Author Topic: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.  (Read 10094 times)

TallDude

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Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« on: October 07, 2018, 01:59:17 PM »
Watched a little of the PPG today, and the turn out was quite a bit down from the old Battle of the Paddle days. I don't know how it will survive?

2018
https://youtu.be/HuCaNns_KEA

2010
https://youtu.be/URgeqBtKVI4

It's not overhead to me!
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lopezwill

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2018, 02:35:46 PM »



Looks like race participation is way down. 

How about that great drone camera footage?  Way better that the one the beach camera angles I think.

PonoBill

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2018, 03:46:45 PM »
Wow, that's nothing. The Gorge Paddle Challenge is much bigger. What did the non-elite mens launch look like?

I think the biggest mistake they made was making the bread-and-butter, age group racers feel like second class citizens. Actually more like third class. It's why I didn't race last year or this. Promoters might think that the elite race is what brings the crowd. But the spectators are there to cheer on their dad, brother, husband, uncle. The bulk of the registrations are open class. the bulk of the expense is Elite class.

Then again, I've done big events. I know how hard it is to please everyone, to make people feel they are appreciated and included. It's a thankless task. I'm glad I got to do it when Sparky didn't mind losing a few hundred thousand a year to pull it off.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

JEG

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2018, 03:56:54 PM »
good watch and what a race.

steamroller

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2018, 04:27:52 PM »

BOP many years ago......


Mil-Surf

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2018, 04:45:17 PM »
That was awesome. Personally laid up from blown out back, that got me inspired to come back even stronger and get back into racing. About as good coverage and exciting racing as we will have from our sport. Great venue, conditions etc. wish I was healthy enough/able to do it. Those heats were stacked and it was cool to see them make it out, wipe out, buoy turn and hammer down. What else do you guys want?
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Tom

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2018, 06:40:39 PM »
This was the first time I watched it on my computer and saw several races. That is much better than watching in person. Of course, the PPG folks make it very hard to watch when you're there. Also I agree with Pono, the open contestants are an after thought.

PonoBill

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2018, 09:17:43 PM »
That was awesome. Personally laid up from blown out back, that got me inspired to come back even stronger and get back into racing. About as good coverage and exciting racing as we will have from our sport. Great venue, conditions etc. wish I was healthy enough/able to do it. Those heats were stacked and it was cool to see them make it out, wipe out, buoy turn and hammer down. What else do you guys want?

We're just grumpy because it isn't what it was. But what it was, was truly amazing at a level that was just not sustainable. We were lucky to be able to do it back when.

Wow, Clinton, that's a really old picture. Before Ke Nalu paddles even. I think that's a Quickblade Kanana I'm holding. Who is that lovely lady sitting on the board? I think that's my old F16.
« Last Edit: October 07, 2018, 09:20:08 PM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

capobeachboy

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #8 on: October 07, 2018, 10:51:12 PM »
Great pic Steamroller. That’s a friend of ULI Jim’s sitting on the board. She did some modeling for us. And Sam on the left. Those were fun times for sure.

I haven’t paddled the PPG the past two years myself but really enjoyed not being a vendor or competitor this year. The pros really put on a show and there were some great moments in the open racing too. Salt Life said they’d be back in 2019 so we’ll wait & see.
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surfcowboy

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #9 on: October 07, 2018, 11:40:20 PM »
I was in town and didn’t make the drive.

Yeah, mil, it’s not the event. I’m sure it’s great. We’re just remembering when a lot more people (and companies) did the event. Ironically, if we’d all shown it might have looked more like the old days.

I agree, lucky to have seen it. When do they add a foil division? I’m kidding of course. It’ll be racing efoils.

Area 10

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #10 on: October 08, 2018, 02:52:26 AM »
The footage and commentary were really excellent, and it was very entertaining to watch. I was surprised there were only 700 people or so watching online the big elite heats - it deserved a much bigger audience. Somehow it seemed to me that it just wasn’t promoted as well as the BOP used to be.

There’s a whole new generation of SUPers these days who see SUP as a recreation not a sport, and aren’t even aware that there is such a thing as SUP racing. They could be drawn in,but it would take advertising in the right way. It might also be an idea to have specific divisions for inflatables. How on Earth are you going to get a fragile 14ft board there if you are from another country? Easy to hop on a plane with a 14ft inflatable, though.

Those conditions sure would show up the inherent weaknesses of current iSUP designs and constructions...

I think the whole sport of SUP has moved away from the “performance” aspect towards the recreational, touring, lifestyle aspect, as new people have come in who have no previous waterspoets experience. Many can’t even swim more than a few metres, and have no intention of learning. They are not going to be going out in those surf conditions. And most of the early adopters with a strong watersports have moved to foiling. Which conveniently distances themselves from the “moms on inflatables” crowd.

But there is no doubt in my mind that the actual coverage (and commentary) of the races at the PPG was the best it’s ever been, and the races were grippingly entertaining to watch. Kind of ironic.

I’d love to do the race, in theory. But the reality kicks in: these days I’d get my ass kicked by a 14 year-old girl, embarrassingly badly, who would be riding a board I couldn’t even stand on, and shipping a board there would be a PITA. I’m not going to spend thousands of my hard-earned cash for that level of hassle and humiliation. I want to go to a party and race my friends and peers, not a slickly-run corporate marketing event, showcasing equipment being ridden by people too young to be able to afford to buy it.

Incredible levels of skill and athleticism on display though, and the juniors were astoundingly competent. They really put on a good show, and Connor and Candice found a way to win against the odds, like great champions do.

kayadogg

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #11 on: October 08, 2018, 03:35:21 AM »
This was the first time in the past 5 years that I missed the PPG/BOP. I watched it online and was pretty saddened by the apparent lack of crowds on the beach. Seems to fit the decline of racing going on everywhere though. Like others have said though, watching online was really awesome. The drone footage was excellent and Chris Parker and Dave Kalama’s commentary was really good. Parker has some much info on every racer, he brings a ton of value to the commentary. Someone tell Beau Hodges that it’s Victory KoreDry, not Victoria KoreDry. Geez, pony up all the jerseys and then you get your sponsor shout-outs totally jacked every time.

Interesting that TEN is now partnering with APP for the next 3 years so PPG will become an official stop on the APP World Tour. Maybe that will revive it and add a little spark to it, maybe not.

SaMoSUP

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #12 on: October 08, 2018, 08:13:08 AM »
I've rarely distance paddled in the last couple years, mostly SUP surfing these days. But the month before PPG I always get the itch, dust off that old raceboard and start training for the race.

I did the Open tech race only and was so stoked. We had some good but messy waves this year.

Entries and crowds were down for sure but the interesting thing is that there were a lot of international entries in the Open divisions. I'm glad APP picked up PPG. I hope they add in a SUP surfing contest like they did in NYC.

Found this pic of me on the PPG site...
« Last Edit: October 08, 2018, 08:18:36 AM by SaMoSUP »

JEG

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #13 on: October 08, 2018, 01:47:54 PM »
nice pic SaMoSUP

burchas

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Re: Battle of the Paddle now and then... Eight years later.
« Reply #14 on: October 08, 2018, 02:22:05 PM »
Classy hero shot :)
in progress...

 


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