Durban summer every Friday night from the first week of January to the middle of March.
Run ...
... in the country with an emphatic display that gave him his fourth win in as many races to wrap up the series title with only a handful of races to go.
Bouman, who has been a class apart in 2018, had the ...
... Friday Night "Seadog" races at his home club in Fish Hoek, Cape Town, were a bonus for his training. "It's hard to get the sharpness if you're not racing regularly," he said. (The Seadog Series races take ...
... it was SMG/Epic Kayaks' Matt Bouman who once again dominated proceedings to take home his third win from three races at the 2018 series. His win just proves the prowess of the experienced ocean rider as ...
... come out in support of the popular series.
Tricky Conditions
The first two races of the 2018 series had to be cancelled due to large swells, but paddlers could finally enjoy a Friday evening hit ...
... to fly, via Paris, to the Caribbean to take part in one of the longest downwind races in the world, Ze Race in Guadeloupe.
And I suspect it's the "downwind" part that's the deciding factor that's attracting ...
... of the oldest long distance surfski races in the world, having been started in 1980 as an “off-year” companion race to the Port Elizabeth to East London Challenge, a race so extreme (250km in four days) ...
The World Surfski Series rankings have (finally) been updated. With just one (title) race to go, it seems certain that Hank McGregor will have successfully defended his title, while Rachel Clarke, if ...
... the starts are pretty chaotic at these races!” said Kenny Rice.
Meanwhile, the lead bunch had got away cleanly, Hank McGregor pulling the field out of the bay towards the raging open water.
...
... guys see… a conveyer belt of waves helping them, and that’s why flat water paddlers really don’t feature in these races.”
As the Kissing Whales loomed into view, it was clear that Michelle Burn’s wider ...
... Tracking
According to the information available the races are scheduled for 10h00 Hong Kong time, Saturday and Sunday.
Live Tracking
Click here for live tracking
Live video
...will be shown ...
... greater. (many races have team boats and singles racing together and the wash from large team boats can be a huge advantage)
Often in our sessions if someone is doing it tough and looks like dropping ...
... to the disease.
Having only missed one of the opening seven races of the 10-leg series, McGregor knew what was on the line at the Lettie Paddle Surfski Challenge and the Euro Steel/Epic Kayaks' star ...
... six races when he continued to show why he is arguably the best ocean paddler in the world at the moment.
"I had a bit of a hiccup near the start when I got into a clash with another boat going around ...
... to see whether he maintains his presence in the next two races, squeezed into five days before the FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon.
Intrigue
Nixon was thrilled with her win in the women's race in the moderate ...
Durban - A northerly wind on Friday night brought with it contrasting conditions to the FNB Surfski Series' previous three races, however it was a welcome change for many as Michelle Burn took advantage ...
...
Women's Race
Having finished second in the opening two races of the series to Bridgitte Hartley, Euro Steel/Carbonology Sports' Hayley Nixon is in for a bumper weekend of racing starting with an impressive ...
...
Saturday’s race was the third of the annual events and Sean Rice, winner of the previous two races was on hand to defend his title… Could he make it three of three? Defending champion Teneale Hatton ...
... heading north to L'Ambulante Pass
“What was nice to see, was the performances from some of the other paddlers like Barry Lewin and Oscar who had really good races. Kyle Friedenstein beat Oscar for the ...
... Bouman - second
“It’s sad that it was as flat as it was because there aren’t many races where the organisers genuinely search for the best downwind conditions and the Durban Downwind is one of them where ...
... and they just keep coming.”
“Really, I just have this desire to have paddlers from anywhere on the planet get the chance to dip their blades in these waters, and maybe having two top races on the menu ...
...
McGregor's focus now shifts to canoe marathon as he prepares for the South African Marathon Championships in Cape Town next weekend however his immediate calendar is still dominated by surfski races. ...
... in Hawaii - these are the guys who organise the Molokai Challenge.
Ocean Paddler (Australia) The home of the Australian Ocean Racing Series, the Doctor, Palm 2 Pines, the Bridge to Beach races and ...
... all else being equal. Unfortunately, all else is not equal. If we all had equally good balance in all skis and all conditions, we could “buy” time reductions in our races by simply buying lighter boats, ...
New Zealand’s National Ocean Racing Championship once again graces the Surfski World Series on the 7th March 2015, after a hiatus of a few years. International paddling greats have used this event to pick ...
Seems like a great ski for long distance adventure races like the Everglades Challenge. I was trying to figure how to do a long distance race in my v10 with dry bags lashed to the deck.
Not paddled those models.
I'd urge you to get a test paddle. Stability ratings don't tell the whole story.
The first boat I won races in was an Epsilon, stab 6.
The club also had a Tor, also stab 6.
They ...
I need to drive several hours to get anywhere to try out new surf skies. I have no experience other than in my super stable Futura II and my (to me) super tippy Findeisen X and would like something in-between ...
I’m a small guy (150lbs) with average skills and have paddled all four skis you’ve mentioned. I can answer your questions based on my experiences.
The stability of the Boost is similar to the V8 pro. ...
Since this thread is still kicking, I want to share my recent and ongoing experience.
My ski is Nelo 520 L, which is, as far as skis go is brilliant. Fast, comfortable, etc.
However, the sea kayaker part ...
I have only had two shoulder surgeries. First one was significant resulting in only a 70% recovery in terms of movement and strength.
I have just come off a one year layoff due to a second shoulder surgery. ...
The lack of thigh braces is THE biggest difference, to me. Any setting or switching of edges relies on weighting one butt cheek slightly more than the other, with no assistance from raising the opposite ...
Hey Eric,
Yeah, so I've had it for about six weeks now and have done 22 paddles on it, including:
* 11 downwind ranging from mellow to wild
* A couple of informal races
* A number of squad paddles comprising ...
Depends were you race i guess, Here in Australia some races are age and gender groups. Some are performance divisional classes. Flatwater comps are often different to open water/ski comps. Either way Greg ...
Ok, so I've had two paddles in the V10 4gen so far...
The first was on Thursday evening. Conditions: horrific. Cold, dark, sheeting offshore squalls, rain. What the hell was I doing out there? I just ...
Most of the local 20km flat water marathon races don't require portages, particularly in the slower divisions that I am in. I wouldn't attempt to portage a ski. I have done one portage race on my K1 as that ...
... theirs, one end on the ground, for their long distance river races.
They are a compulsory part of international marathon racing, and being quick in a portage is very important (I was always absolutely ...
... long suited to my weight and ability that comes with a very low profile surf ski style deck in it so I get a surf ski bucket and footwell and bailer.
I have only done 2 races so far in my K1; a 19.5km ...
... 20km marathon races, mostly against K1s and a few skis. Sorry for the very long winded post….
I am a 51 year old male who is 188cm (6ft2in) tall and weighs 77kg (170lbs) with 82cm (33in) waist and a small ...
What layup do you have on the Boost, composite or carbon? Do you have the 9" DK rudder? Do you find it much better stability wise than the 7" rudder that comes standard on the Boost?
So... I spotted this video being promoted on Facebook:
It's the launch video for Epic's latest version of the V10.
I've always had a soft spot for the V10 - it truly changed the surfski world - and ...
Slowpop's response tallies with my experience of different paddles (I test-paddled quite few at my old club before getting a Gamma medium minus).
the 'stuck in concrete' feeling is definitely true. If ...
I am looking at getting a new wing paddle. I currently have an older Jantex Gamma Mid wing. No complaints about it, but the parallel blade style versus the tear-drop shape has me interested. Based only ...
If you’re coming over to Hawai’i for the Molokai race or holiday, you need a Surfski. I have a new Fenn Spark S available for purchase or rent. I know a guy who will store it if u buy it and just want ...
Thanks Rob
Fun is definitely the priority. I'm not going to win any races and I'm finding that I'm no slower on more stable boats, especially as I enter my first year as a Grand Master paddler.
My gut feel ...
I do believe there are objective measurements. The race announcement/description should have a set of safety measures described. For example, that there will be two safety boats, one in front, one in back. ...
If you are the guy that went thru the Lake Mille Lacs tragedy, I can't think of anyone more qualified to hold that opinion.
It's been ages since I read about that, but I'll never forget it. It probably ...
I am probably the one Nick Murray referred to when he mentioned that he knows a paddler who thinks holding races in cold water is ethically not ok. I feel there is just too much incentive to dress for ...
I have been paddling the Falcon for about a month now.
Background: I'd rate myself as an intermediate paddler with a pretty strong aerobic engine (triathlete/cyclist/lifelong athlete), but I lack the ...
There are no 'slow boats' downwind. The surfski600 thread was very controversial because of that misconception.
When Oscar introduced the V-8, he paddled it in big races. He produced top 10 results in long ...
A broken paddle still moves the boat ok. There is some story, not sure of video, of Carter Johnson rocking a downwind with a half of a paddle after one broke.
But a lost paddle is a much much worse situation. ...
Thanks - I was sure it was my fault in some sense as I did throw it around some and get pummeled in the surf. But does leave me a bit uneasy going offshore very far. I watch those LS races and if they ...
I just got in a new V10 Sport LE in the Elite layup. I think it's a pretty rare boat in most places except possibly Australia. I'm betting most paddlers in North America aren't even aware of it's existence. ...
When I travel, I miss my exercise routine of three paddles a week. I also drink a lot more than normal, especially while in a country like Italy that has excellent wines. So 3 weeks ago, on a trip with ...
Wow! Ana can motor! Top 10 result! One second behind Mike! Ha ha, I'm going to hound him relentlessly for that one. "So, MIke, what happened. Did you have to pull out all the stops to beat a girl ...
Fenn Tarpon S deep seat should fit the bill, if you can find one. Btw, the letters “LS” are used for the name of Fenn’s more tippy spec model, so if you ask for “LS Tarpon”, some may think “LS”, while ...
I met her on the shuttle the day of that video. She's a great ambassador for the sport.
They have excellent wind today for today's race. Nice and sunny too, which is always a bonus, because clouds upstream ...
If the class you are racing in has portages then your best option is a masters k1 say stability 3, a stab 1 or 2 takes years to master if you havent paddled k1..It still may take time to learn your balance. ...
Hello Brad. The fact that you are competing at USCA Nationals and are limited to 20' long tells me that you are planning to paddle Touring class. That class also has a minimum width limit of 17" at ...
I used to sup quite regularly. Surf sup almost everyday and entered a couple of races w/ a 14' bump board, the longest being 17 miles. I'd suggest trying a shorter paddle with a more flexible shaft before ...
Hi all
Well I've been meaning to get a Epic V5 for aggggessss now and have finally done it.
Was toing and froing between the rotomoulded version and performance layup. I actually like the speckled grey ...
(Ski maintenance, not body maintenance,)
We have a very long off-season. What things should I do to make sure my ski is in good condition for when I can get on the water?
Bailer
Rudder lines and hardware
Footbraces ...
I have a Boost Double (and Boost triple, and used to own a Boost single). I've been happy enough with the flat water speed of the double, but I won't be winning any races.
I haven't had the same issues as ...
Hey, just saw your post. I'm not on FB (too much censorship and don't like social media) but would love to go to some events. Is there a way you could email me the list of events? Would really appreciate ...
If you want a good tutorial on the physics of shallow water paddling, read this: .
I also notice that boats with more rocker are impacted more.
Regarding rudders, one of the reasons that I am a fan ...
I invite both of you guys to look up the Florida Competition Paddlers Association on Facebook. We hold about 18 free recreational races across the state each year, many of which are close to the bay area. ...
... comparable to the V8 on deeper water.
I've got a Nelo 550 (G1) and contemplating putting a kick up rudder on it for shallow water races, or alternately getting a Kape Master 46 or Nelo Viper 44 or 46 for ...
So i have a number of "intermediate" skis in my garage, all excellent skis that include the Six that I have paddled for 2 years now, 550L 2G wwr that I have over 60 miles on and an SCS coming, ...
I never raced any boats at all but I paddled sea kayaks extensively both in flat and rough conditions. The sea kayak I paddled for 10 years before getting my stable ski (Nelo 520) was actually narrower ...
Got a chance to try the new rudder today. Conditions varied from flat water to 1-2' waves with the occasional 3' tossed in. I paddled my usual 10k course out of the river and into the mouth of the open ...
Thats like the Spirit and Finn plastic kayaks used in adventure river races, except a bit shorter
This is a good vid of plastic skis in action in WA, though they are longer ones
Thanks for the leads. Any websites or group names you can suggest on top of the SharkBite race?
I'll try to find some people. Solo paddling is nice too. I have 4 surf-skis and nobody to go with. (Except ...
... bay (you are on south side, I believe). Go to some races in the area, even if SUP-heavy races, and you will likely meet some local ski or OC paddlers. Tampa area is a great place to paddle. I do not ...
Just to provide a different point of view... If you can get a V12 and get used to it in safe conditions while you keep the V10s for big days then by all means do it! It will make you a better paddler even ...