Stand up paddleboarding rides wave of fans

 

It has taken a few years for paddleboarding to reach the Cape Region, but local surf shops say it's here, and there's no stopping it.

Stand up paddleboarding, better known as SUP, originated in Hawaii but was not popularized until about 15 years ago by surfer Laird Hamilton. SUP has been known for years as a West Coast sport, a mix of surfing and kayaking in one activity.

Riders stand on a board roughly the size and shape of a large surfboard and use a paddle to move around. The paddle has a curved, plastic blade at one end and a lumpy handle designed to ensure it's held the right way.As simple as it sounds, riders can’t get enough of it.

Recently SUP providers Delmarva Board Sport Adventures, Coastal Kayak and East of Maui got together to introduce people to the sport. The providers all  ...more

Casper Steinfath Styles His Way To Victory In Italy As The Euro Tour Finally Comes To A Close

 

I know it sounds crazy, but there was actually a SUP race happening somewhere other than Hawaii on the weekend. While Connor, Travis, Sonni, Jenny and co. were battling it out across the Ka’iwi Channel, all the way over in Rome, Italy there was a very solid crew competing at the Italia Surf Expo’s SUP Challenge.
Despite going up against a talented string of Euro boys, as well as Aussie whipper snapper Jake Jensen, in the end it was the Danish Viking, Casper Steinfath, taking out the crown and capping off a memorable summer of racing in Euro land.
Casper, who looks like he was getting right into the Italian fashion culture, took out the sprints on day one before backing up with a 2nd place in the distance. Jake Jensen was nothing if not consistent, bagging a pair of thirds to claim second overall, after Leonard Nika (2nd in the sprints) dropped down to 6th in distance and 4th overall.
Young Saffa Dylan Frick put on one of the biggest shows, capping off his mammoth trip to Europe with a win in the distance race and leapfrogging up into 3rd overall for the ...more

Also re-posted on playak.com

Frisco’s Dillon Challenge rowing and paddleboarding regatta Sunday

 

The Frisco Rowing Center’s annual Dillon Challenge rowing and paddleboarding regatta returns to the Frisco Bay Marina for its sixth year this Sunday, Aug. 3.

“It’s a fun event. Some people take it seriously but mostly it’s for fun,” Frisco Rowing Center president Joanne Stolen said. “We’re the highest most scenic regatta in North America, maybe in the world.”

Organizers expect about ...more

World Paddle For The Planet To Raise Funds For Clayoquot Action-SUP Radio

 

Standing Up for the Planet by Bob Purdy

There are some amazing people “Standing up for the Planet”, and after meeting them through social media and email, I finally got to meet two more of them during last weekend’s trip to Tofino. Tofino is the site of this years “World Paddle for the Planet Day” on September 13^th, and I made the announcement a few weeks ago that we will be fundraising for “Clayoquot Action”. I connected with Bonny Glambeck and Dan Lewis through Catherine Bruwhiler from Tofino Paddle Surf who is a good friend, and is also helping us to navigate the Tofino waters, literally and figuratively for WPFTPDay. When I asked Cat who we should raise funds for, there was absolutely no hesitation on her part, Dan and Bonny from “Clayoquot Action”! Cat gave me their contact info, and right from our very first conversation I knew this was the right organization for us to raise funds for this year!!

We had a few conversations prior to my trip last weekend, and arranged to meet the day I arrived. No surprise, Dan and Bonny greeted me with open arms and hearts! We ended up chatting for about 4 hours, some of that over dinner, and were it not for the fog rolling in we might still be there “Talking Story”! Only in Tofino can this happen! Dan and Bonny live in a boat accessible only part of ...more

Quickblade dominates Molokai to Oahu SUP race

Athletes from Team Quickblade swept the field in Sunday’s 2014 Molokai to Oahu paddleboard race when the top six finishers in the men’s Unlimited Class each crossed the finish line of the epic 32 mile long race. Conner Baxter edged out defending 2013 champion Travis Grant to reclaim the crown at stand up paddling’s most prestigious race. In order of finish, the top six men’s Unlimited Class competitors were: Conner Baxter (Quickblade V-Drive), Travis Grant (Quickblade Trifecta), Scott Gamble (Quickblade V-Drive), Kai Lenny (Quickblade V-Drive), Dave Kalama (Quickblade V-Drive) and Livio Menelau (Quickblade V-Drive).

Known simply as “Molokai”, the race is the pinnacle event in a paddle athlete’s career. It is the ultimate test of skill and endurance where the conditions challenge even the most experienced paddlers. Each athlete charts their course across the infamous “Channel of Bones”, employing a strategy which they hope will enable them to reach the opposing shore victorious. “The Ka’iwi Channel doesn’t care if you’ve won nine races…it will chew you up and spit you out,” said Jamie Mitchell, who won the event 10 consecutive times on a ...more

Connor Baxter Wins SUP World Championship at 19

Molokai 2 Oahu Video News Release 2014 from Fin Film Company on Vimeo.

The 18th annual Molokai2Oahu Paddleboard World Championship saw 19-year-old Connor Baxter from Hawaii take first place, while also breaking his own world record. He came in with a time of 4:08:08, beating his previous record by more than five minutes. He finished ahead of the 2013 champion, Australian Travis Grant, who took second this year with a time of 4:09:15. The race was held on Sunday, spanning about 32 miles from Kalua Koi on Molokai to the beach at the Maunalua Bay Beach Park bath house.

According to SUPracer.com, there was a point where Grant said he was desperate for water and needed to switch our his water pack for a new one, but he knew doing so may allow Baxter the time to pass him. He became desperate and decided to stop, and sure enough, Baxter was able to take the lead. Baxter said had he ...more

How To Surf a River Wave by Mike Tavares

Very informative and well made! Mike Tavares shows us how to properly gear up, approach and get into the wave from both goofy and regular stance. He then ...more

SUWS: 2014 European Cup Wraps Up in Italy

 

After four action-packed stops on the 2014 European Cup presented by Starboard, the Standup World Series heads to Santa Severa Beach in Rome, Italy this weekend for the final stop of the Cup, and the $10,000 World Challenger Series.
The World SUP Challenge presented by Jeep forms part of the long-standing Italia Surf Expo that brings together the water sports industry for unique festival on the beach in Rome. This year, the World Challenger Series event will also serve as the Finals for the 2014 European Cup, wrapping up an ...more

World SUP Challenge on the horizon

 

After an epic four stops on the European Cup presented by Starboard, we now head to Santa Severa Beach in Rome, Italy for the Final stop of the Cup and the $10,000 World Challenger Series event to take place this weekend.

The World SUP Challenge presented by Jeep forms part of the long standing Italia Surf Expo that brings together the water sports industry for a magical get together on the Beach in Rome. This year, the World Challenger Series event will also serve as the Finals for the European Cup presented by Starboard, closing what has been an amazing two months of racing.

It all started in Bilbao in the Basque Country of Spain, then headed to Oleron Island in France, Sieravuori in Finland, then Fehmarn this past weekend for the Camp David World Cup of SUP, as it all culminates this weekend in Rome for an extremely fitting festival event.

The Racing will see some of the World’s best attend this final stop of the European Cup, including Australia’s Jake Jensen (Fanatic) who has great momentum at the moment after his third place at the third stop of the Stand Up World Series this past weekend.

However watch out for Europe’s leading lights who will be stepping up to be counted here at the Final stop for the all-important European Title: Casper Steinfath (Naish) from ...more