A super fun event that we have not been to in over 5 years. Last minute we decided to go and race in the surf. The Aussie team was here from Victoria for the Whale and Sheild yearly event with LA County. The first event in the morning is the 10km surfski race. Starts on the beach and goes out around and back..finishing on the beach. The surf was small, but sets came in which made you have to be careful in and out. Steve Woods from SA was the winner in the mens, with Pat right behind..yea old boy. I won the womens, getting in and out throught the surf with out losing my hat (ha, I did not wear one). Then there were some dory races and paddleboard and all the things we don’t do anymore and might die if we tried without some training. Steve though,(24 years old, not 44) was trying to win as much prize money as possible, so he jumped in the 1000m surf swim. I think he got points, but it was dominated by Olympic swimmer Chad Carvin. Next was the 2000m surfski sprint..surf was picking up and all morning I told eveyone how I would just back off the big waves and paddle in the back of one. Steve won the mens, although he decided to go the wrong way and almost missed a buoy…he came around and had to paddle hard for 10 strokes to get back in front. Pat raced in for 3rd..again well done old man. I had a bad(normal) jump in start, some Aussie girl busted out through the surf and I had to go hard to catch her…passed her on the last turn and then was home free for the win, except for the big wave that I decided to take off on, not back off of and so I wipe out good…(always keep paddling, but do I? no)..so as I swam to the finish, the Aussie girl won. Bummer…but all in all a fun day…I think I will be sore for another week.
