Sunday, April 29, 2007

Session 7049: Back to Xanadu 5'6


Now that that we are moving towards the end of the spring, I am starting to surf on 5'6 and also a long board. Quite a bit of contrasts but that's what I love to do. Surf on small beach breaks on these short boards. I think that this year, I am going to compete on both modes on local contests.

As for the session today, it was another fun day with the waves not overly threatening and doable for me and not much crowd to speak of. I am willing to take crappy waves over crowded waves. Also crappy waves are more fun because there is some serious challenge to read the waves and paddle to where it is going to break next. It is a lot of work out and a 90-min session can wear me out in the morning. Get home, eat lunch over a beer, then take some nice nap in the afternoon. I cannot ask for better!

TECHNICAL UPDATE

Well, some of you might be wondering what's Manabu up to? Right now, I am passing through a period where I need to polish the art of "getting up on the board" much faster and tighter.

Here is what's going on. I am starting to be able to challenge myself with finding and getting into a more critical section of the wave, a bit faster, a bit bigger and bit more power than I have been used to. It is "moving up" to the next level. The board catches the wave, it goes fine, but often times, I waste so much good part of the wave by not getting up on the board fast enough.

Learning how to surf for me is a very iterative process. Once you can surf a bit, then you'd want to catch bigger and faster waves, and in that situation, I am all as if I am starting all over again.

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