Select to expand quoteArea10 said...Al Hunter said...Area10 said..Al Hunter said..
The starboard guys were on the 2017 Allstar with 2016 sticker, georges was on a custom SIC
I'm not sure what you mean by a 2017 All Star, but Larry Cain's FB blog seemed to indicate - as far as I understand it - that he'd be racing on a current model All Star 14x25 - the same one he reviewed on SUP Racer. Here's a picture of some of the Starboards - there seems to be more than one model in this pic.
It is pretty simple, you take a 2017 prototype and you paint it like a 2016 production board.
And not everyone has it of course, only the ones that could be in contention to win for the brand.
In 3 or 4 months you will then start to see the same board with the new 2017 graphics....
Well, Larry has shown pictures on his blog of him unwrapping a board that looks awfully like a 2016, and he has reviewed this same board as a 2016, and he said he'd be using it in the Carolina cup. So are you saying that he's been reviewing the 2016 board but then was given a different board made to look like that one for this race? I assume that you have information that we don't - ?
But while we are on this issue, why in the picture I showed are there people using, apparently, the 2014 All Star rather than the 2015 one? Is it because the 2014 was faster, or are they also some kind of custom board painted as a 2014 that have been kept around for this race? I'm baffled... It would be great if there was some kind of homologation rule for the elite racers, to ensure that what they race is what the public can buy. It's all the more to NSP's credit that the top two in this race were on the same boards that the public can buy. Impressive.
I'm not sure whats so hard to understand here SOME of the top riders have the new board guys like connor and Beau i doubt Larry would have one even though he did pretty bloody good finishing 24th and been 54 years old!!
Its a great way to do final testing and to see if your final shape is really up to speed under race conditions and all companies do it.
Are you telling me that it's a coincidence that there are apparently three 2014 All Stars in that picture (and three 2016 ones) but no 2015 ones?
That's what is puzzling me. Maybe it's just a coincidence, and elsewhere in the field there are loads of 2015 All Stars?
And yes, for sure, not everyone can afford to upgrade every year. But if you were an elite rider for a particular brand, maybe if next year's model was slower, or no better, than your existing board, then you might decide to make it that year that you couldn't afford it...
There is an old Bark Dominator in that pic too. That model hasn't changed - except that the new ones are actually heavier than the old ones... In my experience most elite riders take their gear pretty seriously. Even a 0.5% difference is huge when you are at the pointy end of an elite group.
There is hardly an elite racer in the picture that you posted area10 with a starboard.
Larry is not an elite racer for starboard he is now a sponsored rider though not at the pointy end of the elite field. (still weapon being in his 50's) . he is on 2016 model that he reviewed.
the others are older models I am sure not sponsored riders at all. so could it be that 2014 models are the ones they purchased and still have.
The elite guys that I thought were on 2016 models that Al says were actually 2017 proto's painted in 2016 colours would of been
connor, beau, trev, matty, the brothers daniel and ?? lost his name. guys in the front pack.
must say Annabel's board does look much like an older style flat water shape.. clearly worked well for her smashing time compared to all the others that raced.
Good footage of the start of the elite race here, with Annabel taking advantage of the "six strokes rule"...
Well there might be a few more NSP boards in the line up next year as the Starboard All Stars got smoked apart from the Kiwi/adopted Aussie who came in 4th!
Not much to offer in the fastest board talk.... but some pictures of a great event.
Cloudy, perfect conditions during race time, sunny and beautiful after the finish.
It was a very well run and well staged event.
Lots of clinics, events, entertainment to keep the large crowd happy and stoked.
Crowds that make these events possible.... everyone seem well pleased with the venue, the activities and the conditions!
Waves provided a challenge for the crowded start of the Graveyard 13 mile main event.... and a test at the finish. Good entertainment.
I think this was a big win for the paddleboard race community!
Select to expand quoteStev0 said..
Well there might be a few more NSP boards in the line up next year as the Starboard All Stars got smoked apart from the Kiwi/adopted Aussie who came in 4th!
You mean the South African adopted Kiwi adopted Aussie?
Select to expand quoteArea10 said..
Are you telling me that it's a coincidence that there are apparently three 2014 All Stars in that picture (and three 2016 ones) but no 2015 ones?
That's what is puzzling me. Maybe it's just a coincidence, and elsewhere in the field there are loads of 2015 All Stars?
And yes, for sure, not everyone can afford to upgrade every year. But if you were an elite rider for a particular brand, maybe if next year's model was slower, or no better, than your existing board, then you might decide to make it that year that you couldn't afford it...
There is an old Bark Dominator in that pic too. That model hasn't changed - except that the new ones are actually heavier than the old ones... In my experience most elite riders take their gear pretty seriously. Even a 0.5% difference is huge when you are at the pointy end of an elite group.
Select to expand quoteBerserkWarrior said..Stev0 said..
Well there might be a few more NSP boards in the line up next year as the Starboard All Stars got smoked apart from the Kiwi/adopted Aussie who came in 4th!
You mean the South African adopted Kiwi adopted Aussie?
That will be the one...!? Trev Tunnington keeping it Antipodean eh mate. Great result for him!!!...and for getting a Starboard in the top 5...
Titouan and Travis both using 86 Trifectas? How do they make a blade so small work so well? I have one but it's like stirring coffee when I use it. I presume I'm not loading the blade correctly. Does anyone have any good video of either of these two guys stroke techniques? I'm sure I'd learn a lot by watching what they do at the catch.
Apparently Travis Grant says to go as small a blade as possible until you start 'slipping' and then go up a size... I tried the QB V-drive 81 (off the dude who was given this advice from TG) and it felt so light and whippy that it felt easy to maintain a higher cadence stroke and it has release and power to burn!. Technique and fitness are obviously the major factors why these guys make small blades fly.
Yeah, for sure. That's what I'm talking about: at the sizes they use my blade slips a lot. This can't be because I'm generating more power at the blade than they do - they'll be more powerful with the weakest of their strokes than I am with the strongest of mine - so it must be that I'm not getting the blade in the water correctly, i.e. not "loading the paddle". I've been working on this lately, and it's a very fine difference between getting a clean catch that you can pull on hard without slipping, and just sticking the blade in, taking some air with it, which then causes slippage. I pretty much see an instant difference when I get it right, and it feels less effort. There seems to be a couple of ways of achieving this, so I wanted to watch some videos of these guys to see which approach they are taking. It's a very subtle thing that leads to a big effect, so it would have to be good quality footage to see.
At the risk of getting Red thumbed for self promotion, just a little proud to say 8 of the top 20 were racing on VMG blades 
Select to expand quoteChris Ting said...
At the risk of getting Red thumbed for self promotion, just a little proud to say 8 of the top 20 were racing on VMG blades
no red thumbs you should be proud of ur brand. Proud that not only sponsored riders are using the fins but plenty more choosing to use it also and talking good things about them.
Just wish you could mass produce them to bring the price down to poor man budgets
Great review of the race as a photo story here: www.supracer.com/2016-carolina-cup-photo-stories/
Select to expand quotebaddog said..
Been waiting to see what Brian's been working on. Annabel's board sure looks a lot like my 2014 All Star. A retro throwback to the last Syzmanski Starboard? A one off for Annabel or a preview of what's to come?
Lahui Kai Race in camo pink
