When you think of screaming downwind conditions and 4 foot swell you could be forgiven for immediately thinking Hawaii, Perth or Tahiti. Who would have thought that the best downwind conditions of the summer came last weekend along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. The Outlaw #9 downwind classic was not only the best conditions of the season, it was on-par with Perth in terms of the course and quality of organisation.

In a state where paddling is growing almost as fast as the warmer parts of the continent, 100 odd paddlers drove down one of the word’s most scenic roads to begin a race that has put Victorian ocean paddling on the map. The 25 km course from Urkharts Bluff to Torquay was a screamer with 25-knot winds and a 2-meter trailing swell.

Sea World Start

The start of the event saw paddlers belt through a small point break before turning a can and riding runs for the 10 km, then veering left over a cranking point break into a portage. Moments before the start, however, a 300 kg fully grown elephant seal surfed through the break as if to welcome us all to a place where he, his friends and the ones that eat him live.

Surf & Ocean Skis

In the absence of Dean Gardiner due to a family illness, and fresh off a great result in Perth Adam McKane quickly took the lead in the Surf Ski class, along with the double ski of Dave Proven and Andrew Western, both unchallenged all race. Race favorite - Tim Altman finished a close second with your truly finishing some 4 minutes behind.

The women’s race was a one horse race, however Wendy Wilson 1.58.11 sent a message to likes of Alexa Cole and co after finishing with the 7th fastest time overall.

OC1

Sighting poor health and work commitments back on Oahu, Karel was on a plane back to Hawaii as the race started, leaving the field open to the likes of Paul Sloman , Steve Viney and Kevin Long. After some major carnage at Point Addis and again at Point Danger it was Viney to record the fastest OC1 time for the day with Sloman in second followed by Long.

The Wrap

This race is itself a terrific story of hard work and determination from largely one man (Wade Vautier) and his company ‘Outrigger Clothing’, who have made ocean paddling in Victoria along a world famous coast as good a race as any on the calendar (Ok, maybe with Hawaii as an exception). The organisation, conditions and sense of optimism makes the journey to the surf coast of Victoria a must for the downwind paddler. The quiet world is that sponsors are falling over themselves to become associated with this race and the series and we can all expect to watch the field size and the sport in general grow down south.