FP hanging out with the Stellar and Slipstream Surf crew at the Summer Series

The start of 2012 has been surreal. I’ve gone from tentatively sitting on a surf ski for the first time, barely able to stay on in completely glassy waters, to rolling up to a surf ski race on Botany Bay four weeks later with a  secret hope that I stay on at least long enough to limp over the finish line. During that time I’ve trained zealously in the gym, everyday, in the hope that diminishing weight and a stronger core accelerate my ability to paddle the long white rocket currently sitting in my garage.

Nat finishes up strongly on his Think Evo. One day I'll beat him, just you watch.

To be honest though, the Stellar SR surf ski I’ve been using (thanks Slipstream Surf) is pretty stable in the surf ski scheme of things. It’s design is great for entry to intermediate level paddlers as it has great secondary stability (for a ski). But there’s still a certain amount of paddler stability that needs to be finessed before taking it out in anything lumpy (unless you like swimming) so the onus has been on me to get myself more “ski ready”.

Eleven kms on Botany Bay and it looks like FP might make it high and dry

So I’ve been training. A lot. Daily routines of cardio and core strength exercises, backed up with a nutritional plan put together by Benefit Active. Since I started training 6 weeks ago (ie two weeks before I got on the ski) I’ve lost 14 kgs / 30 lbs. This is a substantial amount of weight to lose in such a short period of time, but I’m doing it healthily. Great food, lots of exercise, carefully planned by fitness professionals.

Mogo looking great on the Stellar SR surf ski. Also looking very WET!

Of course, all that is irrelevant when it comes to racing. Botany Bay is protected from the ocean but it does get wind-blown lumps and swell squeezing in from outside. The water was certainly dynamic enough to have me worried, but I didn’t want to let on to my fellow Team Fat Paddler members so I forced a smile and off I went. Fortunately fellow TFPer Mogo had borrowed a Stellar SR ski from Slipstream Surf that morning as well so I wasn’t alone in my stability nerves.

Malcolm from Carbonology Australia gave us all awesome on-water support and advice. Legend!

To say I was slow is an understatement. For the first 1-2 kms I took it very slowly, keeping my rhythm steady and cadence slow as I concentrated on keeping the boat stable. Mogo started falling out a bit and as other TFP paddlers went to his aid, I found myself alone in growing chop and swell. I had catchable waves hitting me from behind and at a 45 degree angle, so I zig-zagged through it to enable me to gain the benefit of any runners I could catch.

In the TFP kayak (male) division, The Riddler flies into the finish and a podium place

In the TFP kayak (female) division, Series leader Meg wins another race in her division!

The acceleration on waves was intoxicating, the spray kicking up around me as I desperately fought to keep myself in the boat. Sometimes I’d dip a gunwale into a wave and the cockpit would instantly fill with water, reminding me of Nat’s submarine video on Sydney Harbour, but the gurgling venturi quickly emptied out the water and everything was fine. As I wobbled my way through the chop, I noticed a funny thing. I started to smile, a big heartfelt “THIS IS FUN” kinda smile. Much like the rush of surfing through rocks or bouncing around in whitewater.

Footage from the GoPro. Running the lumps, hell yeah!

As the race went on I kept learning about how the ski reacted to different lump shapes and changing wind conditions. I managed to assist another paddler who’d fallen out, turn the buoy and then battle on through the headwind and side chop back to the start. By now my stability had really kicked in, I’d worked out how to build stability via acceleration, and was genuinely loving the bumpy ride on the return leg. When I started I had no idea what I’d think of this surf ski stuff, but suddenly now I could see why it’s growing as a sport so rapidly. The sensation of racing through lumps on a sleek boat is truly awesome.

Winners are grinners... and we're all winners in our own way!

Needless to say I didn’t win. In fact I wasn’t even in the middle pack – I came into the beach at the finish with only two skis behind me. But to me it was a big win, because in just four weeks I’d managed to somehow race the surf ski in a few lumps without falling out AND actually finish. I’d learnt a heap about the boat, and about how to stabilise through keeping my body relaxed and my speed up. Sure, I have a ridiculous amount still to learn and a huge range of skills to pick up, but they’ll be future wins I can work towards. For now, I’ll be happy with the finish and use the success as motivation to keep up the training. Cheers – FP

Team Fat Paddler racers for Summer Series Race 3 - Mogo, Riddler, FP, Meg and Nat

Special thanks: Gavin and Slipstream Surf for the use of his Stellar SR surf skis, Malcolm and Carbonology Australia for the use of the carbon wing paddles and for his care and advice on the water, Dez and the Blast Paddlers crew for putting on the Summer Series, Alex Francois for the use of his photos from the event, and of course to my Team Fat Paddler members who make all my paddling experiences awesome.

Tags: Blast Paddlers, Carbonology Australia, ocean ski, Slipstream Surf, Stellar Kayaks, Stellar SR, Stellar Surf Skis, Summer Series, surf ski, surfski

Summer Series Race 3 - Botany Bay, Sydney Australia

On a wet, cloudy summer’s day (!!) Team Fat Paddler and a bunch of other paddlers arrived at Sydney’s Botany Bay for the third race of the Summer Series. For many, it was a fast affair in relatively benign conditions, but for a few of us (myself included) it was simply about trying to race a surf ski for the first time. Only four weeks ago I started trying to paddle a ski, and for fellow Team Fat paddler member Mogo, he had even less experience still. Regardless, with the brilliant support of Slipstream Surf who lent us both a couple of Stellar SR surf skis, we hit the water with three other TFP mates and “raced” through the chop and boat wake that had cut up the bay. Bigger story to come, but here’s my video highlights (and yes, I know my forward stroke is rubbish and needs help!!). Cheers, FP

Tags: Slipstream Surf, Stellar Kayaks, Stellar SR, Summer Series, surf ski

The Summer Series is an inclusive race for all paddlers, regardless of craft

Last weekend Team Fat Paddler took part in the 2nd race of the 2011 Summer Series at Rose Bay. This great Sydney-based series is different to many of the races out there – where else can you have a start line with elite ski paddlers chatting casually to SUP paddlers, kayakers on sit on top fishing kayaks and hefty fellas on outriggers? Its an event that defines what paddling is about – friendly folks competing for the class win on beautiful waterways and then sharing a sausage sandwich at the end with race organisers, sponsors and fellow paddlers.

Dez from Blast Paddlers giving the pre-race briefing, course details etc

Team Fat Paddler has enjoyed it’s involvement in this series and were excited to get another couple of podium places on the day. A huge thanks to Dez and the crew from Blast Paddlers for putting the series together as well as the brilliant involvement from sponsors including Carbonology, Stellar Kayaks, Prokayaks, SUP Love and Oz Standup who bring their boats/boards along on the day for people to try out. And of course ASN – Neutral Bay for the turbo-charged performance drinks at the start – haha!

Sexy boats to drool over and even test, especially the Stellar and Carbonology skis

We can’t wait for the next few races, and if you feel like taking part in a race event without the competitive pressures of other events, then this is the series for you. We’d love to see you out on the water (and at the bbq afterwards of course!). Cheers, FP

Rose Bay at 5.30am. A spectacular sunrise for the Summer Series Race 2

Team Fat Paddler's Commander Alan lines up at the start of Race 2

A locally made Bladerunner OC1. It's captain had been paddling for a whole 2 weeks!

And some bigger boats too - a full blown OC6 ready to charge!

Alan gets a 2nd in the Mens Kayak class, beaten by the slightly older fella on the right!

Lt Cmdr Nat got his first surf ski podium place as well. Congrats Nat!

Meg, good friend of TFP, takes out the Womens Kayak div for the 2nd time. Congrats!

Tags: ASN Neutral Bay, Blast Paddlers, Carbonology, OZ Standup, ProKayaks, Stellar Kayaks, Summer Series, SUP Love

The 2011 Summer Series - a heap of fun for ski paddlers, kayakers and SUPs

Last weekend Team Fat Paddler sent down a team of four to compete in the first race of the 6-race Summer Series, being held at Balmoral. Still somewhat tired from the previous week’s Hawkesbury Canoe Classic, we went simply for the fun of being on the water with lots of folks, and in fact arrived a few hours early to get a quick paddle in amongst the rocks of Grotto Point first.

Over 100 competitors gathered on the beach at Balmoral ready to race

When we arrived at the race start area we got to mingle with other paddlers and sponsors as well as catching up with paddling friends. The kayakers were pretty slim on the ground (basically the Team Fat Paddler contingent plus a few of our friends) but all the paddlers were friendly and there was plenty of fun banter before the race started.

When we did get on the water the sight was pretty funny. Fit paddlers on their skis, boardie wearing beach types on their SUPs, and a few weirdos in kayaks. I’d taken my white water boat so TFP’s own chef Burnsie could have a paddle in my sea kayak, so everyone gave my short stubby boat a once over and shared a few jokes. Then once the race started, I watched as everyone around me took off like rockets as I slowly plodded along.

The start of the Balmoral Summer Series Race. A pretty funny start all round.

Those of us in the slow kayaks had a mixed race. Friend of Team Fat Paddler Meg took out her Flash, a river racer that’s probably never seen waves, and ended up having a few swims along the way. Another friend Martyn also overturned his kayak and needed a rescue. Speedster Alan may have missed a buoy or two. And I wont even say what Burnsie was up to!

By the end of the race it was true that many of the TFP contingent may have run somewhat controversial lines over the race course, but like so many things, you gotta be in it to win it. And win it we did, with Alan, Burnsie and yours truly taking out 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively in the Kayak Division. Plus our mate Meg took out the female kayak trophy, despite her swims!

Team Fat Paddler.... I think they're going to need a bigger podium!

Meg took out the Women's Swimming, oops I mean Kayaking, division.

Of course the best part of the whole race came afterwards. A free sausage sizzle kept everyone fed as all the paddlers mingled and chatted with each other. Sponsors had gear to check out and our own Nat had fun trying out the Carbonology skis on display. We even got to have a good laugh at TFPer Alan attempting a ski for the first time – and his subsequent swim session.

Nat tests out a Carbonology ski. They looked very, VERY fast.

And far off to the right of the photo, Alan shows us his ski technique - haha.

I didn’t really know what to expect from this race but we were all pleasantly surprised at how much fun the whole day had been. The paddling, the sausages, the jokes and friends made – all made for a brilliant day!

There are another 5 events in the series being run across different locations in Sydney (one per month) – if you’ve ever thought about a little fun racing, come out and give one a try. Lot’s more info on the 2011 Summer Series website. Cheers – FP

Tags: Summer Series