BOP Crash Kai v Connor

[starman]

I'm just glad Conner took a stand on the issue. I remember seeing Conner getting his board being beat like a drum as he was being drafted by Kai at some race this summer but without much comment from the media about this tactic. Fast forward to the BOP and now it's Kai trying to drive him off of a wave. I guess if you can't beat Conner in a sprint you better knock him down any chance you get.

I think Conner was correct in saying that they both should have been DQ'd for that exchange. Instead the tactics employed by Kai wins him another BOP trophy which had to have been presented with the tarnish already starting to show.

[Eagle]

Those boys have been scrapping tooth and nail for top spot for a while now.  For sure they need to sort it at some point as wiping yourselves out normally costs both racers to lose a race.  Kai was very lucky to have time to just catch that last wave to shore passing Jake and Danny.  Connor talking about DQs would limit future fades pushes grabs retaliation etc.  Safer but less contact action for spectators.  Interesting to see how this plays out down the line.

[SUPcheat]

This was a shot from a different race that I thought was a bit odd.  Looks like he is getting ready to nut slam the guy in front with his board.

[Eagle]

From Caribsurf's SI link -

http://www.si.com/edge/2014/10/06/battle-of-the-paddle-sup-rides-wave-of-popularity

"It's broken dreams, broken boards, and hopefully not any broken limbs," said Kai Lenny. "That's what makes it such a spectacle and that's what people like. They want to see the crashes and the wipeouts."

Valid BOP = carnage > - but interestingly no comment on handle grabs ..... 
The double DQ position would make Jake very happy. 

[SeaMe]

This was a shot from a different race that I thought was a bit odd.  Looks like he is getting ready to nut slam the guy in front with his board.

That is from the Ultimate SUP Showdown at around the 36:10 mark. Zane put his board on top of Jake's board and between Jake's legs. To hear the sidekick's commentary (not Chuck), it was amazing. From my chair, I no longer felt like I was watching a race, I felt like I was watching drunken frat boys goofing off.

A little later in the Showdown—about 37:30—Kai intentionally started bumping Connor. With all that freakin' ocean and an insane lead over the rest of the pack it was completely unnecessary and just made Kai look like a jerk IMO. Watching then I thought that the longer race organizers failed to put some rules about contact in place, the uglier it was going to get. And behold:



Kai can spin it however he wants, but you better believe that every time his win at this event is mentioned this photo is going to ride shotgun. It's a pity that nonsense will overshadow what's truly a joy to watch: skill.

[ZooSUP]

It seems like this is turning into more of a "who do you support more: Kai or Connor" debate than anything. As tDude says, "that's like, your opinion, man", I think that niether of them are innocent in this case.

Granted, I'm certainly not even close to sniffing thier level, but even at local races, "rubbing is racing" happens. There have been numerous times where I have been clipped in the back of the legs by someone's board coming around a buoy, inducing a spill. Never had to share a wave with someone during a race, but I suppose that's due to the flatwater 

[Eagle]

Starboard via Matty is making a pretty strong point at 5:22 with the slo mo -



Maybe Naish will have a little chat with Kai due to all those damn pics and vids flooding the net ... 

Both paddlers are stars - but antics like that should stop and likely will.

[kayadogg]

For what it's worth, I heard that on Sunday Connor protested the fact that he and Kai were not disqualified but BOP rules say that any appeal or protest must be made within 15 minutes of the last participant's finish. He said that they both should be DQ'd because they're not setting a good example for the sport.

If that's the case, props to him. Wonder if Kai will publicly speak about this now that all of these clips and pictures are floating around.

[Eagle]

It is very likely that both Svein and Bobby have had discussions with their respective charges over the incident.

Like in yacht races formal protests must be heard within a specific timeframe.  Competitors and the race committee can file them and they will be heard.  Evidence is submitted.

Kai likely will not step up since he won.  If he placed very low maybe.  Most races count for points - and every point can count in the yearend tally.  The $ at stake for the manufacturers is huge and blowing up.  Top rider top brand top dollar top sales.

No doubt the incident is terrible for both individuals and brands.  You know Jake is hoping Kai will "retire after finishing" if that is in the rules.  Unlikely but you never know.

[Area 10]

For what it's worth, I heard that on Sunday Connor protested the fact that he and Kai were not disqualified but BOP rules say that any appeal or protest must be made within 15 minutes of the last participant's finish. He said that they both should be DQ'd because they're not setting a good example for the sport.

If that's the case, props to him. Wonder if Kai will publicly speak about this now that all of these clips and pictures are floating around.

Props to him? That's not how I see it. I reckon he's just willing to throw away his 5th place - which is no use to him - in order to remove Kai's win. These two seem to have got to the point where they care less about the race than about stopping the other one coming home in front. Idiots.

[SaMoSUP]

BREAKING NEWS: SUP is now officially a professional sport. This is what happens when you've sold out the sport. These guys aren't having fun, they're competing for money and fame. It's gotten to their heads. There's no stoke there. Happens to everyone. Just look at Justin Bieber.

Stuff like this goes on in all professional sports...baseball, football, soccer, basketball, boxing, auto racing. Recall the incident where Tony Stewart killed Kevin Ward in a NASCAR race.

Read somewhere that Danny was yelling at the two to quit it and focus on the race. It looked like from some of the videos, Danny also almost got clipped by the shenanigans of both kids. Imagine if they crashed into him too.

Also, Kai did address this issue in the beach interview right after the race. He probably knew Connor would protest so he got ahead of it.

[stoneaxe]

A little later in the Showdown—about 37:30—Kai intentionally started bumping Connor. With all that freakin' ocean and an insane lead over the rest of the pack it was completely unnecessary and just made Kai look like a jerk IMO. Watching then I thought that the longer race organizers failed to put some rules about contact in place, the uglier it was going to get.

That's what I was referring to earlier....I think if you came up from behind in any other race I can think of and smashed into the back of the leader in what seemed like an attempt to knock him down you would be disqualified.
It's a fine line though and I'd hate to see the rules be too limiting. Not sure what the answer is.  I remember a thread here from I think the second BOP where an elite racer from PR had blood drawn from getting whacked multiple times with a paddle.....pretty much everyone then said it was just part of the race if my memory is correct.

On another note....looked like there were some unregistered racers in the waves....check out Matty's vid at 2:42...in the wave.....dolphin?

[yugi]

^
I saw that! The underwater wave rider.

But I didn't see any Showdown footage (other than tin snippets). Anywhere online we could pick that up?

[kayadogg]

On another note....looked like there were some unregistered racers in the waves....check out Matty's vid at 2:42...in the wave.....dolphin?

Yep.  At one point there were two of them surfing a wave in, it was awesome.

[peterp]

^
I saw that! The underwater wave rider.

But I didn't see any Showdown footage (other than tin snippets). Anywhere online we could pick that up?

Showdown footage is here:

I don't see anything untoward in either riders racing in the Showdown, that slight coming together around 37.30 doesn't disadvantage Connor one bit and has got to be par for the course...if you are going to try and stop that you might as well set up lanes......

Around here we have a gentleman rule that says you should allow paddler next to you enough room to keep paddling, at starts and around buoys that can't always happen....Connor seems to be the aggressor at both Huntington and the BOP (which makes Kai retaliate), makes you wonder if there have been other prior incidents and whether they are both laughing it off now?