CAB0 0R BU$T

Hennesssey's / WPA World Championships  11 / 3rd &4th / 2012.

By EJ Johnson

Fortunately I am luckey enough to have the time and will to have qualified for the Worlds, and not to mention the amount of $ it costs to do so, with that said " Big thanks to YOLO Board for their SUPport this past year".

The event was held in one of the worlds most unique places / climates "Baja Sur", I have traveled there quite a bit over my surfing days in the last three decades, having nothing but awesome experiences,some bad some good, but none the less, BAD A$$!

The event was a two day venue, which featured a point to point 11.5 mile downwind run on Saturday, and a diamond shaped 4.5 mile technical course.

Day one: From our hotel (Royal Solaris-San Jose Del Cabo) we all jumped in this large tour bus, which took us on this washed out road from the recent hurricanes, towards the East Cape and a point called Punta Gorda.

Nothing is ever easy in Mexico, so the bus could not go any further and we had to walk a bit to get to the start line, where our boards were supposed to be?

 But where are they? Then Jay Wild of (Hobie) yelled out " about 50 yards down the beach at Jeff Alter's house (HobieSports)

We fin up our boards and head to the start line, which by the way is another 100 yrds up the beach!

We were honored to have Yolo Board East Coast's Coach Gary Wise running the starts and finishes. No cheating with Big Aussie Gary on the front lines!

It was a mass start for the women's men's elite, followed by the open division.

The elite YOLO team had worked out a drafting plan, if it was flat water, but it is blowing downhill at 10 knots, so it's everyman for himself!

We were all pretty close, and then Sean P and I grabbed some bumps and took off. Sean then linked up some more and left G-PA (me) behind,but I settled in knowing that only one guy in my age division was in front of me, and Sean was chasing him down slowly.

I enjoyed the bumps and the scenery with a now 15 knot tail wind, and lived in the moment. YOLO

 I finished in a solid 7th overall mens elite 14' division and 2nd in 40-49 age, behind my friend and nemesis "Byron Kurt"

Day Two:  Technical course at Palmilla Beach.

The plan was to complete a diamond shaped course off the beach, but the wind had increased, with gusts at 25 knots, so Gary Wise and Byron Kurt (WPA) put their heads together and changed it, to help ease some of the pain.

Once again, it was a mass start with a one minute separation between the men and women. We started,in a standing position on the beach, with our boards at our sides holding the top rail not the handle. As the race started into the headwind I realized I was not as recovered from Saturday, It couldn't have been the 12 plus Tecate cerveza's I drank Saturday in celebration of top 10, being in Mexico, being alive? YOLO

It was a five lap race, with a short self assisted beach run with your board, which proved tricky in the wind. I never fell in, but was very close to it most of the time. I finally got into a decent groove during the 5th and final lap, and was stoked to finish 2nd in the 40 -49 age class again. No complete results yet, WPA is still waiting on SUP Mexico to send them up.

YOLO BOARD

Long Course 11,5 miles P@P

M

Ernest JOHNSON

1:52:10

14'

7

40-49

2

Sean Pangelinan (AKA "Sean P from Guam")

5

M

Sean PANGELINAN

1:49:47

14'

5

18-29

3

Justin Cook (AKA C00KIE)

9

M

Justin COOK

1:55:06

14'

8

18-29

5

Matt Wise 

14

M

Matt WISE

1:58:59

14'

11

17u

1

Congrats to my team mates for a Solid representation in San Jose Del Cabo!

The award ceremony was overall off the hook, with 5 star cuisine, and bottles of Tequila being passed around the dance floor. Thanks to Mike Downey for getting me back to the hotel, otherwise who knows where I could have ended up that crazy night!  YOLO

We had a killer time staying at a really nice all inclusive resort " Royal Solaris " G00D F00D/ Great BEER/ G00D Service!

A final thanks to Jeff and Mitzi Acher of Yolo Board for your support as a team captain / paddle designer / family member :+)

Cheers

EJ Johnson