Latest News
On Racing: Finishing Strong
Finishing well has little to do with who is most tired. Everyone is tired. What separates paddlers at the end of a race is not how much they have left, but how clearly they can still act with what remains. The finish is rarely a single effort. It is a sequence [...]
Stability in the Boat-Do you need more?
By Wesley Echols I have paddled a wide range of skis over the years from advanced to beginner in all types of conditions. Below are some helpful hints on becoming more stable in your ski. Boat Choice: think about the conditions that you will be paddling in the 75% of the [...]
On Racing: Expecting the Unexpected
The forecast you checked the night before is completely different when you wake up. The wind has increased, the swell period has changed, and there's a conversation happening near the water's edge about which direction the gusts are going to come from and when. Of course, nobody really knows, at least [...]
On Downwinding: Reading Lines
The line appears before the decision to take it is fully formed. A shift in the water texture, maybe forty meters ahead, something about the way a long roller is organizing at an angle to the dominant swell, and the bow is already moving in that direction. A few strokes in [...]
On Training: Chain of Fools
The stroke catches and the boat runs. There is a feeling to it, a brief firmness in the water that holds long enough for the body to push through, and the boat moves with more economy than it did on the stroke before. Paddlers sometimes describe a boat as "running" on [...]
Nationals: Meet the (Blackburn) Challenge
Every local racing community has a structure. You know who the fast paddlers are, roughly how you stack up against them, and what a good day on the water looks like for you. That knowledge shapes your training, your expectations, and your sense of progress over a season. It also has [...]
Surfski Reviews
Looking for an ocean ski? Check out the surfski comparison chart!
What are my favorite skis? by Wesley Echols
Over my years of racing, my goal has been to try to optimize my boat choice for a particular race based on the conditions of that race and my skill level at that point in time. As we all know, our skill level changes over time if you paddle regularly (2-5 [...]
2014 Surf Ski Reviews and Comparison Chart by Wesley Echols, SurfskiRacing.com
This is a comparison and review chart based on 12 years of paddling surf skis with GPS recorded time trials with all the 25 skis listed on the chart over the same four courses since 2002 as explained below. I added 10 new skis to the comparison chart since last time [...]
Think Evo Kevlar Review – by Wesley Echols
My first paddling experience with my Evo was a 37 mile circumnavigation of Aquidneck Island with my partner in crime, Tim Dwyer. I had purchased the glass Evo the previous day and was excited to try out my latest acquisition. Tim paddled my Huki S1R. So, in comparable boats, we [...]
Fenn Glide Elite Surf Ski Review by Wesley Echols
I received the Fenn Glide at the same time I got my Huki S1X Special since both were on the same KAS trailer back in April 2014. So why am I just getting around now to reviewing the Glide? Other skis to review, the race season, and an initial improper [...]
NEW 2016 Stellar SEL Surfski
Dave Thomas, Co Designer with Ed Hofmeister and owner Stellar Kayaks and Surfskis, is paddling the NEW 2016 SEL Excel in our new color scheme. With the addition of the SEL, SR, SES, all 2nd generation editions, we have launched 3 new models in 2015. Couple this with our NEW [...]