Now that question was quite a new one on a kayak blog

Standup paddling (SUP as it’s called) is quite a new thing here in Denmark.
I suggest you get in contact with Westwind in Klitmøller:
http://www.westwind-klitmoller.dk

They’re running SUP-classes along with their old range of surfriding, windsurfing and kitesurfing classes.
The guy running the place(Rasmus) is super nice and extremely knowledgeable concerning wave conditions at the westcoast.

/Best regards Peter

Nice to hear from a racer from South Africa.

I’m afraid I can’t help you with the footage though. The only video footage I’m aware of are these:

2004 race: http://www.tourdegudenaa.dk/Film.aspx
2007 race: http://kajakroning.dk/video/ (scroll down)

You could email the committee behind the race and ask if they know something:
info@tourdegudenaa.dk

Best regards and hope you’ll be back to win the master class one day
/Peter

Thank you for your comment. You sum up the situation very good – better than I did.

Best regards Peter

As you stated, with volunteers acting, it is hard to blame, and I am sure that under the circumstances everyone acted for the best. But the great failure seems to be the wrong estimation (by the organisation) of the circumstances. Due to the circumstances paddlers that could normally finish the race were now in difficulties. I doubt if only banning first years members will help. Members of our club, with years of experience and well equipped, have also been in need of help. As to own responsability: when an organisation gives green light for a race, you go. There is the trust that the organisation knows local circumstances and risks better than you do, based on racing equipment.

As to a prevention: If the circumstances of ‘go’ or ‘stay’ are well (and detailled)defined beforehand, and well communicated to the participants, nobody will blame the organisation for cancelling a race.

Regards, Alida.

Regards Philip

Added map to the posting to better give an impression of the scene.

Erik – you’re right. The entire team behind TdG is made up of volunteers. I hope I don’t come out of this discussion looking like I’m against their entire work.
I’m all for a multi-disciplinary approach to kayaking and TdG is one of the few events that brings together most kind of canoes and kayaks.

But they have to be careful. I recently spoke with a board member of a large kayak club. Based on this year’s experience, they were considering banning participation in TdG for their first year members.

Best regards Peter

Interesting discusion. At the colorado river 100, racers were required to check in the night before the race. Safty equipment was inspected at that time, and if you couldn’t show the required equipment, you were not allowed to enter. Because of high water several alternate olans were made and discussed before the race, none of which had to be implemented. During the race itself, racers were subject to random inspections, with possable dq. After all that I ran into a competitor at 2:00am whose lights had quit working. He was very inexperienced and scared to death. He was also about 1km above the only real hazard on the course. I escorted him to the next check point, below the hazard and went on. No matter how much you plan, you can never account for somebody elses inexperience. Ultimatly the racer has ti decide what risk he is willing to take. You made a decision to enter the lake in choppy water, and everyother racer there made the same decision, whether they could handle the conditions or not. The decision to try to cross the lake was based on your knowledge of your experience level. On your part it was probably a good decision. The paddlers who couldn’t handle the chop should have made a different decision, as some of them did, but it was their responsability and their decision to make.

As to the race co-ordinators not changing the course, that is something that they should have taken into account. It is standard here to address safty issues at a pre race meeting and discuss emergency measures before the race starts. These are mandatory meetings for all racers.

I am glad that it turned out as well as it did.

Regards

Bruce