The Sayulita SUP Open Wraps Up!

The Sayulita SUP Open was held over the weekend and SUP racers from all over Mexico, Hawaii, California, Puerto Rico and Tahiti came to compete. It was fantastic to see a SUP event return to our main beach as racers of all ages battled against waves, wind and each other in a distance race, a technical race and a SUP surfing event.

Friday evening there was a competitors meeting where important information was given out and final lists were made for the weekend.  We met some people in the SUP world we knew from the USA and here in Mexico. Alex was also happily reunited with some of her team mates from the CONADE Junior Games from last October. Pretty standard stuff but it was nice to be around SUP folks again and see who the weekend competition would be.  We also were able to meet world champion paddler, Conner Baxter, who was super nice and chatted it up with us for a bit.

Photo with the "GOAT", Conner Baxter.

I might have had a few tequilas before arriving at the meeting and decided that signing up for the races over the weekend would be a great idea......hmmm.  So, I handed over the pesos for the entry fee and declared myself a competitor along side the kids.  Ashley would have to watch three of us compete over the weekend.

Trace out in front to begin the distance race.

Saturday morning was the distance race.  The course was 10 kilometers long with lots of wind.  The women's division was headlined by the women's SUP champion from Argentina, Juliette Du Haime, and she was just plain stronger in the headwind and outdistanced Alex for the win with Alex coming in second.  

When Alex came to the finish line the Juniors kids from the SUP Team she coached last year saluted her at the finish line with their paddles raised as she ran beneath them. Such a great gesture from the kids who meant so much to Alex when she was the Jr SUP Team's assistant coach.  

Trace and Juliette.

Trace, however, paddled beside Juliette for much of the race and finished 7th in the Men's division.  Considering the top three finishers were a Men's world champion, the Mexican national champion and a professional waterman from Tahiti Trace's efforts were certainly noticed as a 14 year old and the youngest in the Men's Open Division.

Trace has begun a physical transformation the last six months or so. He has been anxiously waiting for his day to come since we have always told him he will most likely be as tall as his Uncle Greg at 6'2" or so.  He has always had great paddling skills but now his body is catching up. The potential of the two working together began to show about 2 months ago and we thought that maybe he would have a strong showing this weekend. At the end of day one we felt were correct in our prediction but his strongest event was still to come.

Sunday was the technical event where the racers navigated waves and turns to complete a 3 lap course.  Large waves arrived the night before and the organizers considered a course change and even discussed not having the race since many paddlers did not have the skills for these kinds of ocean conditions. The kids, however, train in these conditions each week and is where they thrive.  They wanted nothing to do with a modified course and wanted to get after it. Finally, the decision was made to keep the designed course and all the competitors were off the starting line and into the super wavy and demanding conditions. 

Trace kept up with the lead men's group staying in the top three or four for most of the race catching waves and paddling back out through the surf.  It wasn't until the last turn where the competitor from Tahiti caught a wave that Trace could not catch up to and beat him to the beach and the final spot on the podium.  His coach and professional paddler, Conner Baxter, were waiting for him at the finish line and tried to grab him to hoist him in the air celebrating his effort that came up just short. Trace actually had the energy and eluded them running to the finish under his own power.

By the end of the first lap it was clear that Alex had something that the other women competitors didn't and had distanced herself from the field.  She had more hometown training and skills in these conditions and more energy for battling the demanding course. Alex cruised to a first place finish in front of a cheering crowd on the beach.

Ozzy, Alex and Trace begin the technical race.

We were so happy to have a dozen or so friends who are in town come down to the beach and support the event and our family. The group must have been close 15 people or so and got a taste of just what Alex and Trace train for several times a week.  Many remarked that they really had no idea that the kids had skills like they showed during the race and thought SUP was more of an after school activity for them.

It took me a while but I completed the course as well. A bit soggy but I finished.

The awards were given out at a dinner in town later that evening.  A small gathering of competitors and guests rather than on the beach following the races.  Alex received her 2nd place trophy for the distance race and then proudly took the top spot on the podium for her technical race victory!  Even better she received a check along with her award!  Everyone loves an oversized check!!

Trace's evening would be quiet...or so we thought. He finished off the podium in both races but had an incredibly strong competition. He certainly received a lot of attention and made us and his coach proud.  During the Men's technical race awards the podium was full, trophies presented and photos being taken. I could feel Trace's disappointment at missing out on that 3rd podium spot as he stood just behind me as the awards were given out.

In an incredible gesture from the 3rd place finisher, Henere Harrys, Trace was asked to join the winners on the podium. Henere actually gave Trace the 3rd place trophy to keep for himself. The two battled for 3 laps and Henere knew that he just edged Trace out at the final stretch. Ashley and I were speechless and in tears as those gathered at the presentation applauded and cheered. Such a show of sportsmanship and respect towards a young athlete and we are so grateful to him for what he did.

So, that is a wrap! The Sayulita SUP Open was great and we hope it returns next year with more paddlers. Thanks goes to Ashley who was solo on the beach for this one and kept things organized and everyone fed. The kid's next race will be in April when they will compete in a qualifying event to earn spots to go the CONADE Junior Games which will be held sometime later this year.  The Jalisco State event will also happened at some point to qualify for Mexico's National Competition.  For now, we rest.