surfski

In this podcast I interview Giant Fish founder Scott Darling. Scott launched the initial Giant Fish collection of paddling shorts, pants, and tops in the summer of 2020. Right at the height of the Covid pandemic. Of course it wasn't planned that way, but despite all the obstacles, the product spoke for itself, and quickly became a go to piece of kit for paddlers in the Pacific Northwest. It has been growing steadily from there.

As a long time dealer and huge fan of both Vaikobi and Mocke, I wasn't thrilled to have a new competitor enter the space. But after meeting Scott for the first time in 2021, and talking with paddlers using his gear, I was definitely intrigued. It took another year before I met Scott again, and this time decided to purchase some shorts and a top. I used the Giant Fish shorts, pants, and tops this past fall and have been very impressed.

In the short term, there is probably a negative financial incentive for me to have Scott on the podcast and promote his products. But I do believe that the more creators like Scott who invest their passion, time, and unique skills into the sport, the more it benefits all of us and enables greater overall growth. Starting any new business is incredibly challenging, and the paddling world is no different. I believe we have to all support each other.

Use this link for $20 off any Giant Fish Order (or enter code TCGF20)

I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I did!

We're back with our most frequent and popular podcast guest, the infamous Oscar Chalupsky. It's always informative and exciting to catch up with Oscar and this podcast is not exception.

If you haven't read Oscar's book, order it now, it is an absolute must read. If you're like me, you won't put it down until it is finished. I've known Oscar for 10 years, but reading this book, I realized there is still a lot I don't know. Oscar has led an action packed life and this book is his best attempt to tell it all.

In addition to discussing his book, we cover much more including:

• Paddling out through surf breaks - something many paddlers in the US don't get a chance to practice enough
• Incredible paddling conditions in Brazil
• The Nelo Paddle race in Malaysia
• Winning Molokai at 50
• The Shaw and Partners Investment in Surfski in general and specifically the Western Australia Race Week

The title of this podcast says it all about Oscar. They Said....

• You can't paddle with low elbows
• You can't go fast in a stable boat
• You can't paddle with zero feather
• You can't race on no carbs
• You can't race with no liquids
• You can't win a world championship race at 50

Over and over again, Oscar has challenged the conventional wisdom and proven it wrong. Here's to hoping he doesn't stop! No Retreat, No Surrender

On October 8th the Great Lakes paddling community suffered on incomprehensible loss when Nick Walton succumbed to hypothermia in a downwind race on Lake Michigan. Nick was a professional canoe racer and over the past couple of years had discovered a love for surfski racing. You can read his full obituary here

I was a participant in the race and have spoke with many of the racers since the incident occurred. This podcast is my best attempt to explain what I know from this very tragic day.

There are lessons to be learned from what happened to Nick, and my sincere hope is that these lessons will save many lives in the years to come.

My sincere condolences to Nick and his family.

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In our discussion we talk about Rob's first exposure to kayaking in an old school fiberglass surf kayak.  Rob talks about his early days as a teenager fearlessly playing in the cold and crazy surf on Lake Michigan.   This ultimately led to a couple of Sea Kayak races,  which led to Rob joining the US Canoe and Kayak Team and training and racing with them for a couple of seasons.

One of the things that has amazed me the most about Rob is his ability to consistently paddle at a very high level despite the demands of family and career, and of course aging.   At 52 Rob is as fit as ever.  What became a key theme in this podcast, as evidenced by the title,  is that there is no shortcut.   You've got to show up and consistently do the work if you want the type of results Rob has been able to achieve.

I always enjoy spending time with Rob, and this podcast was no exception.  It went a little longer than most, but we had a lot to catch up on.    I hope enjoy the discussion as much as I did.

In this podcast episode I had a chance to connect with Rod and Barry of ThePaddleChannel. Rod and Barry have progressed from SUP to OC to SURFSKI and their YouTube channel documents, in full transparency, the trials and tribulations of their journey along the way. They are both super passionate about paddling and more so about downwind. Their videos bring a great perspective that should resonate with both new paddlers and those transitioning across paddling disciplines.

Many of you may have heard of the Carolina Cup, which is one of the biggest paddle events in the US (possibly just behind the Gorge and Chattajack). This race is put on by the Wrightsville Paddle Club which is about a 45 minute drive North of where Rod and Barry paddle at Carolina Beach.

Rod and Barry have an 8 mile downwind that they typically run starting at Fort Fisher and finishing at Carolina Beach or in the Carolina Beach Inlet. This run takes advantage of the the prevailing south/southwest winds that run throughout the summer. There aren't any points, bays, shoals, or other factors to greatly influence the wave conditions along the route, so conditions remain pretty consistent. The biggest challenges are in launching and landing. The launch is directly off the beach, so there is often a surf break to navigate. They have the option of either finishing on the beach or in the inlet, both have their pros and cons which we discuss in detail during the podcast.

Carolina Beach is a busy beach town in the summer, but in the spring and fall things quiet down, but the water is still warm and the wind still blows, making this an excellent time to take a paddling vacation. There aren't many other paddlers or paddle businesses in the area, so your best bet is to take your boat, but you can always get in touch with Barry or Rod and they will be more than happy to help you with finding a boat if possible.

The detailed Google Maps discussion starts at around minute 24:00 on the video and in the podcast.

I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I enjoyed learning about the awesome downwind conditions along the Carolina Coast.  It is now on my short list of downwind destinations!

In this podcast I'm joined by Reivers Dustin, who at 70 years old, is still every bit as passionate about downwind paddling as anyone I've met. Reivers is highly regarded as one of the founding fathers of the Bellingham surfski community.

This story started out with my intent to explore the downwind paddling in Bellingham Bay. Anyone who has raced on the West Coast, knows that there is some serious talent developing in this hotspot and I was excited to learn about the paddling conditions that are making this possible. But in speaking with Reivers, I soon realized the story of Bellingham's success in creating a sustained paddling community, is much more than the downwind conditions.

It has been a long hiatus, but the Peak Paddle Performance Podcast is back in action. We're going to try out a new format where we find paddlers enthusiastic about sharing their local downwind routes for the world to see. We'll record via a Zoom meeting with screen share where the guest can walk us through a map view of the paddling hot spots as we geek out on all the wind and wave nuance they've discovered

In this first episode, we start with the legendary Oscar Chalupsky as he walks us through the iconic Millers Run in Cape Town SA. Oscar gives us a great sense of the overall Cape Town paddling scene and what to expect out on the water. He then heads north to give an overview of his hometown Durban, SA where the swell gets much bigger and the conditions are about as gnarly as anywhere in the world.

It is never a dull conversation with Oscar, and this one was no exception. While the focus of the discussion is on walking through the downwind routes, there is inevitably a wealth of valuable information around paddling downwind and keeping it safe

In this podcast I sit down with one of the many dear friends I’ve met through Surfski Paddling. Greg Greene and I first crossed paths when we battled it out in my first surski race ever in Duluth, Minnesota. Although 20 years my senior Greg managed to take me at the line and we’ve been great friends ever since.

I wanted to bring Greg onto the podcast because he exemplifies what the surfski journey is all about. Starting the sport in his late 40s and in a town without a surfski community, he also represents a large portion of surfski paddlers in the US.

While I want to say that Greg’s story is that of the “average paddler” as you’ll find out, he has had some incredible experiences that make him both the envy and an inspiration for us all.

In this podcast we cover the following and much more:

• Attempting to paddle his first surfski, the Speedster
• Moving into a Huki and really taking off in the sport
• Doing the big races in the US including US Surfski Champs, The Gorge Downwind, and Chattajack
• A trip to Tarifa to work with Boyan the Zen Master of Surf
• Learning what intense surfski paddling is all about at the Mocke Brother’s Downwind Camp in Capetown
• Bringing it all together with the 2019 Molokai World Championship (hint : it almost didn’t happen)
• Getting diagnosed with A-fib after 30 years of high intensity training and racing
• Views on paddling as an aging athlete approaching 64

In today's podcast I managed to catch up with Olympic athlete and coach, and co-founder of Paddle California, Michele Eray. I somehow coerced her into sitting still just long enough to record a great podcast session. The title of this episode and Michele's personal mantra says it all, "You regret more in life the things that you didn't do than the things you did". Michele takes her mantra quite serious and I'm certain you'll agree after listening to this episode.

We cover a lot of ground in this episode, below are just a couple of the highlights:

• Michele's early days of paddling in her home town of Plettenberg Bay, SA (see the video below to get a sense of how beautiful it is)
• Getting started in surf lifesaving and high school racing
• Going to University to study bio-kinetics (Athletic Training / Physical Therapy)
• Racing the Berg River Marathon
• Making the decision to give up her bio-kinetics practice and become a full time paddler
• Seizing the opportunity to race for SA in the 2008 Beijing Olympics
• Five years of incredible support from the team at Nelo and racing all over the world
• Coaching at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics
• The decision to open Paddle California and bring Olympic level coaching and Nelo surfskis to the West Coast
• Thoughts on Surfski becoming an Olympic Sport
• Thoughts on paddling a K1 versus a surfski
• The importance of cadence training and the power of the Vaaka Cadence Sensor to guide training (For an in depth podcast from the co-founder of Vaaka check out this link and to purchase one from TC SURFSKI click here)
• Common beginner mistakes that Michele sees in her coaching
• Thoughts on downwind paddling
• Favorite downwind paddle runs

If you want to connect with Michele for coaching or to purchase a Nelo, you can find her on the web at:

Business website: www.paddlecal.com

Business Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/paddlecal/

Personal Blog: http://micheray.com

Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MicheleErayAthlete/

In early December the guys @CarbonologySport shared some vintage footage of the 1983 Port Elizabeth to East London (PE2LE) 4 Day Stage Race. It generated a lot of intrigue on Facebook, and I thought it would be great to sit down with Oscar and have him walk us through what it was like to race surfskis on the open ocean almost 40 years ago. We spend a large portion of the discussion on the PE2LE. But in classic Oscar fashion we also cover a host of other entertaining and educational topics including but not limited to:

• Oscar's first couple of times racing the PE2EL as a teenager
• Surfski designs and construction in the early 80s
• Paddle design, length, and feather in the early 80s
• Gauging effort before the days of GPS and HR Monitors
• Paddling the open ocean with no leashes, PFDs, or sunscreen
• Nutrition and hydration strategies before the days of gu, energy bars, and hydration bladders
• What has evolved for the better and what has proven the test of time

Here is a link to the book Waterlogged by Tim Noakes which Oscar references and in which he was one of the first athletes tested that led to Noakes ground breaking and controversial discovery that the conventional wisdom on hydration during sport was wrong.

Today’s podcast guest is good friend and fellow Great Lakes paddler Erik Borgnes. Many of you may recognize Erik as the guy who has dominated the Chattajack 32 race for the past several years. He has also contributed several great blog posts to the surfski universe including boat reviews, technique analysis, experiments in dieting, and a treasure trove of information on ERG training, which is our focus topic in this podcast discussion.

It is always a great pleasure chatting with Erik and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that without Erik this entire podcast would not exist. Erik penned the first article I stumbled across back in 2005 that inspired me to figure out for myself just what surfski paddling was all about.

Below are some of the key tops we covered in this podcast and further down are several links to different material Erik has published on the internet:

• The various ERG trainers he has used over the years
• The modifications that he's done to his ERG to make it most closely resemble his stroke on the water
• How Erik retro-fit his ERG with a carbon paddle shaft from ZRE 
• Tips and tricks to avoid boredom on the ERG
• How to determine your marathon race pace and build a training program based on it
• The benefit of short intervals that are generally more sustainable on an ERG
• How to think about paddle techinque on the ERG in a way that can actually improve your on the water technique
• Transitioning back onto the water

Below is a list of various resources on the web that Erik has produced:

• Link to the Yahoo Kayak ERG Group Moderated By Erik
• Chattajack Training Plan
• Tips and Tricks I gleaned from the Yahoo Group into a Blog Post
• Detailed review of the Kayak Pro Speedstroke ERG
• How Erik introduced me to Surfski
• Less is More  interview with Erik on Surfski News
• Avoiding the bonk with training strategies and diet (note: Oscar Chalupsky has long consulted with Erik in matters relating to diet and endurance performance)

In this podcast episode we chat all things safety in extreme conditions with Rob Mousley.   Rob founded surfski.info based out of Cape Town SA, which is well known as  the de-facto global website for surfski information.   It is probably best known for the forums which provide an excellent global dialogue on all things surfski related.   In addition to the forums there are boat reviews, race reports, and most relevant to our discussion today,  many excellent articles on safety.

For the last decade, Rob has been very involved in the pursuit of safety in extreme conditions.   He has worked extensively with Cape Town's water rescue services known as the NSRI, covered several surfski rescues, and has studied and tested in real world conditions  a vast majority of the safety equipment on the market.

In this discussion we discuss in depth the wealth of knowledge Rob has accumulated over the years.   I'm really excited to be able to offer this podcast not just beginners, but also to the experienced paddlers who I'm certain will benefit.    As the sport continues to grow around the world and in more extreme climates, we all need to continue this dialogue with our paddling mates and hold each other accountable for being smart and realistic about our safety on the water.

Below are some links to articles and resources that we reference in the Podcast:

• • Article summarizing the findings of Rob's rescue exercises with the NSRI
  • Article recapping a Miller's Run incident that thankfully turned out okay, but could have been much worse
  • Here is a link to the entire safety section on Surfski.info with articles an various incidents and gear reports including Personal Locator Beacons which Rob spoke about on the podcast
  • Link to a Cold Water Safety blog on the TC SURFSKI website
  • Below is a video clip of Oscar Chalupsky demonstrating the remount in rough conditions

In today's podcast we connect with Jen Lee to hear the story of how she crossed the Molokai Channel in a SUP, OC1, and Surfski all in one season.   If that isn't impressive enough, she only started surfski paddling two years prior and conquered the channel on a properly big day.

Jen is an accomplished water woman, but the message she's passionate about  delivering is that anyone can achieve this with the right attitude, dedication to training, and the right boat (hint - Jen did the Molokai in a V8).  We cover a lot of ground in this podcast including the following:

• Jen's background in athletics, starting as a downhill ski racer in Lake Tahoe
• Moving to Hawaii to become a surf instructor
• The cross over from downhill ski racing to SUP paddling
• Competing at an elite level in SUP racing
• Jen's first introduction to surfski paddling
• How it feels to cross the channel in a SUP versus an OC1 versus a surfski
• How the different craft handle different conditions
• What is common and what is different in paddling SUP, OC1, and Surfski downwind

If you want to follow Jen and her exploits or want to reach out to her with any questions, she will be more than happy to help you out.   Below is where you can reach and follow her:

Website:  http://www.jenjlee.com/

eMail: mailto:jenjlee@me.com

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/jenn.j.lee1

Instagram:  jennjlee

In this podcast episode I catch up with Carter Johnson Race Director for the Gorge Downwind Festival.   In just four years this race has become the single biggest downwind event in the world.   Featuring equal numbers of Outrigger Canoe and Surfski paddlers, but a good contingent of Stand Up Paddle Boarders.   But more than just a race, this has become a week long festival celebrating paddling, downwind, beer, and camaraderie. 

In this episode Carter provides some interesting insights into how the race has evolved and what to expect for 2018.   We touch on the following key areas and much more:

• Beyond race week, growth in the downwind paddle scene throughout the summer and Carter's downwind retreat compound
• A breakdown of the number of racers signed up this year across the different paddle disciplines as well as where they are coming from geographically
• How the Gorge Downwind Festival may ultimately bring surfski paddling the recognition it deserves in the US
• Changes for 2018 including:
  • Later beer tent hours
  • A completely stocked beer truck with 26 beers on tap
  • Changes to signal the surfski start 
  • Safety precautions
  • Race navigation strategies and how minute changes of the wind direction will change the course

I hope you enjoy the podcast and more importantly I hope to see you out there in a couple of weeks!

Nick

Cory is sponsored by Shaw Hill Partners Race Team.  Check out their website for updates and some exciting content coming soon.

You can also find Cory on Facebook

Today's podcast guest is the legendary Ivan Lawler.   Ivan is regarded as Britain’s greatest canoe paddler of all time, and many argue the world’s greatest marathon paddler. Ivan has also been recognized internationally for sportsmanship when in the 1990 world championship he and his partner stopped to wait for the Danish team who were having rudder trouble They could have won, but instead finished in second place by one second. Those who know Ivan, would not be at all surprised by this.

Following his competitive years Ivan has given back tremendously to the sport. He was recently elected president of the British Canoeing Association and is Chairman of the Elmbridge Canoe Club where he has coached across the spectrum from new kids to world champions.

Ivan has only recently caught the surfski bug. Many of you will recognize his voice as the commentator at the Gorge Downwind Champs and the Surfski World Championships in Hong Kong. Ivan has also become a legend with his hour and 15 minute forward stroke master class video on YouTube.    Ivan has a rare talent for articulating and simplifying the nuance of forward stroke technique. I’ve already replayed this podcast multiple times and every time I do, I’m incredibly inspired to get out on the water and FEEL my technique.

Below is just a highlight of some of the topics we cover

• Paddling for feel and not for a visual look
• Why you don’t want to watch kayaking from the side
• The Arial View is Best - Ivan recommends watching this footage from the 2012 Olympics
• Avoiding spillage and learning to love the load - keeping it inside the boat
• Great footage that demonstrates the downward force being applied to a paddle (watch closely where the top hand goes when the paddle breaks between 2:10 -2:20)
• Ivan strongly recommends watching  Knut Holmann as of the best forward stroke technicians of all time
• Correcting lower back rub - getting the right kit helps tremendously, Vaikobi Shorts (prevent the damage)  & Johnson Tough Pads (for when the damage is done)
• On the water drills that Ivan likes to use
• Thoughts on dry land training
• You can only use small weak muscles if you’ve built up momentum using big, powerful, slow muscles first
• Ivan will be partnering with Michelle and Maggie of Paddle California and doing clinics at the Gorge and likely afterwards in Southern California.  If you are out that way, don't miss this opportunity.

In this podcast we catch up with Oscar to get a front row view of the racing at the ICF World Surfski Championships in Hong Kong (i.e The Dragon Run)  and the infamous Doctor downwind race in Perth, Australia.

This is a relatively short podcast at just over 30 minutes,  but as usual, it is always very informative to catch up with Oscar and get his perspective on the racing and the conditions.  Beyond just the race discussion, I jumped at the opportunity to pick his brain for some tips and tricks to successfully paddling a tandem downwind, which is something that can be very humbling and challenges many of us.  We also chat briefly about plans for the 2018 TC SURFSKI Immersion.  Below is a short recap of key points:

• The week leading up to the ICF World Surfski Championships, a key item of note is the number of countries represented,  I believe roughly 27, which speaks to the global growth of the sport
• Race conditions through the course and Oscar's strategy to optimize
• A detailed description of the huge conditions at the Doctor and how Oscar's race unfolded
• Key elements to focus on when paddling a tandem downwind
• A brief discussion on plans for the 2018 TC SURFSKI Immersion

Note: Don't fast forward to quickly through the beginning of this podcast, I through in a quick holiday promotional offer that all Podcast listeners can take advantage of now through Dec 25th 

Enjoy!!

In this podcast I get a chance to chat for the first time with the great American surfski champion Austin Kieffer. In just 5 short years, Austin has gone from paddling a surfski for the first time, to battling it out for podium finishes with the greatest paddlers in the world. He is now a force to be reckoned with and a podium contender in any of the biggest surfski races in the world.

In this podcast we cover the story of how the last five years unfolded. Austin is both candid and eloquent in describing the journey. I am certain that you will absolutely love this podcast as much as I enjoyed recording it. Austin’s story is both fascinating and inspirational. Not too mention he has a knack for articulating of the art of downwind paddling and the science of training.   In roughly an hour we cover the following key element in Austin's journey

• Austin's first introduction to the world of white water kayaking
• What whitewater training entails at the Olympic Development level
• What transfers from Slalom to Surfski and what is totally different
• Getting into a surfski for the first time in 2011 and a top 20 finish at the US Champs just 3 weeks later
• Making a final bid for a spot on the US Olympic Whitewater Team
• Pouring himself into surfski in San Diego after college
• The pivotal moment in learning downwind and key thoughts on what it takes
• Training with the big boys in Capetown
• Becoming the top US finisher at the US Surfski Champs in 2014
• Getting humbled in the Canadian Surfski Champs in 2014
• Finding the resolve to come back and take another shot at becoming a world class podium contender on the World Series of Surfski Racing
• Details on the training regime to make it happen
• What's next and where to find Austin