| Ride Barrels with Greg Bertish. |
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 Pictures Brenton Geach.
Greg Bertish is an accomplished SUP rider skilled in many areas of the sport including riding the barrel an almost impossible task on a SUP. Greg has ridden barrels from the Mentawi Islands to Madagascar strangely enough he is still looking to find one at Muizenberg. We catch up with him to get a few insights on mastering one of the most dynamic aspects of surfing.
Brendon: Barrels are a very important part of surfing, why do you think it is taking SUPers so long to pull in? Greg: Board size was an obstacle at first I think. Now that boards have got smaller and easier to handle, I think its getting easier and is starting to happen all over now.
Brendon: Would you say you would specifically go Barrel Hunting on a SUP or would you rather be on a shortboard?
Greg: As a surfer, of 25 years, I surf first! Especially if it is hollow and barrelling. You can just get so much deeper and travel further on a surfboard…. The barrel is what its all about. But on occasion ill want to try get some barrels on my SUP. These pics are in Madagascar and I wanted to get barrelled at this wave on a SUP, cos ive been barrelled there so many times before on my surfboard.
Brendon: When looking for a Barrel what do you look for in a wave before taking off and while riding.
Greg: It needs to be big enough – min 6 foot face id say. It needs to be HOLLOW.
On a SUP, you cant try to hard. Its harder to control a wave, like you can do to a point on a surfboard. ( with snaps, laybacks, hand drags etc) So on a SUP you have to let the wave do the work , and barrel for you. Then try to position yourself in the pocket and either stall for the barrel or drive to make it.
Brendon: Is there an ideal board for riding Barrels or do most boards work?
Greg: My Coreban Lithium was perfect here. Enough rail and length to get in, and short enough to control and get out.
Depending on wave size, I recon a SUP needs to be 9.6 and smaller, for good control. It needs to have sharpish rails, cant be to fat, and must have a tail that will bite. When it gets over 10 foot faces, then its another story.
Brendon: SUPing in barrels has always seemed rather complicated with a paddle and big board fitting into a very confined space for you and the board. What is your worst injury that happened while trying to pull in?
Greg: No injuries in the Tube yet! Remember, its safer to go down in it than out of it. Ive broken ribs, smashed my head, sliced my hand SUPing in waves… none of these happened in the barrel.
Oh, and that’s why I wear a helmet in bigger and hollower waves now.
Brendon: What is your longest barrel on a SUP?
Greg: As you all know, time is expanded in the barrel. Ive had looooon barrels on a surfboard. And id love to claim 10 second tubes on a SUP but its probably closer to 3 or 4 seconds.
Brendon: How many SUPs have you broken while trying to pull in?
Greg: Again none really. Ive Creased my Big Wave SUP 3 times tho. One time I was shut down by a huge lip on the head…. Semi pulled in! Should have been in man, probably would have come out in better shape.
Greg Sequence 1.
 Brendon: Here we have sequence no 1. Tell us what went through your mind when choosing this wave and while you rode it? Greg: This was a bomb from the back. They come in so clean and inviting, you just have to go. Pete had a smoker the wave before me ( see him in the foreground). After take off, I saw this section looming, and knew it would throw. You can see how I set it up, tuck, stall it a bit and then drive through the section.Sequence 1 Full photos Click Here.
Sequence No2.
-1_Page_1.jpg) -1_Page_2.jpg) -1_Page_3.jpg) Brendon: In Brendon: sequence no 2 you seem to sneak through an impossible shifty Barrel. How do you place your body weight when riding a barrel? In these pictures it seems you are constantly working and trimming the board to keep in the critical part of the wave.
Greg: This is a dirty little barrel! Its borderline in size for getting barrelled on. You can see the wave shape change as it hits the reef in different parts. You can see how the board wants to drive down the wave face, with the gradient of the wave. That’s why a smaller board with a thin tail is good, so you can trim the board and re position it when needed. You can see me actually turning the board in the barrel to prevent it nose diving and from the lip catching the nose. This is a technical barrel, as apposed to sequence 3 where I could take a straighter line.Sequence 2 Full photos Click Here.
Sequence No3.
  
Brendon: When I saw this sequence. I thought you had lost your paddle and continued SUPing. Only after hearing I should look closely did I se the paddle. Your paddle style seems very unique and interesting. Is this your typical grip on the paddle or is it one of a few.
Greg:Ya, I have experimented both on the forehand and backhand and seem to have a different technique for each. The paddle on a SUP, in the barrel is a potential problem. As mentioned , I come from a surf background, I like to be able to feel the wave with a hand. I can grab a rail on my back hand or slow myself on the forehand. On the forehand I let the paddle rest on my back knee and only hold the handle , so i have one hand free. It also allows the paddle blade to drop lower and be less ridged. This means it catches in the wave face and barrel less. On my backhand I actually flip my paddle right round so the blade faces forward and I hold it on the deck with my inside hand, so I can grab my rail with my outside hand…. It works, sometimes!Sequence 3 Full Photos Click Here.
 Brendon: Any tips on how to progress into Barrel Riding?Greg: Get the correct board. Find a hollow and totally uncrowded waves- away from surfers , or someone will get hurt. You need to practice. Indo or Madagascar are the places as there are such good waves. But here in RSA. An empty peak on a 6 footy day- on Noordhoek beach, Tweede Steen, west coast, Kzn south Coast or ideally some secret little reef you may have to just find.
PS. wear a helmet!
Brendon: Thanx Greg for your time. Looking forward to seeing you spending more time in the Green Room.
Greg: Thanks SUPHQ for the support. Thanks Coreban for the boards, and thank you mother ocean for all the good times!
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