Battle of the Paddle 2014 at Salt Creek... Are you going? What Class? What Race?

[kayadogg]

Another fon day. Got beaten by the standamaran dammit, but other than that it was great.

I didn't think Dr. Bob finished today, did he?  He didn't have results listed.  Today was fun, pretty messy start, I got worked trying to get out but eventually made it but knew I had no chance of being competitive in my division. Caught a fun wave coming in so that was good. The worst part of the day was carrying my board back to the car, that walk was bad yesterday after being in the sun all day but today after 8 miles, it was torture.

I'm surprised that the distances were so off from the advertised distances... 2.9 miles for the open yesterday and 8.0 today for the distance. Unless my GPS watch was way off but I don't think it was.

[PonoBill]

I guess he didnt  I saw him up ahead of me on the second llap, but never saw him on the beach  I had so much trouble with kelp in the rudder I ws sure I finished behind him, but he was announced as second?? 

I saw Kayadog on the podium yesterday, first in the surf division, which reminds me, hey dude, where's my board? Im leaving tomorrow.

saw zane in a wheelchair today with his foot bandaged up. still grinning of course, and he was blasting down the hill with a buddy trying to serve as brake.

[mastman]

I’m trying to have a positive attitude and maintain some aloha but I have some sour grapes coming away from this event. 

For starters, I was the only dork who thought “wearable PFD” meant you had to be wearing a PFD – not wearing a belt pack with an inflatable PFD inside a pouch.  I was the only loser wearing an actual PFD.  What is the point of requiring PFDs if you aren’t required to wear them?  Honestly, if you get into distress in serious surf break (like hit your head on an out-of-control race board), an inflatable PFD in a pouch around your waist isn’t going to do any damn good at all.  It didn’t effect my performance and no one gave me any shit for looking like a Barney, but sheesh.

I could go on, but I don’t want to sound like a crazy person, so rant over.  Maybe in a month or two, I will look back at this more fondly, but right now, I’ll more than a little bit bitter about a lot of things.  In a nutshell: this sport is becoming inaccessible for a lot of people.

Congrats to Kai and Candice.  They were amazing and you couldn’t ask for better ambassadors of our sport.

[laszlo]

I had so much trouble with kelp in the rudder

Bill, I assume you were dealing with eel grass, no? I can't imagine not using a weed fin in SoCal because of eel grass. Larger kelp beds can be avoided, but eel grass is everywhere, just like the floating weeds in the Gorge.

It seems that weeds are the Achilles' Heel of ruddered boards.

[JayInSoCal]

I’m trying to have a positive attitude and maintain some aloha but I have some sour grapes coming away from this event. 

For starters, I was the only dork who thought “wearable PFD” meant you had to be wearing a PFD – not wearing a belt pack with an inflatable PFD inside a pouch.  I was the only loser wearing an actual PFD.  What is the point of requiring PFDs if you aren’t required to wear them?  Honestly, if you get into distress in serious surf break (like hit your head on an out-of-control race board), an inflatable PFD in a pouch around your waist isn’t going to do any damn good at all.  It didn’t effect my performance and no one gave me any shit for looking like a Barney, but sheesh.

Well that's funny, cuz I was lined up to race and had a cheap orange PFD attached to my board(I had tried to get a PFD from the USCG tent but they ran out at 8AM).  A race official came over, asked where my PFD was , I showed him, and he told me I had to wear it.  I tried to reason with him as the guidelines stated a you had to have a "wearable PFD" not that you "had to wear a PFD" (maybe this is something I lost in translation).  Anyway, turns out the PFD I had didn't really fit, and even if it did wearing it would have been more dangerous (imagine not being able to duck under water when a big whitewash loaded up with 14' boards starts heading your way).  Anyway after a little back and forth this dude wouldn't let me race.  I agree with you, the PFD requirement was silly, the biggest danger was getting knocked out from a flying board in which case an inflatable PFD is pointless, but a standard PFD would prevent you from getting to safety. 

[mastman]

Jay-  That sucks!  I definitely would have noticed someone with an orange toilet seat PFD.  Sorry to hear they wouldn't let you race.

[kayadogg]

I guess he didnt  I saw him up ahead of me on the second llap, but never saw him on the beach  I had so much trouble with kelp in the rudder I ws sure I finished behind him, but he was announced as second?? 

I saw Kayadog on the podium yesterday, first in the surf division, which reminds me, hey dude, where's my board? Im leaving tomorrow.

saw zane in a wheelchair today with his foot bandaged up. still grinning of course, and he was blasting down the hill with a buddy trying to serve as brake.

I dropped it off around 6PM last night... put back inside the walkway. I just uploaded my Garmin race info and my average speed on your Starboard for the Open race was 4.6mph and my avg speed on my 12'6 Rogue for the distance race was 4.6mph.  I know that the distance race was about 3 times as long but still... I fell in about 4 times during the distance race from my board being too narrow, being too tired, being too hungry, being too unprepared... etc, etc.  Something to be said for a more stable board. I think I would have been faster on the Starboard yesterday. Thanks again!

[SaMoSUP]

It was a great event for the spectator, seems like mixed feelings for the competitors, and not as good as last year for the vendors. I thought what was really missing this year was the coziness of the past events and how everyone could just hop on a board and just paddle around even if you're not competing. So much for the participation aspect of this event.

And the separation by a long walk uphill/downhill of the vendors and the race venue was not ideal. While logistically they seemed to have it together, it was still a major hassle to get around. Oh and who's idea was it to put the competitor lunches near the top of the hill furthest away from the competition venue?

The overnight board storage security was a joke. I picked up my boards without anyone stopping to check my claim ticket. I could have easily grabbed anyone's board.

As for the PFD issue, it was funny how so many of them self inflated and were basically useless.

Best part of this event for me was staying at the Ritz. I'll be back next year if it's at Salt Creek again just for that.

[JayInSoCal]

And the separation by a long walk uphill/downhill of the vendors and the race venue was not ideal. While logistically they seemed to have it together, it was still a major hassle to get around. Oh and who's idea was it to put the competitor lunches near the top of the hill furthest away from the competition venue?

I think I hiked up that hill 5 times on Sat and it was a killer each time.  By the end of the day I was exhausted just from the heat and the hike.  I'm glad I planned ahead and got a parking spot in the Salt Creek lot at 5AM, it would have been Hell waiting for the shuttle in the heat after that final hike. 

[kayadogg]

My biggest complaint was that they didn't pump the PA from the beach up to the vendor village. That fact alone would have made it better, at least being able to hear where the races were at and who was leading, etc.  If it's at Salt Creek again next year, I hope at the very least that they change it so people in the park, beer garden and vendor village can hear what's going on.

[SaMoSUP]

They should get a Jumbotron next year and put it by the beer garden or on the stage. That would be perfect for spectating and attract crowds. Rumors are flying that it'll be in Salt Creek again next year.

My biggest complaint was that they didn't pump the PA from the beach up to the vendor village. That fact alone would have made it better, at least being able to hear where the races were at and who was leading, etc.  If it's at Salt Creek again next year, I hope at the very least that they change it so people in the park, beer garden and vendor village can hear what's going on.

[JayInSoCal]

Since I didn't get to race, I took a bunch of pics (700+).  I was going to try and post process a bunch, but it's just took much work.  All the pics straight from the camera are here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/overxposed/sets/72157648086980267/

Mostly of the open race.  I took all the pics in RAW format, but they are uploaded as jpeg.  If you see yourself in a pic and want the RAW file, PM me the pic file number and I'll send you RAW file.  If  you don't care about the RAW file, you can save the jpeg and do what you want with it.  Here are a few pics I did post process.  The orange helmeted rider is PonoBill, and the other rider is Kayadogg.  There are a few of some carnage too. 

[PonoBill]

That helmet was awful. Besides the special olympics element, it was hot and uncomfortable. It grabbed my attention so many times when I should have been focused on stroke. I would have ditched it on course, but I didn't have a hat. as it is I have four somewhat red dots on top of my head. In the melee for the botched distance race start (thanks for that, announcers) I lost my hat anyway (and my ankle brace, and my kelp deflector).

I got the board Kaya, and the coco juice--thank you. I've been singing the praises of the 12'2" so long that I"m sure everyone is sick of hearing about it. Mr. Kayadogg kicked ass in the surfboard class with it. 

[stoneaxe]

I think I'd pay $ for some closeup pics of you in that helmet. That said I think i would have worn one too.

Maybe spray paint one silver and blue and get some Red Bull stickers....folks would think you ride for the RB geriatric team....

[PonoBill]

I'll send you mine--save you $39. I'll never wear one again. Probably.

As for closeups, Diane tried to take one and I ran like crazylegs. I'm pretty sure I know how I look like in the thing. I stuck it on in the store and Diane immediately gave me a hug and said "good job, Billy..."  Funny girl.