The Longboard Challenge
The Full Story
2014
UPDATE…UPDATE…UPDATE
With less than a week to go, the Longboard Activities and Challenges have been released.
Download Challenges HERE (in PDF)
Shocking revelations have rocked the Planning Committee for this year’s Longboard Challenge with the news that Wooz and RPS has BEEN BANNED FROM THE 2014 COMPETITION!!!.
Just recently, Wooz approached the Planning Committee with some far fetched story about the judges favouring other teams, changing the rules during the event and that in it’s four years of running, Team RPS had finished dismally last every year. He suggested that judges were corrupt and open to bribes.
He also requested that for this year’s Challenge, he’d like to play by the rules, and not resort to dirty tricks to claim victory.
Given the goings on of the last few Longboard Challenges, the Committee had no choice but to ban Wooz and Team RPS for making such outrageous demands….
In all serious, unfortunate timing has meant that RPS are not able to join us for our event of Sunday 27th April at 10am. We will sadly miss their involvement this year, as its great to get together with the guys from the shop and share some longboarding laughs.
For those uninitiated, the Challenge is a team event, where each team has to complete a set of sailing and non sailing challenges within an hour. Points are award for completion of the task as well as bonus points for fancy dress, skullduggery and acts of stupidity
Competition is fierce- last year saw our own Club President cited and reported for tripping Wendy Jepsen in a particularly rough passage of play during the Le Mans start.. We also saw Pete “Naz” Nathan break the One Design speed record on his way down to the Red Elk Cafe for the Latte Challenge.
The main thing about this event is that it is loads of fun,,,it’s great to dig out the old longboards, and hit the Inlet with a group of friends and family.
If you’d like to enter, simply get a team together! Each team requires a minimum of 3 members.
If you don’t have a team but would like to participate, simply drop me an email- media@inverlochwindsurf.org.au and I’ll find a team for you.
Remember, the Challenge is a game of strategy, so you don’t need super human sailing skills!
They say that if you keep trying long enough, you get to become an expert…
No truer a statement can be applied to the Longboard Challenge.
Now in its fifth year, its clear to see some entrants have become experts……at well….I’m not quite sure!
A glorious day with blue skies and a light east to south east breeze greeted this year’s competitors.
After a few “operational matters” (Pete J bought a complete One Design for $1, and Ern paid the judge off with small denomination bills), and it was all systems go!
There was some formidable pedigree in some of the teams that lined up this year. The Southerly Pit Crew contained three World Champion speed sailors (Kato- Longest 24 hour distance, Peter- Fastest Vegan and Daffy- Australian Representative at Luderitz, 2013). But none of these credentials made any difference once the flag went down for the Le Mans start!!! Team Core-rupt used an upwind starting strategy to burst from the blocks, round the mark first and get back to the beach unchallenged. The battle for second and third place saw some impressive dodging, some strong tackles and some questionable defensive work- with the Southerly Pit Crew just pipping Team Donkey at the line.
The day before, the chief judge (and lynchpin and inspirational leader of ethics and morals) had planted 5 numbered IWC stickers around the Angling Club area for the Treasure Hunt activity. Strangely enough, the stickers appeared to have mysteriously moved during the event….This didn’t stop an enthusiastic hunt, with Mel from Team Donkey dragging her daughter Trinity, through the unchartered scrub after she saw a hint of something white in the branches….it turned out to be a plastic bag!
This year saw some other extraordinary achievements- mainly in the Longboard Speed Challenge. The Southerly Pit Crew clocked up an impressive top speed of 69.64 knots. They were obviously playing a team game- since all 7 GPS they submitted had exactly the same speed on them. For some strange reason, Glenn Matthew’s car was making a strange ticking sound and the engine seemed warm. The surprise package was Team Core-Rupt who managed a very impressive 70.31 knots….not bad for a Volkswagon Transporter….err, SUP with a 6.6!
Aside from the usual hi jinks, this year, for the first time, we saw the inclusion of a windsurfing zebra. Once again the Latte Challenge proved to be hotly contested. Crews made a mad dash to Beaches and Cream cafe to order a beverage before bringing it to the Inlet and sailing across to Point Smythe and back. With a light Easterly wind and a strong outgoing tide, it was hard work. Team Donkey made the best of it, whilst at one stage, the Southerly Pit Crew were looking like they were heading towards King Island -perhaps for some cream??? (this would have got them a 10 point bonus).
The sand sculptures were absolutely amazing!. The Club’s kids did all of the designing and overseeing- making sure the adults did the grunt work. The creatures that grew from the sand- a dog sleeping on a longboard and a giant octopus were fantastic!
Once again, it was great to get together as a group, share some laughs, do a bit of sailing, enjoy a free BBQ (thanks to Roy for cooking up a storm) and hang out on the beach…
Isn’t that what it is all about???
RESULTS
WINNERS
Team Core-Rupt- 23400 points
(Sherelee, Simon, Ern, Deb)
EQUAL SECOND
The Southerly Pit Crew- 19500 points
(Andrew, Craig, Pete, Katelyn, Jayden, Glenn, Joel, Doug)
Team Donkey- 19500 points
(Pete, Mel, Trinity, Shaun, Blayde, Shaz)
THIRD
The Tinkerbells- 17900 ish points
(Paul, Wanda, Summer, Roxi)
2013
RPS Longboard Challenge 2013 EVENT REPORT
This Sunday saw the 4th running of the RPS Longboard Challenge. It was a crisp morning and strangely, there was a pretty good wind to help along the festivities. A crew of 20 IWC members met at the Anderson Inlet eagerly awaiting the 2013 list of challenges.
Mick Green, Judge and master of ceremonies kicked off proceedings with calling for the forming of teams and the issuing of the challenge lists and thanking Warwick, Adrian and the team from RPS THE BOARDSTORE for supporting the event (did I mention RPS THE BOARDSTORE enough yet???)
4 teams were formed and the fun started. The compulsory Le Mans style rig and race to the sandbar saw the competition and skulduggery start in earnest. No blood was spilled but with Kato’s well timed running back foot flick delivered on Wendy who was escaping with part of his teams longboard rig, did raise suspicion of a broken toe. I am glad to report, Wendy bounced back and the toe just has a bruised ego.
Other highlights were the Latte Challenge, this year each team had to sail to and buy their Latte from the RED ELK Café with the added challenge of carrying a lamington for the complete journey. The RED ELK latte and the lamington had to be consumed by the sailor in front of the judge on returning to the beach. Apparently 1 team de rigged another’s Longboard while they were purchasing their Latte from the RED ELK (did I mention the RED ELK enough?)
During these water based challenges, other members of the teams put a fantastic level of skill and effort in finding the largest feather from the beach and the building of some terrific sand sculptures. There was a super RPS sculpture created, a buxom mermaid and a shark with a windsurfing fin.
The challenge and skulduggery drew to a close, Mick the judge retired to calculate the bribery and scores and thanks to the magnificent barbecuing efforts of Carmel, Shaz, and Tash everyone enjoyed a great lunch. (Did I mention Carmel, Shaz and Tash enough?)
Then, a crowd formed, the teams nervously grouped together and Mick (I don’t take bribes) Green, the judge, announced, in reverse order the scores and names of the winners. Congratulations and a truly magnificent trophy was awarded to the Tinkerbels, a team of highly skilled windsurfers, bribers totally cute girls better known as Darren, Wendy, Ted, Wanda, Summer, Roxi and Paul (you can decide who the totally cute girls are)
The RED ELK prize went to Pete Nathan for dragging off the kiters on his 20 year old windsurfer one design. Well done Pete, any win over someone who wears boardies over a wetsuit is a good win….
A great event was had by all but to anyone who thinks they can get the trophy away from Summer Hayward next year, TRAIN HARD!!!!
Author, IWC guest reporter and sponsor namedropper: Paul Hayward
Thanks to our event sponsors
RPS the Boardstore
Red Elk Cafe
2012
The theme music to 2001: A Space Odyssey started to wisp across the trees at Anderson Inlet Angling Club car park. Smoke rose up from the ground, then silence as everybody turned around to see what was going on. Suddenly the speakers pumped out the music Eye of the Tiger as Superman, Superwoman, Cat Woman, Bat Man and The Tooth Fairy jumped through the smoke and lights and raced down to the beach for the first race of the 2012 RPS The Boardstore Longboard Challenge.
Salty’s SUPer heroes where pitting their best against The Barmy Army, Better Late Than Never,Rug Rats and Support System, Team RPS and Team Aloha in a competition of skill, strength, skulduggery and bribes.
The day saw 30 – 40 windsurfers and family rock up to this laugh a minute event. An event running for 3 years but with RPS ‘s support for the past 2 and Warwick we greatly appreciate the support given and what you guys gave up to be part of it. Perfect longboarding conditions with sub 10 kts of wind and the sunshine, just brilliant. Woo hoo it was on for young and old.
Chief Judge, Mick “I take bribes off anyone” Green announced the rules to all “ahem…. Ladies and gentlemen and Superheroes the rules are that there are no rules” and the proceeding began. One set race and 9 other tasks (where teams had to choose a minimum of 5 events to compete in) that ranged from The Latte Challenge, Sandcastles, finding the largest feather (a 10 ft. long feather boa won it!), mystery challenge, longest board, oldest team member, youngest team member, an Inverloch resident as a team member, fancy dress, quickest speed (+70 kts on a GPS – new world record on the Inlet woohoo!), relay race, most team members on a moving board were just some of the crazy events going down all against a 2 hour time limit. The clock was ticking.
The first event was a race where teams had to rig their sail in the car park and carry sail and longboard down to the water and sail across to the sand bar and back. Exemption was given to Kato’s team to leave there “longboard” at the water’s edge as he had built a longboard trimaran – classic Kato – three Wallies strapped together with wooden beams and tie downs. As teams raced down with their sails, skulduggery started to happen with boards being purloined by other teams or sailors being held onto as they tried to sail off.
As teams finished the race, strategies begun to come into play as some teams packed up the cars and drove off for the mystery challenge and others started the relay race and other events. I was surprised by the number of teams that did the Latte challenge. A race down the Inlet on longboards to the Beach Box Café, buy a latte and sail back with it. Extra points for amount of coffee left, temperature and froth. The arrival of Batman at the Beach Box Café did not raise much of a stir from patrons or staff as Team Aloha had already been through with their coconuts and grass skirts! Batman standing at the counter did not get special treatment. “Just stand in the cue sir and wait your turn” humpf. Grabbed the coffee, poured it into the water bottle and back down to the beach for Superman to sail it back to Mick “I had enough bloody lattes today” Green.
The Mystery Challenge was only revealed when teams advised the chief judge that they were up for it. It came in two sections. First was a photograph of the team with the word “Inverloch” in it. Teams were photographed throughout the township with the Police Station and the CFA popular locations. The second was to pick a number and a trick from “101 Windsurfing Tricks” was allocated to the team to perform. The Tooth Fairy doing a backward somersault from a moving windsurfer was a classic but still did not cut the mustard from last year with Warwick’s Dying Cockcroach/lunch box manoeuvre.
When the clock rung out that the two hours was up, teams returned with smiles on their faces and stories of what they had been up to as team sheets where checked and handed in to Chief Judge Mick “I can’t add up the scores anyway” Green to announce the winner.
The winner of the 2012 RPS Longboard Challenge was The Barmy Army.
Put simply, We were robbed!! Bring on next year
Now one final matter. Part of the skulduggery that happened before the event caused some consternation from my wife. Someone – Mick Green and Ernie Gal – organised for stickers of a photograph of my handsome face to be plastered from one end of the Inlet to the other. My wife did not know who she was kissing in the end – the real me or the unreal me!
by DOUG “OLD SALTY” HOCKEN
ADDITIONAL CASH FOR COMMENT BY CHIEF HONOURABLE JUDGE AND HEAD OF MORALS AND ETHICS- MICK GREEN
The mention of longboard windsurfing brings up sepia images from the good old days…Clapped out, tired, boring, ragged and rough around the edges…While it’s not a bad description of some of the sailors, it certainly doesn’t describe the RPS Longboard Challenge!
The Challenge is a team event based around a series of activities that must be completed within a limited timeframe. The events had very little to do with sailing, but a lot to do with involving everyone in the team. It s a game of strategy, of subterfuge, of “bending the rules”, of mischief but mostly of getting out there having a laugh and enjoying the spirit of longboarding.
This year saw 6 teams battle it out for the glory of Longboard Challenge Champion. Fancy dress seemed to be popular- with a bunch of superheroes, some pirates, some hula girls and some foxy South African blonde…
I wonder what the good citizens of Inverloch thought as this motley bunch descended on the town in pursuit of victory…
This year, the mystery challenge involved the teams getting a photo of their crew, along with the word “Inverloch” in the picture. The teams took to the challenge with great gusto, and various sites around the town were hit with a horde of suspiciously dressed miscreants, striking poses in front of local landmarks. A special mention needs to go to Team Better Late Than Never for not only getting a portrait outside the police station- but also coercing the local copper to take the photo (and not lock anyone up in the process!)
The Latte Challenge was also very popular this year, with several teams enjoying the salty tang of a latte sailed from the café back to the Angling Club and then drunk in front of the judges. Exquisitely refreshing!
Now in its third year, the Challenge is gaining momentum. For me, I get a buzz out of seeing everyone get involved- from proficient sailors to families to newborns. There’s an infectious energy on the beach, accented by heaps of laughter and hi jinx when something inevitably goes pear shaped.
As always Warwick and Matty from RPS were right there in the thick of it- not just giving us a few prizes for giveaways but actively participating in the joy of longboard windsurfing. I know Wooz looks forward to this event each year as it gives him a chance to get out on the water and have a few laughs with the local crew. I think it gives us all a chance to get together and celebrate what makes our sport and this location so great- the chance to crack a joke, to not take ourselves too serious, to not get too tied up in the technology of new equipment, to spend some time getting our feet wet, and most importantly, to share our passion for the breeze, the sun, sand and water with our friends and families.
Bring on next year.
RESULTS
1. Barmy Army (Roy, Tash, Josh, Joel, Carmel, Antoine, Argonette) – 14000 pts
2. Better Late Than Never (B3, Cara, Paul, Wanda, Summer, Roxy, Daz, Wendy)- 13450 pts
3. Rug Rats and Support System (Colin, Kato, Callum, Cayley, Katelyn, Olivia, Luke, Ashleigh, Summer)- 10650 pts
4. Team Aloha (Jimmy, Daniel, Moondo, Naz, Emma, Brody, Kerry, Bev)- 7000 pts
5. Salty’s Superheroes (Old Salty, Fei, Sherelee, Leon, Ern)- 6770 pts
6. Team RPS (Wooz, Matty)- 8020 pts (minus 5000 points penalty for insufficient bribe to judge)- 3020 pts
Inverloch Windsurfing Club Inc
PO Box 313,
Inverloch Vic 3996