Position Competitor Time
1 Jake Jensen 29:42
2 Andy Davies 29:50
3 Paul Jackson 30:37
4 Peter Dorries 31:45
5 Beau O'Brian 32:10
6 Chase Kasterlitz 32:19
7 Marcel De Paula 32:47
8 Paul Jones 32:57
9 Steve Walker 33:02
10 Ryan Keck 33:10
11 Dale Chapman 33:33
12 Beau Nixon 33:51
13 Tatsuni Kawai 35:14
14 Wayne Johnstone 35:26
15 Chris Carter 36:06
16 Johnathon Walker 37:19
17 Paul Mackie 38:09
18 Mathew Colefax 38:19
19 Brenden Clark 39:19
20 Dylan Magee 43:11
21 Scott Corrigan 43:47
22 Mark Frischkorn NF
SurfTech 5km SUP Ocean Paddle
- Junior's Results -
Position Competitor Time
1 Mathew Nottage 36:12
SurfTech 5km SUP Ocean Paddle
- Women's Results -
Position Competitor Time
1 Sandra Purser 36:03
2 Molly Walker 36:23
3 Nicole Klink 41:11
4 Susan Dorries 43:12
5 Jayne Ryeland NF
6 Alison Krone NF
I'm a little confused and very disappointed with the number of paddlers that competed in this years Noosa BOP race.
It's arguably the best venue in the world to have a BOP race, its spectacular amphitheater and with one to two thousand people watching its bloody Australia's best!!!!
It only cost $44 dollars and you got a Tshirt and goodie bag.
Come on SUP'ers tell me why you didn't go??
I would love to spark up a debate and see why this wasn't MASSIVE!!!!!
Cheers Jonesy
PS....For the paddlers that competed, WOW that was the best!!!, surfing 2-3 foot first point on your 12'6 race board with no surfers in the water for one hour "Priceless"
Great event for sure , my thoughts sunday arvo for one !if it was a saturday or even early sunday morning those that travel can book accomidation sat night race in the morning.racing in the afternoon then having to drive home after racing is a bit hard.
One thing to look at first is in your own back yard! 15 out of the 30 were from outside the sunny coast
Not sure why but to start debate do you think age divisions would help numbers???
I entered but withdrew on the day with the flu. Disappointed to have missed such great conditions.
Two divisions may help.
Most of the guys and girls that entered would be in the elite class I guess,the average punted would not enter because they would get lapped,why not have elite and novice divisions.
Just an idea,same if I was invited to one of the training camps here I wouldn't go for this reason,hope that helps.
I am afraid that I have to agree with Camo. Not everyone wants to race or compete. I am a regular Noosa surfer and paddler. As soon as the Noosa Festival is gearing up I stay as far away from it as I can get. I am one of many local paddlers who don't like the hype. For a lot of people paddling and surfing, whether SUP or other is not about competition and all the fanfair that goes with it. This may not be the answer you guys want to hear. I was one of the first SUPers on the north end of the coast and still paddle as often as I can whether ocean, flat or surf. But like the other paddlers I know I have no interest in competitions like this. There are a lots of good paddlers out there but comps aren't their thing.
ET.
I would love to compete but cannot afford another board specifically a 12'6 race board. I do agree that there should be a novice race as well im not good enough (yet). Im happy if someone woukd like to donate me a race board!! But cant see that happening. Anyway enjoy the paddle on my way out now.
Please don't take any of this to heart but you have asked for feed back and why this event has gotten smaller and what makes a good event, well here's my take on it and some ideas from my point.
A few of the guys above have hit the nail on the head with some of there points. I was not going to do this comp either after going to it the last 2 or so years and leaving a little disappointed but thought i would give it one more chance and sorry to say i was still not overly impressed.
Things i picked up on.
Feels like the SUP is not really a big part of the event, no where in the name of the event is SUP mentioned yet it pretty much takes up a whole day of the comp. The race although was fun and it is great to get waves on the point with a race sup seemed unorganized with just simple things like have a course map for people to look at or having decent sized turning buoys.
If you want more numbers you need to have age groups as not everyone wants to race against Beau or Jake!! most people just want to have fun and getting put in the same group with the guys and girls that train every day is a bit rough.
If you call up the top 3 guys then at least call the top 3 girls up as well, maybe have some encouragement awards try and get people stoked to come to a event!!
This next one is a bit touche but here goes.
PRIZES!!! come on really!! with all the sponsors around at that event you are telling me that someone could not get a box of leg ropes or some board covers or something? It is NOT that hard i have done it on many occasions and really it is not that hard. Good on Quiver Caddy for what they did but what was there was not a real effort. To me it still feels like we are just being tacked on to a long board event and just another way for them to make a bit more money.
Why are none of the local shops involved? if you want numbers then that should be your first point of contact if nothing else they should be able to help you get better prizes and i'm not talking about giving the top guys more by the way more about giving back to the people who make this sport happen!!
Alot of the time it's just getting the little things right and building on that and this goes right back to listening to some people who might know more about certain things EG: The inside buoy, i'm pretty sure 2 or 3 people told the course guy that it would move if it was put in the waves and sure enough at the race sure enough it moved!! not a big deal but it's all about getting the small things right.
With all the events on these days everyone has to really lift their act if they want to get the numbers, do things a little different.
Flame suit on
Jacko
My no show was a clash with MX race, otherwise would have been for sure...... but i will say, most people including my self run 14 foot boards on sunny coast not 12'6. so i can understand why there are not more people in it.
its easy when u have a van full of boards at over 2k a pop to wonder why others dont show. I for one cant afford every class board and wont be buying a 12'6 (as much as i would love to have one).
I think there is a real mix of boards being used, and while the 12'6 seems to be the current pick for elites for ease of travel or whatever.... for most novices like myself, we predominantly train in flat water and time trials so we go 14.
i also noteon seabreeze when people ask 12'6 or 14 nearly everyone yells 14.
I read with interest what has been written above and how its a great venue but certain things are lacking to make it a fantastic event.
We run the ALSO at Kingscliff beginning next week. We have done what we can to accommodate the SUPs into both the surfing and racing part of our event(and have supported SUPs since 2007) and given the BOP major time placement on the Sunday. All competitors get a competitors bag with a spot prize plus thanks to Illusions @ Noosa we have 2 SUPs to be given away to lucky SUP competitors. (You must be present at the preso to win.) Everyone says they are supporting the event and we have put a lot of time & effort into making this a quality event for the SUP's. However we need the SUP community to support the event and put in their entrys.
All interesting and valid comments.
I've got no involvement in the Noosa event so I'm hoping the organizers are reading this and the other post I've put out there.
The thing is, I love the Sunny Coast and think the Noosa Comp has something special and could be a world class event.
It's cool if you don't like racing we all get into this sport for different reasons, but the thing that puzzles me is if you added up all the 12'6 race boards sold from the Sunny Coast to NSW over the last two years I would be guessing 300-400?? I could be wrong. Surely the number of competitors would reflect that.
I'm sure some people buy a race board to feel the glide paddling down their local river and to help with core strength, stress release and fitness, but the others must be keen to race?
Maybe "racing is a wank" ?
But for me I love racing because of the following : it motivates me to get super fit. I enjoy training with mates, I love setting goals, beating the guy that beat me in the last race, meeting friends at race events, feeling pre race nerves, that buzz at the start line, getting that adrenaline hit, climbing over that wall pre-race, hearing my little kids cheer me on, racing next to an elite athlete, the achievement of just finishing, beating the groms, winning the old farts division, betting Steve and Peasie, after race chats, post race buzz, post post race fatigue, that sweet tasting first beer, watching all the smiles when someone wins a leg rope in the raffle, new goal setting, next day training.
Plus I don't think its just Noosa declining in numbers??
Another thing that stood out was only that their was one junior paddler, no development of young guns in any sport means a limited time span for the sport!
I'm interested to see the numbers in the Kingscliff comp, Xcel race, Qld titles this year and other comps around Aust. Here's hoping a swell of fresh competitors are on the horizon.
Making an event that caters for all is the big key. The elite group is a small group in any competition none the less an important group. Though their numbers do not lend to the growth of events or the successful marketing of events with running costs. For the sport to grow it must attract more to participate. This can not be obtained by pitching all against the best each time and expecting the 90%ers to just keep turning up.
Looking at any sport structure to develop a high pyramid you need a large base.
Here are some ideas that might attract more. Not taking away from the importance of having the main race for the elite but just ideas so there are more steps to the elite race and not just a giant leap from a novice. Also catering for those whose age eliminates them from the elite though still have a desire to compete at their peer level.
1. Age groups divisions so that there is interest and recognition at all levels.
2. Different length races for either ability or age. We did similar to this at Coolum and then used it as a qualifier to the elite group.
3. Handicapped events that push the elite but allow the others a chance.
4. Novel events at the comp that may be attached to prizes so anyone might win something.
5. Allowing shops and distributors to set up at the events to showcase their wares and run demos. This may also offset the cost if a small fee was charged. By having a sole sponsor you can prevent this. Can be a catch 22 situation. This event had large sponsorship from one supplier and as such others understandably could not set up displays. I love attending events that have all types on display and for demo. I personally would go out of my way to go to these events to test all gear in the one spot. We did this last year with great success at the Lake Kawana.
6. Junior specific races. From short distance micro from events etc. etc. This leads to a family event.
7. Maybe divisions instead of age. A, B, C, D etc. this is bigger picture stuff and would need monitoring from race to race. Newbies could come and smash a lower division but from then on would be classed up???
Not saying these are the answers but just something to brain storm about. If there is a decline in racers after the initial splash of interest then doing the same each time and expecting growth does not seem the best idea.
I am sure there are many other ideas out there better than mine. Post them if you have some regardless if you think it is silly as someone else may take part of your idea and come up with something great.
Brainstorm as a collective group.
it annoys me when people say "I don't compete because there is a good"elite" paddler and there's no way I can beat him". There is no way I will ever beat the likes of jake, Kelly, travis, beau, jacko (and probly even dorries after seeing his performance) yet I still do every race cause of the stoke!!
On event organisation, if you want a world standard event to model, just talk to Peasie. All his races are epic!!!!! Fun for all!!!
