The Starboard Black Blade is the finest SUP Short Course regatta in Australia. The Black Blade was the first SUP Sprint race on a buoyed course in the world outside America. Competitors will race over 3 distance - 200m, 1000m and 5km. Come down to see who will take out the title for Fastest Paddler in the State for the 200m.

enter here : supwa.tidyhq.com/public/events/7279-the-2017-starboard-black-blade

Great fun format, with all divisions contesting state championship medals for the best paddler across the 3 distances.

This year also includes a PaddleLoop division. Paddlers wanting to cruise can enter the Paddleloop Package - a 200m fun run and a 4km PaddleLoop - around the island at Champion Lakes - both with projected times. You choose the time you think you will get - should be great fun with the 200m - no paddling backwards or stopping!

Board : 14' (must use the same board for all 3 races)

Divisions:

Male Open Elite*
Male U/40
Male O/40
Male O/50
Female Open Elite*
Female U/40
Female O/40
Junior Division

Great idea having the paddle Loop component.
An opportunity to be on an Olympic course, hang with the States big guns & have fun at the same time.
Always a good vibe

Anyone else doing the paddle loop? I'm keen.

HI GrumpySurf

There should be quite a few doing the PaddleLoop. There are two races - a 200m and a 4km, both are projected times - you you can choose to go as fast or slow as you like, as long as you get closest to your projected time.

It's a great opportunity to paddle on a beautiful sheltered course, with no boats. The 4km course is around the island at Champion Lakes, so you are under the bridges. It's a pretty cool day and a great opportunity to get involved with the friendly SUPWA community.

Open to all board types - surf boards, cruising boards, race boards. It's all about the time you think you'll get and a bit of fun!

Hi everyone
The Black Blade is on this weekend - don't forget to enter: supwa.tidyhq.com/public/events/7279-the-2017-starboard-black-blade

The PaddleLoop this year includes both a 200m and 5km projected time paddle.

The racing format is the combined time from the 200m, 1000m and 5km races. There is a factor applied to the 200m and 5km times, so as to even the time values up for a meaningful score.

200m - you double your time. So if you are in front of your closest competitor by 2 secs, this gives you a 4 second buffer coming into the 1000m.
1000m stays the same.
5km total time is divided by 5, bringing the time back to a 1000m time. This avoids someone stepping out for a 20 sec lead and dominating the sprint results. A 20 sec lead is now 4 secs. So there is room for paddlers to make up time or extend. Keeps it interesting.
(Time factors were applied from looking thru the results over the past 4 years and testing possible outcomes - fair bit of work)
The upshot of this, is that everyone can race each other - even if they are not in the same heat, as everything is on time, not place.

It is a great event for all levels, short distances and plenty of rest between. A good morning on the water.

Select to expand quote

Goochi said..
HI GrumpySurf

There should be quite a few doing the PaddleLoop. There are two races - a 200m and a 4km, both are projected times - you you can choose to go as fast or slow as you like, as long as you get closest to your projected time.

It's a great opportunity to paddle on a beautiful sheltered course, with no boats. The 4km course is around the island at Champion Lakes, so you are under the bridges. It's a pretty cool day and a great opportunity to get involved with the friendly SUPWA community.

Open to all board types - surf boards, cruising boards, race boards. It's all about the time you think you'll get and a bit of fun!

Looking at the weather forecast the "sheltered" course maybe a little "unsheltered"!!

Hi Keto
Forecast is continuing to drop - by Sunday it will be pretty flat out at Champion Lakes, probably one the best places to paddle that day!
Front now looks like it will pass over by Saturday.

News Update!!!!


SUP World Champ Michael Booth will be competing at the Starboard Black Blade. If the conditions glass out (which they potentially might), could we witness the fastest 200m time set in Australia!! Champion Lakes is a fast course and the event uses world standard timing.

Great opportunity to race with a world champ - how many other sports allow this to happen!

Due to Electrical storms forecast for Sunday the Event's committee have decided to postpone the Starboard Black Blade in the interests of competitor safety.
The new date is Sunday the 7th of May. Entry gateway has been updated so you can enter as usual. Competitors already entered have been automatically carried over to the new date.