Despite best intentions the site has not been updated as much as I had hoped. Given that I have two full time jobs, a rather tolerent wife and two children, who are characterful shall we say, and training I have been pretty useless at updating site content. Excuses aside I have summarised this year’s British Surf Ski Series as impartially as a Fenn agent and series winner can! I have also given an insight to the Ocean Sports European road trip. Enjoy the pix and the read, Glenn.

Well the start of the season was a frenetic start of international races (Eurochallenge) and an expanding domestic ocean ski series. Ocean Sports geared up through the winter running a series of academy training days with plenty of technical work on the land (k1 erogs’, video analysis) and ocean skills primarily with south west paddlers. After a disappointing start (9th in the Eurochallenge two places behind Ivan Lawler) it was brilliant to see all of the academy paddlers in their respective age groups male and female (under 16 & under 19) fill the winners rostrum throughout the year.

The duel between Ivan and Glenn was brilliant although I am sure that neither of them thought so at the time! Rhoose was the first race in a four race British surf ski series after dicing throughout the supposed 10km circuit – in reality the course measured 18km! It and came down to a sprint finish between Ivan and Glenn with Ivan using years of marathon wisdom to take the win by a boat length.

Cheesed off and determined to win on home ground two weeks later in St’Ives saw another epic battle, who ever thought that a K1 paddler would be no good in swell would have been very much mistaken in the deceptively challenging. All credit goes not only to many of the paddlers who made it around the triangular course in gusting 28mph winds but to the rescue crews from Hayle surf life saving club nearing hypothermia in the IRB and water teams from St’Ives surf life saving club. After an hour of dicing and swapping leads it came down to a gruelling slow motion charge against the head wind to the line with Glenn restoring balance to the universe! British series, one all. Some exceptional battles were going behind the pair with Simon Garbett and South African Kenneth Loftus battling it out on their new carbon Fenn Elite skis (see picture sequence) for 6th and 7th place. Controversy surrounded the under 16’s race with Tom Bolt and Jordan Roberts dominating the race only to miss the final turning boy and Matt Hewitt sneaking a cheeky victory.

On to Lulworth for a classic downwind event, with little swell for assistance the bigger engines of the K1 paddlers came into play forming a tasty lead pack with Ivan, ex Irish international Graham O’Regan and Mark Resell. Keen to show the lads how fast his sparkling and ridiculously light new Epic was Res gave the lead pack a hammering for the first 20 minutes or so. Unable to jump onto a random wash the pack split with O’Regan and Res chasing Ivan and Glenn. Déjà vous returned with a great turn into the bay by Ivan leaving Glenn struggling to come back, both sprinting to the line with less than a second between them. Commenting on the race Glenn said ‘this was Ivan’s race all the way…we rode washes but Ivan did the lion share of the pulling…he deserved the win’.

Over 80 paddlers plus several internationals from Spain and Portugal descended upon Saunton sands for the third round in the series.  The Icon classic proved to be just that, sun, three foot surf and a technical cross swell – with the British title up for grabs and only two points between the lead pair, Glenn and Ivan knew that with a win from Ivan the series could be decided in the flat conditions of Brighton. Local knowledge proved essential with the biggest man in life saving powering into the head wind to the first turning mark – with such a massive wind break the lead group of six or so paddlers were content to take shelter. After turning toward Croyde bay Glenn made a decisive break on a small runner early in the race ultimately turning into a three minute lead by the finish. Tim Widdershoven put on a sterling effort to draw level with Ivan for joint second which was only surpassed by Ressell’s huge fight back cross Croyde bay to edge out Tim in a sprint finish with Ivan a wave ahead.

Unbeknown to most a quiet revolution was going on in the form of a resurgent Colin Smith aka ‘Biggles’. Fresh to the sport of long distance racing (ironically, Biggles was involved in the first series in the early 80’s) from surf life saving Biggles has been quietly moving up the leader board with a podium in the Eurochallenge and currently placed 6th overall in the British series rankings! To save his blushes let’s just say he is beating many paddlers several decades younger!

Onto Paddle Round the Pier, with a little confusion of who could race a small but elite group of paddlers raced the 11km circuit in gusting 18mph side swells in the series finale. ‘The runners were amazing from the turn buoy but this was for only 500m…’ said Simon Garbett after a long drive from Portreath in Cornwall. The early pace was set by a determined Eldridge now series leader but still requiring a win to take the series outright. True to form Lawler was unshakable in the first lap but seemed to struggle a little in the very technical conditions. Once a significant lead had been established the order did not change between Glenn, Ivan and Res 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively. The real battle was going on between old rivals Garbo and Steve Hardman with Garbo the eventual narrow victor with 40 seconds in hand. Biggles still keen on ruffling the young bucks feathers had ex international marathon paddler Steve Baker in his sights with the pair swapping leads throughout the race with the wily old sea dog Biggles edging Baker out by just over a minute.

Chloe Bunnett has dominated the series over the last two years was again in her usual emphatic form. Not content with destroying her field Chloe sets her sights on international races (a more than credible third in the Eurochallenge 2010) and dusting up the male domestic paddlers. Finishing 25 seconds ahead of Richard England and 8th overall, Chloe is not only a serious contender in the men’s’ race but internationally as well.

With a British title under his belt and three out of four race winning streak eased the six hour drive to St’Ives a little for Glenn. Speaking of the series Glenn was full of praise for his competitors ‘the series is fantastic, there have been some really close races throughout the field…it is great to see the races becoming better organised more and more paddlers are joining in not only on ILS but also on the faster ocean skis’ and of his rivals ‘Ivan is a legend, not many people in our sport have the opportunity to race against such quality paddlers – we’ve had some real close race throughout the series and it has been a real pleasure to fight the title out with him but also the other guys (and girls), I am really looking forward to next year’.

What’s next? Icon Down Wind Classic July 20th

… and the Ocean Sports road trip! Ten days two weekends & two of Europe’s biggest races – Nelo summer challenge & Race of champions Portugal.