Registration is Open! 

Next dates: May 19-24, 2025 

The five day advanced camp focuses on improving downwind surf skills for experienced OC1 paddlers ready to charge downwind and paddle 2 sessions a day.

With a coach by your side, we will identify what you are doing well and how to improve your downwind skills and your paddling technique to become faster and more efficient.  

We will work on  improving wave selection, steering on waves, and getting and maintain more boat speed.

Are you lacking coaching or tired of well meaning advice that doesn’t really make you faster?

I’m Anna,  I’ve been coaching women OC1 paddlers for over 12 years.  I turned my own progression from novice downwind paddler into multiple podium finishes at major races around the world into a system and a methodology so you can get faster and feel confident in your ability to handle downwind paddling. 

This camp is for you if already have downwind experience,  you paddle in the ocean often, you train OC1 regularly, and you have the fitness, strength and desire to do repeat downwind runs.  

Advanced camp attendees are hungry for the right info about how to get faster and want a coach to help them progress.

Women who come to this camp tend to be interested in racing, lift weights to support their paddling and most likely attend events like the Gorge Downwind Champs.  A few have even gone on to race M2M, Kauai World Challenge, and the Ka’iwi Channel Relay and Solo. 

Women come from all over for this camp – Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, California, Canada, Florida and even from Hawaii for a staycation.

Typical areas that advanced camp attendees struggle with are:

• Turning left and right in any conditions.
• How to be fast and feel confident in choppy water.
• Leaning left a lot but want to learn how to keep their weight off the ama. 
• Keeping boat speed up instead of stalling.
• Falling off the back of waves and working too hard to get back on.

• Linking waves together consistently.

If you wonder what faster paddlers are doing that you aren’t doing this camp will change that for you. 

Your knowledge of surfing will improve in these ways:

• Understanding the most common surfing mistakes and how to over come them.
• Practicing the five main downwind concepts and skills over and over again with a coach by your side. 
• Identifying and fixing the technique mistakes you are making that are holding you back.

The benefits of doing a five-day immersion are that you develop the whole picture of yourself as a paddling athlete with a coach by your side. Throughout the five-day camp, we will work on improving your technique and understanding of how to train to surf, how to read the water and how to handle all conditions as well as develop your ability to change tempo and use explosive power for surfing.

You can expect to:

• Solidify your brace stroke to improve your balance and speed on waves.
• Tune-up your paddling technique and improve your paddling posture 
• Sit more centered in the OC1 so you catch waves more easily.
• Fine tune your steering to stay on waves.
• Work on acceleration and timing to link waves more consistently.
• Learn how to train to get faster at down wind paddling.

Camp structure:

• 5 days in a row, 4 days are double sessions. 
• Typically runs Monday-Friday.
• Time spent upfront on technique and fine tuning your balance and braces stroke.
• On land surf theory and technique training.
• Downwind runs up to twice a day weather and ability permitting.

On double downwind days you will paddle 18 miles in a day.

This camp is for 4-5 participants so that you get individual coaching attention and time on the OC2 with the coach. 

Paddler Requirements

• Must be able to recover from a huli. 
• Must be able to brace or at least be practicing this skill.
• Must be able to accelerate your OC1 to 6.5 mph to catch waves. 
• Need to be physically strong and have stamina.
• Must be able to swim and switch canoes in the ocean.
• Must have open ocean, downwind, surf and wave experience. 

Paddling in Hawaii is not like other places so I use an application process to make sure this is the right camp for you!

The wind in Hawaii typically blows 20 miles and hour and ocean swell is large and powerful which makes it really fun, but also challenging.  We are not trying to scare you away, but rather make sure you are physically and mentally at a level that will make this camp a success for you! 

If you are not sure if this camp is for you (either it sounds too intense or too easy) please use the application at the bottom of the page to get in touch with me and we can determine together if this is the right fit for you.  

Please note, this camp is not for you if you don’t have OC1 downwind experience.  If you are new to downwind paddling I look forward to helping you learn and encourage you to check out the downwind primer, precision paddling, and read this article about raining to surf.  

Other details:

• You need to find your own accommodation and transportation on Oahu.
• You’ll need to pack a lunch every day.
• You need to bring your own paddle.
• Camp cost: $1,250 per person excluding Hawaii state tax.
• Canoe rental: $280 for five days and includes transportation. 

You can read all the details on the FAQ page.