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Old 12-14-2006, 11:05 AM
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Default Blasting Down To Ft. Lauderdale, WHAT Do You Remember???

Some articles are going to come out of this event. It would be great to capture and report on some of the individual experiences. What things stick in your mind about the Race, whether you made it the full way or not, volunteered on the beach, whatever? Here's your chance to share your unique experience and perspectives with the world.

Over to you ...
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Old 12-15-2006, 08:51 AM
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Ok, I'll start. A bunch of us have been doing the actual races and pre-races as well. As a result we've done about 180 miles of these downwinders in the last month or so. As a rule, the winds and waves have been substantially stronger for the pre-race than the race. A good thing I think particularly for the 60 mile Jupiter to Ft. Lauderdale Run. The uncertainty of your first long distance race can be unnerving, will I have enough strength to go the distance, how should I pace myself, etc.. After some repetition, you start to have a better idea about these things also riding in the waves routinely helps a lot. I never had much intention to race but to do the distance in the cruising class.

During the pre-race I focused on trying to find smoother riding corridors and avoiding getting caught by breaking waves and succeeding part of the time. Waves were a BIG issue during the pre-run, as was the wind to a lesser degree. The wind reportedly gusted up to 35 kts. at points and was in the higher 20's for much of the time. Waves were commonly double head high and even triple head high at points. I found I spent a lot more energy going through the heavier, choppy seas than the odd, temporary stretch of smoother water. Not having purchased a reel leash, I think I lost my last one five years ago, I also spent some time on board recovery. I rigged some small pull ties as weak links at the leash connection point for the actual race. The pre-race was intense and pretty tiring. My goal was to just try to go the distance that time, nothing more.

Anyway, here comes the day of the race. I'm thinking well I could go with a 9 m or perhaps a 14 m bow. I have an 11 m that is ideal for those sort of winds but didn't have enough time on it yet for a distance session of this type. Lots of guys were on 12 m and even larger flat kites. Having done two of the last four races a bit overpowered I figured, nope, gonna do it with the 9 m. It worked out. The spectacle of all those kites up in the air was incredible in St. Pete and just as impressive in Jupiter. Fortunately, we have photos of both panoramas, good stuff.

Once I'm out, I notice the seas are a lot kinder than the last time. Instead of dodging barreling waves it was far less of an issue. You could pretty much pick a bearing and run on it without worrying much about getting bowled over by a big breaker. The further south you went the lower the seas were as a rule. They did flair up interestingly enough around Boynton Inlet and again in Pompano. Perhaps this had something to do with outgoing tidal current slamming into the NE'ly swells. Anyway, working to seaward to avoid piers and inlets was much easier than in the pre-race where it was a royal pain in the butt trying to cut through the big breaking stuff. The race was smoother and more fun just to ride on down the coast among the swells. I just received some images from Neil from the chopper, soon to go up by the way here. The waves look a lot larger in the photos at points, particularly north of Lake Worth Inlet than I recall. The helicopter images are incredible by the way, you folks have a special treat coming your way.

I had forgotten what it was like to have a helicopter stall your kite. I think I was just south of the Juno Pier when I was reminded. I shredding along, the chopper passed about 150 yds to windward. All of the sudden my kite drops straight downward like a lead balloon! Fortunately, it recovered and things went forward. It did put me on my guard for future close passes however.

During the pre-race, I ended up breaking for a 1/2 hr. at Delray to grab a power bar, to fill up the camel pak and rest in general. I stopped at Pompano for another 1/2 hr.. Things started to slow down approaching Ft. Lauderdale Beach, fatigue was setting in. Still, it wasn't that far to the finish, just a bit further! For the race, I was fortunate enough to have a choice about rest breaks and opted to avoid them. Stupidly, I did suck down 2 l from the camel pak way too fast. Will have to take it easier on the fluids next time.

It is interesting on how, behind the leaders anyway, a 1/2 mile separation and even more doesn't amount to all that much. I think at one point I feel a few miles behind but later regained the distance. Even the leaders noted that a 1/4 mile wasn't that significant. One wipeout and you could temporarily give up that much.

The wind was lighter particularly at points during the race. I was able to keep things moving by sining the kite at points but really wasn't that underpowered. The forecast held that winds would increase the further south we went which happened I think particularly south of Pompano.

I thought I would do ok on the time but within about 3 miles of the finish, my kite hit the water, damn! I think I must have a slow leading edge leak that I wasn't aware of. Anyway on trying to relaunch, what may have been a slightly soggy leading edge caused the kite to invert each time I tried to relaunch, three times! I'm thinking I going to blow at least 45 minutes going into shore, sorting out the lines and relaunching. Fortunately, the fourth time was the charm, the kite made it up despite a few line twists and was flyable. I ended up coming in near the back of the pack, no surprise there but fun all the same.

In short, the race was fun, memorable experience. For those that didn't make it all the way, shit happens and things should go better next time for your experience. Falling out of the Bimini Race last year for some dumb last minute choices, believe me I can relate!

Thanks to Neil, all the volunteers and sponsors for making this excellent event possible. Special thanks to all the riders who made this unique experience what is was, GREAT! Oh, I almost forgot, it is also a new World Record distance race, way to go!
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Old 12-15-2006, 12:48 PM
stacey stacey is offline
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FROM ANDY HURDMAN:

I started the race on a 13 Yarga, totally over-powered. Right at the start of the race, when I was rounding the Jupiter pier, my legs already started to wonder what was going on. About quarter mile into the race, I would work up my speed and then catch and edge and crash. On the second fall, my camel pack rounded its way to the front of my body and I tried in vain to put it back on my back. After a few tries, I decided to get rid of the pack all together and remembered to grab my phone out before I threw it. Now I had the phone in my hand, I held it on the bar while I rode for about one mile, then, again, I caught an edge and eat-it dropping the phone and losing my board. Once I got my board back, I had to get my phone which was floating in the waterproof bag. I tack up wind, and find the phone, and try to grab it, but miss. On the second try I miss again, now I’m really pissed off! I finally grab it on the third try and put in my pocket; 2 miles later, when I check, the phone is not there.

I continue riding, about 25 miles into the race, and my back foot strap comes loose. Now I’m balancing on one foot for about a half a mile, thinking there is no way I can finish the race. Then, just when I am about to quit I see people on the beach filming. I try my luck and ride in thinking I may know them, sure enough it’s Thomas from Best Kiteboarding filming in front of his house. I start screaming that I need a replacement board, Thomas finally understands what I’m screaming and runs home and gets the same board I was riding and I was off.

Still in 3rd place, about one mile behind Damien and Billy, I ride the inside and go as fast as I can to make up time.

Now I’m approaching the Deerfield pier and passing Damian then I start to run into another problem, my eyes are so crusted with salt I started losing my eyesight. While riding I’m trying to get the salt out of my eyes. No matter what I do it keeps getting worse. At this point, I’m really getting nervous and I start looking for an open beach area to land my kite and quit. But, since I was having eye problems, I could not see well enough to locate a spot, so, I accidentally catch an edge and crash right on my face. Luckily, the crash cleared the salt layer off my eyes, and I could see again.

Now, back in the race, I had to ride hard to try and catch Damian again. For the last 10 miles we were neck-and-neck. I would take the lead, then crash, he would pass, I would catch up…then he would crash, I would take the lead and crash.

Ultimately, I was able to sneak up behind him in the inside, on a stretch of beach where there were no life guards, and pick up speed for the win! My back leg is still sore days later and my phone is gone, I’m glad I didn’t put 50$ with it.
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Old 12-18-2006, 09:10 AM
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Great stuff about Andy, thanks for posting it Stacey.

Come on guys, this is a WORLD RECORD RACE, so it was just a walk in the park, no big deal worth talking about?

If not, what did you go through in your run? The interest is out there, so pass on some insights on what you experienced.
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Old 12-18-2006, 06:06 PM
TritonKiteboarding TritonKiteboarding is offline
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Oliver Berlicand I left st. pete friday night to ride for our first time on the east coast aside from a 5 min session in deerfield one day last year. We went with mike hall and two other members of the eckerd kiteboarding club. Oliver and I have been riding since spring break last year in march so almost a year, but were determined to complete this race. We launched and got washing machined the whole way out but kept going. We're both naturally goofie riders so ripping downwind over all the chop was not a walk in the park, I personally went toeside for about 50% of the time. I got to the check point taking my time and retrieved a couple boards for people along the way, Oliver had been vomiting for about ten minutes and mike had blown by like an hour ahead. I pouned a water and a powerbar, and told him we were finishing no matter what. He got up from bootin, gave a thumbs up and were gone, a bit after 4 hours we rolled around the red bull bouy, shaking, and pumped, my eyes have never been so red, my mom told me i looked like a crack head, but was proud. That was nice. Overall, one of the best experiences i've had riding yet, those jelly fish looked intense. The rest of the night just blurred into flashbacks of waves to the face. Looking forward to the next event, thanks to neil, rick, and everyone who helped put it together.
-Matt Sexton
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Old 12-18-2006, 10:44 PM
illibilli illibilli is offline
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I remember the night before telling my friends that I wasn't going to meet them at Mansion with Wyclef Jean. Instead i choose to drink at home knowing that a late night on sobe would not mix with going 60miles. I remember having the same pit in my stomach as the last Jup-Tiki race a month or so earlier. Thats why I drank and alsi why I didn't sleep that great...excited... I remember being late to Jupiter....not knowing where to start in jupiter...uhhh just wasn't paying attention I guess in pre-race notices. I had to call Neil to get steered in right before race meeting. Last time we started in Jupiter (on that blaster Lauderdale trip earlier) further north..up near the inlet where there is no beach. So that is where we went first (my daddy drove me up there...he's 82). Anyway I called Neil right before the pre-race meeting and found out the course was shorter by about 3 miles or something??? Anyway. I got launched late and was just too rushed in beginning to feel good right out of the chute.....Couple guys were struggling on beach just downwind of me and I had trouble getting powered immediately cause their kites were in the way. I finally busted through the shore break after about 3-4 attempts and was exhausted. Then I was coming up short on clearing the pier and I remember huge rollers crashing into base of pier and I was really close. Too close for comfort so I played it safe...acck...
So I tacked back north and went back against about 25 kites going south and I was freaking mad bout that.....so I then came back south and was about 5th from last going around the pier and that wasn't any good... the guys around me were staying offshore in the chop and not getting down in the wave breaks so I stayed there with them. my camel pack was all messed up and i lost valualbe time straightening that mess out. I'll be a lot more careful with the camel pack next time cause I was distracting to me but I loved drinking from it. I remember the wind and waves not being as strong and huge as last time adn I was feeling some relief when the wind went light. I was flying a SB2 12mtr with short lines and thought I had the right combo. I weigh 200lbs. I remember when the wind went a bit light that I gained a lot on all around me and passed some people. I rode toeside about a 1/4 of the way...I just crashed transtioning back to regular and probably lost 15 minutes with those crashes.
i remember being really upset with myself for not getting back in the breaks. Actually when the wind did let up ...close to the checkpoint if I remember correctly I stayed in closer to shore. Then lifeguard stands and Neils haunting voice about staying clear so out to sea again...safe and slow....uggh. I rember thinking that Demian would have grabbed me and gotten me in closed to shore if he were around me but instead he was battling Andy Hurdman and Billy Parker I guess...In a whole different league than me.
My left front foot still hurts (feel like I broke it) so I'll remember that. Lets see....I remember the Octane dude (Marc Danis) in front of me at the very end beating me by 15 seconds after 60 long ass miles. He and I raced neck and neck almost the entire race trading places several times. Also some dude with a white kite with a surfboard and he had better speed in the chop...I remember seeing him just pull away even though he was crashing more often than me. It is weird but I was thinking that I should have been on a strapped directional. He finished maybe 15 minutes ahead of me I guess? And I remember hoping that Stacey was behind me and then at the end seeing that she beat me....acck!! I rmember being behind Rick I for a long time and then he crashed and I got bye. I didn't know it was him but I remember the blue crossbow and he was having trouble re-launching. I was thinking how bad that would suck to crash within 5 miles of the finish and not being able to re-launch the kite becasue of a leaking leading edge or something....then I found out it was Rick I. I love the feeling of finishing the race and Neil running up to me at the end making me feel like I just landed the space shuttle or something!! It was a great
The Treasure Trove afterwards and hanging, talking to a bunch of people and learning a lot...thx Demian!! ...missed Rick I as evidently just left for his Christmas party. Liked talking to Stacey, Frank Surface and his friends from Jacksonville who did their first big-ass downwinder. Looking forward to more events and doing this format...truly a good adrenaline rush for me and something to look forward to in the future!! Great job Neil and Rick I for keeping the fun out there!!
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Old 12-19-2006, 04:44 PM
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It's great reading all this. I'd forgotten about my red eyes ... stumbling down A1A with my bottle of Goslings en route to the Treasure Trove, and the Gianellos telling me I looked like a drunk

And yeah, Neil does make you feel like a hero.

I posted my stuff here: http://www.bestkiteboarding.com/Page-The-Downwinder
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Old 12-21-2006, 12:23 PM
Oliver B Oliver B is offline
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For the whole week prior all I could think of was the race what to do how it was going to be done and such. Matt, Mike and I left St. Pete the night before to spend a night in Vero at Matts crib. Having never ridden at all on the east coast I was bugging out over the thought of 10-foot waves. I didn't get to sleep until 2:30/3:00 so three hours was all the sleep I was going to get that morning. Once I was up it was on with one banana for breakfast I was ready to race. We got to the start and started setting up all the gear. The waves looked like they were going to eat me but I was so stoked I didn't really matter. When Neil was going over the start prep I remember thinking twice about doing the race and that was it the third time I thought about it we were in the water. I was getting worked hard trying to get past the shore break but once I got through it things got better for a while. After passing the second pier I lost my board switching to toeside and spent the next 10 mins trying to retrieve it. The current was pulling the board out to sea while I was being sent down wind I thought this was going to be it but after being pumbled by a wave from God I looked up to see my board less than five feet from where I was! Putting on the board I remember thinking all right so if this is the first five or so miles what else am I in for, for the next 55 or so.

My 12m Switchblade was the perfect kite for the race there was hardly a time where I felt too powered up and even when the wind died down a bit it was still enough for me to cruse right by a bunch of people. I was cruising the first half with flying colors. Really bombing and soaring huge transfers over the waves. Being goofy I rode most of the race regular trying to get accustomed to traveling long distances switch. Probably 70% of the time. I could not believe how many man-o-war jellyfish there were every time I fell which was quite a bit in the second half I thought I was going to get one to the face. Right before I saw the best flag I looked over to see a five-foot tarpon, shoot out of the water with another smaller fish in its mouth. My thoughts were there must be much bigger fish under me that I could not see.

As I was nearing the checkpoint sipping on some water from my camel back I started getting really dizzy and lightheaded. I waved to the woman that was catching the kites and as she was grabbing my kite I was booting to my left. Probably because I didn't eat anything more than a banana or the fact that I was swilling the night before but after that I just sat down on the bench and tried to regain my composure. I ate some powerbars trying o put something in my stomach for the rest of the race.

After about 15 mins of waiting I saw matt coming down the coast. When he got in I asked him if he was prepared for the rest because I was not feeling good at all yet. We got back out in the water with the idea of keeping close and making sure we both would finish. The more we worked our way down the coast the better the seas got. I knew I needed to ride the east coast before the race but we never got the chance with finals week being the week after the race. I had rigged a leash to my board but as I was around 20 miles from the finish it broke off and I ditched it in the ocean.

This made me work on trying to keep the board on my foot much more than I had wile I had the leash. I remember coming in at ft. Lauderdale beach because I thought it was the finish, after I spoke to one of the kiters I was told we were only 6-7 miles from the finish. This was music to my ears. I told matt and we were off for our last couple of miles. I was anxious to get there so I was pushing myself hard looping and switching fast. As I saw the finish line get closer and closer I looped the kite more and more when I was about 300 yards away from the buoy I caught an edge and ate it. I got my board and worked my way to round the buoy. As I was I saw that matt was trying to work the inside lane and take the lead at the last sec so I cut in fast and felt him ride right over my tail! We were that close. I came in and just sat on the sand trying to fathom the fact that I had actually finished the race. Decently not in the time I had wanted but I finished what I had set out to accomplish. We finished in 4:35 mins this was the longest and most challenging event I have ever ridden in but it will certainly not be the last.

I want to thank Neil, all of the Best Crew, Rick and anyone else who helped make this an amazing event. The rest of the night was a blurr and rightfully so having the intent on killing the pain with suds and bubbles. We ended up in St. Pete somehow, due to a Peter But I had a blast and Blasting down the east coast was something I will never forget.
There were allot of things I learned doing and by doing this race. One don’t drink the night before a 60 mile race. Two eat more than one banana. Three ride big surf and be confident in it. Four work out more I didn't really do much to get myself prepared for the tremendous toll it would take on my body. Five wear a board leash. Until the next... and Happy Holidays to all.

-Oli B
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Old 12-26-2006, 03:56 PM
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Great stories folks! Without your bringing this stuff to light, folks might conclude a 60 mile run is just another long session. Instead it can be a unique, particularly intense experience.

What else to riders recall?
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