US SURFSKI CHAMPS 2009

Kenny Howell - Point Bonita

Q: THE 2009 US SURFSKI CHAMPS SEEM TO BE SHAPING UP TO BE THE BEST YET. IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE A NEW RACE WITH THE NEW COURSE AND SUCH A STRONG GROUP OF INTERNATIONAL PADDLERS COMING IN. HOW'S IT COMING TOGETHER IN YOUR OPINION?

The global recession hasn’t been especially kind to the paddlesports industry, and yet interest in the US Surfski Championships remains strong. Commitments from international contestants, as well as surfski racers from across the US, gives us reason to believe the field will not only be deep, but could top previous participation records. The reputation of San Francisco Bay, the challenging conditions, the great competition, the wonderful camaraderie – these keep surfskiers worldwide coming back for more. We’re expecting top paddlers from Australia, the South Pacific, South Africa, Europe, and the far corners of North America.

The course is new, but the crew behind the scenes hasn’t changed. The Wavechaser Paddle Series has hosted the US Surfkis Championships since the race inception in 2003. They do a fantastic job of organizing everything – from chase boats, to registration, helping out-of-towners hook up with places to stay, timing, and recruiting volunteers for the endless things that are needed on race day. For the post-race festivities, Wavechaser scored big with the OCSC Sailing School in the Berkeley Marina– this looks like a great place to party!

Everything points to a spectacular race this year. San Francisco’s famous westerly winds will rush through the Golden Gate, and blow us directly towards the finish in Berkeley. It’s fitting that the Berkeley Marina has great accommodations at the Doubletree Hotel, with special rates for Championships competitors. The hotel is on the water, and within walking distance from the finish line. As we’ve done for the past several years, clinics and demos will take place the day before the race, but this time at the Berkeley Marina. Paddlers with rough water ability will be able to test paddle skis in the bumps outside the jetty, or stay inside the harbor for calm water practice. On Sunday, the traditional doubles race, and the 4 X 2KM relay will start and finish in Berkeley.

Q: WHAT PROMPTED THE COURSE CHANGE THIS YEAR? HOW WILL IT IMPROVE THE RACE? DOES THE NEW COURSE CHANGE SOME OF THE "CURRENT" TACTICS OF THE OLD COURSE TO A STRAIGHT UP DOWNWINDER?

The idea of finding a more reliable downwind leg for the race came up after the 2008 event. Patrick Hemmens of Ocean Paddlesports, and the Wavechaser brain trust chose the new course and moved it up one month; August generally has more reliable sea breezes on the Bay than September. The new route is brilliant. The long course is about 17.5 miles. We’re familiar with it from Wavechaser summer downwind races. If the conditions on race day develop as expected, it’s a home run for everyone.

The race had previously been held in September or October. The route was modified in 2006 by moving the start and finish from Sausalito to San Francisco, but it retained the challenging open coast route along the Marin Headlands beyond Point Bonita. The first 3 years saw water rough enough to churn butter – right at the limit for some racers. The past three years though, winds and conditions were relatively light, yet the water is always interesting with the tricky currents.

CLICK ON THE THUMBNAIL FOR AN ENHANCED VIEW OF THE NEW RACE COURSE

Tactics for negotiating the currents in the 2009 Champs may be simplified, but the currents are rarely slack on San Francisco Bay. We’ll have a flood tide during the race; so, for the first leg up to Point Bonita, finding a good line is key. After the buoy turn, it’s not exactly a turkey shoot. Racers won’t have to determine ferry angles to cross the current, but we have to navigate across the Bay to Angel Island (possibly in fog) dodge ships, and all manner of sailing craft, jet ferries, tugs, pink flamingos – you name it. The race directors wisely chose a course that takes us out of the main shipping channel towards Angel Island, but then we cross the shipping channel en route to Berkeley. Surfing ability from the Golden Gate Bridge to the finish – a spectacular run of approximately 10 miles – will likely determine the winners.

The US Surfski Championships was always meant to be challenging. To gain recognition and respect internationally, it has to be a “monster” course. Heading out the Golden Gate makes the most battle-hardened ski paddler wake up and pay attention. Currents here, according to the US Army Corp of Engineers, push the largest volume of water through any narrows on earth - 3 million cubic feet per second during maximum ebb tide. That’s several times the volume of the Mississippi River during normal flow! Paddling here can feel like climbing atop a sea serpent’s back for a ride through Neptune’s lair.

Q: WHAT CONDITIONS CAN PADDLERS EXPECT FROM THIS COURSE IN LATE AUGUST?

San Francisco Bay is a sailor’s dream. The winds are legendary. When California’s Great Central Valley heats up and the warm air rises, cool marine air from the Pacific Ocean rushes in through the narrow gap of the Golden Gate to replace it; this is one of nature’s most perfect wind machines, and the race course takes advantage of it! Berkeley takes a direct hit from the westerlies blasting through the Gate, and the wind waves surf you right towards the finish.

Due to the vagaries of the topography, swells, and current patterns, the flood tide can produce very rough water at Point Bonita. It can spit up grey mounds of 6’ chaotic chop; just getting around the buoy is nerve wracking unless you have ice running through your veins. Thankfully, once you round the buoy you can run with the current and wind back into the Bay. Good surfing begins right away if the wind is up. The wind waves in the Bay have some ocean swell mixed in all the way to Angel Island. But, this is mostly wind wave surfing; the waves are short and steep. Paddlers can expect a good swamping once or twice. Long surf rudders are recommended (weeds are not chronic, but they do exist).

Virtually every day this time of year, the National Weather Service posts a Small Craft Advisory for San Francisco Bay. 25-30 knot winds are common. The Bay is a surfskiers dream come true.

Q: WHAT IS THE MOST UNIQUE THING ABOUT THE US CHAMPS (COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE WORLD SERIES CIRCUIT?)

We asked the race course director, local paddling fiend and co-founder of the Wavechaser Series, Dave Jensen:

“Not only do the conditions on the course change from mile to mile, they also change from hour to hour and from day to day. Ebb tide conditions are different than flood tide conditions. High tide conditions are different that low tide conditions. Everyone knows that wind creates waves, but with the right tides we get waves without any wind. Every wind-tide combination creates different conditions. The world's top racers have come here and told us that there is no other race course like this in the world.”

There are many good reasons why the US Surfski Championships are held here. Where else in the world can you find a cosmopolitan city on one of the most beautiful bays in the world, with a Mediterranean climate AND outrageous downwind conditions for surfskis? The South Africans that come here like to say it feels “Cape Towny”. But, the Bay’s currents make it unique, and add a special challenge. Surfski racing in North America is not yet as evolved as in the sport’s countries of origin, so we try to attract elite caliber racers to the event. American competitors are honored to compete with the best international ski paddlers.

Q: WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THE RACE?

The future looks bright. The sport is thriving in California. When the 2009 event is over, all the racers will be so stoked by the amazing feat they just accomplished. This is becoming “must do” for surfski racers far and wide. It’s on the Surfski World Series circuit already. You can put the US Champs on your calendar every year, like the Molokai Challenge, and the other big water events held around the world!

-Kenny Howell

Click here to visit the US Surfski Championships website