Saturday, June 30, 2012

11th Annual Jay Race (2012)


I'm still a relative newcomer to Paddleboarding. My first Jay race was five years ago, in 2008, when I was "just 54." I'm slowly getting to know some people in the paddling community, and that in spite of being exceptionally slow with names. Those connections make me look forward to the races for an entirely non-racing reason. There are exceptional people in this sport. There are others with whom I haven't had the chance to talk much, but still light me up on sight. Then there's the one I never met in person: Jay Moriarity. But thanks to this race that bears his name and the front-and-center group of his closest (starting with Kim Moriarity), his positive influence not only lives, but grows and expands in all of us. And all of us are all ages.

It's a well-run race that attracts a huge field of paddling talent. It's a gathering of muscle and heart you'd be hard-pressed to find anywhere else, and it takes in all ages. This year, the genders in the races balanced like never before. And it's also the most family-oriented major competition in paddling, guaranteeing at once the future of the sport and the future of the city's junior lifeguards program (contest proceeds support that program). Individual accomplishment and personal connections go hand in glove. Not unlike the legendary relationship between Jay and Frosty. Or Jay and Kim.

While the race has a rep for being among the best organized, I was anything but. I barely left myself a moment to say 'hi' to anyone as I went about preparing.  But I got my board prepped and myself stretched in time to get out for warmup paddle. Visiting was going to have to wait until post race.

The organizers made one little mistake: they thought it would be okay with all of us (in the 12-mile prone race) to stay on the beach for a picture, then paddle out and more or less immediately start the race. They were wrong.

I was already in the water before this plan was announced. I was really happy to have gotten safely out, past that south swell, I fully intended to loosen up, and I was not about to head back in for any photo op at that point.

Comically, as the announcement was repeated over and over, more and more of us got in the water. Finally, sensibly, they reconciled to the inevitable and gave up on that!

Thus, the 12-mile prone paddleboard race began promptly at 8:30 AM.

If you were a spectator on Capitola beach and all you saw was the race's start and finish, then all you saw was smooth glass punctuated by a decent south swell. But as we in the race approached Pleasure Point, headwinds became a factor.

Paddling upwind means negotiating chop. It's not uncommon to train by first paddling upwind for resistance training and then turning downwind for a fun finish to the workout. That approach came in handy now.

Then there was that pesky current by the Santa Cruz Municipal Pier that wanted to carry us out to sea, challenging us to make the next buoy that marked our turn beyond the pier.  The leg after the turn runs crosswind, as we make our way out the "Mile Buoy" (located about a mile outside of Santa Cruz Harbor). The wind kicked up even more, making it with fairly challenging crosswind leg.

Once at the Mile Bouy, and having been greeted by a local pack of vocal seals whose residence appears to be said buoy, the real fun began: a very nice downwind run to surf our way back to Pleasure Point. There were plenty of bumps to catch and surf, and the bumps were lined up, speeding us back towards Capitola.

The race ended as it began, in glass, but you were aware that south swell could send you over the falls at the end. Unlike last year (when I got smashed on the way in), I got lucky this year.

It was fun training for it, it was fun anticipating it, it was way fun actually being out there, and it was way, way fun hanging with everyone after it was over  - beginnning with my usual training partners (Mike "M2" McDaniel (trained less but bested his last year's performance), Mike "M3"Roberts, Paul Wetterau (trains a little and kicks butt anyway), and Nick Bryson.

At the end of the day ... was a party. And some awards were passed out, too.

In the Fourteen Foot prone class, Joe Beek came in first, Reno Caldwell got second, and I got third. It felt just amazing to be in their company.

Kim took the time to stand with each group of winners and pose for a picture. She is the queen of the contest and she is quick to light up every one of us. Long may she reign!

And to DeeAnn, thanks, with all my heart. This was very special year indeed.

Quick 'hi' to Josh on the way out.

Mike McDaniel board check, Mike Roberts, supplicant.


Good year, gender balance progress was substantial.

Paul Wetterau marches to the battlefield.


Mike McDaniel, smiling about the pain sure to follow.

Mike Eaton, meet Joe Bark, Joe, meet Mike.

We all decided to get out there, even as the call for a group photo fell on deaf ears..

Jarrett Winter (foreground), Paul Wetterau (with green board), and others.

The prone paddleboard field: over 50

Jamie Mitchell, 1st SUP.


This year, I caught a nice one in. For once!

And I was able to find my feet (in past years, not so much)...

... and actually run to my finish. Since Mike Roberts could not assist (he came in way ahead)!

Nick Bryson, finishing strong.
Mike McDaniel, 10 minutes ahead of last year.
With Nick Bryson.

Thanks, Jody Roberts and DeeAnn for photos!