Davenport Downwinder SUP
The Davenport race last saturday, put on by the
, was one of my toughest days on water ever.. I've paddled sea kayaks in some very challenging conditions and this was right up there. 20-25 knot sustained winds created some good sized swells a bit mixed up. The route is a 14-mile downwind shot from Davenport Landing to the wharf in Santa Cruz. There had to be close to 100 racers on paddleboards, standup paddleboards, surfskis & outrigger canoes. The mass beach start was exciting to say the least and once we all hit the wind, just a bit offshore, racers scattered like mad.
By the end, the winner finished in under 2 hours. I was closer to the 2:45 mark which was a few minutes slower than I wanted to paddle the course in. I'm fine with that though, it just shows me that I have some improvements to make & having something to work on is good for me.
The finish line