The ultimate week of downwinding Down Under

 WA SUP Sunset Series race – Thursday 27^th November

The Aussies really know how to “do” events. It’s granted that the weather tends to help but wherever you are there always seems to be plenty of helpers, a substantial Barbie and no shortage of cold beers post-race! This was our experience at our first race, which was the Final of the Sunset series. Usually, a 10km coastal race from Sand Tracks to City Beach. – blasting along in the consistent Fremantle Sea breeze. A mixed event for Surf Skis and SUPs with great prizes. I guess the local ladies had their thoughts on other things, as I was 1^st of one!  The wind wasn’t helping (unusually inconsistent & swinging offshore) so perhaps this and the imminent Doctor race were factors here.

The Doctor Race, Saturday 29th of November

This is an internationally known event in its 7^th year. A grueling 27.5km downwind race for Surf Skis, OC1s and SUPs form Rottnest Island to Sorrento Beach.

The Doctor is named because the thermal breeze brings relief from the pain of scorching temperatures that Perth can experience in the summer. I was also told there was a morgue that held bodies many years ago and the smell was carried downwind to the city in this wind direction. I think that may have been typical Aussie bloke humor though winding up some of the gullible pommies!

Rottnest Island offers virtually any kind of tourist a variety of activities and points of interest including some superb surf breaks and numerous secluded bays to relax in. We returned as tourists a week later but on this visit we were focused on the 27km journey back across to the mainland racing SUP boards. Many dozens of boards and skis had been loaded on a barge on Friday afternoon. Saturday began early with a slightly bumpy “fast ferry” crossing and it wasn’t long until the barge docked. Unloading was a relaxed affair, with a couple of hours to spare before the start.

With warm early-summer sunshine the race began with a short upwind blast, then a left turn around a marker post.  A challenging leg followed, almost downwind but with a little more south than ideal blowing over our right shoulders. This kept us focused on steering right and paddling on the left to head towards our goal (with a large lead-boat showing the way). The swell and chop were occasionally very helpful but often a very different angle to our intended route, giving competitors a serious challenge keeping the boards on course.

After a channel marker post around 7-8km from home, the final leg straightened towards the finish at Sorrento Beach.  It was a better downwind run from here but after paddling hard for a couple of hours my ability to read bumps and time strokes effectively was dampened as I became more and more fatigued. It starting feeling like a hard slog. Neither of us were up near the leaders in our respective divisions and it was a contrasting finish for each of us. Paul recouped a little of his pride by holding off his closest challenger at the finish. For me, shear exhaustion at the end resulted in me falling awkwardly in the surf, head-butting my board and perforating my eardrum! Certainly not my most dignified or enjoyable race finish: I was helped to my feet and staggered up the beach across the finish line! Compounded by an intense ringing and pain in my ear which ironically required a trip to the Doctor after the race!

At the business end of the fleet, we learned that Beau O’Brien had fought well for a fantastic win in a close race with Travis Grant. Angie Jackson powered her way into an unassailable lead, stretching ahead of second placed lady Terrene Black. The strength in depth of the local riders was really impressive, with guys not really well known outside Australia scoring results pretty close to the top Pro’s.

Winners of the Doctor Race