Yeah great idea

Hi Jonsey

It would be great to have the Aussies during the same time period as the KotC and Doctor. Unfortunately the dates have to fit in the international SUP Calendar and it was determined by Surfing Australia that September was the best time (they would like to try and keep the Aussies on the same date each year - so as not to encounter events conflicts - that have happened over the past years).

I should add Surfing Australia sought consultation from a number of SUP groups - AuSUP, international athletes and SUP racer before deciding on the final date, so they did their homework and acted in the best interests of SUP to ensure the dates fitted. Conditions for Surfing in September in Geraldton are optimal - meaning this year would see the best ever SUP surfing at an Australian Titles. Geraldton is a Superb venue for Surfing and Downwind racing and Surfing WA run tight events, very, very professional.

This year's KotC and Wardan Marr Downwind week promises to be huge. Five Downwind events in 1 week, international competitors and a big party on the final night to finish the year!

Hope to see you there!

Cheers

Greg

PS - there is board hire available this year, possibly including new unlimited boards. Details to come.

the worlds are on in Fiji so go and check out the beachouse while your there here's an old flyer from a race

NNSUP said..
Great idea Jonesy. For those of us who made the NSW team for the Marathon and who normally do KOTC or The Doctor we've got to decide whether to go all the way to Geraldton for one race or do trip later in the year for a week of racing.

Looks like I'm missing the Nationals this year.

I felt exactly the same way and ended not even going to my state title. Which was a first as I have been to every state title they ever organised...
It is true that Surfing Australia sought consultation before and I got an email as well, but when some people started to suggest Ozie titles in WA to coincide with the Doctor and the Cut it has been very quickly clear that they would not consider that.
When you add the fact that QLD title will be (if I understood...) the weekend between M2M and M2O, I started to think "who exactly will end up going to the national title anyway?"since most of the competitive Qld paddlers will be in hawaii.
Lucky Tobby and james really, because at least they were able to be at their own state title. Had they been queenslanders they would have both missed it as well....
Lincoln, Matt, kelly, maybe michael (I am not sure) will be in hawaii
So honestly good luck surfing Australia
I have always acknowledge and praised the way the races were run on the day of the aussie title.
But I must admit the lead up to Aussie title has been pretty frustrating lately.
So since I decided to miss the national from the start I could not really justify driving 2000km return on my own for 1 race of my own state title.
And it was a hard call because surfing NSW have always been so good at organizing their event.

Edit: I have just re-read this before posting and want to say sorry for the long post but.....

Just a few thoughts.

Yep I have to admit it is a shame the Nats couldn't be held around the same time as the KoTC and the Doctor and I realise a lot of you will have to make a choice.

I am just an old bloke who loves spending time on the water, however I have travelled to Qld from WA for the last 3 National Titles to compete in the O50's division in the Marathon and the Tech races, so I know the difficulties and expenses involved in getting a 14' (and a 12'6 if doing both events) boards across the country.
I actually did an 11000k road trip to Currumbin (and beyond to DI) in 2014, it cost a ship load of money and time but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute.

First of all I'd like to say that I am not involved much at all with any planning of events and I take my hat off to those individuals and associations that get these events off the ground.

I suppose I am primarily a surfer but have grown to love the down winding aspect of SUP over the recent years mainly due to the absolute lack of swell and abundance of wind in Perth throughout summer.
The way I see it the Nationals tries to cater for surfing, Marathon (but we all prefer/expect downwind) and BOP so it is always going to be difficult to set a time when all 3 events have the best chance of getting the right conditions and anyone who has lived in Perth long enough knows by November/December the odds of any chance of decent swell for a surf comp start to become very slim.
Also any earlier than September and there is virtually no chance of good downwind conditions.
So realistically September in Geraldton is probably about the best chance of getting close to the best conditions for all aspects of a National SUP Comp.

In my mind though and pretty much the whole point of my post is, unless people are happy to compete in a marathon without the expectation of it being a downwind race or surf in what is probably going to be less than optimal conditions then eventually the surfing and marathon disciplines have to be run at different dates.

I have probably said to much already, however I'm fuelled by red wine ATM so I will continue and also say that WA has a hell of a lot to offer in waves and wind and a lot of super freindly crew that will try to help anyone travelling from the East Coast out in any way possible.

So.
If you think you can make it for the Nationals please try to do so, it is not a National event unless all States are represented with as many of the best paddlers as possible.

If you are considering coming over for the KoTC (and /or Doctor), DO IT, it has never really let us down and one of these years it will fully turn it on like we know it can do and you will want to be here for it.

If you are considering both, I and I am sure others will try to help out however possible, maybe storing boards, accomodation or whatever.

Organising an event that does not clash with others within Australia let alone the World is always going to be difficult and as an event organiser myself I can understand many of the issues.

Unfortunately I think there needs to be more consultation. Surfing NSW have done a magnificent job for many years and while they regularly request infomation from a number of us re their events they still do not have a specific SUP delegate as part of their organisation.

State delegates need to be set up within Surfing Australia or be more active within AuSUP. AuSUP is strongly connected with Surfing Australia, and the communication with AuSUP needs to be distributed further across the country to obtain the views from more individuals. In order to get a better consensus across all states there needs to be a much higher degree of transparent communication and more communication to the state delegates.

I'm not in anyway complaining or pointing a finger as I know that volunteering is always more work than most understand. I'm just suggesting that either AuSUP and/or Surfing Australia need to communicate more with the various State bodies AND paddlers to determine the best outcome for all.

AuSUP have a Face Book page if you're interested where event info is posted occasionally.

It is tricky to find a time of year that suits such mutually exclusive events such as surfing and DownWinding. Maybe at some point the national surfing/tech race needs to be separated from the national marathon/DW? ....maybe?

Excellent idea Goochi.... the racing can be held separately both marathon and technical at an appropriate venue, then the sup surfing, both the shortboard and the newly created Longboard category ( ) should be held at the best possible venue at the best possible time of the year that will highlight this exciting aspect of Sup.

The needs of both racing and surfing are so different that one is often compromised for the other, the sport is growing fast enough now to have separate events....