Congratulations to all racers participating in the 2009 Round the Rock Stand Up Paddleboard race on Lake Washington this past September 27th, 2009
And a special congratulations to two guys I've had the opportunity to meet through this site, Olivier and Kelvin and looking forward to seeing the photos of the event!
Click here for the results, and for more information on the the race, click here!
Based in Whistler BC, Stand Up Paddleboard BC is owned and operated by water-sports enthusiasts Pam Young and Jason Maartense, whose love of kiteboarding, kayaking, fishing, and Baja beach life naturally led them to discover the sport of stand up paddleboarding.
SUPBC offers personalized lessons, fitness oriented classes, professional consultations, and knowledgeable sales and service to all their guests, offering a "try before you buy" policy.
The Stand Up Paddleboard BC philosophy is to make SUP accessible, affordable and fun for as many people as possible, believing that SUP promotes a clear mind, strong body and healthy spirit, and should be enjoyed by people from all walks of life, regardless of previous athletic experience, age or fitness level.
And right now they're having a blow-out sale on remaining Amundson SUP's at $1099 for any size. A complete package: board, superlight carbon paddle, and padded bag for 1449. + tax.
Check them out at SUPBC.com, and tell 'em PaddleSurf.ca sent ya 
The Second Annual Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez
Battle of the Paddle
October 3 & 4
Doheny State Beach
Now come celebrate the modern West Coast waterman’s lifestyle at the Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez’s Battle of the Paddle, a stand-up paddle festival and exposition with a series of races and demonstrations that offer ocean athletes of all ages and skill levels the chance to experience this exciting new sport.
Staged at Dana Point’s historic Doheny State Beach, the Battle of the Paddle is more than an ordinary paddle race. For the sport’s elite paddlers it presents the greatest championship styled SUP race featuring an offshore course that tests not only endurance but also the open-ocean and surfing skills of the world’s best watermen and women. Not to mention a cash purse of over $25,000.
On Saturday October 3rd in the Elite Race, invited competitors on stock (12’6”) SUP boards, will complete multiple laps on a circuit that will include paddling through the surf and beaching their equipment for a short sand run around a course flag. Last year’s Elite Race champions were Chick Patterson of Dana Point, CA and Jenny Kalmbach of the Big Island on Hawaii.
In addition on Saturday (Oct. 3) will be the hugely popular Open Age-Group Race open to everyone no matter what type of SUP craft you prefer to paddle. Last year’s Open Age-Group Race had the largest SUP field ever assembled and this year’s race is promising to be even bigger and will include a new festive costume division.
Sunday October 4th the SUP Distance Race will be open to all SUP craft categories (12’6” stock, 14 ft. and unlimited) and racers will paddle a scenic ten mile course from Doheny State Beach to San Clemente Pier and back. Additionally, there will also be an exciting SUP Surf Relay Race for prize money to close the Battle.
This year Hawaiian organizations Na Kama Kai and Kanalu will be on site shaping ancient style surfboards and providing cultural education and ocean awareness programs. The Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association will be organizing kid’s activities throughout the weekend.
At the SUP Expo you’ll meet the world’s best shapers and manufacturers, check out their latest board designs and paddle innovations and be able to purchase these goods at steep discounts. Naturally there will be demo boards and paddles of all shapes and sizes available for those who want to perfect their stroke or even try SUP for the first time.
Everyone who enters The Battle of the Paddle will receive a free pair of Rainbow Sandals, event tee and lunch. There will also be a special awards luau and aloha concert hosted by the Hawaiian San Onofre Surf Club on Saturday evening October 3 featuring Titus Kinimaka and Ekolu Kalama. Event proceeds will go to the Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association.
Whether you’re racing for the prize or just getting started, The Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez’s Battle of the Paddle is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the rich tradition of Southern California’s original surf lifestyle, and the dynamic new surf/paddle discipline known as stand-up paddling.
Click here for all the information!
Surfrider Foundation is competing for votes to attend BlogWorld for free.
Over 4000 bloggers and social media experts will be going to Blogworld this year to exchange tips, tricks and best practices for building an audience online.
Surfrider has a chance to attend the Cause and Activism track at Blogworld and be featured in the eBay / PayPal Cause Pavilion.
The ten non-profits with the most votes will get a free pass to Blogworld (a $1200 value) and the top three vote-getters will win a free pass with travel provided.
As of right now Surfrider is battling it out for a close third place so your vote most definitely could make the difference... vote now!
Click here for more information on Surfrider, and then CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!
Just found out about this stand up paddleboard race going on Sunday September 27, 2009 at Mercer Island, an island that sits between Seattle and Bellevue down in Washington.
"Round the Rock" is shaping up to becoming the premier Stand Up Paddle event in the Pacific Northwest.
The first course for the "Round the Rock" entails circumnavigating Mercer Island on Lake Washington. While 13 miles (around 21 km) may seem like a great distance, a novice paddler can cover the course at a leisurely 4-5 hours. More experienced paddlers may break the 3 hour mark.,
They'll also have a 2.5 mile (just over 4km) short course race which will begin after most competitors have finished the full course... Hardcore paddlers may decide to enter both! Of course a variety of factors will affect times including size of board, weight of the rider, and wind conditions.The last factor no one can control, but barring a hurricane or thunderstorm, this event will go on!
All proceeds will benefit Surfrider Foundation.
Island Longboards is hosting a Paddle Board Wave Clinic on Saturday September 12th, 2009 at Wick Beach.
Here are the details...
So you've been paddling around on the flat water, maybe even caught a few waves but want to get to the next level, come join Colin in Tofino for our first Paddle Board Wave Clinic.
Here are a few things we'll cover -
- Surf Etiquette
- Assessing the wave conditions
- Getting through the waves to the outside
- Catching and riding your first wave
- Reservations on a first come basis, cost $95.00 per person.
- You must have your own board and paddle and be comfortable with your equipment.
- Date: 12 September 2009
- Time: 9am
We'll meet at Wickaninnish Beach and assess the conditions and make a call on where we'll spend the morning.
To reserve your spot and more info contact colin@islandlongboards.com
Article in the Seattle Times featuring Stand Up Paddleboarding and Cheka Looka Surf Shop....
On sunny weekends, growing numbers of people can be seen out in Shilshole Bay, seeming to walk on water.
Call it surfing, Ballard style.
They balance on long surf boards, propelling themselves around the Sound with oversized paddles.
Stand-up paddleboarding, a sport with origins in Hawaii, has caught on in Seattle the last couple of years, giving people a taste of surf culture without the surf — unless you count wakes from freighters and cruise ships.
Crystal Bhibalkul, 29, emerged from the Sound on Sunday after a 90-minute workout, her first time to try the sport. "It's really beautiful going back and forth and seeing all the Sound has to offer," she said.
"It was cool going down in the morning through the fog," said Justine O'Brien, 30, another novice. "You could see views you've never see before."
The two women wore wetsuits but said they only fell in twice before getting the hang of it. They carried 11-foot surf boards from the beach across the road to Cheka-Looka Surf Shop in Ballard, where they had rented the gear.
It costs $25 for two hours and $60 a day.
Other local surf shops also carry stand-up paddleboards.
Adrienne Jack-Sands, a surfer and stand-up paddleboarder who works at Cheka-Looka, said she's seen an upsurge in interest in the sport this summer, particularly among women.
"I've taken tons of friends out, and it's pretty easy, unlike surfing where there's a really long learning curve," she said.
"A lot of women want to surf but don't know how to start," she said. "I'm convinced women are better at stand-up surfing," she added, since a lower center of gravity is good for balance.
The shop held a competition near Shilshole marina earlier this month. About 35 people took part, including Cindy Hales, of West Seattle, who won the women's race.
Hales, 35, started paddling only a couple of months ago to get back in shape after an injury.
"It was pretty quick to pick up and learn," she said. "I was a little nervous. It seems a lot more intimidating than it is. You think I don't want to fall in that freezing cold water."
A mixed martial artist who competes and teaches in a gym, Hales said she liked getting outside and seeing nature from a different perspective.
Paddleboarders are also the object of curiosity.
"Boaters will pull up and talk to you," she said. "They're like 'What is that?' "
Stand-up paddleboarders should stay close to shore and out of shipping lanes, but they can still experience some waves, Hales said. Near Discovery Park, they wait for cruise ships to pass and surf the 3-foot wakes.
Last October, the U.S. Coast Guard classified paddleboards as vessels, meaning people paddling beyond the coastal surf line must carry a life jacket.
Another stand-up paddleboarding competition is planned around Mercer Island on Sept. 27, and Cheka-Looka is organizing outings for groups of women to paddle together off Shilshole.
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