The new super association would have flat water sprints, open ocean, and long distance. Sounds like we got all the bases covered. Would the flat water races feature rudderless canoes? That would be great preparation for world sprints.
If that were case, there would be a market for rudderless canoes too. Now we just need someone to start making those locally...

In the Na Wahine O` Ke Kai race the first place Jr. Masters women were all flatwater marathon paddlers from Minnesota , Michigan ,Wisconsin , Maine , Ontario and Saskachewan.
Practicing on flatwater is very time efficient , no car shuttles , no trade winds to paddle against, no waves to speak of . So, you can spend more time working on things like endurance , technique , intervals.
Its not always a total blast to do the hard work in the boat but , its certainly fun to go fast in the big races in Hawaii.

now we just need someone to give countless unpaid hours to running this new association...

sounds like a good idea except most paddlers look to long distance as the only true gage of a paddlers skills and abilities.olympic events considered i would agree we need sprits just for spectator sake and media coverage.i feel so excited that we have posts like this talking about possibilities of professional levels in paddling.

I bet a flat water series would be a big draw for teen paddlers fresh from their high school season and parents would probably feel more comfortable allowing them to compete on a closed course rather than waving goodbye as they leave Hawaii Kai for Kaimana. Flat water paddling, while probably not the favorite of those who surf (and excell in the waves), might open the door for new talent. How about a time-trial event on the Ala Wai? Magic Island to the library and back. A paddler, surf ski or OC1, could leave every three minutes just like a bicycle race. It's all variety, something different.

what oc1 are we using for ivf world sprints trails

there are a lot of advantages on training flat water, specially on fresh water rivers having 1 to 3knots currents against you, it gives you an edge on mental strenth specially because is the antithesis of good fun yahoo downwind blasts.
usually a happy midlle makes the right path, is very normal to get spolied by the seek of the ultimate surf-run, connecting the dots and paddling high on adrenaline rush, however to balance a bit with some "sacrifice-run" flat or even worse, against currents for a change will help make you complete.
main thing, have fun right?
live aloha!

Eckhart, you should just get yourself a rudderless v1 from Tiger and enter the world's as an individual. That way, you don't have to deal with any undedicated Hawaiian team-mates, or trouble yourself learning how to paddle better in the big blue Moana.

Lewis Laughlin

according to the pdf online, you can still do a late entry for the paltry sum of $100 per paddler

Eckhart said ...
I wonder if Rambo uses his Rambocam to improve his technique ?
I did more so in the learning years along with GPS. But technique seems to fly out the window when doing downwind runs, you do what ever you have too, to maintain speed or pull over a bump. Timing and explosiveness i think are more productive, than perfect technique here.
On the flat, absolutely efficient technique is King for maintaining max hull speed and conserving energy.
It is amazing to watch yourself on video and discover that the aforementioned "shoulder twist" or reach, is nowhere near what you thought it was. What you perceive in your mind is not always correct. Video is a great leveler and bad habits are hard to shake.
My coach is always telling me in time trials where other paddlers are next too you, to drop the rating, but maintain the same speed. You do this by "feeling" the waters resistance and the canoes glide and removing any inefficiencies in the power circle between paddle (buried) - arm - shoulder/back - core - legs and the connection to the canoe thru heals and butt.
Yup, it's difficult to do and takes years to develop, but pays off because most paddlers won't spend the time and take the short cuts.
Old injuries and inflexibility play a big part in what you can achieve, but everyone can benefit from a weekly technique session and timely evaluation.
Cheers Rambo

Yo eckhart, im interested in this 20, 30, 40. Can you shine some light?
So, if you cant do 40 miles, then shoot for 30, if not 30 then 20... but then 30 or 40 next week etc etc...?

Word. Lil bit of binging on my side as well, putting back on the pounds, maybe getting 10 miles a week.
Trying to calculate what I can pull off in the upcoming 1man season without loosing business and having time for family. I'd be stoked to train 20 hours a week, but unrealistic (4 hours a day for 5 days? damn).
20,30,40 is prolly what I cycle through during the 1 man season, unconsciously.
I'm all for the flat water sprints, personally I know I perform better in sprints then in LD. You can overcome some of the boat, size ratio, technique and lack of time for training issues with "in the moment" performance and explosive power.
Look at 100m sprinters vs marathon runners, different sport all together, but who hold the title as "fastest man on earth"? Not the marathon runner.

Hi everybody
I'm from Tahiti and to answer the first post of this topic, there is NO secret... except training. The top teams train at least twice a day. They train when it's hot or cold, when it's sunny or stormy. They train on flatwater, do some down wind runs but also paddle upwind. They go paddling and training even if topday is their kid's or their wife's birthday. Each one of those paddler could steer the OC6 because they all paddle in the ocean on rudderless OC1.
You see, no secret.
In Tahiti, we don't really understand thepoint with having a rudder on a canoe. We either paddle rudderless canoes or surfski's.
Do not take this as an offense but we think it's strange. You care so much about tradition when talking about OC6. And you are so far from it when talking about OC1...
In Tahiti it's the opposite. We have high tech efficient OC6 and stone age OC1... Quite strange ?

Hiro G said ......Do not take this as an offense but we think it’s strange. You care so much about tradition when talking about OC6. And you are so far from it when talking about OC1…
In Tahiti it’s the opposite. We have high tech efficient OC6 and stone age OC1… Quite strange ?
Hiro G, that's a great observation and very true. The competition between the many Va'a constructors in Tahiti is incredible fierce and their craft continually evolves, with great honour going to the designer.
One can only be impressed by the rudderless surfing skills of the Tahitian V1 paddlers.
Watch this small video of the skills in action.
http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com/2007/11/rudderless-vaa-surfing-skills…
Cheers Rambo

What about cows are they utterless too?
Ok that was just lame.

I think he meant udderless, Hiro. You know, mammary glands, li' dat.

Thanks for the info Eckhart.
I think rudderless is going to be big here in Hawaii too, mahalo for sharing your thougths Hiro.
I lost my rudder recently and had to paddle without, now im not using peddles as much, cut down drag. It also brings a steering element to 1man that reminds me of steering 6man. Fun stuff.
If you have hurricane, just remove the rudder in a minute and take it for a spin.

Eckhart, i think you will find it has more to do with cultural and environmental reasons, than just wind and waves. Traditionally the Tahitians had no need to venture outside of the Lagoons to source food, unlike Hawaii where Lagoon's are scarce, so their modes of sea transport evolved into simple craft. (ever had a rudder malfunction at sea, almost as bad as loosing a paddle).
Having said that, rudders on the modern Hawaiian OC1 evolved from surfskis and in fact OC1 is becoming more like surfski every day, except it obviously has an Ama and one blade for propulsion and no need for secondary stability.
Tahiti is warming to rudder-ed Oc1 more every day and in fact are being made there as we speak. When skilled rudderless Tahitian paddlers decide they would like to add rudder-ed skills to their quill, you will see more of the likes of Lewis Laughlin in the Molo Solo and relay and then we will need to lift our game.
Cheers Rambo

I've tried my Hurricane rudderless and i'm hopeless.
We have a manufacture here in Australia who is making aTahitian Va'a (1man ) for our local market. Whether they take off or not i don't know, but i hope so, as i think it is a great skill to possess and can only further the growth of Outrigger paddling.
Cheers Rambo