ASI SUP Instructor Sarah Smith recounts her UK SUP Endurance Experience

UK. ASI SUP Instructor, Sarah Smith, tells us about her experience in participating in the UK SUP Endurance races. 

This weekend (22-23 Sept 2018), I took part in the UK SUP Endurance Race series and won!!!
Not too bad for a 42 year old female shop worker.

The UK SUP Endurance series 2018 is a three race distance paddle. I had never done any type of distance racing before the Trent 100 but that’s not a race it’s a fun team event

RACE ONE Norfolk 70k 2nd place I need to get there!! 

New old van I am not a mechanic but when the amber light comes on the dash its kinda  bad…but 19 minutes until the start of the race I shouted at the van and we seem to have a understanding I was not to break down  (my previous vans gear box broke driving up a steep hill in Weymouth heading to the UK SUP races series RAC !!)

Norfolk was a huge learning curve but I completed no worries. It was a shock to the system, that’s not a lie, the length of time I can stand in one place for…super calfs and abs!!

RACE TWO Thames 50k 2nd place, vans fixed happy days

Van was fixed. Apparently there was a bump in the tyre…that’s what the noise was new tyre smooth ride and the amber light something mechanical but not important.

The Thames HOT!! 

Keep hydrated and how much more fun is it paddling with friends. Alison Rennie the lead female on an ISUP  put me through her paces, chatting and keeping a really good pace, there was familiar faces at the checkpoints water and bananas getting handed out…or in my case thrown towards me “I’ll catch it”  I moved and I get banana head!!!

I was running out of energy towards the end but Alison true to her word pushed me hard and we finished on a sprint, I actually cried when I finished I was so happy relived and glad it was over.

Now get training for the Great Glen 92k one day 

I had done a few down winding sessions in New Zealand when I was working out there in January 2018 and heaps of surfing so based on the last years GG this would  come in handy.

The Final Race in the UK SUP Endurance Series 2018, the Great Glen there’s two options the distance over two days or one…guess I like a challenge

Wooooo… Renault Wirral have sponsored me!!!  They have heard what I am about to do and asked how they can help...really after the two other races I think I will ask for a van....welcome to the crew Renault Traffic.  It was a dream to travel up to Scotland, 7 hours on the road in a van that wasn’t going to break down.

Team Renault SUP Wirral

One day 92k …I have completed the two previous races in the series Norfolk 70k over two days and Thames 50k now the final one…I was training at every opportunity for this one.  Last year it was cancelled by the Coastguard as the wind was gusting on Loch Ness at 50mph not safe to be on. So this year, I was more prepared mentally and physically they come hand in hand.

I knew I didn’t have to take part in this race as the points system granted I had won the series but I needed to do this… did I really!!

0230 Neptune stair case, up dressed safety gear all on having coffee, a dram of whisky and porridge on the water for 0245 and way into the darkness of the canal system for 9k then onto the first of three Lochs.

The first portal came up waiting for me was Allie my ground support out of the water and walking with the 14ft board to the beginning of Loch Lochy. It was still pitch black with the only light coming from the riders in front. On the Loch I could feel the swell building but as a semi ok surfer I was having fun…scared to be in the dark but still that novelty of surfing in the dark was awesome.

I had been on the water what felt like a life time on my own chasing the lights in front whilst surfing in the dark. My paddle partner edge his way towards me and we headed down the Loch together.

The swell started to increase in height and more noticeable was the dips ohhh they were deep and getting deeper. The nose of the board sank into a few but the wind behind pushed me and the board through them and safe not ‘nose diving!

We joined up with a kayaker who was getting pushed around like a clothes in a washing machine he was fine. He was tossed into the shore by the swell managing to get back out and paddle on.

We was (didn’t know at the time) meters from the end of Loch Lochy when a freak side wave 4ft high swiped the side of my 14ft board threw me off like litter in the wind I spattered in the icey cold water …. 

It took my breath right from me.  I knew I needed to get back on the board as fast as I could I had dropped my paddle the biggest no no a SUPer can do. I caught a glimpse of it under the board just a swim stroke away. Conscious of the water conditions and the interment wave heading towards me I grabbed the paddle and flung myself back on the board only for a huge gust of wind to get underneath the board and send it flipping over my head….I quickly ducked under the water to protect my face from getting planted with a board. 

When I re surfaced the board was upside down I had the waist belt leash wrapped around me. I needed to get out the water fast and get on this board. As I looked up another wave hit from in the water it looked like 6ft but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t.  I grabbed the fin and paddle and rode it out, it wasn’t as hairy as I had anticipated. I quickly flipped the board over, two attempts where needed… flung my paddle on the board then I flopped on it like a sea lion another wave hit I lied down prone on the board knocking my paddle into the loch.   

I tried so hard to grab it but it was floating away. I prone paddled towards it but the swell took it into the darkness.. I was stuck. The waves where coming thick and fast I need to get to shore to get my ground crew to bring another paddle. I was not giving up. 

I got to the shore and started shaking uncontrollably I have been cold before this was different I need to get warm…out comes the safety kit thermo blanket… my paddle partner Ian then took over I was desperate to phone the race director but Ian made sure I was safe first he could see what I was feeling I was really surprised how quickly I began to not function properly. I am former forces so I can deal with a lot of stuff, but the cold and the shakes where too much. 

0700hrs the sun was just breaking… we watch the swell die down. I really wanted to get back out there in my mind I could do this 2 hours until the mid-way point then on to Loch Ness I could do it…my body had other ideas!

I called it in, retiring from the Great Glen 2018. Gutted was an under-statement.  Lost paddle. No big Great Glen finish I had in my head crossing the finish line and having such a buzz from finishing all three races!!  

Nope,  I should have been well chuffed with my achievements. I had won the UK SUP Endurance series (hb) but I wanted this GG race so much.

After having a mini melt down and reflecting on what I could have done differently the only thing I came up with, DON’T LET GO OF THE PADDLE but I was so happy at what this 42 year old  had achieved. I was proud. 

Each race or event you do you learn each rider I spoke to all said the same thing. Loch Lochy was a monster. My ground crew where worried about the conditions.

I really did amazingly well to have got as far as I did.

Lesson DON’T LET GO OF THE PADDLE. 

From now until next year I will be out training with a few of the Endurance  paddler’s getting practice in and popping over to Australia to train with Joanne Hamilton-vale

I will finish the GG 2019, I need to finish. 

Sarah Louise Smith BSc
www.supwirral.club
07741407470 UK
0223854981 NZ/AU

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