2012 Spirit Of the Zu – Report & Pics

Saturday 17th Nov 2012 saw the second running of The Zu Boardsports ‘Spirit of the Zu’ – a 12km flatwater race at St Kilda Beach in Vic. The race also kicked off the Victorian Flat Water SUP Championship Series run by SUP VIC in association with Surfing Victoria. Well, the conditions may not have been exactly ‘flat-water’, and a persistent 10-14kn on-shore breeze challenged even the toughest of competitors, but we still saw 41 competitors line up for the paddle from the front of The Zu up to the Spirit Of Tasmania (or just short of – The Port Melbourne Lifesaving Club) and back (6km)… TWICE for many. 15 Paddlers completed the whole 12kms, with a further 17 competitors opting to do the half-distance, single 6km lap. All paddlers who completed the entire 12kms earned points towards the Victorian Flat Water SUP Championship Series 2012-13. Brief Results: (full results – scroll to bottom of page) Mens Open (14′ max) 1st – Luke French (left) • 2nd – Cam Hosking (middle) • 3rd – Chris Clarke (right) Women’s Open (12’6) 1st – Jean Ringrose (left) • 2nd – Emma Morris (middle) • 3rd – Lucy Bell (right) Men’s Master’s (14′ max) 1st – Michael Jenkins (right) • 2nd – Dean Elcoat (left) • 3rd – Andrew Hocking (not pictured) Women’s Masters (12’6) 1st – Kathy Naoumidis Men’s 12’6 1st – David Sprague (not pictured) Junior Male 1st – Jono Kale Junior Female 1st – Kristi Page 6km Half Race 1st – Jon Sheard (pictured) • 2nd – Nick Moloney • 3rd – Derek O’Neil Due to the conditions & the toughness of the main race, the inaugural Sprint Race was not run, and will be carried over to the next race in the series,The Great Melbourne Paddle, on December 2nd at Sandridge Beach, Port Melbourne. Thanks to Paul Nederhoed at The Zu and his staff for putting on a great day and providing prizes, to the South Melbourne Surf Lifesaving Club for providing three IRB safety boats and crew, and to the SUP VIC crew who helped set up and run the day. – Tim Patterson (Teeps), SUP VIC

More Pictures:

Photos Courtesy Phill Page – Sea Me Surf Photography.

FULL RESULTS: