The race this time was the Battle of the Thames reported by NWF Team Rider Phil Plume.  It seems like every  SUP race is trying to out do one another this year. Previously the 2013 Head of the Dart, was the largest race in the UK with 98 entrants; however the Battle of the Thames outdid them by an extra 10 competitors making it!, the largest SUP race held in the UK to date.  There was an extra competitor within those 108 who could have been one of the reasons why the race was so well attended, and that was the great Jamie Mitchell, big wave surfer, SUP champion and 10 time winner of the Molokai Challenge.  Jamie is over in the UK at the moment conducting SUP clinics and promoting his new video about his historic tenth win of the Molokai Challenge. While he was here he took the opportunity to race in this year’s Battle of the Paddle.

There were two courses at this event.  A ten mile race consisting of three laps up and down the Thames for the main fleet, and a two mile amateur race to the Kingston bridges and back. These races were followed by a well earned BBQ and some fun one design sprint knockout racing.

My preparation for the race wasn’t the best it could have been.  Last week we were blessed with strong winds along the south coast, so windsurfing was the order of the day, unfortunately on the first day of sailing I came off the board and severely sprained my ankle and twisted my knee.  This did get better over the course of the week, but it also meant I’d done absolutely no paddling for well over a week.  Paddling out to the start line of the 10 miler there was a distinctly competitive atmosphere that I can’t remember feeling before any other race. It just felt more serious than usual; I think others noticed this too.

The start was hectic and choppy, as you’d expect with this many paddlers all setting off at the same time.  I managed to get a good start and more importantly, I didn’t fall off! The leaders quickly broke away from the main race and a couple of groups started to form behind them.  I found myself in the third group consisting of the ‘Usual Suspects’ led by a guy I don’t know on a Bark board. The usual suspects are Sam Ross, Ben Swails, and Andy Joyce. These guys always seem to be around me in a race.  We passed the cafes and shops on Kingston’s waterfront and on under the road and rail bridges.  We reached the marker and prepared to turn. As I was rounding the mark Ben tried to squeeze through on the inside, although he didn’t hit me, he upset my balance and I went for a short swim.

That swim really knocked me off my pace and I started to lose the usual suspects in the 1.8 Mile slog to the upstream marker. Paddling a race on your own is not much fun and I could see this being the case for the next 8 miles or so.  I was determined this was not going to happen, so I knuckled down and paddled hard, slowly gaining on the usual suspects. As I rounded the upstream mark they were within touching distance. We how had the current with us and a final hard push and I joined the draft behind Andy Joyce for a welcome break.

The pace back to the downstream marker was good for me and I gained places over Andy and Sam. At the marker I decided to cut inside Ben who was paddling in front of me. I squeezed through and made the turn, then, promptly fell off again! This time I didn’t lose any time and kept up with the group for the rest of the second lap. We traded places within the group all the way up river, and by this point I was feeling much more comfortable with my paddling. Ben started to make a break away from the pack, so I decided the time was right and went with him. By the time we had rounded the upstream mark and started our second lap, we had pulled away from Andy, Sam and MR Bark, and were starting to close on Sonny EZ , my training partner and fellow Fanatic Paddler in the 12’6” class.

After the penultimate turn I took the lead from Ben and set out to catch Sonny.  We caught up with him on the upstream leg, but the pace was too slow for Ben who was going strongand took off taking Sonny with him. I was struggling to keep up at this point and started to fall back. We all rounded the last marker and headed off on the last downstream leg to the finish. Again it was time to dig deep, the end was in sight, and so was Sonny. I saw my chance to catch him and used everything I had left in a sprint to the finish line. He beat me by about half a board length in the end.

I ended up with a 12^th place overall and a 9^th in the 14’ class, coming in 10 mins behind the great Jamie Mitchell, who won the 14’ class.

The main event was followed by some fun one design sprint racing outside the Thames Sailing Club. This sprint format involves 5 randomly drawn paddlers in a hell for leather 150M sprint, including 1 turn. This really is ‘all or nothing’ racing, with the first two from each heat going through to the next round and eventually the final; which is where I found myself after winning two rounds to get there.

I was lining up with four strong paddlers who had already achieved great results in the 10 mile race (Ryan James – 2^nd in 14’, Sonny EZ – 3^rd 12’6”, Mark Slater – 4^th 14’ and Sam Ross – 1^st inflatable), and this time it was two laps! The race was fast hectic and full contact!  I tried my best and dug DEEEEP! and came away with a fourth place, no mean feat against those guys.

The day was rounded off with a race number lottery, prizes for everyone here!

All in all, a great day and a great race format.

You can get involved in SUP racing at the National Watersports Festival at the end of August, or if you just can’t wait till then check out these links for more info on race events near you.

www.supboardermag.com

www.standuppaddlesurf.co.uk

Check you on the water

Phil

Pictures courtesy of  Starboard SUP.