Well, Dubai was a good race for me, but I made one crucial mistake.  I thought that going further right after turning the buoy was the right play.  I figured that was the best line to take downwind and would allow me to pull away from the top pack.  Turns out I was wrong, I should have just followed Hank and Dawid and then I would have at least had a better go at winning the race at the line.  I can’t cry over split milk.  I made the error and as long as I learn from my mistakes then I am making progress.  That’s racing.  Good job Dawid, congratulations.

 

This weekend, on December 8^th, is the Perth World Cup from Rottness Island to Sorrento Beach, 28km of typically perfect downwind conditions.  Windguru is predicting 22 knots so it should be very good conditions for the event. You can follow the race live on www.surfski.info

 

Since arriving “down under” I have been treated with great Australian hospitality by Steve Coulter who is the Epic Agent in South Australia.  I did a race at 6.00pm coming in second behind Australian marathon K2 paddler Bennett Maxwell.  It was a 6km race with 2 X 3km circular laps. I was way ahead on the 1^st lap but then picked up weed on my rudder.  I pulled like mad to try and stay with Bennett but he was too strong for me.  He is now also going to the Perth World Cup after seeing how easy it was to beat me!!!  He is going to be paddling a V10 in the race and this will be good ocean racing experience as he is training up for Molokai next year.  It was one of the 1^st races they have had in Adelaide for long distance surf ski racing and after the race I gave a talk about surfski paddling to about 30 guys in the very plush Glenelg surf life saving club. We left the club at 12.00 midnight and then were waylaid by the local agent to the pub in our hotel. We left early!!! In the morning!!!

 

Preparations are going well in Perth. We have 4 Chalupsky’s that will be doing the race on Saturday. Those are my two brothers Walter and Herman and my 70 year old father Paul.