Technique with Travis – How to do fast beach starts

Technique with Travis

This fast beach start tutorial is the first in an NSP exclusive series of short, instructional videos by Travis Grant. His tips and techniques will help racers like yourself to improve and perhaps iron out some of the kinks in your current routines.

About Travis

Travis Grant is a stand-up paddle athlete with several world titles under his belt, including Molokai, the Carolina Cup, King of the Harbour NZ and countless others.

About the board

In the above video, Travis really takes advantage of the recessed deck of the Sonic Pro Carbon, a board best suited for Ocean racing and downwind races. Its most recognizable feature is the dugout design, allowing for a low centre of gravity (and a little extra space to pull up your legs when you’re about to the water).

Main Takeaways

#1

Place your board above the hip to create a nearly even board, allowing you to keep a little more distance from the racers next to you. In the chaos that often ensues during these running starts, space is a major factor in getting away earlier than the other competitors.

#2

Have one hand holding the paddle (in paddle position) and the side of the board, while the other guides the nose of the board. If there are strong side winds, this technique really helps keeping the board pointed at the waterline to secure a swift getaway without unnecessary corrections.

#3

During the start as soon as the board hits the water, do a “bunny hop” on the board, and stand up with the paddle in paddle position to start sprinting away from the rest of the field.

Over the coming weeks we will post more videos by Travis, along with other race related content, so keep an eye out for that. If you don’t want to miss anything, simply like us on Facebook to receive the best NSP racing content in your feed.

Video by: Taylor Johnson