SURF ADVENTURE: The Broken Nose

Pipeline 2005

Back In 2005 They had the first all women's competition at Pipeline in Hawaii. I entered both the longboard and short board divisions hoping to score as many uncrowded waves as I could at Pipe. What I didn't know was that on the day of the finals they put me in back to back heats with no breaks or even time to paddle out. I tried to at least get them to keep me in the same color jersey so I could save time changing. I competed for over 3 hours straight.

In my first longboard heat i got a great Backdoor barrel. Problem was I listen to someone the day before who told me if I did get in the barrel at Backdoor's don't stay in the tube because the reef is too shallow. I KNOW BETTER! Always stay in the tube, it is the safest place to be on a big exploding wave. By all means much safer than the lip (jaws) of the wave.

I stayed in as long as I could then snuck out under the lip to straighten out. Right when I thought I was safe, and luckily already with my hands on the rails, as I was laying prone, the lip of the wave smacked me right between the shoulder blades smashing my face into the deck of my board. I saw a big yellow star just like in the cartoons. I couldn't believe there wasn't blood spurting out of my nose. I did hang on and by the time the jet ski got in to rescue me and the announcer was asking if I was O.K., I had drifted back into the rip and used it to paddle back out and finish my heat.

When I came in to change my jersey for the next heat I had my Chiropractor (Sponsor),

Dr. Kathleen Campbell, on the beach ready to adjust me. I had my hand covering my nose and asked her if she thought it was broken as i took my hand away. I would say by the shocked look on her face there was no doubt MY NOSE WAS BROKEN. She asked to adjust it right then but I just wanted my neck readjusted for I as in a hurry to get out with the other girls that were already out there for the short board heat.

When I caught the rip out again to get in the line-up it was in between heats so I cranked hard and put my own nose back in place, good enough for now anyhow. I continued making heats to the finals for both divisions, wining the longboard division. By the time I surfed in the short board finals the waves had deteriorated and were windy and bumby, I was cold and my back, neck and nose all hurt. This is the first time I said F@$# it in a contest and paddled in before it was over. If the waves were good I would have stuck it out. I placed last in the final.

Needless to say when I was on the podium collecting my trophies, got one extra one for charging the hardest (probably being the oldest competitor on top of it), they asked me what was the secret to my success. I do not remember what I said but I know that I missed an incredible opportunity to plug in my most valuable sponsor, my chiropractor who flew all the way over to Hawaii to adjust me during the competition. MY CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS ON THE BEACH BETWEEN HEATS WAS MY WINNING KEY TO SUCCESS!!! I was so bummed afterwards that I did not plug her in (Not as bummed as her, she still gives me a bad time over it!)

I use to be in pain 24/7 for twenty years due to a car accident and thought that was something I would have to live with the rest of my life. I always hurt surfing and tried to hide it from my competitors. REGULAR CHIROPRACTIC CARE has not only helped me be completely pain free but has helped with the proper nerve flow to ALL PARTS OF MY BODY so that my immune system is super strong keeping me healthy, drug free and working at my optimum. THANKS DOC!!!

Kim & Grandma Tootsie with Pipeline Trophies

Oh by the way after about a month I started snoring so loud that I would wake myself up. I had to have her re-break it and adjust it properly!!! Quite painful to say the least! I wish I had let her adjust it that day on the beach!!!