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We also caught up with Brendon Prince, Race Director of SUP Twelve and the SUPER Festival, which also often face challenging ocean conditions – here he gives a blow-by-blow account of the process of decision making:
Brendon Prince: As a race director, one of the most challenging responsibilities I hold is deciding whether a race can safely take place. Every competitor, volunteer, and spectator wants the event to go ahead. The planning, training, and anticipation that build up to race day are immense, so calling a race off is never taken lightly. Yet my first duty is always safety, and this means weighing up multiple factors before making the final decision.
The process begins with consultation. I work closely with the safety team, who provide a clear picture of the capabilities and readiness of our on-water rescue resources. This includes the availability of trained lifeguards, the positioning of rescue craft, and the number of personnel we have in relation to the size of the fleet or number of participants. If the safety team raises concerns about stretched resources or reduced visibility due to conditions, their input carries significant weight in my assessment.
Alongside the safety team, the boat crew are a crucial voice. They understand the local waters in real time and can report on how the sea state is affecting navigation and rescue potential. Swell height, chop, and tidal pull may not look extreme from the shoreline, but once on the water, they can create situations where even experienced crews are at risk. The boat crew’ s feedback tells me whether conditions are manageable for quick responses or whether rescue times would be dangerously slowed.
Weather experts provide another vital perspective. Forecasts on wind speed and direction, visibility, and changes across the day allow me to judge whether conditions will improve, hold steady, or deteriorate. In coastal racing, wind shifts can transform an otherwise safe course into something unmanageable, while sea fog or sudden squalls can catch participants off guard. I rely on expert forecasts but also on my own experience of interpreting how the weather behaves along the coast. Years spent on the water have given me an instinctive sense of patterns, microclimates, and sudden changes that models alone may not capture.
Tides and currents are another factor I consider closely. Understanding how the tidal flow interacts with wind direction and coastal geography is essential. A strong outgoing tide against a building onshore wind can create steep, breaking conditions that are beyond the ability of most competitors to handle. As someone experienced in reading seawater
movement, I can assess not only what is happening now but also what will happen hours into the event. It is not just about whether the start is safe, but whether the finish will still be manageable for the slowest competitors.
The final decision rests with me, and it carries a heavy weight. Cancelling or postponing a race will always cause disappointment, but it is far better than risking an incident that could endanger lives. The responsibility of leadership is to protect those who put their trust in me, even when it means delivering news that no one wants to hear. Every consultation, every forecast, and every instinct feeds into that decision, but ultimately it is my judgment that determines whether the race goes ahead.
Final thoughts Were you at the Big Dippa and did you make the decision to get out on the water? In that case, we applaud you – ocean racing is one of the most exciting disciplines in SUP and those paddlers on the continent regularly deal with conditions that most of us find challenging – so, maybe it’ s time to upskill and spend a little bit more time( safely) messing about on the sea!
Thanks to all of those who contributed their thoughts for this article.