In this podcast I sit down with one of the many dear friends I've met through Surfski Paddling. Greg Greene and I first crossed paths when we battled it out in my first surski race ever in Duluth, Minnesota. Although 20 years my senior Greg managed to take me at the line and despite that first encounter we've been great friends ever since. I wanted to bring Greg onto the podcast because he exemplifies what the surfski journey is all about. Starting the sport in his late 40s and in a town without a surfski community, he also represents a large portion of surfski paddlers in the US. While I want to say that Greg's story is that of the "average paddler" as you'll find out, he has had some incredible experiences that make him both the envy and an inspiration for us all. In this podcast we cover the following and much more: * Attempting to paddle his first surfski, the Speedster* Moving into a Huki and really taking off in the sport* Doing the big races in the US including US Surfski Champs, The Gorge Downwind, and Chattajack* A trip to Tarifa to work with Boyan the Zen Master of Surf* Learning what intense surfski paddling is all about at the Mocke Brother's Downwind Camp in Capetown* Bringing it all together with the 2019 Molokai World Championship (hint : it almost didn't happen)* Getting diagnosed with A-fib after 30 years of high intensity training and racing* Views on paddling as an aging athlete approaching 64 I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did!

In this podcast, the tables are turned and I'm in the hot seat as Buzz Burrell (a long time endurance sports athlete and entrepreneur and new surfski addict) interviews me. We cover a wide range of topics from paddling the Great Lakes through the winter months, to trying to make a surfski business viable in a small market with a short season. Some of the highlights of our conversation include: * Paddling conditions on the Great Lakes* Risks with winter paddling and how I try to mitigate them* What I've gained from paddling a V8 for 6 months of the year* Challenges of running a surfski business* What keeps me going* In the end, it was actually quite fun for me to be on the other side of the mic. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as Buzz and I enjoyed the conversation

Today's podcast guest may be best known as the younger brother of paddling legend Dawid Mocke, but Jasper Mocke is in every way a legend in his own right. Jasper is an incredibly talented athlete with several notable accomplishments including World Surfski Champion in 2014, World Champion in K2 Marathon 2014, and 3x Perth Doctor Downwind champion. You may also recognize Jasper as the star of many of the best surfski promotional videos Epic Kayaks has produced, whether it be breaking the Miller's Run downwind record or deftly maneuvering a V14 in big breaking surf conditions. In this podcast Jasper shares his wealth of knowledge and passion for the sport including, but not limited to the following: * Jasper the prankster, stand up surfing on a surfski* Getting to watch Dawid as a junior and Oscar, Lee McGregor and the other legends as open ocean racing was just starting to evolve* Starting out in the Guppie / K1 as a pre-teen before getting into a surfski* Watching the young kids now getting into surfski paddling and downwind at the age of 9 or 10 and trying to imagine where they'll be in 15 years* The differences between surfski ocean racing and sprint kayak river racing* Navigation tactics and tips in racing, both surfski and flatwater* Getting into the zone for downwind paddling* Why you should focus on stability first then stroke rate* Thoughts on feathering the paddle* Examples of cadence and 10k times that the best in the world maintain* Choosing the right paddle blade size* Jasper's experimentation with going to a smaller paddle and even higher cadence Where to find Jasper Facebook Athlete Page Jasper Mocke Personal Facebook Page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tglAXGNzHs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFgJN9XmpS4

In today's podcast I managed to catch up with Olympic athlete, coach, and co-founder of Paddle California, Michele Eray. I somehow coerced her into sitting still just long enough to record a great podcast session. The title of this episode and Michele's personal mantra says it all, "You regret more in life the things that you didn't do than the things you did". Michele takes her mantra quite serious and I'm certain you'll agree after listening to our conversation. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, below are just a couple of the highlights: * Michele's early days of paddling in her home town of Plettenberg Bay, SA (see the video below to get a sense of how beautiful it is)* Getting started in surf lifesaving and high school racing* Going to University to study bio-kinetics (Athletic Training / Physical Therapy)* Racing the Berg River Marathon* Making the decision to give up her bio-kinetics practice and become a full time paddler* Seizing the opportunity to race for SA in the 2008 Beijing Olympics* Five years of incredible support from the team at Nelo and racing all over the world* Coaching at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics* The decision to open Paddle California and bring Olympic level coaching and Nelo surfskis to the West Coast* Thoughts on Surfski becoming an Olympic Sport* Thoughts on paddling a K1 versus a surfski* The importance of cadence training and the power of the Vaaka Cadence Sensor to guide training (For an in depth podcast from the co-founder of Vaaka check out this link and to purchase one from TC SURFSKI click here)* Common beginner mistakes * Thoughts on downwind paddling* Favorite downwind paddles If you want to connect with Michele for coaching or to purchase a Nelo, you can find her on the web at: Business website: http://www.paddlecal.com Business Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/paddlecal/ Personal Blog: http://micheray.com Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MicheleErayAthlete/ https://vimeo.com/86263568

In early December the guys @CarbonologySport shared some vintage footage of the 1983 Port Elizabeth to East London (PE2LE) 4 Day Stage Race. It generated a lot of intrigue on Facebook, and I thought it would be great to sit down with Oscar and have him walk us through what it was like to race surfskis on the open ocean almost 40 years ago. We spend a large portion of the discussion on the PE2LE. But in classic Oscar fashion we also cover a host of other entertaining and educational topics including but not limited to: * Oscar's first couple of times racing the PE2EL as a teenager* Surfski designs and construction in the early 80s* Paddle design, length, and feather in the early 80s * Gauging effort before the days of GPS and HR Monitors* Paddling the open ocean with no leashes, PFDs, or sunscreen* Nutrition and hydration strategies before the days of gu, energy bars, and hydration bladders* What has evolved for the better and what has proven the test of time Here is a link to the book Waterlogged by Tim Noakes which Oscar references and in which he was one of the first athletes tested that led to Noakes ground breaking and controversial discovery that the conventional wisdom on hydration during sport was wrong.

Today’s podcast guest is good friend and fellow Great Lakes paddler Erik Borgnes. Many of you may recognize Erik as the guy who has dominated the Chattajack 32 race for the past several years. He has also contributed several great blog posts to the surfski universe including boat reviews, technique analysis, experiments in dieting, and a treasure trove of information on ERG training, which is our focus topic in this podcast discussion. It is always a great pleasure chatting with Erik and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that without Erik this entire podcast would not exist. Erik penned the first article I stumbled across back in 2005 that inspired me to figure out for myself just what surfski paddling was all about. Below are some of the key tops we covered in this podcast and further down are several links to different material Erik has published on the internet: * The various ERG trainers he has used over the years* The modifications that he's done to his ERG to make it most closely resemble his stroke on the water* How Erik retro-fit his ERG with a carbon paddle shaft from ZRE* Tips and tricks to avoid boredom on the ERG* How to determine your marathon race pace and build a training program based on it* The benefit of short intervals that are generally more sustainable on an ERG* How to think about paddle techinque on the ERG in a way that can actually improve your on the water technique* Transitioning back onto the water Below is a list of various resources on the web that Erik has produced: * Link to the Yahoo Kayak ERG Group Moderated By Erik* Chattajack Training Plan* Tips and Tricks I gleaned from the Yahoo Group into a Blog Post* Detailed review of the Kayak Pro Speedstroke ERG* How Erik introduced me to Surfski* Less is More  interview with Erik on Surfski News* Avoiding the bonk with training strategies and diet (note: Oscar Chalupsky has long consulted with Erik in matters relating to diet and endurance performance)

In this podcast episode we chat all things safety in extreme conditions with Rob Mousley.   Rob founded surfski.info based out of Cape Town SA, which is well known as  the de-facto global website for surfski information.   It is probably best known for the forums which provide an excellent global dialogue on all things surfski related.   In addition to the forums there are boat reviews, race reports, and most relevant to our discussion today,  many excellent articles on safety. For the last decade, Rob has been very involved in the pursuit of safety in extreme conditions.   He has worked extensively with Cape Town's water rescue services known as the NSRI, covered several surfski rescues, and has studied and tested in real world conditions  a vast majority of the safety equipment on the market. In this discussion we discuss in depth the wealth of knowledge Rob has accumulated over the years.   I'm really excited to be able to offer this podcast not just beginners, but also to the experienced paddlers who I'm certain will benefit.    As the sport continues to grow around the world and in more extreme climates, we all need to continue this dialogue with our paddling mates and hold each other accountable for being smart and realistic about our safety on the water. Below are some links to articles and resources that we reference in the Podcast: * Article summarizing the findings of Rob's rescue exercises with the NSRI* Article recapping a Miller's Run incident that thankfully turned out okay, but could have been much worse* Here is a link to the entire safety section on Surfski.info with articles an various incidents and gear reports including Personal Locator Beacons which Rob spoke about on the podcast.  Here is a specific link on an incident with a leg leash failure and a PLB failure* And a detailed piece on the limitations and how to use PLBs* We didn't cover Shark Attacks on the Podcast, but here are a couple great articles and second article* Link to a Cold Water Safety blog on the TC SURFSKI website* Below are clips  of Oscar Chalupsky demonstrating the remount in rough conditions and the brace stroke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozp6vuZEI5w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3HidTihOSw

In today's podcast we connect with Jen Lee to hear the story of how she crossed the Molokai Channel in a SUP, OC1, and Surfski all in one season.   If that isn't impressive enough, she only started surfski paddling two years prior and conquered the channel on a properly big day. Jen is an accomplished water woman, but the message she's passionate about  delivering is that anyone can achieve this with the right attitude, dedication to training, and the right boat (hint - Jen did the Molokai in a V8).  We cover a lot of ground in this podcast including the following: * Jen's background in athletics, starting as a downhill ski racer in Lake Tahoe* Moving to Hawaii to become a surf instructor* The cross over from downhill ski racing to SUP paddling* Competing at an elite level in SUP racing* Jen's first introduction to surfski paddling* How it feels to cross the channel in a SUP versus an OC1 versus a surfski* How the different craft handle different conditions* What is common and what is different in paddling SUP, OC1, and Surfski downwind If you want to follow Jen and her exploits or want to reach out to her with any questions, she will be more than happy to help you out.   Below is where you can reach and follow her: Website:  http://www.jenjlee.com/ eMail: mailto:[email protected] Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/jenn.j.lee1 Instagram:  jennjlee During the podcast I make reference to a great video produced by former podcast guest, World Class Athlete, and Mobility and Movement Guru Dr Kelly Starrett.  Below is that video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUeIuA6aeUA

In this podcast episode I catch up with Carter Johnson, Race Director for the Gorge Downwind Festival.   In just four years this race has become the single biggest downwind event in the world.   With 750 participants, featuring equal numbers of Outrigger Canoe and Surfski paddlers, plus a good contingent of Stand Up Paddle Boarders.   But more than just a race, this has become a week long festival celebrating paddling, downwind, beer, Rivers for Change, and loads of camaraderie. In this episode Carter provides some interesting insights into how the race has evolved and what to expect for 2018.   We touch on the following key areas and much more: * Beyond race week, growth in the downwind paddle scene throughout the summer and Carter's downwind retreat compound* A breakdown of the number of racers signed up this year across the different paddle disciplines as well as where they are coming from geographically* How the Gorge Downwind Festival may ultimately bring surfski paddling the recognition it deserves in the US* Changes for 2018 including: * Later beer tent hours* A completely stocked beer truck with 26 beers on tap* Changes to signal the surfski start* Safety precautions* Race navigation strategies and how minute changes of the wind direction will change the course I hope you enjoy the podcast and more importantly I hope to see you out there in a couple of weeks! Nick

In this podcast I have the opportunity to sit down with one of  the best surfski paddler in the world right now,  Cory Hill aka Chill Hill.  Like most surfski paddlers, Cory is incredibly humble and seems mature beyond his years.   Balancing relationships and a full time career,  Cory does an unimaginable  job competing at the very top of his game.   We have a  casual discussion covering a range of topics  as I work to extract what makes Cory tick and how he does it.   I can’t claim to be anywhere near the level Cory is at, but I felt that I really connected with his philosophy on life, paddling, competition, and what makes him tick.   I found it especially interesting to hear him describe the stories that can crop up in his mind both while racing and while working his day job.   I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did   Just a brief sample of the topic areas we covered:   * Cory’s start in Surf Life Saving and a detailed discussion around what exactly the sport entails* What drew Cory away from surf life saving and into surfski racing* Winning the world championships in Hong Kong* Training for and racing Molokai* General approach to training* Why Cory sometimes races with music* Thoughts on the one key thing to focus on with forward stroke* Downwind paddling and using the angles to ride waves like a surfer* Influential mentors Cory is sponsored by Shaw Hill Partners Race Team.  Check out their website for updates and some exciting content coming soon. You can also find Cory on Facebook