1st SUP Swiss Championship
The 1st SUP Swiss Championship sponsored by Nidecker was held on Lake Geneva at Prevanges beach. Both Nick and I took part in the race in the 10km, which ended up being around 12.8 km, definitely felt longer then 10 km as we raced. Thankfully we’ve been doing a bit of paddling so managed, but racing a real long distance race should have a bit more training before hand! Nonetheless we did well and I won the women’s race and also won the women’s 5 km race as well. Paddling just around 20 km in a day was a lot, but someone crazy enough had to do it! It was a beautiful day and knew quite a few people from the International Surfing Day as well as around the area in which we live who we’ve been paddling with were also there.
the beginning of the 10k
me rounding the buoy
Nick looking good
finishing the 10km race
1st place in the 5km
1st place in the 10k for the ladies (I was the only one)
Venice, Italy
6 hours from Thun and we were in Venice. Easy enough with our rail passes in hand and a few days free during the week. Stepping out of the train station, we were right in there in the real Venice! The only Venice we’ve ever known has been the Venetian hotel in both Las Vegas and Maccau! We booked a bed and breakfast and upon crossing the first bridge over one of the canals and taking a turn at the first small street , I knew this would be a town where a map is absolutely necessary! We zig zagged our way through the tiny streets and eventually found our B&B called ‘Happy Venice’. It was overlooking a canal just over a bridge.
that's me in the window of our room!
When we arrived the lady answered the door, a old Italian women with absolutely NO English, yet she’s been doing this with her daughter (I assume she speaks English) for years. In Italian, and only Italian she explained everything we needed to know and more or less understood as she showed us the house. The place had only 3 rooms, 2 of which over looked the canal and one of them was ours! The gondolas would come rowing by our window and people stopped to take pictures on the bridge. It was a great location and we definitely chose a winner!
We stayed in Venice for 2 nights and while we walked a ton and crossed a thousand bridges, we also ate and drank a ton as well. We visited the beautiful churches and a couple museums and in the evening enjoyed real Italian food including gelato with plenty of wine. While we didn’t get to Stand Up Paddle in the canals, the highlight of the trip was learning to row a gondola. Instead of taking a quick 20 minute gondola ride for way too much money, we saved the romance and opted to learn how drive one instead. Jane from Row in Venice, taught us how to for a 2 hour session on a canal. While we weren’t on the Grand Canal, a smaller less busy one was much better suited to us first timers. Before we headed out, as we watched the Gondoliers the day before, they make it look effortless. Motorboats and water taxis zip in and out of the gondolas and they have no problems not running into each other. While they make it look effortless, for us it definitely wasn’t a walk in the park.
Jane showed us the basic stroke on her 2 man gondola and then we set off for a couple hours of rowing. The front man was obviously easier then the back one who was in charge of steering. It’s amazing how they can actually steer this around the tight corners of the canals and boat traffic without hitting anyone else or tipping over. We can’t say we became experts after our 2 hour less, but did manage to get a little better at the technique and helping row this big boat back to the marina safely. It was great, but both Nick and I think we’ll stick to SUP.
We stayed in Venice for 2 nights and while we walked a ton and crossed a thousand bridges, we also ate and drank a ton as well. We visited the beautiful churches and a couple museums and in the evening enjoyed real Italian food including gelato with plenty of wine. While we didn’t get to Stand Up Paddle in the canals, the highlight of the trip was learning to row a gondola. Instead of taking a quick 20 minute gondola ride for way too much money, we saved the romance and opted to learn how drive one instead. Jane from Row in Venice, taught us how to for a 2 hour session on a canal. While we weren’t on the Grand Canal, a smaller less busy one was much better suited to us first timers. Before we headed out, as we watched the Gondoliers the day before, they make it look effortless. Motorboats and water taxis zip in and out of the gondolas and they have no problems not running into each other. While they make it look effortless, for us it definitely wasn’t a walk in the park.
Jane showed us the basic stroke on her 2 man gondola and then we set off for a couple hours of rowing. The front man was obviously easier then the back one who was in charge of steering. It’s amazing how they can actually steer this around the tight corners of the canals and boat traffic without hitting anyone else or tipping over. We can’t say we became experts after our 2 hour less, but did manage to get a little better at the technique and helping row this big boat back to the marina safely. It was great, but both Nick and I think we’ll stick to SUP.
St. Marks Square
Lausanne, Switzerland
Suzanne and I and the view!
We checked out the city of Lausanne and Lutry on Lake Geneva before heading to the Swiss SUP championship race. We met, fellow paddler, Susanne at the International Surfing Day a couple weeks before and she invited us to stay with her for the weekend! It’s always great to have locals to show you around town. There was a big gymnastic competition going on, so the small town Lutry where she lived was housing the Australian team and had all sorts of Australian flags up around town, a warm welcome for Nick! The area is absolutely beautiful with the vineyards lining the surrounding hills.
walking in the village of Lutry
welcome Nick!
having some Swiss raclette
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