With intrusions from Julia my amazing physio to rest my shoulder and Surfskischool classes being cancelled due to a buster SW I had the weekend kind of off to go watch the 4 Nations at Pirate. 

Last race of the series saw a large turn out in rough NE conditions. Trevor the race organizer was busy with the 4 nations and asked me to help out. Ended up setting the course and doing prize giving to take some pressure off him. 

Have had a shocker of a week. No other way to put it. Pinched nerve in my shoulder and plenty time in pain on the physio table. No training in a critical period 2 weeks before SA surfski champs. Sickness to injury. Cant win! 

Day 1 – Taplin Win!   

A true privilege that my Varsity College are using me in their advertising, this for the local media. Super stoked!!!

Here is my article for the next edition of SportsGuide magazine. You can download the mag off the web at www.sportsguide.co.za or pick one up for FREE at your local sports store.

For some fun and variety I jumped in a double with my dad. First time we have paddled in the same boat since I was 13 years old. Been a while hey. Was a blast, the old man is machine! Scary to think he is 53. Hope I am in his shape at his age. 

A fitting time to put this up with SA Lifesaving this week. One of our Marine Surf Lifesaving Club Members, Wayne Ashford, and good friend to me in recent times has recently found some classic old lifesaving footage for way back in the day. He has spent some long hours converting its format and cutting it into workable videos. Well is hard work has paid off and he has just uploaded it all up onto youtube.

This is where it all started for me as a nipper, watching the legends of the time taking on mountainous surf with grace and humility. I grew up at Marine and am really proud of its...

The hospital stay was short, blood tests good (only a small bug that was smashed with meds) and I am almost back to 100%. A true feeling of confidence now that I dodged a bullet is some way. The way I felt when I rolled through the hospital front door (in pain) to now is quite some contrast and really expected way worse. Count my blessings I can start moving the arms slowly tomorrow. Wahoo! I can only read books on the coach for so long before I go mad.

With huge advances in technology in the last while it’s made having an online coach possible. What? An online coach? Yip! I first saw the concept being used about 2 years ago by one of mate, Dan Hugo (www.dghugo.com) who used a website called Training Peaks to upload data from his Garmin so his coach Gary Mandy could view it and analyse his training, adjusting his programme all on Dan’s online log. 

The heart of the Varsity College Surfskischool is to grow the sport at all levels. We have made ground in many areas having success with the Jeep Apparel surfski team in Durban and projects getting ladies involved with 'Paddle Like A Girl' outings.