Is it too late to change the name?

[photofr]

Just wondering, from a spectator's stand point of view:
We have SUP long distance
We have SUP Beach Race (AKA Technical Race)

Would it make more sense to call SUP Technical Race as follows: SUP CROSS
(taken straight out of my snowboard rule book, snowboard cross - which made it to the Olympics)

[Area 10]

Didn’t you know that these events have already been renamed “SUP Canoe Racing” anyway, by the ICF?

https://www.canoeicf.com/sites/default/files/2017_icf_sup_rules.pdf

[photofr]

Ouch!
(coming from someone who also loves to paddle a kayak)

Technical Race
Beach Race
SUP CROSS
SUP Canoe Racing
and only for the daring: Board Cross (or Board X to really simplify matters)

[PT Woody]

The only one who calls the old BoP format a "Beach Race" is the guy who does the SUP Racer blog. Mind you, it is a big improvement on the idiotic and unmarketable "Technical Race".

[pdxmike]

The only one who calls the old BoP format a "Beach Race" is the guy who does the SUP Racer blog. Mind you, it is a big improvement on the idiotic and unmarketable "Technical Race".

Yes, I don't know what the best name is, but I don't think you could come up with a blander, let's-suck-the-life-out-of-the-sport name than "technical race" (maybe Technical SUP Canoe Race?).  It brings up images of someone crossing the line first, only to lose on points after the Romanian and East German judges give him disappointing "7.5" scores.


I've never minded "course race" and "distance race" although that often doesn't make a lot of sense either,  since the distance race is usually also on a course of some sort. Or maybe just call them by their distance--the "5k race" and the "15k race" for example.

[TallDude]

I just sign up for the Senior race, if I can find it.

[photofr]

We may run into problems calling a 5km Board Cross race a 5k race. Paddlers getting started into the sport may see this as:
"I am going to sign up for the short race" - and OUPS.

Do you guys feel that Long Distance Race should remain "Long Distance SUP Race" - or perhaps: Senior Race, Senior Citizen Race

[Area 10]

For a race in and out of the surf how about “exciting race”, and for the 10k distance race, how about “long boring slog drafting someone else race”?

[ukgm]

No, since a 'cross' raced specifically relates to a very small number of competitors (typically 4-6) as per four cross, boardercross, etc. Just call it a technical race as these do not always take place on a beach or on the coast.

[photofr]

I understand the drafting in biking - and even then, I preferred race formats like Triathlons back in the days where drafting was NOT ALLOWED. Drafting on a SUP is - in my opinion - pointless on so many levels. When people stop making certain boards because they make it harder to draft the person in front of you, then I say Stupid just turned even more stupid.

I remember Fiji - and as beautiful as the surroundings looked, the drafting made it ridiculous. On a completely different race, I photographed a race in the South of France (Sainte Maxime) - where Michael Booth took the lead on kilometre #3, and kept that lead until the finish (nearly 20k). The train coming at him were more than a minute behind. Here are couple of photos, where I lift my hat to the man thinking outside the box.

[warmuth]

  That's not why flat water boards don't sell, it's just one small factor. Most people, not some, most, do not have two or more race boards. That's the main reason.

[pdxmike]

For a race in and out of the surf how about “exciting race”, and for the 10k distance race, how about “long boring slog drafting someone else race”?

I like that.  It goes straight to the name that people will really understand--"Oh!  The exciting race!  Why didn't you say that in the first place!"


It reminds me of being in a meeting where the contractor was asking the building owner, "Do you want sanitary cover dispensers in the toilet stalls?"
"What's a 'sanitary cover'?"
"You know, a seat cover dispenser".
"What's a seat cover?"
"I think Dave means, "Do you want a butt gasket dispenser for when you take a crap?"
"Oh, those!  Why didn't you say that in the first place?"