QLD Marathon Vid and pics

Link is here... I spent the race on my jetski filming the action. Hope you enjoy. I missed the very very end as the speed limit in the creek is slow and i didn't want to throw wake for the leading guys.

Do we know who won? Men's, Women's, Over 40 and Over 50?


PS. Appreciate the video, thanks Jacko. Conditions looked difficult but at least not as brutal as the BoP.

While it's all good to compete with the best, I think people don't like losing all the time. Could be wrong but it takes the thirst away from competing when you know your only competing for a minor placing

Yeah I see your point but if this was the case then no event would really ever work as only one person can ever really win. I do all the events I do for the fun and enjoyment I get from competing not for money and not to win everytime . I think the fun side is something that is under rated from event organizers and something that is quite easy to bring in to events.

Look this event seemed pretty well run from what I seen but if I was running a event that numbers were falling every year then I would be having a good look at what is going wrong. In a sport that is growing like ours we should be having huge events by now now decreasing to where the numbers are so low that sponsors must be thinking is it worth investing money in.

I could see some good things this event has done and alot they could very easily do better. The way things are going we will have no events left in QLD and we have to ask ourselves why as we have one of the biggest paddling population in Australia.

Here are a few points good and bad.

GOOD: The pre set up was alway set up and ready to go.
The maps and rules were published nice and early.

BAD: Info during the event and updates sucked, how hard is it to have one person do what I did with Facebook updates and pics. What I did was super easy and I am no pro with a camera or Facebook but I managed to update the whole race take 150 pics and film the whole race and have it all online within 2 hours after the race as well as work in the shop so just imagine what someone could do if they knew what they were doing.

The timing of the events really needs to be worked on for example the race today started at 10am now when ever do we get good conditions at 10am? About 12:30pm today the wind came in and was about 15 knots from the SE which would have been perfect!!



Most people I spoke to did not even know this event was on so maybe they are not advertising hard enough in the right spots?

enough from me though I'm keen to hear from others , maybe im wrong and this was a huge success which is cool. I didn't do this event by the way not because I didn't want to but between a small injury and just needing a rest from racing for a few weeks before we go and do 4 weeks back to back races.

numbers were down. I've a few thoughts but they aren't popular
.bop or technical. thumping shore break 3 paddlers washed down the beach friday. people will have a go, but nobody wants to look like a fool and bop racing can do that real easy in its current form. turning buoys half in the shore break adds to that too. next point- board are now running over $3000 - that's not chicken feed. damaged boards suck, never the same again and if the price of boards don't drop enough as soon as they are out of the shop- ripped out fin boxes and massive dings reduce your boards worth by more again. personally I can barely stay out of trouble just bop training. everyone get damaged boards even at training. now if you look at those bop racing most are sponsored or getting boards cheap. general paddlers aren't cash cows

then there's the risk of injury. sa insurance truthfully is worth jack as most policys are- I can't afford injury and work down time and I suppose a few others might be in the same boat. something will happen one day

inflatables is the answer along with better courses and more flexibility in where events are run.


easy with the macho man caper lads- something has to change. who knows there could even be a few laughs with the inflates


long course and short course open racing. a mate texted me after this race and said the winds up- 15 knots se- ideal.

I said Ive just done a no wind race. he said why wouldn't they hold race in the afternoon when the wind is normally up!!!!!

so a dw to balinga and paddle back to snapper then the alley- not really something to look forward too. sw winds today at race time and forecasted- Burleigh to seaway ish would have been the best on the coast by far. the hard core racer doesn't care but there is only so many of them


we have 32 kms of coasline yet the qld titles has to finish at Currumbin. south to north course options are very very limited with a alley finish


I know the reasons but the cart is getting put ahead of the horse.

more flexibility in schedules, locations and run the races on the best possible courses in the best possible conditions. kind of make them enjoyable

personally I love dw ing but I've just about come to the conclusion racing and dwing belongs in the too hard basket. maybe we need freestyle clubs


I know probably pissing off a few, but there is definitely a lack of bums on seats so to speak

I might get howled down for this but I think the reason for poor turnout at state titles (same happens in Victoria) is very simple. The elite level of the sport has lost contact with the wider SUP community - the weekend warriors and amateur enthusiasts. Events like these run by Surfing Queensland and Surfing Victoria carry little attraction for the majority of competitors. The distances are unappealing and the conditions are often intimidating. Some of you may think that's soft but it's a fact and if you don't like it, good luck racing among yourselves. I don't think we all necessarily have to be in with a chance to win a trophy to encourage us to enter but we absolutely do need to enjoy the experience and not be humiliated by conditions beyond our ability simply to validate someone else's ego when they win against a large field. There is also the matter of cost. Our state titles are quite expensive to enter so for those who are simply making up the numbers with virtually no chance of achieving a podium or qualifying for the state team, the so-called glory of competing against the best in the state does not justify the expense. Especially when we can enter club events and compete against the same people over a more user friendly course and distance on a regular basis over the Summer. Oh, and by the way, holding state titles in the middle of Winter when everyone has let their fitness fall away - whoever thought that was a good idea?

Now to the issue of Women's events. I'm going to go even further out onto a limb here and I fully expect to offend. Before I do so, let me start by saying I acknowledge that Karla, Angie and any number of other women could kick my arse any day of the week. They can paddle much faster and much further than me, and in much more difficult conditions, there's no disputing that. However, if we are wondering why there were only 3 women in QLD state titles (and by the way, just one in Vicco), then I think the factors I mention above are all in play, only amplified substantially. Outside of the absolute elite women, expecting emerging enthusiastic females to agree to match the distances and conditions that some of the top men in the world are struggling with is quite simply insane. Women's tennis is not played over 5 sets. I suggest Women's SUP races would benefit from more appropriate limits to attract a larger field. Again, I accept that Anglie, Karla, Annabel and the rest are all perfectly capable of matching it with the best of the men. But if they are happy to compete in fields of 3 (or one) in their own events, then once again I say good luck with that, and I'd be more than happy to be proven wrong.

Here's 2 cents worth- Whilst there must be a course that will test the "pros" to determine who will move onto representative selection, these competitions must have a strong focus on the amature/ weekend warrior class as they are the main financial contributors to the sport via the purchase of boards, equipment and participation at the local level. This should be reflected in the type of course chosen , restrictions on board size etc. Forget them and the sport will be forgotten.

I am an average Joe paddler and feel that the 8km social race caters to people like me perfectly. I enjoy racing but within my limits and don't aspire to mix it with the pro's on super long courses. So, I think they catered for the weekend warrior well I believe. I just don't think they publicised/communicated it very well which others have mentioned on this thread.


The other thing for me was that the conditions during the week put me in 2 minds about entering as I am not super confident getting out through bigger surf so didn't want the embarrassment of not being able to get to the start line! Having to register by Wed meant I wasn't prepared to fork out race fee plus SQ membership and then not race because conditions were outside my skill level. I have since found out I could have registered later and when I saw conditions today, regretted not entering. If the option had been better known I probably would gave.

The other thing I believe will help get the weekend warriors out there is some encouragement in the communications, here on facebook, etc, etc. Even keeping people updated with lists if entrants or just numbers of entries in different events....for the average Joe like me, there is 'safety in numbers' when you are not as confident as the guns in the elite races

one thing with putting bop race on in decent surf or more difficult conditions is paddlers are getting their boards swept away from under their feet- even very good paddlers.

those of us that paddle know how hard it is but joe average and surfie joe stopping to have a look just thinks its a joke

its very hard to sell that concept to new paddlers, sponsors, public and media when it looks a circus of gumbies-

From an outsiders perspective, I'm sure I read all the above about a year ago,so this tells me sup events are not moving forward,possibly why the decline in numbers. From my very limited experience I have, we have not heard from anyone who competed in this event? One thing I will add about the elite comments made,if your not training on the water and training on land daily your never going to make an elite athlete in this sup world,so compete for the fun of it,set your goals to be the first non elite to finish that is a win in my book.These comments are not ment to rock the boat or stir the pot,just my view.

Some good points above and here is one more. In Qld at least the sport has split between races and surfers , no racers compete in surfing and visa versa. So straight away you halve the competitors in all events. (except for the girls they do both)

I was one of the few surfers at the Bop race on Saturday but didn't compete as it was a brutal course and I had to back up the next day to compete in the over 40's & 50's surfing (plus I would have had to borrow a board). Pete Dorries was the only person I know that competed in all three disciplines (big effort) he actually took out the over 40's surfing but he was hurting from the Bop and he had to pull out of the marathon.

These are my suggestions:-

* As PT mentioned shorten the racing (including Bop) to bring in more competitors (go back to long format at the Aussies)
* Supply some boards so people like myself can enter and have a go (I also like Laceys inflatable idea)
* Don't split the events hold some surfing heats in the morning and race from lunch time on , keep all the competitors together.
* Hold the events in a more hi traffic area like Surfers Paradise , Broadbeach Kurrawa or even the Spit (give the event exposure)
* Give a way free beer bring back bikini parades and advertise the event .

I think it's time to split the surfing and racing, they could be he at two different times of year.

Having 2 size board classes for the racing for this size event is stupid!! if i ran the event i would look to what most people are paddling in the area when the vent is going to be held and nearly everyone around here has 12'6 and not so many 14 and not that many have both!! having the girls race two size board classes was even stupider!!
I would look to who they are taking advice from as some one is giving some ****ty advice!!

I have said it before but racing upwind SUCKs and is the worst part of our sport so once again why have it in the racing? i am sure the person who won the event is more than capable of paddling upwind at the ISA as to win any event here you have to be a good paddler.

Taking the racing to the people sounds like a great idea BUT it never works!! if we went and raced in surfers do you think anyone would even notice we were there? I went to a event in Chicago that had 10,000 people on the beach and not one person even cared we were there!! What we need is to get the people to come to us like footy where people WANT to go and watch the event. So how do we make it more appealing to watch that is the question?

Inflatables can be part of the answer maybe not top end pro racing but to build the Armature racing up foresure could work.

From a complete newbie to your world of Stand up and now fast becoming something that has given me a new lease on life and a ****e load of interest and a huge buzz.

I am really enjoying the comraderie in the social surfing scene. Everyone appears to be enjoying what they are out there to do ultimately in just having fun.
In the surf on a general day I talk to most other Stand up enthusiest with no apparent barriers or walls up.
On the comp days I have participated in people seem to pair off a little into their social groups however are very approachable.

I competed in the 8 km social marathon. I borrowed a 12'6 BOP board. Had no water for hydration, had my new KeNalu surfing paddle with me and was dragging a 10 leash.
Some how I got a plaque for the open mens under 14 ft division.
I had no clue obviously what I was roped into physically and perhaps to some I just dont have a clue at all.
But hey I had fun and will do it again.

As long as it remains fun I will compete on a social level and perhaps maybe delve into it more when I am eligible for the over 40 's.

From an outsider comments on The tech and distance race competitiors seem to have the similar outlook as pushy riders with their social groups and apparel/ gear bias. Please dont see this as critisism its just what I have observed so far.
I was involved in the game fishing scene and help run a few tournies etc on the GC over 8 years or so in the club.
There was always contention and people who were upset by decisions made by the committee or event hosts. Make the event more social and fun and the people will be more comfortable to play along. There will always be the fire in everyone to want to win but as the old addage goes. It should be the sport that ends up the winner

I guess this was a qualifying event so it goes hand in hand with the competitiveness of the participants and the overall weekend.

You fellas that have been involved in the sport and are making a living off of it need to start a "round table" where you get together to help the event planners detail there weekends and assist in setting courses, distances , groupings what ever it may be.
I am sure they would all be extremely greatful for any input from guys in the hyerachy of the SUP world.

Looking forward to the next swell here on the Goldy so I can stir up some more surfers