BEACH STARTS – TIP OF THE WEEK #3

March 9, 2023

Each week, leading up to the start of the racing season, Team Rider Christian Andersen will be sharing essential race training secrets by posting his “Tip of the Week”. The third tip is about how to do a proper beach start.

Have a look at the video and read along, then check back each week for the next sequence of tips. If you have any questions or suggestions for tips you want to learn more about, send Christian a message; his channels are listed at the bottom of the page.

Tip of the Week #1 – Crossing white water breaks with a race board

Tip of the Week #2 – Riding in big waves on a race board

Start by deciding how to hold your board and paddle. I personally use two side handles and I have my paddle in my right hand. I find this gives me more space on the start line and it’s easier to jump straight to my feet and start paddling. There are different ways to do beach starts, so it’s important to figure out what works best for you.
Timing is key. You can’t always decide when you start if it’s a race. But if you can, it’s important to time your beach start right. If there’s waves you want to jump on top of the wave. If its flat water, the timing isn’t as important.
Apply the speed from running on to the water. When I do a beach start, I try to turn the speed from running into glide on my board. I try to jump directly from the sand to my board and not run too far into the water. If it’s shallow water, you will usually have an advantage running a bit further out. But if it’s not shallow I jump straight onto the board to get maximum glide.
Get to your feet as soon as possible and start paddling. I try to jump directly to my feet and start sprinting right away. It’s fine to jump to your stomach first, glide for a few meters and then start paddling as well. Especially if you get a lot of glide from running.

📷: @‌bastiangrimm