Author Topic: Downwind average and peak speeds?  (Read 7905 times)

Argosi

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Downwind average and peak speeds?
« on: November 24, 2014, 02:07:56 PM »
Ethan Koopmans recently broke the Cape Town Downwind Race record with a time of 42:07 over the 10.1km (6.28 mile) course: http://www.supracer.com/downwind-stand-paddling-cape-town-ethan-koopmans-record/  That's an average speed of 14.39kph (8.94mph). They often get excellent downwind conditions on that course. The average for the straight downwind part of the course would've been a bit higher though.

I'm wondering what some other downwind runs are getting in terms of distance, times, and average and peak speeds?

For example, I'd be curious to see what the average speeds are for a Maliko run - at least for the downwind portion (excluding the time paddling out in the Gulch and at the finish).

What about some other nice downwind runs elsewhere?

Of course the results will vary depending on the paddler, so some indication of paddler experience/speed would also be helpful.

In our downwinders on our big lake, on a good day, the average speed might be about 11kph for a mediocre paddler like me. When I checked out my GPS record, the speed when on a good bump was about 15kph averaged out over about 30 seconds. Peak speed would've been higher but I don't know how high. We get shorter, steeper bumps on our lake so it's harder to ride them for very long. I'm jealous of those nice long rides I see in places like Maliko or Melbourne.

but not much more than that. 

Off-Shore

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2014, 03:33:58 PM »
Our speeds vary depending on conditions and wind / swell direction compared to tidal currents. My average sustained speeds on a good day over 10kms is similar to yours, around 11kph, with some 1km laps at 13 - 13.5kph. We get some good ocean swells building up in places, and so our top peak speeds can be 20kph+. Staying on those bumps for any length of time is a challenge unless the wind is a perfect strength. Too little and they are hard to catch, and too much they are hard to stay on ;)
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headmount

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2014, 03:38:04 PM »
The very best guys are averaging 8-9.5 mph on the good part of the Maliko run that you described.  Lesser paddlers  average between 6.5 and 7 mph.  These times are on good days.  Of course averages are hammered by falls and or bad sections of the run.  In the winter it's very rare we get the whole run consistently good.  Inevitably you run into something that slows you down.  That's why I don't concern myself with averages too much.  Each day will be so different.

I've worn a GPS and have seen spikes up to 17mph.  That occurs when you have a doubled up stack of swells that you drop into and are found on only one section of the run.  More common big spikes are between 9-12mph but you know you're board is breaking loose on a glide when as low as 6-7mph.  Riding a whitewater on a wave is around 7mph.

Over in Kihei on the southside of Maui we can get higher averages with less high spikes because of what is sometimes an incredibly organized surface.  It contrasts with a Maliko run surface that can be at times very crossed up and difficult.

The day I shot Conner on the M2M, he averaged over 11 mph from Kamalo to Kaunakakai (Molokai), about 12 miles.  That stretch could very well be the best in the world. Organized like Kihei but as big as Maliko.  If you watch my vid, Kamalo Speedway, you'll see what that speed looks like.
« Last Edit: November 24, 2014, 03:39:51 PM by headmount »

headmount

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2014, 03:56:23 PM »
Sorry about lack of Canadian metric. 

Off-Shore

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2014, 03:56:45 PM »
Thanks HM. That's great info. I have added the approx conversion to kms / kph to your response for those of us used to measuring in metric units  Hope you don't mind! Your vids of Connor are what inspired me to downwind.

The very best guys are averaging 8-9.5 mph (12.9 - 15.3kph) on the good part of the Maliko run that you described.  Lesser paddlers  average between 6.5 and 7 mph (10.4 - 11.3kph).  These times are on good days.  Of course averages are hammered by falls and or bad sections of the run.  In the winter it's very rare we get the whole run consistently good.  Inevitably you run into something that slows you down.  That's why I don't concern myself with averages too much.  Each day will be so different.

I've worn a GPS and have seen spikes up to 17mph (27.3kph).  That occurs when you have a doubled up stack of swells that you drop into and are found on only one section of the run.  More common big spikes are between 9-12mph (14.5- 19.3kph) but you know you're board is breaking loose on a glide when as low as 6-7mph (9.6 - 11.8kph). Riding a whitewater on a wave is around 7mph. (11.3kph)

Over in Kihei on the southside of Maui we can get higher averages with less high spikes because of what is sometimes an incredibly organized surface.  It contrasts with a Maliko run surface that can be at times very crossed up and difficult.

The day I shot Conner on the M2M, he averaged over 11 mph (17.7kph)  from Kamalo to Kaunakakai (Molokai), about 12 miles (19.3kms).  That stretch could very well be the best in the world. Organized like Kihei but as big as Maliko.  If you watch my vid, Kamalo Speedway, you'll see what that speed looks like.
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covesurfer

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #5 on: November 24, 2014, 04:10:19 PM »
Thanks HM. That's great info. I have added the approx conversion to kms / kph to your response for those of us used to measuring in metric units  Hope you don't mind! Your vids of Connor are what inspired me to downwind.

Me too. Blame HM.

Eagle

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #6 on: November 24, 2014, 04:33:30 PM »
Me three - especially this classic -

http://youtu.be/FNnFl39u9zc
Fast is FUN!   8)
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LaPerouseBay

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #7 on: November 24, 2014, 08:36:35 PM »

The very best guys are averaging 8-9.5 mph on the good part of the Maliko run that you described.
 

They go a lot faster than that HM.  9 miles in 54 minutes is 10mph.  They start their watches outside the gulch and stop at the harbor entrance or the green bouy.  Ask Connor what his best time is.  I'll bet it's sub 54.
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gorgebob

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #8 on: November 24, 2014, 09:51:13 PM »
The Gorge downwind race of 8 miles is done against the current at just over an hour for the pros. Best guess would be a 10mph average with a 2 mph current. The second half of the double down this year was side wind fro hell, which I had never seen in the Gorge before. Glad to have just done the mortal one timer.
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PonoBill

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #9 on: November 24, 2014, 10:03:46 PM »
Yeah, I've never seen a true south wind in the Gorge before. sometimes a blast comes down the White Salmon river and gives us a north wind, but never straight south.

I'm not very fast and my best Viento time was 1:12 last year on my new Bullet 17. Current was probably 2mph against me, wind was XXXnuke. Eight miles, 1:12 = 6.66 MPH average.
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headmount

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #10 on: November 24, 2014, 11:06:21 PM »

The very best guys are averaging 8-9.5 mph on the good part of the Maliko run that you described.
 

They go a lot faster than that HM.  9 miles in 54 minutes is 10mph.  They start their watches outside the gulch and stop at the harbor entrance or the green bouy.  Ask Connor what his best time is.  I'll bet it's sub 54.

Guess you didn't read the part where I wrote about Conner doing 11mph for the Kamalo stretch. 

LaPerouseBay

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2014, 08:11:10 AM »

The very best guys are averaging 8-9.5 mph on the good part of the Maliko run that you described.
 

They go a lot faster than that HM.  9 miles in 54 minutes is 10mph.  They start their watches outside the gulch and stop at the harbor entrance or the green bouy.  Ask Connor what his best time is.  I'll bet it's sub 54.

Guess you didn't read the part where I wrote about Conner doing 11mph for the Kamalo stretch.

Kamalo 'aint Maliko, Uncle Bill.  I'm only trying to illustrate how fast the pro's really are at Maliko. 
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Argosi

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #12 on: November 25, 2014, 03:55:11 PM »
For the Maliko run, it's useful to know how fast the fastest in the world is in perfect conditions (Connor) as well as mere mortals in good conditions and really fast paddlers who are not Connor.


Argosi

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #13 on: November 25, 2014, 04:05:11 PM »
The Gorge downwind race of 8 miles is done against the current at just over an hour for the pros. Best guess would be a 10mph average with a 2 mph current. The second half of the double down this year was side wind fro hell, which I had never seen in the Gorge before. Glad to have just done the mortal one timer.

I've never downwinded in an upwind current . So does averaging just under 8mph against a 2mph current feel like going 10mph without a current? Those are very impressive speeds for a river.
« Last Edit: November 25, 2014, 04:11:31 PM by Argosi »

PonoBill

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Re: Downwind average and peak speeds?
« Reply #14 on: November 25, 2014, 06:17:21 PM »
No, most of the time when you're gliding a little current has minimal effect. It slows the wave speed but that makes it easier to link them up. Depending on conditions the current running against you can perhaps make you faster. When it gets above four or five MPH then that's no longer true.

In other words, it's a complicated question with a useless answer.
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