Let's start with this week's number: 991,619. That's the difference between the number of reads for the first News Grab I posted last week and the total reads for Sexy Girl SUP Pics. Each of those pics clearly reveal more than a 1000 words, but at least 634 people read my post (thanks for the green thumb as well as the positive responses). So, it looks like I write for another week.
Competition
SA Sup Surfing Titles - The SA Supcrew held their state surfing titles the weekend before last at Waitpinga Beach. The crew made the most of a spot that doesn't usually welcome standup. With every category full, competitors had to be on song to have any chance. The freshly minted champions are Erika Oemcke (O/Women), Sam White (O/Men), Brigitte Conlon (+40 Women), Tony Dalton (+40 Men), Mark Temple (+50 Men). Congrats! Backed up with yiros on the BBQ for lunch, sounds like a perfect weekend. To share the stoke, catch Divaldo's vid. 
Before heading offshore for results from the new Euro Tour, trying to understand and connect the myriad SUP tours and series that take place around the world can be daunting. There are plenty of stand-alone events like Carolina Cup, Molokai to Oahu and King of the Cut. Even the recent ISA World Championships in Mexico were a self-contained event. But there are also a number of series that are comprised of certain races, some major in their own right. To report on these accurately, I spent a bit of time mapping them out, which I've summarised in the tables below.
The Euro Tour aims to connect some of the major European races that take place earlier in the season; it's held over six consecutive weekends. It would appear that many pros target the earlier races in the Euro Tour to get their stroke in before moving onto the larger prize pool of the Standup World Series events. The World Series is connected with the European Cup (but has no connection with the Euro Tour). I've also slipped in the Dutch-based 11-city Tour, which is reminiscent of a cycling grand tour sand full of character. Then there's the surfing-based Standup World Tour, which started in February and continues all the way to November in Morocco. Interspersed with all these tour events are major stand-alone events, as mentioned above. All-in-all, plenty to keep us interested throughout the year.
Back to the racing itself, Mallorca welcomed the first round of the Euro tour over the weekend, with the ocean providing a smorgasbord of headwind, sidewind and downwind conditions. German powerhouse Sonni Honscheid blitzed her female competitors, finishing 7? minutes ahead of Spaniards Susak Molinero and Zulaika Aranburu. Honscheid's impressive time placed her 12th overall. First in the field, Australian Travis Grant, charged to an early lead in the 13km race, holding off the likes of Connor Baxter (Hawaii) and Titouan Puyo (Tahiti). Baxter made a push on the downwind section but Grant surged away in the final flatwater section. There was some talk about poor board choice for the choppy conditions by Baxter, Puyo and Leonard Niko (all on SB Sprints), but not sure if that holds water given Grant was on a NSP DC 14 x 23 FW (not the most stable of missiles).
Next weekend the Euro tour will be roughing it at St Maxime on the French Riviera, while Round 2 of the SUP surfing World Cup Tour is Tahiti bound.
Upcoming local comps
Forthcoming local events include the Maroochydoore round of the N1sco tour on May 31; Paddleloop WA June 6; Surf Series 2 Denmark, WA June 6-7; and Scotts Head 3 Day SUP contest June 19-21.
Quiver talk
By all accounts the Bert Berger Sunova tour on the east coast was a big hit, setting the benchmark for providing access to the guy shaping boards and gaining an appreciation of his craft.
We also got a sneak peek of the new Naish Javelin, but turns out it was pretty sketchy. 
Latest vids
Red Bull has released the vid of the Ultimate Waterman competition: a New Zealand travelogue loosely based around eight guys slugging it out through various water-based activities. Spoiler alert: the local guy wins while Laird's hairstyle remains intact throughout the production. Ace zealots, fast forward to 39:16, then bore everyone senseless bragging, "I told you so."
www.redbull.com/int-en/tv/videos/AP-1HQ2TJBXW1W11/the-ultimate-waterman
Dogman's Fiji vid gave a peculiar perspective of his talent on the board, just turn the sound down.
Thanks again for everyone's interest.
Select to expand quoteSJKJ said..
Dogman’s Fiji vid gave a peculiar perspective of his talent on the board, just turn the sound down.
Don't listen to him - the music was great. I have since bought the album!
SKJK, thanks for this sort of post. Only fairly new to SUP and keen to learn as much about the sport as I can. Please keep it going.
Cheers
Select to expand quotecantSUPenough said..SJKJ said..
Dogman’s Fiji vid gave a peculiar perspective of his talent on the board, just turn the sound down.
Don't listen to him - the music was great. I have since bought the album!
Buying an album - now you're showing your age.
Nice to finally see all the footage from the Ultimate Waterman so thanks for posting SJKJ
For those that only want to see the big-wave SUP action, check from 26m onwards
