Technique with Travis – Racing strategy 101

This week in Technique with Travis, we’re going to have a brief chat about SUP racing strategy, and what to do to get the very best out of your training when it’s time to compete.

Travis of course is no stranger to competition himself, having numerous big titles on his name, and coming in third last weekend at the prestigious OluKai Ho’olaule’a on Maui:

The OluKai is a perfect distance for elite level athletes, but it isn’t too long for the intermediate either. This is why it is a perfect race for accomplished watermen and not just the best of the best. You do need to bring your A-game though, and being a seasoned open ocean downwind racer is going to determine how well you do. With Molokai being the bigger race by now, OluKai is usually a Hawaiian-only affair with the very best locals snagging up some valuable points. Having local knowledge and a solid racing strategy should pay off here.

With a one-day delay because of bad weather and less wind than expected, the race eventually took place on Sunday. With little wind to carry the paddlers, the advantage on the first 6 miles of the course was in strength rather than downwind skills. But to make it through the last part through massive swell required a lot of heart and a stroke of luck for the finishing athletes.

Full results below the article.

Also in this how-to series:

Technique with Travis – Choosing your SUP fins
Technique with Travis – Recessed decks and what does it do? (scroll down)
Technique with Travis – How to do fast beach starts

Main Takeaways

#1

Practice falling off your board and getting back on quickly to prepare for unexpected situations.

#2

Learn to control the internal processes like breathing and develop a focus on efficiency and speed.

#3

Plan ahead and visualize your race before an event. We recommend joining Paddlemonster.com to learn how to properly prepare for a race.

FULL ELITE MENS SUP RESULTS

FULL ELITE WOMENS SUP RESULTS