Nelo Summer ChallengeBlog

Racing lines comparison

2010-08-29T17:31:29Z

The Summer Challenge site now provides a feature to see the different racing lines of the athletes (those who carried a GPS) during Race 001.

You can also replay it and compare the progress of the competitors.

Check it out

Brief Debrief Race 002

2010-08-29T16:26:36Z

What a day! The weather was on our side again today, on a perfect summer day!
The morning saw some nice small runs, allowing the most and the less experienced to enjoy some relaxed competition with the predicted competitors progressing to the finals.
The line ups in the final were very impressive with many Australians and South African surf ski champions but also some high profile sprinters such as the Portuguese João Ribeiro (Silver medal in Poznan) and Ronald Rauhe from Germany (Olympic Champion), and in the girls the South African and Australian with a surf ski background against some of the best sprinters of the moment such as Teresa Portela POR and Rachel Cawthorn GB.
In the end it was all about South Africa with Jasper Mocke taking the win, he said after the race ” Very happy with this result, proving I still have some speed in me, and specially among such a strong field, there were 10 guys that could have won, thank god it was me”, and with that said he walked away with his 2000 Euros check! 2nd and 3rd went also to the surf ski background Aussie sprinters David Smith and Jacob Clear. Ronald Rauhe from Berlin a landlocked town, showed that he can battle with the best in the world in this kind of race, finishing in front of many surfski paddlers from Australia and South Africa.
In the girls Bridgitte Hartley stormed away to victory in front of Lani Belcher from GB (former Australian but with no ski background) and Michele Eray that prefers a bit longer races, and the first sprinter to the Portuguese Teresa Portela. Bridgitte said ” I used to be more into marathons but every year i feel faster, and it seems I can do it easily every year” ” It was a hard call to come over to this race, but I am stoked i made this decision, what a great event!)
The live streaming was on until more than 2500 viewers made it fall, but back online we broadcasted all over the world, the results are also on-line. Tomorrow starts the Nelo Summer Challenge 2011, see you all back next year!

Race 001 brief debrief

2010-08-27T19:51:51Z

Changing the start time, was without a doubt one of the best decisions made by the organizers.

After a mild morning the conditions turned into a 2 mt swell and 20 knots wind both lining up. making it nearly perfect conditions.

After the start on the beach, Ken Wallace and David Smith stormed to the Hotspot, with Wallace just taking Smith on the line. After that Tim Jacobs, Jasper Mocke and Jacob Clear joined in and were close together and even in the end of the 10 km they were not more 90 sec apart.

In the girls race Bridgitte Hartley took the hotspot, but than Michelle Eray, putted outther all her boat skills to voertake Bridgitte and Bernardette Wallace.

More of the video and GPS tracking will be on line tonight, as will do the interviews and first reactions.

Unfortunately live streaming did not cooperate with the conditions, but soon the video from the many cameras used for the coverage will be on line soon.

Back tomorrow for more and hopefully some on line live action.

Results for Race 001

2010-08-27T17:31:28Z

Full results

Dinner Nelo Summer Challenge 2010

2010-08-27T09:43:06Z

After practice… party!!

Provisional Start List

2010-08-26T14:13:08Z

http://summerchallenge.nelo.eu/images/uploads/start_list.pdf

New Race Start Time

2010-08-26T11:17:42Z

Due to totally unexpected weather conditions the race start for Friday changed to 16:00.

Day -1 starts foggy…

2010-08-26T09:48:54Z

Day -2

2010-08-25T21:50:45Z

Over 30 paddlers lined up for this afternoon session, more and less famous did the course once more and even a shy wind joined in.

The atmosphere on the sessions is great, and everybody is relaxed and enjoying the company of some of the best surf ski paddlers, flatwater paddlers and marathon paddlers in the world, and catching any wake they can find.

Tim Jacobs is proving here why he is one of best in this discipline and not happy just with the downwind paddle he has been also doing the paddle back as all the others take the van ride option!

Today Ronald Rauhe was the camera men on one of the safety boats, and he presented us with this great video: http://www.nelo.eu/tv/musicvideo.php?vid=18e0c11d9

First pre race interviews coming up tomorrow, stay tuned.

Day -2 is on!

2010-08-25T11:34:56Z

Photo gallery

Summer Challenge 2010 Day 1

2010-08-25T01:02:45Z

Tuesday first day of official training, saw a solid swell but no wind, still the first paddlers jumped in for double session, doing the downwind paddle that they will have to do during the race on friday twice.
The start venue start to get some colours with tents, motor boats, and obviously a lot of skis!
In the afternoon session we were already 14 paddlers, with UAE, Australia; South Africa, Great Britain, Norway and Portugal represented.
Ken ” Incredible Finisher” Wallace (ask anyone that watched him on the 5km in Poznan); Tim “I have a cool Crocodile” Jacobs; Ronald “who can catch me in the start?” Rauhe; Michele “4X4 Paddler” Eray were some of the most famous paddlers already paddling today.
Tomorrow time for some more action pictures and videos, courtesy of the escort boat! Hopefully the wind will also join in.
Check the pictures in
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=20664&id=100000404341311&l=531ac212fb

Also in our gallery: http://summerchallenge.nelo.eu/en/fotos/2010/

First one

2010-08-23T19:47:36Z

Tim Jacobs was the first to arrive and he hopes to do the same to finish line later in the week!

Nelo SurSki - NEW OCEAN SKI XXL

2010-08-06T15:32:28Z

The release of the XXL closes our first line of Surf Ski’s, the evolution has been part of this process, and we have gone a long way from the prototypes presented in Dubai last year.
Besides the obvious improvements in the shape, we have incorporated, better and more complex footrests, tractions pads, rudders sytems and soon covers as well.
The XXL aims to be an option for the heavier and taller paddlers, but also to all those that paddle often in big swells and rough conditions, both will benefit from the comfort the extra volume conceeds.
The XXL will be one more option among the rental possibilities during the Nelo Summer Challenge later this month, in what will be a great oportunity to test it in all conditions.

Ocean Ski XXL

Registrations until the 20th of August

2010-08-04T15:13:30Z

Due to high number of athelets that weren’t able to register on time we will extend the registrations period until the 20th of August.
The race dossier will be released soon, we will keep you posted!

Prize Money published

2010-07-30T11:39:25Z

Full details