Race Season Begins

Driving home through Washington State I thought I felt good until I had to do a 3-point turn and realized that my arms hurt too much to spin the wheel and my back was screaming when I had to turn around to shoulder check.

 I hope I'm not the only one who felt like that after this weekend's races.  First event of the season for me and we had a great turnout of top local paddlers and not just one race but two distance races and two sessions of multiple heat knockout sprint races.

10km buoy course on Saturday morning, 4 heats of 200m sprints Saturday afternoon, 7.5km buoy course on Sunday morning and 3 heats of 100m sprints on Sunday afternoon. It was a great way to kick off the season and great to see so many paddlers back out on the water.

It's definitely a testament to the growth of the sport when we start seeing that many paddlers in good shape this early in our season.  Maybe it was the relatively dry, mild winter we had and lack of snow on the mountains but it seems like more guys have been paddling and paddling hard throughout the winter.

I felt the benefits of my early start to the season at this weekends race.  The extra attention I put onto general fitness and cross training definitely helped me get through 2 days of multiple races.  The on-water training through some cold, wet ugly days definitely helped me hold off a few really strong paddlers (with some help from some capsizing OC's and swimming Matt Parkers)

Huge credit to Mathew Abbott who was able to squeeze out two victories on thee distance races this weekend.  We had some great back and forth position changes on both days and it made for a fun and exciting finish.  Both races though we benefited from a quick start and a bit of bad luck for the racers just behind us.  The 10km race saw a previously named paddler fall at the first buoy turn creating some mayhem at the corner allowing Matt and I to get a clear break off the start which me managed to hold for 10km with Matt outsprinting me at the finish.  The 7.5km race featured a mass start with sprint kayaks, sprint canoes, outriggers, sups and surf skis.  It was mayhem, but again due to a quick start and a bit of luck I managed to stay ahead of a capsizing OC1 which held back a few of my competitors.

It's too bad when a race is almost decided on the first buoy because of carnage but that's racing.  It really shows how much importance you should place on how you start your race.  Being even 1 board length ahead of the majority of the pack reduces so much chop and gives you a clear lane to paddle in.  Starts become to crucial in SUP because catching up to a paddler in front of you is very difficult. Unlike a running race or a cycling race, your sprint speed on a SUP is not considerably faster than your race or cruising speed and so closing gaps is difficult if not impossible.

So practice your starts!  and if you need or want help I'm always happy to offer my tips, tricks and suggestions at the next race or through a private lesson.

Great weekend of racing and I only have to wait 2 more days until the next one.  Our Tuesday Night Races in Deep Cove start up this Tuesday April 8th and will run every Tuesday until September so come on out and get racing!

The races are always fun but I can't say enough about how great the whole SUP community is here in BC and Washington.  I've made some amazing friends who are also wicked competitors but the vibe is still so positive and fun.  I cant say enough about how great it is to race within such a fun, positive and excited community.

Pre-Season Training

It's that time of year again!

Spring is not far away and I'm starting to see more and more people hitting the water or the gym to get ready for another season of paddling.

I have been hitting the gym, playing hockey, rock climbing, paddling and trying to mix up my workouts as much as possible to stay entertained and well rounded as I workout.

I've been spending time working with some awesome people at some local gyms and we've put together a couple of awesome exercises that I think are great for paddlers getting ready to start the season.

Thanks to Jian Pablico at Distrikt Movement in North Vancouver for setting me up with the battle ropes. Distrikt just opened up in January and has an awesome mix of crossfit/mma style conditioning classes along with some fun and challenging yoga classes.

Rope Slams are a great workout to develop some good explosive power.  This kind of power is great for starting a race, accelerating to pass or accelerating to catch a wave. The real benefit comes from the fact that it uses a wide range of large muscle groups and does not just isolate one muscle or group.

Cross Country skiing is a great way to cross train for SUP and this exercise is a great way to train for both. The bands allow you to get into the same rhythm as you would on your board and combined with another strength exercise it will keep your heart rate up while you train.

Workin' out with the Dog! Scott from Sundog Adventure Sports in White Rock as helped me with some meal/nutrition planning as well as some killer crossfit workouts.  Here's a couple gooders from Scott that target your paddling muscles.

This straight arm lat pull down will isolate some paddling specific muscles.  You don't need much weight to make it work and you need to keep a solid core through each stroke. You can experiment with different degrees of knee bend and forward bend just make sure you keep a strong core and back.

Wide grip pull ups are awesome for your lats.  As an alternative while you are on the bar try this one to help develop a strong core and shoulders.

Combine some of these exercises with your on water routine and you'll be laughin!

Be sure to check out Distrikt Movement in North Vancouver: http://www.distrikt.ca
and
Sundog Adventure Sports/ Westbeach Crossfit in White Rock: http://sundogadventuresports.com/

Winter Surf in Washington

Back from a few days of holiday surfing in Washington State and I'm ready to go back again.

I find myself heading down the I-5 to Washington a little more often these days for surf and I am usually not disappointed.  With a few well known spots like Westport, Crescent Beach and Hobuck there is always waves to be found.  If I had it my way I would be surfing in Tofino every other weekend but sadly the cost of getting on the ferry seems to send me down south instead.  There might be a little bit more driving but in the end I save money on ferries, gas and of course good ol' american cheap beer.

Trying to get to the nose on my 9'0 Starboard Converse

On this past trip I was able to connect with a couple Washington state locals who I have seen on the race circuit but not had the pleasure of surfing with yet.  Getting into the surf side by side with Renick Woods and Tom Hanny is a little bit more fun than trying to paddle harder than them at one of the many races we've been in together.

I went out on this trip solo and managed to score a couple of good sessions at Crescent Beach and Hobuck.  Crescent Beach is a great spot but tends to be a little bit tricky when checking the forecast for the right conditions.  The forecast looks great and you show up and those beauty conditions you saw online just aren't there.  This can happen at any surf spot but I know those who surf anywhere in the Strait of Juan de Fuca either on the Washington or Vancouver Island side know all too well how it feels to drive out to your local break and get skunked.  Regular grunts, complaints and cute pet names for surf forecasts website such as 'Tragic-Seaweed' or 'Black-Magic Seaweed'.

Looking for rights, Starboard 8'0 Pro and Werner Nitro

Either way there's always water to paddle on and fun to be had. As the season goes on I think I'll be bringing my 12'6 with me and if the surf is down there is usually somewhere nice to paddle or maybe some small rollers that only a bigger SUP could catch.

Plan is to head out again this weekend and hope for the best.  Winter swells tend to roll in pretty regularly but the challenge is usually finding shelter from the wind and chop.  Once again, all that matters is getting out on the water!  I have to get as much playtime in as I can before the real hard work on the water starts in getting ready for race season.  Paddle surfing is such a great way to boost your fitness and skills for flatwater racing and I never realize just how hard I'm working because it's too much fun.





As we get ready for the upcoming Spring I've been getting lots of questions about race dates and people planning their 2014 seasons.  Start your season off with a Surf Course in Tofino, run by Norm Hann, Catherine Bruhwiler and myself! E-mail for more information.

If you are looking for dates for local events, I have added as many as I know about to my event calendar on this blog so feel free to put them down on your calendar or let me know about any other events or races that might be relevant.   All of my dates are not 'official' so please consult with the various organizers and race directors for confirmation of tentative dates.

Thanks and see you on the water!

DRYSUITS! Must have.

Cold and clear makes for some amazing paddling conditions here in Vancouver but with the cold comes a whole new level of preparedness.

The only way to stay warm, dry and most importantly safe is to get yourself into a drysuit for winter paddling.

I have tried paddling in cold weather wearing just about every combination of gear and for me nothing beats a good drysuit.

Here's my pro argument followed by some responses to common anti-drysuit arguments.

PROS:
If you fall in the water, you can get back onto your board and still be dry underneath.

Reduce the cold water shock you feel when you hit the water.  See link:
http://beyondcoldwaterbootcamp.com/4-phases-of-cold-water-immersion

When you get onto your board to start your paddle you don't have to get your feet wet.

Mobility will never be as good as not wearing the suit but mobility in a drysuit is WAY better than a wetsuit

After your paddle you can take off your drysuit and get into your vehicle fully clothed. No more akward barefoot, towel, freezing in the parking lot situations.

If you paddle two days in a row your drysuit will be dry the next day....or even later that same day.

You will stay in better shape because you will get out on the water more often during the winter.

You will practice your skills during the winter because falling in the water practicing buoy turns isn't such a big deal.


CONS:
Price: Yes drysuits are more expensive than wetsuits but once you get one you will never go back and your comfort and safety are well worth the extra dough. Talk to anyone who purchased a drysuit and I promise that none of them regret spending the money.

Overheating:  Yes, when compared to non-immersion gear you will get warm with a drysuit on.  Sometimes you might even get too hot while you paddle.  Cooling off is never hard.  Just a quick dip into the water and you can bring your temp down and keep on paddling.  Overheating may also occur if you purchase a lower quality suit.  Gore-tex suits provide the best breathability and will reduce heat and moisture build up.

I am a little bit partial when it comes to my brand of choice but I have a lot of experience with Kokatat drysuits and I believe they make the best suits on the market.

Kokatat suits are durable, breathable and full featured.

My suit of choice for day paddles or short fitness paddles is the Kokatat Lightweight Goretex Suit. This suit is the lightest weight and most breathable suit in the Kokatat line. It features Gore-tex socks which is a must have. They keep your feet warm and dry and allow you to wear whatever socks you want underneath. This suit also has a neoprene neck which isn't fully waterproof but is much more comfortable to paddle in and will still keep most water out as long as your not spending long periods of time with your head under.
http://kokatat.com/products/paddling-suits/gore-texr-lightweight-paddling-suit-men-radish-gray.html






My suit of choice for bad weather and expedition paddling is the Kokatat Expedition Suit. This suit has it all.  Pockets, socks, durable exterior and a hood.  Kokatat is also the first company to allow online personalization and customization of your suit.  Check out the website and play around with the GIZMO customizer.  This allows you to custom tailor the suit to your size, choose your fabric options, select your pockets and features and most importantly colour.

I ordered my suit earlier this year and its been great so far.  I went for a conservative blue and black colour option but I am most pleased with the custom fit.  After plugging in my measurements, my custom suit is a medium suit with a couple inches added to the arms and legs.  This makes for a slimmer fitting suit that has enough length for me. In the past I have been using a Large suit which was quite baggy in the legs and torso.

Get onto the Kokatat website and play around with a custom suit for yourself!
http://kokatat.com/products/custom.html

Drysuits for winter paddling are a must have and something I would never be without!

Semiahmoo SUP Classic and BC SUP Cup Points

Awesome day of racing out in sunny White Rock!  As usual, it was a well organized and well run event by Scott and Kim from Sundog with help from their wonderful friends and family.

Leading up to this race I was eyeing the registration list and finding out who was planning on attending. I figured it was going to be the strongest field of racers this season and I was not disappointed. Looking around before the race I was thinking there must be easily 9 or 10 racers that were going to compete for spots on the podium.

I had a chance to review the race course with Scott prior to the pre-race meeting and was stoked to find out it was going to include some turns.  I generally paddle better when I have short-term goals like a buoy to reach rather than a seemingly unreachable finish line that I can't see yet.  I jumped out to a quick start and was not surprised to see Stu Robinson getting off to an even faster start.  We may have been slightly ahead but I knew there were a lot of paddlers battling for position as we sprinted to the first buoy turn.

The course was a three-pronged buoy course with a central buoy that each paddler had to come back to 3 times.  This meant about 6 or 7 buoy turns were included in the course that was just under 10km.  The course design also allowed you to double back on the pack and see who was battling behind or in front of you.  It is a lot of fun when you can cheer on your fellow racers and see who is at the front.

As usual there was some drafting going on out there but it seemed to be all done with good etiquette and class. I have to give Matt Parker some credit for jumping off his board to pull a weed from Norm Hann's fin.  It would have been easy to let Norm drag that weed around and get tired but Matt showed some class jumping in the help another racer who was ahead of him at the time.  Gotta give Norm credit as well for slowing down to let Matt catch up again.  I go back and forth with my opinions on drafting but when it's done within a group of good competitors and good guys it really just makes the race a bit more exciting and interesting.

The lead pack shifted a few times but as the race progressed the top 3 pulled away from me and seemed to just slowly get further and further.  I paddled with Matt Abbott for a while before he dropped back a bit (which is unlike him) and I ended up finishing the race on my own in 4th place. Lina finished just behind me and I figured if the race was about 2km longer she probably would just got faster and passed me.  Overall, it was a great course with some amazing competitors and an awesome location.

Big thanks for Scott, Kim and the whole Sundog crew for putting together another great event!

The Sundog Semiahmoo SUP Classic was the last qualifying race in the BC SUP Cup Series prior to the finals.  See below for a full list of BC SUP Cup Standings leading into the finals at Jericho beach on August 24th.

If you are on this list you have completed at least 2 races in the same category at the qualifying races.  You may have done more than two but I have added up your two best scores.  If you have any questions or if I have done some incorrect math, please let me know and we can get it sorted out!

Women and SUP

While I may not be fully qualified to discuss the role of women in the sport of SUP I can’t help but notice that there is an abundance of exceptional women in the sport.  Surfing and any racing sport are generally dominated by men.  While the majority of racers are still men, the numbers are a lot closer when comparing to other sports.  

It is great to see that we have a strong female influence in the sport and that there are so many couples that are getting out and paddling together.  One of the many unique and exceptional aspects of stand up paddling is that, for the most part, men and women can use the same equipment.  Unlike many other outdoor activities like mountain biking skiing or snowboarding, couples can share the same equipment to get out and paddle on their own or have some slightly different gear to allow for paddling together.

While there are some big name female paddlers that I could mention like Candice Appleby, Anabel Anderson, Brandi Baksic, Nikki Gregg etc.  It is exciting to see some local women who are leaders in the SUP industry in BC and Canada.  Lina Augaitis, Catherine Bruhwiler, Kristy Wright and Shannon Bell are just a few of the exceptional local ladies in the sport of SUP. I have had the pleasure of paddling with and working with these women and it should be noted that they are doing exceptional things as females and paddlers in the sport.

Lina Augaitis is usually leading the female race pack and also most of the men's pack.  I don’t think she has lost a race in Canada yet and is always finding new ways to push the sport.  She paddled the Yukon River by SUP, competed in the biggest races in the world, island hopped in South East Asia and is currently training to compete in the world famous Molokai to Oahu race.

Catherine Bruhwiler has always been a leader in the women's surfing world but has taken to SUP in the surf capital of Canada, Tofino.  Cath owns her own SUP company, Tofino Paddlesurf, she won her first race this season, she is leading the way for SUP surf instruction and coastal touring on the West Coast.  She has also just finished her apprenticeship to become an Instructor Trainer within the Paddle Canada SUP program.

Kristy Wright is a business owner in Vancouver and leads the SUP Yoga scene.  Travelling around North America to teach SUP Yoga, Kristy continues to be a leader in the SUP scene and gets new people into the sport every day. Kristy has also completed her Instructor Trainer status with Paddle Canada.

Shannon Bell competed for Canada at the World Championships in Peru this year coming in 3rd place in her respective categories.  She is a SUP instructor, competes with all of the boys at local races and is an inspiration to athletes in the sport as well as athletes and Moms!

I wouldn’t say that I overlooked the local female paddling talent but as I was thinking over the past few weeks I tried doing some comparisons to other sports and there is no question we have some exceptional female leaders, paddlers and teachers in the sport of SUP.

I hope that these ladies continue to inspire others to begin paddling, teaching, racing and surfing and pushing their limits in a new sport.  I also hope that more people take notice of how unique it is to have such great female role models in a brand new sport!

SUP Instruction

I have been teaching paddling for a number of years now and it is a very fun an interesting part of my job.  I am always excited to teach, especially running courses with stoked and excited paddlers.  I have added a new section to my blog/website that outlines some of the SUP specific instruction I will be doing throughout the year.  Please check them out and if you are interested in learning some more please get in touch!

Advanced Flatwater Paddling Skills Clinic  - $95 per person

This 3 hour course introduces novice SUP Paddlers to the skills needed to progress into more dynamic water conditions. Learn the proper technique for pivot turns, bracing, catching waves and downwind paddling.  This course is also the pre-requisite for becoming a Flatwater SUP Instructor.  Saturdays May 18, June 8, July 13

Stroke Efficiency Clinic: Racing or Touring - $200 per person

Proper technique in your forward stroke will allow you to become a faster and more efficient paddler.  With 1 on 1 coaching and video analysis we can improve your stroke and efficiency on the water.

3 hour sessions available upon request

Paddle Canada Flatwater SUP Instructor Course - $350 per person

Learn the tips and tricks of the trade in this 2.5 day course.  Becoming an instructor will give you a greater understanding of all of the basic and intermediate flatwater skills.  Become certified to teach lessons under the Paddle Canada Instructor program.

May 4,5,11 & June 14-16 in Deep Cove

Ocean Navigation for Stand Up Paddlers - $95 per person

Learn the skills needed to safely navigate and paddle in the ocean.  This course will provide paddlers with the knowledge needed to read marine charts and understand marine weather forecasts.  These skills will make you a safer paddler and allow you to have more fun out on the water. 

May 15 & June 19

Intro to River SUP - $110 per person

River paddling is a great way to challenge yourself in a new and exciting environment.  In this course we will learn the basic skills needed to choose appropriate rivers to paddle and how to stay safe on the water. This half day course will take place in the lower mainland depending on water levels and conditions.

Dates to be confirmed: Late May/Early June

Skookumchuck Rapids:  SUP Surf Course - $350 per person

Have you ever wanted to surf a wave for 5 minutes?  The standing wave at Skookumchuck gives you that opportunity.  Learn the basics of understanding tidal currents and how to safely paddle in this environment.  This multi-day course includes flatwater training and a multi-day trip to the Sunshine Coast to experience stand up surfing at Skook!

Dates to be confirmed: August 2013