For some stupid reason I got roped into competing in this event even though I had only been on a SUP board a couple of times on flat water.
Conditions on the Friday evening were lovely… sunny, calm, tiny 1ft swell… happy days.
Then came Saturday! Blowing a hoolie, pouring rain, 3-4ft of onshore mess… great!
We ran a quick expression session first thing. I was in the first heat, my first time in waves on a SUP against Elliot Dudley & Boyd Shaw… come on guys at least give me a chance! Needless to say my only wave didn’t score enough to put me through to the next round.
Later in the day we ran the distance event. Basically a figure of eight lap x 2. Probably about 3-4 miles total but it was across the shore in 4ft swell & onshore winds… not fun & not easy!
After a hard slog, a pounding in the shore break & a killer run up the beach to the finish line I survived it & I wasn’t last 🙂
Sunday saw the surf event, again I got Elliot, Boyd, & also Matt Argyle… GREAT! I got a couple of waves but it was pretty big & I was a bit out of my depth so thought better of it and came in early to watch the pros go to work.
Results:
Distance: 9th overall
Surf: 9th overall
Awarded the Outstanding Effort award (& a nice hoody courtesy of Gwithian Surf Cafe!