Riding the ocean never seemed so easy

Standup-paddleboard racers find their bliss on the waters around Metro Vancouver in a competitive sport with an almost meditative appeal

Cotter said Labrosse did a windsurfing lesson sometime in 1993 while standing on a windsurf board with no rig and propelling himself with a double-bladed kayak paddle. According to Cotter, he thought the scene seemed very odd at the time, reminding him somewhat of a gondolier.

Nowadays, standup paddleboarding is a common sight at Jericho Beach and elsewhere.

“As we speak, there is a high-school group down here preparing to go out for a lesson,” Cotter told the Straight by phone. “It’s become very popular. The ease of doing it is what is attracting so many people. If you can ride a bicycle, if you have enough balance to ride a bicycle, you can standuppaddleboard.”

Bell and Merkel are also regulars in local recreational races during the summer.

They both like the Tuesday Night Races organized by the Deep Cove Kayak Centre, which include kayaking, standup paddleboarding, and surfskiing.

Bob Putnam owns the centre as well as Deep Cove Outdoors, a retail store.

According to Putnam, the Tuesday Night Races are more about getting out on the water for exercise and enjoyment, as well as camaraderie before and after the event.

“We do it because it’s fun, first of all,” Putnam told the Straight by phone.

Bell and Merkel also mentioned the Mountain Equipment Co-op race series, the MEC Big Chop. (Merkel works for MEC.) Now in its 12th season, the MEC Big Chop is run out of Vanier Park in Vancouver and includes surfskis, kayaks, canoes, outriggers, and standup paddleboards. It started on April 19 and goes every second Thursday until the end of summer.

Bell and Merkel likewise cited the Jericho Wavechaser on Jericho Beach. Running on Thursdays alternate to the MEC Big Chop, the Jericho Wavechaser, which started on April 26 this year, also features paddle sports until the end of August.

Standup paddleboarding came naturally to Bell. As a child, she and her family spent a lot of time in and around the water near Gatineau, Quebec. She was swimming competitively at the age of 10. As a postsecondary student, she went to the University of Hawaii on a swimming scholarship. As a Vancouver lifeguard, she was a competitor on the Canadian National Lifesaving Team for many years.

Her husband, Gary Parsons, is a water sportsman. Parsons organized the Jericho Oceanman adventure race, which has running, swimming, and paddling. Bell recalled that there was always a mystery event in each category. In 2007, the mystery event in paddling was standup paddleboarding. That was the first time she tried the activity.

Their two sons, Ocean, 12, and Sky, nine, are also into standup paddleboarding. They are on a youth team in Deep Cove.

“Standup paddling is a great sport,” Bell said. “I love it because it is an all-over body workout.”

For her part, Merkel grew up in Alberta and was originally an avid rock climber. She never thought that she would be interested in water sports until she and her partner moved to Deep Cove in 2012.

She eventually heard about the Tuesday Night Races at the Deep Cove Kayak Centre. She and her partner joined in a kayak, and she noticed a few on standup paddleboards. Thinking that was more fun and involved less gear, she tried it out the next week.

Meditation plays an important part in Merkel’s preparation for contests. She said it disciplines her mind. Cardio cross-training—like biking and running, as well as strength exercises in the gym—takes care of the physical part.

Merkel said standup paddleboarding presents a different set of challenges than land races like running because water is constantly moving.

“That unpredictable nature of the medium that you’re in kind of creates these opportunities for problem-solving for whatever situation you’re in,” Merkel said.

What looks like an easy race sometimes becomes an epic one, as conditions can easily change on the water. For Merkel, her experience on the standup paddleboard makes her more flexible and resilient.

Life can be like the ocean, according to Merkel, who said one needs to simply roll with the waves and wind.

“It helped me ease into change, and ease into, you know, just taking what life throws at me a little bit easier than I had in the past,” Merkel said.

DUNKIN’ DAY

This year, Rackets & Runners (3880 Oak Street) is celebrating its 40th anniversary of planting customers’ feet firmly on the ground for their next tennis ace or marathon—or even for a stroll around their neighbourhood. On Saturday (June 16), the store is hosting a Community Appreciation Day witk a dunk tank for dipping the employees and free racquet tuneups. There will even be a tennis court in the parking lot, along with free sandwiches and plenty of new running shoes on display.