Cracking weekend of SUP action at my local surf festival (This year it was a total SUP fest!)
Saturday was an early start helping Nick form BaySUP get set-up. Tent, boards, banners… it looked awesome.
What’s more the sun was shining the weather was sweet, and as the tide dropped out a nice little wave emerged!
Later in the day we prepared for the distance race. About 3-4 km course, heading out to the cardinal bouy, downwind past the pier, back to the bouy, back tot he beach, a killer sprint up the sand to the promenarde & back out for one more sprint to the bouy & back.
I got a good start, the Starboard Surfrace handles really coming into their own (until the wind caught the board!!) the sprint out the bouy was manic, Ryan James taking a slight lead over me & Mark Slater, with Nick Watt close by on his K15. Ryan messed up the bouy turn & fell leaving room for me & Mark to slip by. At the next turn Ryan had powered back and jsut past me but fell again on the turn. It was then a close battle up to the beach sprint. Mark first to hit the water closely followed by Ryan & Myself. That’s how it stayed but a tough, fast paced race… great start to the new season!
Results:
1st Mark Slater
2nd Ryan James
3rd Pete Holliday (Me)