PB1000: Bigger Surf Meant Bigger After Pizzle
PB1000 swim run surf relay lived up to the hype. It was everything and so much more, like double overhead white water to the face more.
For the second year in a row the Noodle Bagz crew brought together lifeguards, triathletes, surfers, local bar industry legends, rugby players, and more to the warm sands of Pacific Beach for the PB1000. A swim/run/paddle relay with the podium teams taking home big prizes. All in the name of helping raise some money for those who keep us safe year round in the ocean, the San Diego Life Saving Association and its lifeguards.
Sunday saw clear skies, sunshine, 8 foot surf, 25 mph winds, and a current moving faster than the legal limit for Bird Scooters on the boardwalk. KUSI’s Aloha Taylor would later call Sunday “The heaviest session of the year.” (Taylor I sent you a DM like 5 weeks ago and you left me on read status, validate me).
The scene was set for what proved to be the most terrifying and epic PB1000 yet. With a mid morning shift down the beach to avoid a rising tide, all athletes picked up their custom Noodle Bagz from a locker room set up that makes Venice’s Muscle Beach look like the bathroom at the end of Grand Avenue (dear San Diego City maybe just a door on the stall so I don’t have a small audience when I drop a dead weight deuce to shave seconds off my run and body fat percentage off my rig).
Our best mates at Boochcraft came bundled up with beanies, Patagonia vests, and some of the cleanest designs we’ve seen on Bagz all year. MC Kyle Beck on his lunch break, (he is currently rebuilding the Tony Romas by hand) dressed in the Noisy Cat signatures and a Santa outfit, was on the Soundboks for what proved to be a full blown sig-alert on the sand.
Fans, paparazzi, and ESPN the Ocho had cell phones out to livestream the swim start, athletes hand on the wall waiting for the airhorn toot. The airhorn blasted and some thought that the racers were confused…half of them went sprinting up the beach in what was realized to be a strategy to make the ripping current work in their favor. 20 swimmers started, battling the surf. An internal monologue recorded below:
“Swim a few feet, get worked, swim a few feet, dive under, catch my breath, swim a bit further, look up, ask myself have I moved at all? Head down, paddle, paddle, paddle. Head up, shit bigger set. Look back at the shore. Wait did he say round the buoy north to south or south to north?”
After a serious effort from everyone the swim was tackled and completed by 6 absolute beasts, Jackson Wagner, Bren Winbrock, and others. The effort for everyone else was ferocious including lifeguards due to race later legs who helped chaperone the brave swimmers.
Teams headed out on the run. A 5k out and back course, tougher with the high tide and the hard sand covered in seaweed. Turnaround was at the end of Pacific Beach Drive and back towards the final challenge at Miss B’s Coconut Club - The Azunia Tequila Turnaround. Racers had a double shot of Azunia Tequila to get all the organic and 100% De Agave into their veins to increase vascularity. You are welcome.
Post tequila turnaround runners headed back to the sand and hit their paddler with a fist pump. Confident local surfers grabbed the foam boards donated by PB Surf School. These guys have been shredding Tourmo and Crystal Pier for years. But there would be only one winner and it was the boys in Lifeguard Red who showed that once again they more fish than human.
An impressive performance crowned them the Champs once again. The runners up were presented with sunglasses from legendary local brand William Painter. And the best kook team Top Gun took home some Boochcraft merch. Also noted was this years PB Bar Industry Community with Thrusters Lounge, Sandbar and Grill, PB Local, and PB Shore Club sponsoring teams and raising money for the San Diego Lifesaving Association, which after Sunday they absolutely deserve. Thanks to all those who participated, raced, watched, volunteered, and partied after. Lastly thank you to those in the towers. We can’t wait to run it back all again next year.
7 Best Things Overheard at the PB 1000
“Yeah I almost had the swim just started to feel a cramp from that Egg McMuffin I had 10 minutes before race start.” (Athlete at finish line)
“What sport is this?” (Tourist at Miss Bs)
“Plenty of room for my inhaler thanks to that cold breeze.” (Athlete at start line)
“Boomerang that guys wang.” (Spectator on the boardwalk)
“I was the swimmer for our team but brought my other pair of Noodle Bagz. I went through the Tequila Turnaround like 3 times in different pairs.” (Miss Bs after party)
“I’m gonna try drown more.” (Female spectator looking at the lifeguards)
“Wow this seems like a cool brand I should follow on various social media platforms, comment, like, and share all their posts.” (Not a paid actor at start line)
Links to more Stills from our talented photographers. Please tag them in all photos used.
Taelor - @taelorpr PHOTOS
Daveland - @davelandweb PHOTOS