Anglet forever.

Well we're still here in Anglet at the SUP World Tour Event. The rain is still falling and the surf is still shite, although there is actually surf, after a few days of utter poop.  However spirits are high as the reason for still being here is Starboard's John Hibbard making it all the way from the first round of the trials to the main event quarters, along the way taking down Hawaiian ripper (and personal friend!) Ekolu Kalama. We'll see tomorrow if he can continue the giant slaying in his loaded quarter final with Duane Desoto, Colin McPhilips and a french bloke... go the Brit !
For me the stay has been, at the very least, an education. I don't have any paddle boards with me and so took the chance to try some of the Starboard range before choosing a board to surf for the summer and something to race on. John rips on the smaller models and so had brought down boards all under 9'0"..... time to polish those paddle skills Small. Jumping on the 8'5" Pocket Rocket for a quick trial run before my heat I realized that the surfing bit would be OK quickly enough but paddling little SUP boards takes a great deal of concentration and effort compared with the higher volume boards.  Anyway, once more unto the breach ..... my first ever SUP heat was with a couple of Frenchies who acquitted themselves quite well in the small, fat waves and a ball of Polynesian energy with a paddle in the name of Ikaika (Long Hawaiian name I don't have at hand, sorry Ikaika!). We'll of course I came 4th but after viewing the video figured that while Ikaika dominated the heat I was one turn away from taking some French scalps..... ho hum, next year will be better.
Having got the contest out the way toute suit, it was down to getting to grips with these little boards (I actually really, really like the 7'11" Pro, f**k ! 7'11") and checking out all the paddlers' acts. Whilst what actually constitutes good stand up paddle surfing still seems to be open to various interpretations there are some surfers you just can't ignore. World longboard champions Duane Desoto, Colin McPhilips are just killing it. Local Basque heroes Xabi Lafitte and Peyo Lizarrazu are looking very dangerous as are Kainoa McGee and Mavericks Champ Chris Bertish.
Speaking of Bertish, it's great to see him again after a few years and find him in fine fettle. Along with Aussie Dave Muir, Possie (Pommie-Aussie) Gareth Grant , Hibbard, myself and Bertish have been trying to find some waves along the beautiful Cote de Basque. We had some success earlier in the week and a quiet little reefbreak  down the road (until a heavy local tried to seduce Gareth!) and today John, Chris and I surfed the famous right at Lafitenia. Choppy overhead waves gave Chris and I just enough of a beating to keep us honest before John paddled out giggling at our misfortune. Things settled down sufficiently for us all to get a few nice rights until John's leash snapped (teach you to laugh at other's misfortune Hibbard) and his prize 7'4" (yes that's right 7'4") wedged itself in the rock wall beneath the campsite and ended up perched on a ledge 20ft up from the smashing surf and 20ft down a shear wall. Bertish and John went into rescue mode. John descended to his trapped board and passed it up to Chris, avoiding possible death on the rocks and escaping intact. All in all a highly entertaining day !
So even though the weather is pants, the surf generally disgusting and France too expensive I've had a ball. I mean who can say he's dropped 2'6" of his board length, met Mr and Mrs Ekolu Kalama, shook hands with Buzzy Kerbox, hooked up with an old friend, seen 110K Dave Muir bash the fuck out of a knee high piece of slop, watched his team-mate move into the last 16 in the event and laughed his socks off every 5 mins ?