PSP SOUTHAMPTON BOAT SHOW, BSUPA LADIES INVITATIONAL SUP RACE

Thursday 19th of October fourteen ladies from across the UK, come together to take part in BSUPA Ladies Invitational SUP Race. This competition was to form part of ‘Ladies Day’ at the PSP Southampton Boat Show, created to promote and encourage women participation in watersports and water based activities.

“When approached by the organizers we wanted to create this event that show cased all the great qualities the sport has to offer individuals, from the competitive side to the social and the accessibility stand up paddleboard has to offer”. Stated Richard Marsh Event Director of BSUPA. He added, “As the fastest growing ocean sport be able to promote SUP at such a high profile and prestigious international event is a fantastic opportunity for us all”.

 

 

The competition was pretty straightforward. Two heats of seven with the top three proceeding to Final and the remaining ladies, racing again in what was called the Small Final.

For the morning the course was two laps around a square. Conditions ok, with sunshine, broken cloud, and light winds. Heat 1 saw Marie Buchanan take 1st fresh from success from 11 Cities, from Lindsey Frost ahead of newcomer to the Ladies Race scene Annabel Canaven from Dorset.

Heat 2 and the wind increased making it harder for the competitor to hold a true course between to the outer buoys. Fran Blake and Jo Hamilton battle to first mark, but come the top buoy the wind had pushed Jo off course and below the buoy making her missed the buoy, she would have to come back to make the mark. This created a real battle at the buoy with Christine Anderson,Holly Bassett and Rachel Nicholls-Lee closing in fast. The action at the mark resulted in competitors falling in and boards coming together, making great viewing for the spectators that had gathered on the marina pontoons. Once everyone was back on board and back into their paddle rhythm, Fran would take 1st, followed by Jo and Christine. Holly would qualify as the quickest from the others not to make the top three from the two heats and gained entry to the Final.

 

 

Sadly during the day the weather closed in and the rain and wind came in, making it not the idealist of days to promote the sport. But everyone was in good spirits and charged up by the banana cake Annabel had kindly baked for everyone there.

Come the afternoon it was clear that the change weather would mean the could not use the same course as in the morning, but luckily by using the shelter of the marina, and reverting to a triangle shaped course and shortening the legs run both the Small and Big Finals could go ahead.

With the group of ladies present both fleets for this afternoon racers would mean everyone was very evenly matched and the slightest slip, fall, or wrong move could change places really quickly with little time to recover. This would be played out in the finals.

The Small Final, the competitors lined up and the rain was looking like it might be stopping. The start horn blow and everyone was away. Although it would have been great to have flat water with sunshine, it did show that even it the conditions being experienced that we were able to put on a show and everyone was enjoy it!

Half way round the second an other new comer to racing Claire Cummings from Weymouth and winner of this summers Naish One Design Class Race, had a clear lead and would take the winner, however the race for 2nd and 3rd was neck and neck. At the finish line it was Anni Ridsdill-Smith who took 2nd by less than half a board length from Belinda Smith. In forth was Sarah Hewitt, fifth Rachel Nicholls- Lee and sixth Sandra Elston. Sadly Ali Pereira, had withdraw from race due to back injury.

And so the Big Final, everyone on the starting line wanted to win the trophy and the title. With a surge of paddle power they set off with Marie, quickly taking the lead from Lindsay, Jo and Fran who where evenly matched.

Although Marie had a lead for some reason she had forgotten the course and was for a while head toward the top mark missing out the lower mark. The crowds shouted out and Marie finally realizing her mistake. Lindsey seeing Marie had made a huge mistake quicken her paddle stroke rate to see if she could beat Marie, to the mark. All this action close quarter action was fantastic for on lookers who cheered the competitors around the course. Although Marie had made this mistake, she had enough of a lead to hold of Lindsey to the mark, and was able to hold the lead for the second and take the flag at the finish line with Lindsay taking a very creditable 2nd place. Further down the course both Fran and Jo battled hard and it was Fran who would take 3rd with Jo in 4th. Holly Bassett who is more accustom to waves then race took 5th, with Annabel Canaven in 6th and Christine Anderson taking 7th place.

With the pressure of all the ladies went for out for a group paddle around the yachts berths in the marina chatting with exhibitors and general public.

Press and TV Interviews followed before Prize Giving. The prizes where presented to the winners by Jo Dixie from PSP Sponsors of the Southampton Boat Show, Emile Sarsfield British Womens #1 Ski Cross Champion, and Pip Wood from Rockley Watersports.

BSUPA would like to thank all the ladies who kindly came along to compete and promote the sport in very testing conditions.
Micheal Enser, Jenny Rye & Emma York from British Marine Federation, who invited BSUPA to stage competition
Rockley Watersports, who’s team assisted with the logistics and water safety manager of course and competitors and for hosting us on their stand during the day.
Simon Bassett for taking the pictures and recording the day.]

Check out the video highlights of the day here:  http://www.southamptonboatshow.com/2013/whats_on/media_gallery/video/Ladies_Day_SUP.aspx