BOP Crash Kai v Connor

[DavidJohn]

 

[Chilly]

That was awesome. The boulder on the shore looked deadly!

[PT Woody]

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.

To put a context on that, 3 or 4 years ago when Connor won his first BOP, he was trailing Danny and Jamie (I think), and as the lead pair caught a wave and were riding, Connor had to paddle his guts out to climb over the back of the wave to join them for the ride into the beach. If he missed that wave, he never would have stayed with them and would not go on to win. As he made the drop, Danny looked across and applauded him. No attempt to block, just total appreciation for the effort. Similarly Jamie's gesture to Caspar at the ISA world titles a couple years back. These older guys know where it's at. It's the damn kids who have lost all perspective.

[Bean]

These older guys know where it's at. It's the damn kids who have lost all perspective.

Or, has the sport just become that much more competitive.  Both Kai and Connor are great ambassadors of SUP and their current rivalry will only serve to elevate the sport.  Ultimately, they are competing for their own livelihood.

[TallDude]

Notice how much bigger the waves were at low tide during the open race. Great time to start the race. Notice how the announcer says everyone is coming out of the water with a smile on their face. "I guess if Sparky's paying you..." I got hit by a bunch of those boards. Funny thing, It hurt. Almost like a Jack Ass movie. 

[stoneaxe]

Any serious injuries?....amazing if not. That carnage was nuts. Watching some of those waves just swallow paddler after paddler....all those big boards flying.....

[greatdane]

I got wiped out on this buoy turn (I'm on the red Laird) I was pretty bummed because there was at least $20 in trophies on the line that day (-:

[southwesterly]

It's no wonder they hate us. If it was surf contest that would be one thing. But to take over one of the premier surf spots on one of the last south swells of summer, just to watch top athletes cope with the conditions on the wrong equipment for the conditions? Not to take anything away from anybody that competed, but that video makes stand up look pretty bad.

[SeaMe]

The gal in Jersey 45 or 49, that is standing on the inside of her board, which is parallel to the beach and gets picked up by a wave, (at 2:54 in the vid): OUCH!

I don't surf and even I know rule number one is that you don't let a board get between you and wave.

It's no wonder they hate us. If it was surf contest that would be one thing. But to take over one of the premier surf spots on one of the last south swells of summer, just to watch top athletes cope with the conditions on the wrong equipment for the conditions? Not to take anything away from anybody that competed, but that video makes stand up look pretty bad.

I thought I read in a lead up article (I'll try to find the link) that the idea was that the surf would still be accessible to non-event folks between heats. Was that not the case?

[Bean]

That's a good one to know SeaMe, I expect to see you in out the surf next summer.

SW, let's not make excuses, beaches get shut down for all sorts of activities, no apologies for putting on a great (clean) event.

[pdxmike]

I got wiped out on this buoy turn (I'm on the red Laird) I was pretty bummed because there was at least $20 in trophies on the line that day (-:

Greatdane--seeing that photo just confirms my decision to stay home that day due to the conditions.

[stoneaxe]

It's no wonder they hate us. If it was surf contest that would be one thing. But to take over one of the premier surf spots on one of the last south swells of summer, just to watch top athletes cope with the conditions on the wrong equipment for the conditions? Not to take anything away from anybody that competed, but that video makes stand up look pretty bad.

What does the type of event have to do with it? Doesn't a surf event shut down access for those not competing? Wrong equipment?....it's a race. Run what ya brung! I don't think the video hurts SUP at all. I had to laugh at the Surfer forum comments about the coming carnage....like we all weren't hoping for some....part of what the BOP is known for.  In fact I think it shows that there are a lot of folks that have some serious gonads going for it.

[BWilliam]

"Back home we got a ding repair man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him!!"


 
Will

[greatdane]

I got wiped out on this buoy turn (I'm on the red Laird) I was pretty bummed because there was at least $20 in trophies on the line that day (-:

Greatdane--seeing that photo just confirms my decision to stay home that day due to the conditions.

Hahaha! Yeah it was epic that day Mike, and by epic I mean flat, warm and beautiful (-:

[kayadogg]

It's no wonder they hate us. If it was surf contest that would be one thing. But to take over one of the premier surf spots on one of the last south swells of summer, just to watch top athletes cope with the conditions on the wrong equipment for the conditions? Not to take anything away from anybody that competed, but that video makes stand up look pretty bad.

What does the type of event have to do with it? Doesn't a surf event shut down access for those not competing? Wrong equipment?....it's a race. Run what ya brung! I don't think the video hurts SUP at all. I had to laugh at the Surfer forum comments about the coming carnage....like we all weren't hoping for some....part of what the BOP is known for.  In fact I think it shows that there are a lot of folks that have some serious gonads going for it.

I agree with Stoneaxe. I overheard many non-paddlers commenting on how they never knew stand up paddling could even take place in those types of conditions, they were amazed, in a good way. I feel like it actually impressed and captivated many who are not familiar with the sport and I don't mean just by the carnage. Colin McPhilips & the brown Blurr, among others, rode some bombs and didn't just go straight and hang on, they actually surfed a 12'6 board with beautiful turns and style. It was an impressive display of handling a board in that type of surf, it wasn't all about carnage. That being said, there were a number of injuries, rumors of broken jaws, broken noses, etc... which is not good, especially for any weekend warrior that would potentially be a future participant.