Huge effort from Kristi, the only junior to complete the race. Also a few other special mentions...
Paul & Angie Jackson who not only put on a fantastic Fanatic Pro Race Clinic but donated their prize winnings to up and coming Melbourne paddlers to give them a kick start in the sport. Very generous guys.
Annabel Anderson for putting on some great clinics in the lead up to the GMP.
Ben Orwinsky... not only completed the main event on his home made prone paddling board but backed it up and also completed the social event straight after, huge effort!
Congratulations to SUPVIC for putting on such a brilliant event in such trying conditions, amazing effort!
Paul & Angie helped up and comer Renee Murray out with a prize voucher for a Fanatic Paddle
Great fun and heaps of knowledge shared at the Fanatic Pro Rider Clinic, thanks again guys
Look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming events, don't forget the Port Phillip Cup Round 2 this coming Sunday, December 11th in St Kilda!
Just want to say a bigthank you to Dave and SupVic for putting on a fabulous day, and a very special thanks to Ian Grose and Starboard for providing the major spot prize. My kids had a ball and all of them re-wrote their numbers on their legs so they could have show and tell at school the next day with the starboard catolouge and tell their friends about Suping.
And no, Emma is not getting the board, it is mine to fight over with my daughters.(they want to do every race from now on!)
Simon
A couple of us oldies further back were also having a fun battle in the Master's 12'6" section.
Lazza paddled really well and powered all the way to the finish. Simondo found out what part of my problem was for me. My fintab screw fell out which caused lots of fin wobble and crappy tracking. I'll check my gear thoroughly pre-race next time!
Thanks again to all of the Sup Vic crew who helped pull this event together.
It was fun to be apart of the organising committee and see everyone who turned up for the day enjoying themselves, despite the trying conditions. It's a credit to all of the competitors who went with the changes that were implemented on the day.
Can't wait until next year's GMP!
Yes, Angie, I was doing the timing for the finish, so had to keep a close eye on how everyone was coming in.
You guys in the 53 minute group looked great! There were other epic battles going on out there, but your group really were putting in hard at the finish.
I should also add to the thanks to Jonathon and his boat crew and especially to Mike, who spent the majority of his time down at the downwind mark in his boat where all the "action" was happening. It was a great assistance to those of us recording the finish, times etc to hear from the guys out in the boats as to how the field was doing.
Big congrats to the last three ladies, also. You guys were just determined to finish, no matter what!
Kristi paddled really well. Keep in mind that she was easily the lightest paddler out there, probably getting bounced around like cork far more than the rest of us. Plus she was paddling in the "Void" - Men ahead of her, and women behind, and nobody there to compete with directly. I looped back, and Jacko came back out too.
To SUP Vic - awesome group effort on all fronts. Other than the wether, perhaps the only other thing that didn't go as planned was Jonathan's parking ticket for mis-reading a parking sign. He has a Bayside Parking Permit, and he Captained the support vessel (massive thanks Jonathan & Mike, from everyone!). But we're hopeful that SUP Racer Councillor Felicity can waive this one!
Keep an eye on the SUP VIC website - full results including 2km Social Paddle and Kids Race to be posted in the next day.
Yeah Bren,
the FCS fin bolt was a bit long for the box and there was some movement which then finally led to it dropping out all together.
That's probably why Tony Bond passed you. It made it bloody hard for me in the 8km trying to track into the wind. If I wore a GPS, my track would resemble a saw blade!
Nice pix DJ. It's a relief to see that shot of Jacko and Annabel, they actually look tired.
Just want to echo everyone else's complements on a great event and superb organization. It was like it was always meant to be at Sandy Marina. It was a great mental and physical challenge, with all participants supporting each other. Can't wait for the next race.
From the photos the wind doesn't look too bad but down the far end of the course the swell was big enough to be able see the hulls of Mike and JC's boats lurching over the waves let alone the wind blowing them around well done boys it was a good spectacle
Wow - maybe it's just a trick of the camera, but Annabel sure looks different compared with how she did just 10 months ago:
Given that she's had the most spectacular year results-wise, maybe this answers those who ask about power-to-weight ratios and the effects of SUP upon the body. But equally, maybe it's just the photo, and the performance gains are largely about increased cardiovascular fitness, endurance and technique, rather than muscular strength.
I'd certainly be interested to get a lesson from her as to how she makes, like Connor, that shortened grip stroke work. It's clearly a completely different dynamic, because if I try it without changing anything else about my stroke, it seems just about impossible.
Yeah the choke stroke is a bit more than just a grip. It's a full body thing if you're doing it right (which I'm sure I'm not)
Nice work on the camera DJ. love the shots of the kids. Looks like they have the choke stroke sorted! Lots of happy winners also
Dave