Wow, we're up to Rd 3 of this enthralling 5 round series already!
For those of you who have missed the first 2, they were both particularly tough races [ wind and wave wise], so let's hope that we are treated to better conditions for this race.
The lifesaving crew are back for this race, so let's show them how committed we are.
A couple of notable high-lights for the day are : The 2012 Starboard demo tour is back on the road and will there on the day. There will be stacks of tasty, new Starboard kit for people to try. If you get there early enough, you maybe lucky enough to perhaps score a ride on a fantastic Starboard Raceboard for the 1 hr race.
Also, top international Starboard athlete, Annabel Anderson will be present on the day as part of her Australian tour and will be taking part in the race,
We look forward to seeing how a top professional paddler attacks the 1 hr "sprint", given she has completed some of the longest endurance paddling events around 100kms in distance!
See you on race day!
Forecast is looking quite favourable.
Sunday 20 November
Winds South to southwesterly 5 to 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots during the afternoon. Seas Below 0.5 metres increasing to 0.5 to 1 metres during the evening.
Registration is from 7am, Race starts at 8am.
Starboard SUP demo will run from 7.30am - 11am.
If the wind is stronger than what's forecast, we'll run a modified BOP course.
Hey Warrick
Apologies from the Kale family, Jono does triathlon for his compulsory school sport so he and I will be slugging it out in St Kilda on Sunday morning. Will make sure we make the next one though. This multisport thing is knackering!!
Cheers Mel
Hey Mel,
I'm sure the X-training Jono is doing will keep him primed for the next race [ as well as the GMP].
Camo....Early Start = Early Finish and time in the day to even more paddling!
Actually, with tomorrow's forecast, it's probably a good thing it's an early race.
Sunday 20 NovemberWinds Southwesterly 10 to 15 knots tending westerly 15 to 25 knots around midday then tending west to southwesterly 20 to 30 knots during the afternoon. Winds decreasing to west to southwesterly 15 to 20 knots later in the evening.
Seas 0.5 to 1 metres increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon then increasing to 2 metres by late afternoon.
A couple of the blokes commented that she not only is really good at paddling but they were able to see her style and technique on display numerous times in the race as she lapped us numerous times.... which I guess is a consolation prize for being slow
Well it seems that this series is destined to become a Bay Bop format.
The 3 races to date have all been run in testing conditions with wind and small waves. At least the air and water were warmer for this race than the 2 previous.
A field of 45 Sup, ski and mal paddlers lined up for the 60 min race.
All eyes were on NZ Pro paddler, Annabel Anderson. Fresh from her top 10 finish in a gruelling 22 mile race in Fiji, one would have expected her to hang with the crowd and enjoy a social paddle race. Her efforts in the next hour were nothing short of amazing!
The start saw the Sup crew taking a short course and the SLSC paddlers on an extended course, but both rounding the same inside mark as well as the short beach run. What wasn't expected after the first lap was everyone hitting the beach at the same time! After some organised pandemonium, things settled down and saw the field spread out.
With the tough conditions the 12'6" fleet seemed to be doing it a little easier than the 14's round the turns.
It soon became apparent that Annabell wasn't there making up numbers. She was lapping the course at such a rate that she not only reeled in and passed the field, she was also mincing some of the best Victorian male paddlers!
There were many battles being waged within small groups that saw positional changes each lap. The SLSC crew were going hard at it and it was good to see some of the elder statesmen giving it a crack as well.
You've probably got the gist of how this race panned out. Annabel finished almost 2 full laps AHEAD of the next competitor and didn't even raise a sweat in the process.
Here's the results.
Overall
1/ Annabel Anderson NZ/Starboard
2/Chris Sal / Fanatic
3/David Nixon / Fanatic
4/Andrew Hocking / Starboard
5/Jared Kolher / Sunny King
6/Paul Harrington / Starboard
7/Cam Hosking / Sunny King
12'6"
1/Annabel Anderson
2/Chris Sal
3/David Nixon
4/Andrew Hocking
Ladies
1/Annabel Anderson / NZ Starboard
2/Emma Morris / Hobie
3/Lucy Bell / Naish
4/Jean Ringrose / Fanatic
Over 45/Mens
1/Paul Harrington / Starboard
2/Jonathon Cowcher / Starboard
3/Al Fairlie / Naish
4/Michael Jenkins / Naish
Over 45/Womens
1/Jean Ringrose / Fanatic
The crowded startline
Tension at the start
They're off!
Righto, Photo download is too slow from here in beautiful Merimbula. So more pix to follow. [ Thanks to DJ for the photos].
More Pix
Red is always fast!!
Super Jean!
Jamie stuck in second gear
All Poise and Style
Annabel striding out and building a massive buffer
Winning Smiles, the top three ladies
The top three men. [ wondering how much they'll get beaten by Annabel at the Great Melb Paddle]
A much needed post-race caffeine hit.
Ian Grose [ Starboard / "King of the Cerb" sponsor] on the road again with a van full of toys.
Thanks again to Ant and the crew from Half Moon LSC for helping us run another successful race. Some of the young crew came from Anglesea to race. Now that's committment.
See you for rd 4 , Sun Dec 18th , which will be followed by the SUP VIC Supxmas party [ TBA].
Great shot DJ, really captures the outline, the slender shape and curves in all the right places. Annabel's great too of course, but that is one sexy board, I have to say!
Hey Paul, I swear that looks like one of my Croc's, about the same size too. Sounds like Annabel stole the show on Sunday, sorta glad I didn't make it. She joined us for Yoga on Monday morning and I can see why she is such a strong paddler. Can't wait to see her paddle in the Great Melbourne Paddle in a couple of weeks.
Red is always fast!!
OMG who is that fat bastard with the beard!!! Bad bad photo, gulping for air, hence the belly! LOL!!!
Disagree Teeps, I reckon you're looking super-focused, composed and like you're a man-on-a-mission.
As I said...red is Fast!
Sorry, clerical error on the results.
They should've read like this.
Overall
1/Annabel Anderson NZ/Starboard
2/Chris Sal / Fanatic
3/Andrew Hocking / Starboard
4/David Nixon / Fanatic
5/Jared Kolher / Sunny King
6/Paul Harrington / Starboard
7/Cam Hosking / Sunny King
12'6"
1/Annabel Anderson
2/Chris Sal
3/Andrew Hocking
4/David Nixon
Apologies to Andrew and David