It’s been one hell of an adventure since leaving London all those years ago.
One thing is for sure, the desire to continue to be ‘relentless in the pursuit of adventure’ will continue to be my inner compass.
Life is more than competition or a race, it’s a game – and you get to choose exactly how you want to play it.
To learn a little about how I drastically took a different path, here’s a short clip taken from a few awesome trips I’ve had with the World of Adventure Sports crew shooting episodes in some very awesome places.
There’s big mountains and big vistas in the Southern Alps of New Zealand.
where the air is thin and the views are best had in wide screen (aka blades)
And while we have great access to Department of Conservation areas, the chance to have access to some of the most mind-blowing and special landscapes that are working high country stations is too good to turn down.
It’s called The Camelbak Big Easy, but it really should be called The Big Hard.
Starting at 1500m elevation and gaining 1000m of elevation up and over Mt Pisa before a hair raising 2000m descent through Lake McKay Station to finish under the willows at Luggate (Wanaka’s truck-stop-cum-undiscovered-secret).
It only happens once a year, and odds on it’s not only NZ’s most scenic MTB course, but also the best and one hell of a best kept secret (until the word really gets out that is).
It’s hard to articulate in a couple of words just how the landscapes of New Zealand’s Southern Alps and it’s surrounding countryside will make you feel.
Majestical, towering, moody, brazen. These are snow capped mountain ranges with lakes and braided rivers weaving a path at their feet.
Red Bull Defiance in Wanaka, New Zealand on January 20, 2018
Red Bull Defiance in Wanaka, New Zealand on January 20, 2018
While it would seem that anywhere and everywhere in New Zealand is accessible to one and all, this is far from the case due to the negotiated privatisation (free holding) of land to farmers in return for releasing land back to the Department of Conservations for public access (you can read about Tenure Review here ) making any opportunity to cross these privately held pockets of outstanding natural beauty all the more special.
Such was the case as the 4th edition of Red Bull Defiance rolled into Wanaka this past weekend to pit two person teams, mountain bikers and mountain runners against the rigours of the waters and mountains that surround this melodramatic sleepy lakeside village.
When getting to the start is half the fun
In stark contrast to last year where we faced freezing temperatures and the biggest summer snow storm that anyone could remember, 2018 blazed as hot as the wild fires that have scorched the district in recent weeks. The Nor West fan on full blast presenting the opposite set of climatic challenge in the competition not to compete against others, but just manage yourself in order to make it to the finish line.
Keep your mouth shut, or you’ll have a couple of lungs full of Minaret Stations finest dust for the next few hours.
Taking the opportunity this year to tackle the Minaret Burn MTB event which was run as a single stage race alongside the 2 day, 2 person multisport event, this is a prime opportunity to see first hand the remote north western shores of Lake Wanaka which are usually exclusively reserved to the deer that roam, the chamois and thar that dance around the snow line and the guests of Minaret Station, this 64km traverse of the western shores of Lake Wanaka is far from a walk in the park.
Welcome to hike-a-bike
If I thought that doing the whole shebang (the 2 day multisport) event last year was up there in the pain-in-paradise department, the frenetic pace off the start and the first climbs across the southern reaches of Minaret Station were a stark reminder that any time a gun goes, you’re about to pay a visit to the hurt box.
As the Nor West gathered pace whipping white caps across the lake and the shelter of the valleys sent the mercury well into the mid-30s, the sight of river crossings became a welcome respite, all the while draining the contents of my 2x bottles and a 2L Camelbak in hope of replenishing the fluids and salts that were being lost far quicker than they could be replaced.
If there’s one thing that ‘s harder than remaining upright climbing lose rocky single track on a stupidly steep gradient with your heart pulsating through your neck and into your mouth, it’s descending on equally sketchy off-camber steep descents with your arms having the living daylights shaken out of them in the process. Hopefully remaining rubber side down.
Coming past the Glendhu Camp Ground and entering the Millennium Track for the final stretch to the finish on the Wanaka lakefront, the three hideous climbs that this track is so well known for loomed large. You were either about to pop, cramp or both, it was just a matter of when not if and pray that no-one is coming around the corner on the blind corners and bluffed sections of the track.
There are days when you really wonder why you do things and your mind can be your biggest enemy. This was one of those days. One of those days when you really start to question why….
Like most things, it’s more fun when the cheap chat and banter is rolling at full noise (that’s before the start that is)
It’s not until you cross the finish and the feeling of relief that sweeps over you helps erase some of the horrors you just subjected yourself to. But maybe that’s what keeps bringing us back, the chance to go to those dark places to test our mental fortitude and get a gauge on our mental fitness more than our physical.
This for sure is one weekend and one course that will continue to be human versus mother nature before human versus human.
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked ‘what are you doing’ in the past three months…I may almost have a contract of the financial size that Mo Freitas has been reported to have signed in recent days.
The reality is, I haven’t, I didn’t, but I’ve been asked this question A LOT (I placing the bet that no one else is brave enough to place – who ever it is could likely have contracted 5x girls for the price of Mo #congratsMo #takeawinwhenyoucangetone #suckstobeagirlsometimes #thisisnotadig #genuinelyhappyfortheguy #toomanyhashtags ).
In lots of ways it’s been a refreshing chance to answer this question openly and most importantly, honestly.
At this time of the year I’m around the people that have known me for a long time and have known me across my multiple careers that have been the last 20 years of my life.
They look you in the eyes, they ask you questions, you give them honest answers.
When you are perceived to be a highly goal focussed individual, throwing around the answer of “I’m not sure” can instigate some interesting and colourful conversations, some of which have been highly entertaining.
The Girl From The Mountains
You see, this is how the story goes. You can take the girl out of the mountains, but you can’t take the mountains out of the girl.
It’s also the reason why every year for the past four, I’ve come ‘home’ to the mountains. The reason? Clarity, perspective and removing myself from the microcosm that can be the world that I have travelled in year in, year out for the better part of the past 10 years.
There’s something about humanly powering your way up the Southern Alps that gives you the feeling of being on top of the world and earning the views that you are rewarded with on the tops.
In the process, anything sitting on your subconscious that is nibbling away at you will come to the fore and trust me, you’re forced to face it front on…as well as potentially sweating from the eyeballs in the process.
So What Does This Actually Mean
It means lots of things. First and foremost it means living to the mantra of Running A Muck (yes – I, with the encouragement of a couple of others actually coined it a way of living).
Running A Muck
The last half of 2017 was truly hectic, so hectic that the term “Running A Muck” was coined and the “Runamuck” way of living became a thing. It became a daily phrase of conversation. We found laughter in the connotations it gave. It eloquently gave meaning to the situation I/we were living through.
Never be afraid to Runamuck..or dance on lava rocks in pink shoes
If I’m really honest, this Runamuck way of life has actually been a decade in the making but it’s only now that I’m brave enough to put a label on it, throw caution to the societal norms that I once would never have done for the fear of the backlash I may have received and embrace the French Art of Not Giving A F*** (it’s a published book title, therefore it’s ok to make reference given the appropriate nature of it’s meaning in this context).
But just like that first week of October 2017 when I ‘balls-ed’ up and asked the question if ‘we’ were ok with girls not being invited to the Red Bull Heavy Water event in San Francisco, I’ve once again found the courage to step up and to speak publicly about the need to do things differently.
This time last year I did what was close to un-thinkable, I had the courage to embark on an overseas campaign with no support other than the ‘village’ of friends who had my back, the tiniest shred of belief, an accidentally destroyed shoulder and the need to succeed when the game of life was dictating that I had to perform every time I stepped up to the plate.
It took a village and the village was there from near and afar. Thank you to the village.
To walk away with the outcomes that I did was representative of so much more than the world-beating ‘results’ seen by outsiders. It was about playing…and winning the game of life.
There were times when I was about to fly home. There were times when I was so mentally and emotionally broken that I’m still unsure of how I managed to pull myself together to produce some of the best performances of my life. But I did.
The Pacific Paddle Game and ISA World Champs Double Double…OMG – it actually happened.
I’m glad I played that round of the game of life, as few will ever be brave enough or create the opportunity to put themselves in those situations.
I saw the opportunities that others didn’t and I embraced all that I could learn from those experiences.
Irresponsibly Responsibly Adulting the Heck Out Of Life
Never be afraid to throw on the gladiator suit and adult the heck out of life if or when necessary
This my friends is how ‘Runamuck’ and Running-A-Muck came to life. The embracing of the chance to irresponsibly-responsibly-adult-the-heck-out-of-life. To embrace situations, to see a crises and to see opportunity it presented.
The chance to become a better version of myself by throwing myself into the situation, surviving and ‘experiencing’ for the sake of experiencing.
When things are out of your control
In the small little world that is the highest level of competitive Stand Up Paddling (yes – it’s actually a ‘thing’ for the uninitiated who are reading this), uncertainty has been rife, allegiances have been formed, alliances made and promise after promise laid on the table (and broken on many an occasion).
What goes unpublished and unspoken outside of the chinese whispers that do the rounds of WhatsApp and Messenger are the realities and truths in favour of the rose tinted glasses approach to pretending things are ok in the hope that they will be.
Quite frankly, things are not ok and #ipaddleforequality was testament to that.
But that is merely scratching the surface on the reality of what equality means (it goes so much further than the superficial nature of perceived equal prize money – but far deeper to the value of contracts, media and many other career enhancing opportunities).
The International Surfing Association (ISA) and the International Canoe Federation (ICF) are stuck in the Court of Arbitration for Sport mediated by the IOC as to who is allowed to ‘govern’ the sport of Stand Up Paddling otherwise known as SUP. Debates around the lengths of boards we race depending on if we are male or female and other contentious issues rage like a wild fire overshadowing the overbearing need for governance that has a view to the need for a strategic 5/10/15 year plan for is actually best for all disciplines and participants which sit under the banner of SUP as a sport at all levels.
If tandem paragliding can teach you one thing, it is to absolutely trust those that you fly with. Be careful who you choose to fly with….their actions always speak louder than words
We have continued to receive promises from various organisations and sporting leagues casting promises for a better future, but one cannot help but be a sceptic until we see the actual proof of these words with our own eyes in the months and years to come.
So Many Unknowns
Like a rapid, the only sure thing about life is that there will be unknowns. It’s about reading the signs of the water as you navigate the river that determine how well you’re going to exit rapid
As someone who likes to be in control of their destiny and have an idea of the road map of where they are going in life these points aforementioned equate to many unknowns and not a lot of road signs to plan and navigate by.
What to do?
The only thing I know – to take back the control..and throw caution to the wind.
Running-A-Muck
It’s one of the great day walks of NZ, now visited by close to 50,000 people. It still scares the living be-jeepers out of me every time I get to the bottom with the goal of running it without stopping or walking. Anyone who has walked up Mt Roy will understand this. But sometimes you throw caution to the wind and simply believe the you are able and you knock the b*stard off in true Sir Edmund Hillary style without stopping.
in the spirit that was the back half of 2017, 2018 will be dedicated to the metaphoric notion of Running-A-Muck.
With so many unknowns, I will navigate by gut and follow the road signs of the heart.
I will throw caution to the wind, along with the notion of those that try to impose controls as to what or who they deem to be the ‘best’.
Why? Simple, I cannot control the actions of others and the potential impacts these may have upon my life and my career.
Once again, it’s going to take some balls to potentially step outside and away from the titles and affirmations of others that have defined my career to date, but it’s not just a chance I’m prepared to take, it’s one that I must make in order to break through personal boundaries to strive to become a better version of myself and what ever I take on.
If that’s irresponsibly responsibly adulting the heck out of like, then that is exactly what I will endeavour to do.
Not afraid to be afraid
They say that the grass on the other side of the fence can be greener. Sometimes you have to jump over the fence and taste the grass to truly know.
Am I afraid? Heck yes, but once again, therein lies the opportunity to grow and to see opportunities in the periphery that I may not have seen otherwise. It is also forcing me to deal with the high possibility and reality of failure(s) along the way but once again, it’s only through embracing the chance to fail that we might unlock our real and ultimate potential. I’ve already physically been to some very dark places in the last couple of months and I’m not going to lie..it’s highly uncomfortable with a real chance of failure served up every time.
Same thing = Same Result
If you continue to do the same thing, there is a high likelihood that you may reap the same result. That result may be the dream of others, but for someone who has crested that mountain on many occasion, same thing, same result can also mean the fear of comfort and complacency.
And complacency is a place that I choose not to live.
Where to from here?
A good question and as I opened, one that has been the subject of many an entertaining conversation on many a mission over the past few weeks.
My grown up response? There is a plan….it’s a plan with a high amount of adaptability. A plan underpinned by the feelings of the head and of the heart pulled together in a colour coded excel spreadsheet.
It’s a rather unorthodox approach to planning for someone who loves to plan and has every day of the year accounted for in a spread sheet.
It’s full of challenge, potentially scarily so. So scary that it’s definitely given me more than a few anxiety attacks in recent weeks.
Mostly there’s a plan – other times you just got put some skin in the game, put it all on the line and adapt accordingly.
To those that have chosen (or choose) to join me in my planned approach to irresponsibly responsibly running-a-muck at the game of life this year, thank you for believing in my spirit of putting it all on the line at times and pitting myself against the best and the best of mother nature.
Take the drop…Mother Nature wanted you to
What I do know is that it’s going to be one heck of a journey, we are going to create some epic memories, have some incredible stories to tell and by living to some old fashioned and rather strong morals and values be better humans for the experience.
This is about being raw, it’s about being real and it’s about embracing this opportunity to break through some new barriers and attempt to become a better human for doing so.
Here is to Running-A-Muck and the people that already make up the Runamuck Society – you absolutely know exactly who you are, and you do it oh-so-well.
For many years I’ve enjoyed the company of many Tahitian friends, spent many wonderful moments in the islands of Tahiti and shared many wonderful days paddling, surfing and watching the sun go down over the edges of the lagoon.
As a tribute to my new partnership with Air Tahiti Nui, I’ve gone through the archives and selected some of my favourite moments and memories from trips gone by.
If these are not enough of an excuse to visit Tahiti or fly the skies between New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Los Angeles and Paris with Air Tahiti Nui, I’m not sure what will.
Two consecutive weekends, two consecutive crossings of the Pailolo Channel and 54 miles of racing from the islands of Maui to Molokai.
Two very different races, two very different conditions and one consistent result.
Self supported, aiming for the an outline in the distance these races are as much an exercise in skill and navigation as they are athletic prowess.
For those that are not from these shores, these channel crossings requiring a mix of navigation, surfing skills and fitness are where the real challenge lies.
Spot the odd one out. Bart de Zwart, Connor Baxter and Kody Kerbox – Maui boy’s I’ve been doing this paddling malarkey with since the very beginning.
As we formed the start line between the official boat and a buoy anchored in the water in the sheltered emerald waters of Honolua Bay on Maui’s western shores we could see the wind line forming in front of us.
It wasn’t this year’s start, but in lieu of having one from this weekend – here’s a look at the the emerald waters of Honolulu Bay from above
Having been across this channel last weekend and had one of the best downwind runs in memory I was excited for another chance to surf my way from one island to another.
With two events crossing two weekends, many had opted to do the latter of the two. Those that had raced the previous weekend were the lucky ones, treated to an epic crossing and an equally epic welcoming party and hospitality on the other side.
With a big field and the Aussie invasion of Maui in full effect, the pace was on from the gun. It’s also where the fields split in these events – typically right from the gun as some choose to take a high line, others choosing to go more south to get into the bump sooner. One way or another, all roads lead to Rome and it’s crazy how after not seeing anyone for miles you all converge on the same place to finish.
If last weekend was a hero run, this week you had to work for it. The wind had a lot of north in it, the tidal variation was small and going against us which meant the water was really sticky.
The first 10 miles were great and then the hard stuff started. It was hot, it was sticky and the water was in a confused state. As the miles clicked over and we wrapped around the eastern side of Molokai the wind lined up, the swells stacked up and the bump started to run again. It was good but each time my watch beeped to say another mile had passed it was definitely running slower than the previous week.
Without doubt the hardest part of these races is the navigation. Picking your line and trying to pick the fastest line is the make or break when all other things are equal. Should you go a little further south, should you stay inside? It’s a hard question to answer when you have no idea if there are other people around as the swells are higher than a lot of houses so seeing a glimpse of anyone is nigh on impossible at times.
As the long rectangular roof of the wharf building at Kaunakakai Harbour came into view I hotted up my line to skip over the reef to the finish off the end of the pier. In so many sports you know if you won or not, but races like this, if you’ve been separated from your competition you really have no idea. If you can’t see anyone or haven’t seen anyone – you’re either a hero or a total flunk. As I crossed the line I was pleasantly surprised to be advised that my efforts had been enough to win, although I was fast debriefing on what I needed to do differently if I were to do it over again. As always it was less about the result and more about the outcomes to learn and gain from.
It’s not a lie that these events are somewhat of a logistical nightmare. Starting and finishing on different islands brings it’s own unique set of challenges. You need to have a boat ride back to the start for both you and your board, you’ll get dropped at the wharf which is about 20minutes from where you started, so you needed have thought through how you’re going to shuttle cars. Anything you want at the finish (which needs to be minimal) needs to be on a dry bag and paddled out to a boat before the start.
In many ways, this jigsaw puzzle of logistics and organisation is half the fun and twice the appeal. If it were easy everyone would do it right?
So there we have it. Two weekends, two crossings of the Pailolo Channel, two wins, but two very different races.
Battling the side chop across the reef on the hot line to the finish
And if you’re wondering why there’s been two races from Maui to Molokai in two weeks, I’ll give you the short hand version. The organisers of the two events used to work together to produce one event. There was a falling out and one event is now run by Molokai and one event is now run from the Maui side. Regardless of who’s running what, the athletes and paddlers are the winners. The Pailolo Channel is possibly the best downwind channel crossing in the world period. And now there’s two races in two consecutive weekends. I’d say that’s a winner straight out of the gate.
You can read about this year’s Maui2Molokai event in the Maui News here and on SupRacer.com here
Two days, 37 miles of racing. It sounds a lot doesn’t it?
Add deep blue Hawaiian waters, warmth and 20 knots of trade winds blowing from behind.
Yes, it’s officially downwind season in Hawaii, the trade winds are blowing and one huge month of downwind racing kicked off with the M2Molokai Challenge this past weekend.
Two days of racing, one channel crossing and one of the all time classic downwind runs in Hawaii.
July normally sees one crossing of the Pailolo Channel that runs between the west side of Maui and the east side of Molokai. It’s known as the best downwind run in the Hawaiian chain and this month we get two cracks at this all time classic crossing.
Channel crossings are synonymous with all paddle sports in the Pacific. From Tahiti to Hawaii, people have been crossing oceans and channels harnessing the power of the trades and riding their swells to get from one place to another.
Zane Schweitzer foils the Pailolo Channel skimming over the tops of the swells with paddlers in the background
Navigation on these channel crossings is as big a part as downwind surfing skills, preparation and fitness. I’ve done this run once before and while it’s an epic run, due to the lay of the land it’s easy to get somewhat disoriented and easily end up off course.
Add in coming to grips with 18′ of board, self supporting yourself across (with no escort boat) and navigating your own line, it’s a true test of the downwind athlete.
The real story of the M2Molokai Challenge didn’t lie in the hosting of an all time epic channel crossing, but the chance to truly experience just what it means to spend a weekend on Molokai.
In what was likely one of the most memorable greetings in recent times, I crossed the finish line, paddled over to the wharf to be greeted by the young girls of the local canoe club jumping off the wharf and into the water to greet me. From that point, only one thing was appropriate – jumping off the dock hand in hand.
But the action was not contained to one day. M2Molokai was staged as a two day event to give people the opportunity to paddle their world famous Kamalo Bouy run, one of the most perfectly lined up downwind runs anywhere in the world and 10 miles of surfing down the eastern coast of Molokai.
Sure it’s a race, but weekends like this (and downwind season in general) are about so much more than the result. It’s about the sharing of experiences. It’s about getting back to the roots of why you do things and sharing it with others.
It brings together a bunch of people that may otherwise never meet, to experience places they may never visit. For many, it’s the culmination of months of preparation and the realisation of a long held dream. It’s a special bond and one that is shared by many.
With weekend 1 in the bag, we now look forward to the next three consecutive weekends of downwind racing with another crossing of the Pailolo Channel in the Maui 2 Molokai Race , the Poi Bowl (down Maui’s infamous Maliko Run) all culminating in Molokai 2 Oahu across the Kaiwi Channel between the island of Molokai and Oahu.
This month everyone has their own journey. Many people will have travelled from all over the world. Months of preparation, sacrifice and dedication have gone in prior to making it to Hawaii. It’s a month that will humble you to the core. It’s a month of respect for the elements, the ocean, all your competition and all the athletes who have embarked on this undertaking.
You can find all the photos, videos and happenings of the M2Molokai Challenge here
You can follow the day to day happenings downwind month on my Instagram
At the risk of sounding cliche, there’s something about hitting the mid point in the year.
Wind the clock back six months and I was in a state of confusion and frustration.
The only thing I committed to was to live by the mantra of ‘Do Epic Shit’.
It’s been six months of rolling with the punches, diving into the unknown, embracing challenge, finding solutions and hustling like no tomorrow.
I took the leap of faith to go it alone, to live to my own set of rules – a stoically entrenched set of values that I knew I couldn’t deviate from.
If I was to continue to put my heart and body on the line, I had to be ALL IN. I had to back myself as how could I expect anyone else to have confidence in me if I didn’t have confidence in myself.
As today marks my kiwi birthday, the 4th of July celebrations in the United States and poignantly sits just after the mid point in the year, it’s fitting to cast a look back to see how taking the leap of faith and throwing myself in the deep end has paid off.
It’s challenged my like you have no idea. I’ve destroyed a shoulder, broken some ribs and had to suck it up. Like a bugger for punishment I decided to race my bike and throw my self into multisport as well as racing on the water. At the same time I’ve been neck deep in building a house at home and managing that from afar.
There have been more than a few moments of holy shit and hesitation. That feeling of having a lump in your throat wondering if you’re making the right decision to do or not to do. It’s pushed me, it’s challenged me and I’ve found a few new boundaries in the process that I didn’t know I had.
As America celebrates it’s birthday of independence on July 4th, it also signifies my kiwi birthday falling on the other side of the date line.
Ever guilty of being focussed on the future at the expense of celebrating the small things along the way, here’s a few moments and memories to celebrate one fine day in America and reaching another year older. Here’s a few of the many moments that have made 2017 a year that I know I’ll never forget
Big days out in the hills running the dates with mates programme
3 Weeks Notice Before 2 Days of Hell around the mountains of Wanaka, NZ at Red Bull Defiance
Red Bull Defiance in Wanaka, NZ on January 21st, 2017
Red Bull Defiance in Wanaka, NZ on January 21st, 2017
Red Bull Defiance in Wanaka, NZ on January 22nd, 2017
Team Stand Up Chance, Annabel Anderson and Sam Thompson perform at Red Bull Defiance in Wanaka, New Zealand on January 21, 2017
Red Bull Defiance in the Wanaka, NZ on January 22, 2017
Red Bull Defiance in Wanaka, NZ on January 22nd, 2017
7x Consecutive NZ National SUP Titles – and a cyclone to boot
Did someone say #raceface? Any excuse to chew some dirt and throw some dust
Red Bull Defiance in Wanaka, NZ on January 21st, 2017
5x Consecutive Carolina Cup Victories
The year of events in extreme weather continued with the added bonus of a win at the Olukai on Maui
Last minute trips to paddle 30 miles around Bermuda and another win over the boys
The infamous Davenport Downwinder & a victory over the boys
A first trip to the Go Pro Mountain Games in Vail, Co. 11x events, 4 days, 2nd in the Ultimate Mountain Challenge and being sent to some very dark places on repeat to find some new depths that I didn’t know existed
A chance to celebrate everything that is Live Like Jay at the Jay Moriarty Memorial Race in Santa Cruz, Ca with the one and only Kim Moriarty
While the first half of 2017 may be in the bag, there’s a monster of a second half of 2017 to contend with.
The month of July sees me in Maui, HI taking on four consecutive weekends of downwind races including three channel crossings culminating in Molokai 2 Oahu on July 30.
Looking ahead to September I have finally (for the first time in 5 years) said yes to taking up my position on the NZ SUP team to compete in the ISA SUP & Prone World Champs in Denmark from September 1-10. After turning down my place on the team in previous years for various different reasons, this year I have said yes. Like the rest of my year, this is also a self funded trip. If anyone would like to support in any kind of way, please get in touch.
To everyone who has supported, helped and assisted so far – THANK YOU. It takes a VILLAGE and it’s a village I’m proud to have behind me.
I was quoted last week as saying “to win once is hard”, “to win consistently is just plain tough”.
Life is cyclical and throws many curve balls at us when we least expect them.
In Olympic sports, athletes peak mentally and physically in a four year cycle, allowing a period of recovery at the end of each cycle before gathering themselves towards the next olympiad.
When you compete in non-Olympic sports which don’t operate on a four cycle, we don’t have the same space to recover and recharge. Everything is condensed and the expectation of delivering year upon year is real and it’s tough.
This past week was my fifth trip to the island of Wrightsville Beach on the coast of North Carolina.
For the past 5 years every Easter has signalled the end of the kiwi summer and flying half way around the world on countless flights bound to kick off my international season at the Carolina Cup.
How this small outpost on the Atlantic Coast came to be home to the largest annual gathering of stand up paddling is testimony to a small group of passionate locals who decided to invite the world to their waters to test them on what is possibly the toughest and most technically demanding course of the year.
The end of April signals the start of Spring in the northern hemisphere, but if the north winds are blowing the winds are chilling and the waters still frigid. If the south winds have been prominent the weather is considerable more temperate.
In my five trips to North Carolina, I think I’ve now experienced every possible mood of weather and as such come prepared for anything and everything.
If it’s your first year at ‘the Cup’, you have next to know idea what to expect other than the stories you’ve been told, the footage you’ve seen and what you’ve read, but nothing really prepares you for that first experience.
The waters of Wrightsville Beach are notorious – especially navigating the challenges of tidal flows and Masonborough Inlet
Unless you’re a local who boats, surfs and paddles these waters year round it’s nigh on impossible to truly understand the course and the affects of the weather in this part of the world.
The wind is fickle, Masonborough Inlet is notorious, the currents are strong and well….let’s just say that you’re going to quickly love to hate the grind of Intra Coastal Waterways (ICWW).
In all five editions that I’ve done, each year has been different. The first two years went South first meaning that we had to punch out through an incoming inlet to get the open ocean, the past three years we’ve gone north and surfed our way through.
But if I’m to make a call on what year the conditions have been the hardest, it would likely be 2017.
Saturday morning greeted us with a howling southerly blowing up the beach. As is the case with this race, they will send you in the direction that the wind is blowing on the ocean side to maximise a downwind portion of the race. While this might seem fun, the stronger the wind blows, the stronger that wind is to bash into up the back waters of the ICWW.
The conditions of Carolina Cup are not to be taken lightly and are a true test of all your skills
It’s the type of course that the conditions dictate how your going to play out your race. Regardless of if you’re starting to finish, to starting with the aim of finishing at the pointy end, the conditions will dictate how the race will play out. And this year, as I suspected, that is exactly what happened.
Coming into a race, I don’t think I’ve ever been so relaxed. I’m not sure why, but for some reason I was overcome with a sense of calm.
I’d arrived a couple of days early to catch up with good friends, to share laughter and reminisce. I had little expectation other than to have funned to enjoy.
When in Rome….Team America was out in full force
As the first major of the international season this event comes with a lot of external expectations for many from supporters, sponsors and an industry.
Having paid my way, I felt significantly lightened from some of the burden of expectations to deliver what has become an expected result in previous years.
Walking the beach early on Saturday morning, I could feel the wind building and the intensity of the weather increasing.
The years may roll on, but the need to focus on the task at hand is always the same – maybe more
No one could ever call a year at Carolina Cup ‘normal’, but these conditions were definitely the most extreme that I’d experienced and I knew that this would play a significant factor into how the race played out.
As the outriggers and surf skis, prone paddlers and elite men tore downwind, I quickly changed my position on the start line sighting what I saw was a more direct route to the turning buoy sitting just past the breakers.
If there was a day that playing your game to the conditions would reign, this year was it.
The end of the outgoing tide made getting in through the inlet far slower than previous years and based on my calculations, I knew that we were going to get slammed head on against the incoming tide as we made our way up the ICWW.
Against an incoming tide and straight into 20-25 knots of headwind 2017’s conditions were no joke
20-25 knots on the nose against the tide for the best part of 7-8 miles is probably not your idea of weekend fun. Judging by the failing form of the draft trains of guys I made ground on and passed, they weren’t finding it much fun either (as girls we paddle a shorter board than the men).
Making my way through the trains of men who had splintered off the front packs in the brutal head winds and currents up the Intra Coastal Water Way
There was the odd moment of reprieve from the wind as the course wound around the waterways, but never from the incoming tide.
If the first part of the ICWW broke people, the second half destroyed them. Making our way past the Sound side of the Blocade Runner Hotel and past the welcome cheers of everyone watching from bridges and docks the wind and currents intensified.
Being shown the footage of what it looked like from a drone, it looked like we were creeping against an escalator moving in the opposite direction.
Having towed talented young hitter Fiona Wylde past trains of men for over an hour with a couple of moments of reprieve, I knew that I wanted to keep the pace on as I didn’t have a time gap as to where the next girls were behind us.
Having bided my time, just past the crowds I decided it was time to go. Within moments I’d broken, blown past the men in front and put daylight on them.
But this is where this race gets interesting and likely acquired it’s name ‘The Graveyard’. This is a race which breaks people in ways which they least expect it. People cramp, they drop their gels, the run out of water. It will usually happen when you get into the later stages of this race. From that point on, it’s no longer a race, but a battle of survival to make it to the finish as many of the pre-race favourites in the men’s event will attest to.
Coming into the 2017 edition of Carolina Cup, I had little idea of where my form was. It’s been a pretty disrupted off season, particularly in the past couple of months. A couple of nasty stacks landing on my shoulder racing my mountain bike, some badly banged up ribs and the most horrific summer weather on record my pre-season preparation on the water was limited and life on a day to day basis was summed up as being ‘suck-it-up-buttercup’ painful. To be able to do what I wanted to when I wanted to was extremely satisfying.
I’m not lying when I say that my pursuits were without a paddle. It was a case of making the most of what I had on my doorstep and kicking some life goals in the process.
While the post event headlines have been about five-in-a-row, this past weekend signifies so much more.
When you round the final can and make your way into the beach it doesn’t matter if it’s your first time or your fifth, if you won or brought up the rear – the elation of finishing is exactly the same. You came, and you survived The Graveyard
I’ve been challenged in many ways the past few months, but I still turned up and still did what I knew I was capable of.
It’s been unconventional and far from ideal, but it’s dealing with the curve balls that keeps you on your toes while building tenacity and resilience. It’s not about delivering when the times are easy, it’s being able to get it done when currents of life get a bit turbulent.
What I do know is that I had a truck load of fun this past week and that the fun train will be in full force and rolling for the months to come.
Five consecutive wins at Carolina Cup is no accident and a lot of people have been a part of helping make this happen.
Number 5 is for you, thank you for your continued support.
Thank you for your support – it means the world
To those that helped this weekend – thank you. Without your help, this would have been considerably harder
A few to mention:
Mahiku Activewear – I’ve worn my Black Mamba tights religiously at this event since 2014
Betty Designs – for always channelling one’s inner bad ass
Running Skirts – the most epic long sleeve crops to keep the sun off and chafing at bay
CamelBak – always ensuring I have fail safe hydration systems that stand up to the task
Brian Szymanski – creating boards that are more works of art than pieces of foam and fibre glass
ZRE – the paddles I’ve used since the very beginning
NSP – for making me welcome and part of your posse all weekend long, it was a lot of fun!
The Blocade Runner Hotel – incredible hospitality
Katie & Patty – it just wouldn’t be the Carolina Cup with out you two!
On It Pro – always ensuring that my boards make it to the line in ship shape and looking pristine
Chris from Carolina Paddleboard Co – thank you so much for your help with logistics
Spencer, SUP ATX – coordinating shipping and making sure everything arrived on time
Greg Panas – always there to capture the shot and shoot the shit on the problems of the world
I swear that Christmas feels like it was a couple of weeks ago. Blink a couple of times and Easter is upon us already.
While most people look forward to the leisurely days of this Autumn vacation, for the past 7 years it has always signalled the change of the seasons, that my time at home is coming to an end and the climax of my annual pack down.
Garage floors become littered with a paraphernalia of sporting equipment and piles of kit forms in like for like piles. One day I’ll learn to stick to singular activities which don’t involve copious amounts of gear. But that would be like asking the Pope if he is Catholic (it’s Easter after all).
Less is more and while I advocate a such an approach when it comes to possessions and consumerism, it still takes time to go through all your worldly possessions and evaluate if they stay or if they go.
So every Easter instead of battling the holiday motorway gridlock, I stay local and organise…then re-organise my life over and over again until I have it down to the final edit. Once the final edit is festooned into packing cells, it makes it to the bags and boxes ready for takeoff.
Given a 23kg weight limit per bag, packing for multiple pursuits and multiple locations and attempting to avoid all unnecessary baggage fees this is a cryptic jigsaw in itself.
I refer to it as therapy, and there’s some weird kind of satisfaction that comes with the art of ‘precision packing’ as I #kondo the crap out of anything and everything that has made the final piles.
It’s the same kind of satisfaction you get from closing in on the final few pieces of a 1000 piece jigsaw while the mind wanders on the happenings of another summer; the highs, the lows and the challenges.
And trust me, this past summer had plenty of all of them.
Red Bull Defiance in the Wanaka, NZ on January 22, 2017
If you’re from New Zealand – especially the South Island, you’ll be well aware that summer forgot to turn up. Instead of baking in searing dry heat in the Southern Lakes District, December and January will be remembered for their precipitation, snow and unseasonal wearing of down. If you bought bikinis in the hope of a tan, you won’t need to buy any next summer as these ones are yet to see the light of day.
In search of summer, I jettisoned north to the warmer isle in search of sun, surf, sand and warmth. Instead I arrived to relentless torrential rain and a forecast that bore the rain symbol for the next ten days straight.
I got wet, and have pretty much stayed wet or somewhat damp for the past two months.
Many a training session turned into ‘victory-at-sea’.
Countless rides got rain checked and a couple of stacks off my bike plus a miss-timed ejection from a wave meant a painful couple of months nursing a semi-destroyed shoulder and banged up ribs. Oh the fun of it all.
Like every year, you’ll always be challenged by something and this year is was definitely the weather and having to eat concrete for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
As each storm has torn it’s path, it would be easy to forget that there were some moments that fell into the monumental category and worthy of a mention.
Arriving home at the end of October, I went into lock down in an attempt to get my house build finally underway. After the months delays of courtesy of the Queenstown Lakes District Council Easier this was easier said than done. But come late November contracts were signed and the heavy machinery ensure that it was acton stations and all systems go pre-Christmas.
I’m not going to lie, I had a vision….and I had a budget, both of which don’t easily match in the same sentence. Project House was mildly all consuming but like anything, if you’re going to do it, you might as well do the best job of it.
Now that is two thirds completed, I’ve being rewarded with seeing the fruits of that effort as the structure takes shape and my vision comes to life (courtesy of pics from Mum and Dad). It’s not trying to be anything fancy, but as anyone in the land of milk and honey knows, this kind of project is now nigh on impossible with the influx of people also wanting to move and live in paradise inflating owning a house to official Paradise Tax status.
On the physical side, nothing really resembled ‘training’ per se and followed a protocol of ‘dates with mates’ on bikes, boards, up hills, down dales, through snow storms, across lakes, staying in back country huts, camping atop mountains, paragliding and putting my hand in the ring to tackle masochistic sporting events with little idea of what I was getting myself into. Anyone up for 2 days of running around the hills for 14hrs in the biggest summer snow storm anyone can remember? You get the picture of how the dates-with-mates programme rolls.
You can train the body or you can train the mind. It’s my time in the deep south that has a habit of doing both by default. In fact you’ll be hard pressed to find me even mentioning the word training. It’s about getting out amongst the landscape and disappearing for hours at a time in search of mind blowing vistas and the thrill of feeling like you’re standing on top of the world or shrouded by towering mountain ranges. Often times it was also a case of hanging on for dear life to avoid being blown off ridges, remaining upright and making it home in one piece.
Missions are the things I live for and if the phone goes at a moments notice, there’s only ever one answer…yes and it’s all systems go.
Red Bull Defiance in Wanaka, NZ on January 21st, 2017
Wanaka is the kind of place where close to everything you do is dictated by the weather and you need an arsenal of toys and ways to play to ensure the extra long days of summer can be enjoyed to their maximum. The byproduct of this environment is that it tends to attract a lot of people who value and live for the same highs and regardless of summer’s dismal behaviour, the memories forged from many a mission are what remains indented in your memory.
It’s this love of doing that will always keep drawing me back and seeking out new places to explore and new ways to interact with the environment. To run, to ride, to paddle, to surf, to coach and to compete.
As I took a break from the final stretch of packing last night to escape for a couple of hours paddling into the sunset of Auckland’s upper harbour, the sun’s rays cast rays shooting in a perfect circle against the harbour bridge.
As I passed Watchman’s Island I turned downwind with the last of the setting sun at my back to be greeted with the lights of the city scape glistening against the night sky. It was pitch black by the time I made it back to where I’d started, guided by the ambient light twinkling on the water.
It was the calm after the fury of Cyclone Cook and the calm before the next metaphorical turbulence that is the hurricane of six months living out of bags in search of adventure.
One thing is for sure, chapters come and go, the seasons may chance, but the hunger to experience, to adventure and to challenge the status quo is stronger than ever.
Two days, 37 miles of racing. It sounds a lot doesn’t it?
