This past weekend, Olaf and I tackled the Santa Barbara Rig Run for the very first time with the Newport Aquatic Center (NAC) Outrigger Team. Now in our third season with NAC, this event marked a massive milestone for both of us. We stepped up into the Open-Unlimited Men’s and Women’s divisions, respectively, facing a field of extremely fierce and competitive paddlers.
The venue absolutely did not disappoint. Having our closest friend Nancy visit all the way from Chicago to make the road trip up from Newport Beach with us to cheer and support us was incredibly special. For me personally, having her there was a little slice of “Chitown” confidence that I really needed, giving us the perfect chance to catch up and share this weekend together.
From Flat Waters to Ocean Waves
As we lined up at the start, I couldn’t help but reflect on how far we’ve both come. Olaf’s roots in paddling began on the calm, flat waters of Germany, where he never really had a formal coach. Now, he’s training under Will Reichenstein—one of the top coaches and paddling teammates in the sport—who placed him into one of the top crews to race right alongside the “cool fast kids.” Our early days racing outrigger canoes together back in Chicago, navigating a completely different paddling world before we made the leap to the Pacific Ocean.
To go from those small, controlled bodies of water to reading and riding the heavy ocean waves of the Pacific West Coast has been a massive learning curve. For me personally, this race was about so much more than a finish line. The past few years since moving to California have felt like an avalanche of heavy news—navigating health scares, personal struggles, and a recent layoff. Out there on the water, I wasn’t defined by those challenges; I was just completely present, loving every second of competing alongside these fierce paddlers.
Sue and Olaf pre-race
Dialing In: The Pow-Wow
The focus of the team was locked in from the very beginning. We started the race with a fun team pow-wow, where our crew’s Captain Dani and our Steersperson Bobbie, walked us through the race course, our strategies, and dialed us into the game plan. The positive energy being passed around the circle was electrifying. Launching directly from the beach was a brand-new experience for me with SCORA races, but before I knew it, we were just a few strokes away at the start line. Even with all the movement, our Chicago friend Nancy managed to spot us from the shore. When the start went off, we quickly broke through the initial chaos of competitive teams, settling into our stride with one long, strong stroke at a time.
Hunting Down Boats One Color at a Time
The course layout was beautiful. We headed west to the first buoy, then turned north toward the second buoy, grinding directly into a headwind, before turning back east along the shoreline to catch the waves. Passing several boats along the way was an unbelievable feeling. I can still visually see the colors of the teams we hunted down one by one: the red of Lanakila, the yellow and green of HanoHano, and the blue shirts of Marina Del Rey.
Every time Dani cued us to go long right before we started to “push” to catch a wave, I was filled with so much excitement I found myself swearing, “F#ck yeah!” out loud, a lot. My mouth was probably open the entire race—half from breathing heavily, putting every ounce of effort into my blade, and half from the pure adrenaline of experiencing those pushes.
Empowered in the Engine Room
What made this race so empowering was the communication and trust. Bobbie called out specific cues to our strokers to “let us do the work,” ensuring we found a rhythm that allowed the engine room to really power the boat. I was even able to seamlessly coordinate my water breaks to rehydrate without ever feeling like I was letting the team down.
Throughout it all, the support from the crew kept me fired up:
- Jackie and Phoenix (Seats 1 & 2): Flawless execution keeping the rhythm and energy levels up at the front.
- Dani (Seat 3): A total force of nature, captaining and supporting us with immense power.
- Mo (Seat 5): Right behind me in the engine room, passing massive positive energy forward and encouraging me with, “You’re strong!”
- Bobbie (Seat 6): Coordinating all our efforts perfectly, keeping us safe, hydrated, and motivated.
When we hit the cliffs near the finish line, my body felt the heaviest and weakest it had all day. But right on cue, I heard Dani’s voice chanting, “Yes you can!” It completely relit my fire and made me believe it.
Hugs after the race!
Lifting the Burden & Finding Ohana
The entire racing experience was amazing. I felt a profound surge of confidence and a positive boost of energy that truly lifted my self-esteem out from under the heavy burden of the past few years. For a long time, there was this lingering, quiet noise telling me that I wasn’t “enough”—or doing enough to keep up with this intense new environment, the personal changes, and the paddling community out here.
Looking out at the water, I felt incredibly humbled. I thought back to Chicago, starting my training with a small group of women and men barely large enough to scrape together two full OC6 teams, practicing on Lake Michigan when it was flat, and taking out the old, heavy Bradley outrigger canoes into the occasional swell. To come from that to California and witness an absolute armada fleet of unlimited canoes, elite competitive teams, and world-class athletes from all kinds of water sports is inspiring.
It is a powerful reminder to myself, and to my husband Olaf, that we have made some incredible strides. We are learning to ride the waves of life, to enjoy each moment completely, and to take absolutely nothing for granted.
Mahalo,