On Thursday January 12, a group of 6 riders (Eric Terrien, Matthieu Raimon, Amaury Dormet, Stéphane Guiomar, Yoann Cornélis and Martin Letourneur), gathered for a crazy downwind in the “rade de Brest” (Brittany), in order to test the race conditions and the safety facilities for the Paddle Storm Master which is currently looking to take place on the last week-end of this month. Photos by Ewan Lebourdais.
The Paddle Storm Master is the first European SUP Downwind event which includes a 1-month waiting (Jan 1 – Jan 31) period with the aim to offer the best downwind conditions to its participants. The French 14′ SUP Race Championships allowed to select the best French riders to compete for this event. The event won’t run under 25 knots of wind and is also open to SUP foils.
“The wind blew stronger than predicted.”
At the beginning of the run, the wind blew stronger than predicted, especially when it turned from a South-West angle to a north-west angle. At that moment, the wind went from 35-40 knots to more than 60 knots with some very strong gusts approaching the 70 knots+ because of the venturi effect caused by the area as well as a cumulonimbus cloud which followed us throughout the whole downwind. A very experience crew from the French Naval School, headed by Commander Alain Daoulas, was in charge of the race safety and used three safety boats. It was a memorable and formative experience for the riders, the organisers, and the safety crew: the conditions were pushing the limits and everyone learnt what is possible and what is too dangerous in SUP racing.
Every rider had a GPS track on them in order to measure their maximum speed in the bumps as well as their best 500-meter speed. The previous records have been clearly broken with an average speed approaching 10 knots on 500 meters and a maximum speed of more than 15 knots.
“One of the riders broke their leash and pulled out their lifejacket.”
Amaury Dormet, one of the riders broke his leash and had to pull out his lifejacket. Fortunately he was rescued by one of the safety boats within minutes. It would not have been possible for any rider to turn back and fetch him in such conditions. After facing such circumstances, it is now clear that safety boats are more than necessary when the wind exceeds 40 knots.
Two riders, Eric and Yoann, did the whole run on SUP Foils. Admittedly, the harsh conditions made it very difficult for them to reveal the full potential of their gear on that occasion. It also showed that taking off and going as fast as or faster than 14′ boards does requires much more effort, even for bonafide foil riders.
À la tête du shop Swell Addiction, Mathieu Hurier est un acteur clé de la glisse et du stand up paddle à Brest. Il est aussi l’un des organisateurs derrière les Swell Beach Race Series, un rendez-vous devenu incontournable pour les amateurs de SUP Race dans les vagues. Toujours en quête de nouveautés, il innove […]
This summer, British paddleboarder Jamie BartlettBundy will embark on one of the most emotional and physically demanding crossings of his life: a 26.5-nautical-mile paddle across the English Channel, in memory of his daughter Pearl. Jamie, 49, a carpenter from Hassocks in Sussex, lost Pearl to Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, in 2017 […]
Coach exigeant et athlète passionné, Vincent Guillaume est une figure incontournable du stand up paddle dans l’Ouest de la France. Basé à Brest, il encadre depuis plusieurs années des compétiteurs venus de toute l’Europe et s’illustre régulièrement sur les plus belles étapes du circuit international. Fidèle du Pornichet Glisse Trophy — anciennement Pornichet Paddle Trophy […]
This year, the “Marathon International des Gorges de l’Ardèche” celebrates its 40th anniversary, a milestone for this legendary event organized by the Vallon Plein Air club. Each year, between 1,200 and 2,000 participants, including more than 100 Stand Up Paddlers, embark on this 28 km descent through the heart of the gorges, one of the […]
The inaugural Crozon Foil Festival 2024 took place last weekend in the stunning bay of Crozon, orchestrated by Amaury Dormet, a pioneer in water sports in France who has been at the forefront of SUP racing over the last decade. Dormet innovated once again with what is already considered the largest foil event in Europe, […]
The Crozon Foil Festival returns from October 10 to 13, 2024, promising to be the international highlight of the year in the foil discipline! Organized by the Crozon Waterman Club in collaboration with its partners, this event is set to become a world-renowned gathering with an ambitious and innovative program. Three disciplines will take center […]
Après les succès des Open de France des éditions antérieures et de l’Euro Tour l’année dernière, les Bord’Océan SUP Days se réinventent cette année sous le nom de Bord’Océan Mud Days. Le président du club organisateur Les Marins de la Lune à Bordeaux, Christophe Mora, détaille pour TotalSUP les motivations du club à proposer une […]
Le Tour de l’île Vertime 2024 s’est tenu le samedi 25 mai aux Sables d’Olonne, en Vendée. Déjà un événement annuel incontournable, cette course, qui connait un succès populaire fulgurant en à peine deux éditions, a de nouveau attiré un grand nombre de participants, passant de 150 en 2023 à près de 250 cette année. […]
Les 18 et 19 mai prochains, la Green Paddle Race, événement désormais phare du calendrier français de SUP Race, marquera l’ouverture de la saison fédérale en portant pour la première fois le label d’Open de France 2024. Cette compétition, à l’identité forte et organisée par des passionnés, promet une expérience inclusive et conviviale à l’image […]