PPG

[TallDude]

There were lulls between sets for sure, but they'd pop up just when they didn't want to see them. It'd be a lake. They'd start the race, and sure enough they'd be right in the impact zone of a set. If they're tired paddling in (Like Pono), no waves to give them a lift. If they were leading, the pack behind them would catch an outside set wave and the leader would have head high white water coming up behind him. It'd gobbled them up and 2nd thru 5th are all on the wave with an even shot at 1st. The waves pretty much decided who the winner was.

[headmount]

There were lulls between sets for sure, but they'd pop up just when they didn't want to see them. It'd be a lake. They'd start the race, and sure enough they'd be right in the impact zone of a set. If they're tired paddling in (Like Pono), no waves to give them a lift. If they were leading, the pack behind them would catch an outside set wave and the leader would have head high white water coming up behind him. It'd gobbled them up and 2nd thru 5th are all on the wave with an even shot at 1st. The waves pretty much decided who the winner was.

Sounds cool.  So hard to catch whitewater.  Like merging with a VW.

[stoneaxe]

He was the smartest one there, getting off his board in deep water and having someone else cary it out without ramming it into the rocks.  This won't be good fuel to give him shit about.  I wanted a faceplant or something equally dramatic.  God the video looked incredible.  This appears lakelike. 

Oh well.  We'll get to see him soon enough out in the surf.   He'll be laughing especially hard when he sees me get my board pushed back in my face going through a set.  Half the fun is cracking up at each other.  Covesurfer too.  He'll be hashtagging billzbackwithhis shoppingcart

I had hoped for upside down in the whitewater.

[PonoBill]

I had a great week before the race, good surf every day. Great surf a few times. Overhead and a bit at Dogpatch is big fun. Day of the race I felt kind of crappy but I thought it was just that I'd overdone it a bit. Rest up for a race when there's surf??  Low energy start, but at least I didn't get drilled like most of the 14's did--I managed to pop over the breaking waves with no problems. I was on an ancient Bark Dominator that I hadn't got wet until the start of the race. It felt like it was going just as far as I stroked it--like the old Laird 12'.

I thought I was doing pretty good at first, right behind Bob Reuter who eventually won the "Golden Masters" div. Still sounds like some kind of incontinence thing. But I started having trouble breathing, so I concentrated on breathing from my diaphragm, and that helped, but Bob got away. I felt slow the whole race, and when I saw my time I abot puked. 1.09 for three miles!  Im faster than that on my surfboard.

I felt like crap after the race and still couldn't seem to catch my breath. Blew off the afternoon stuff and went syrfing. The tide was high and the surf was big, so I got drilled a bunch, but got a few really big rippers, though the hold-downs were brutal with my labored breathing.

Diane and I decided to skip the distance race and go to Santa Barbera. I figured that big swell would be fun at Rincon. I was right--spent sunday surfing from the rivermouth to the sand. Lots on great rides, minimal stinkeye.

Sunday night I was really in distress though. I thought I might have a mild A-fib or something. Went to urgent care in the morning, got a EKG and the ticker was OK. Turns out to have been an asthma attack, probably from the dusty Santa Anas. I haven't hadf a problem with asthma for years, but you'd think I'd recodnize the symptoms. We stayed in SB for two days at the delightful Canary hotel, and I surfed Rincon from dawn to dark. Then we moved up the coast to Santa Cruz and I got a great late afternoon to dark session at Steamers. Awesome conditions. I got a couple of waves from out near the lighthouse almost all the way to the sand. Long, beautiful waves on glass. Stayed until dark. In the morning the tide was too high and not going to be good until late afternoon except for right out at the point in shortboard territory, so tonight we're in mendocino. Probably stop in Pacific City for one more surf day and then home to HR.

I thight SUP the Mag did a fantastic job with this event. The organization was topnotch. The SUP awards party went by too fast, the coordination was excellent. I wish I'd been more up for it. I thought the event didnt have as much buzz as the BOP used to, but looking back it's probably just because I was being laid low, running on diminished oxygen and didn't realize it.

 

[headmount]

Now I feel like a schmuck for having wished you to be cannon fodder.  Hope you get well and get your ass back here.  It's time.

[covesurfer]

Well, I didn't publicly wish Pono any beatings so there's that.

Yeah, time for you to return PB. I'm hoping it will take you a couple of sessions to get your feet under you properly during which time I can burn you at will. I'm just starting to realize how fun that could be. Hurry up. The swells are starting to appear.

[TallDude]

[quote author=PonoBill link=topic=28447.msg300101#msg300101 date=1444879572

I thight SUP the Mag did a fantastic job with this event. The organization was topnotch. The SUP awards party went by too fast, the coordination was excellent. I wish I'd been more up for it. I thought the event didnt have as much buzz as the BOP used to, but looking back it's probably just because I was being laid low, running on diminished oxygen and didn't realize it.
[/quote]

It was a very polished event. You're right about the lack of BOP buzz. No Buzzy, no Gerry, no Sparky, no Herbie. No world record of Sup's on one wave. No raffles around the beer garden. No San Clemente surf getto shaping gang.
Like when we used to hang and surf with Gerry & Sparky at DPATCH, those days are a thing of the past.
 Those groms are the new scene.  Amazing talent. I'll be sure to pre- register next year.

Glad you're feeling better Pono. Lunch is on me next year.

[PonoBill]

If i wasn't getting shit from you guys I'd assume I had some fatal disease and no one was telling me.  i don't understand it though, I never give a hard time to anyone. 

I'm fine. Headed back to Maui november 6. With all the whining you guys did about the summer that seems about right.

[stoneaxe]

Glad to hear it turned out OK. PITA, I still have to deal with that crap all the time. I was wheezing this morning at Newport. Some fun small waves though.

i don't understand it though, I never give a hard time to anyone. 

 

[SUPcheat]

I'm impressed you went into the lineup at Steamer Lane and weren't hounded by Westies.

[mastman]

So apparently, in road bike racing, when a female who starts behind you passes you on the course, it's called "getting chicked."  I've never raced road bikes, but I got majorly chicked this weekend.  Those females whipped me.

[pdxmike]

mastman--it could be worse.  It could be two chicks wearing fairy wings.  Not saying why I thought of that particular example.

[capobeachboy]

Amazing event and next year it will be even better.  I was a the ULI tent most of the weekend and man it was hot.  Good to hang with Pono and finally meet Bulky.  I won the 3 miler iSUP class on our new 12'6" and was third among all the men's 12'6"s and top ten overall so ULI is stoked. 

Our distributor Taku from Japan was here with his kids and they had a great time.  He & his daughter Hono raced hardboards (Naish) and did great - she won both of her 13-14 grom pro races.  His son Shuri raced a custom 22" wide ULI in the 7 to 9 division and got cleaned up by the set in the photo below but still took 4th and won the distance race against some groms with well-known surnames.  It was great to finally meet this family in person and understand how big the iSUP business is in Japan (and Europe).

I've seen thousands of photos of the pros but is there a site that has photos of the open racers?

[stoneaxe]

Awesome pic....those kids are fearless.

[Chilly]

Awesome picture!
I remember watching an interview with a gymnastics coach during one of the Olympics. When ask why are the girls so young, he said because at that age they are fearless to learn those risky routines. I know with me it’s more about not risking injury the older I get, partly because it takes forever to recover.