Nice SUP Downwinder in Tahiti

 

 The clear waters of Tahiti are perfect for an epic SUP downwinder. 

First posted on  supboardermag.com

Also founded on  playak.com

Ladies, want to paddle? Get Out Girl Paddle Jam set for Oct. 26

 

An all-women’s paddle event to benefit the Flatwater Foundation is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 26. Participants at the Get Out Girl Paddle Jam will kayak, canoe or stand-up paddle distances of 2 to 10 miles to raise money to provide support for families coping with a cancer diagnoses.

The event begins and ends at Steiner Ranch Lake Club. Paddlers can bring their own kayaks, canoes or stand-up paddleboards or rent one at registration.

“As women who love the outdoors and water, we understand the mental health benefits of getting out and getting active and we see this event as an opportunity to connect with others while spreading that positive message,” organizers said in a press release.

The course will be an out and ...more

Exercise is the wonder drug for people affected by cancer

On November 1st New Zealand’s largest stand up paddle board event, Starboard Paddle For Hope, and The PINC & STEEL Cancer Rehabilitation Trust will come together to raise funds for people affected by cancer in New Zealand.

The Starboard Paddle for Hope festival is a fun family fundraising event now in its four year, which aims to raise $100,000 for the PINC & STEEL Cancer Rehabilitation Trust, and will take place at the newly-developed St Mary’s Bay in Westhaven, Auckland.

Teams and individuals can enter the event here (http://www.paddleforhope.co.nz/get-on-board/register/) and take part in have-a-go lessons, yogaboarding, hula workshops, sprint racing and a teams SUP relay on November 1st.

The PINC & STEEL Cancer Rehabilitation Trust works with people affected by cancer to help them improve their strength, flexibility, quality of life and general wellbeing through rehabilitation and exercise.

Founder of PINC and STEEL, Lou James, says there is a large amount of international research now showing compelling evidence that rehabilitation and physical exercise can have a dramatic effect on a person’s life when affected by cancer including reducing the ...more

World’s fastest growing watersport beams Sligo into 50 million homes

 

SUP has been growing apace in Ireland, and is now offered by adventure companies throughout the country - but it’s set to receive a major boost in early 2015.

That’s when 'Facing Waves', a US TV series beamed into over 50 million homes in 25 countries around the world, will go live with an episode recorded in Sligo.

Sligo was chosen as a top SUP destination by the paddle-sports TV show, which broadcasts on the Outside Television and NBC’s Universal Sports channels in the US.

The 'First Lady' of Stand Up Paddle Fitness, Nikki Gregg from Ohio, has been filming in Ireland with SUPForAll, a company operating along the Wild Atlantic Way.

"There is not a parish in Ireland that does not ...more

Redondo Beach hosts second annual Beyond the Shore Paddlefest

 

On Sunday, Oct. 12, Redondo Beach welcomed the vibrant Southern California 

Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) community to the Seaside Lagoon for

 the second annual Beyond the Shore Paddlefest. 

An extensive array of vendors from local and regional businesses lined the

 lagoon against the backdrop of continuous live music and 

on the water excitement as paddlers participated in a Guinness World Records 

 attempt for the largest SUP yoga class and a 4.5 mile SUP race.

 “Jeremy and I run Beyond the Shore as a nonprofit partnership 501c3 public charity. 

We've been official for over two years. 

The movie "The Cove" is what really set us in motion to take action and try and do something. 

We are trying to help teach the local community about ocean awareness, 

education and how our local community can make a difference,”

 said Michelle Gierst, one of   ...more

2014 SUWS Finals: Long Distance Race Highlights

 

Kai Lenny and Fiona Wylde came out victorious from Saturday’s Long Distance race at the 2014 Standup World Series Finals on Oahu. With heavy surf along Oahu’s fabled North Shore, competitors battled the conditions as well as one another for 13 miles from Turtle Bay Resort to the finish line at Haleiwa.

With the Men’s SUWS Title already secured by Connor Baxter in Huntington, the boys battled for top finishes to count towards event rankings as well as the overall World Series Rankings. Local paddler Riggs Napoleon came in second to Lenny after an impressive race where he took down Mo Freitas, Jake Jensen and numerous other top racers.

On the women’s side, with the Title still up for grabs, Angie Jackson and Sonni Hönscheid rounded out the second and third places behind Wylde, overtaking strong racers including Halie Harrison, Talia Gangini and Lina Augaitis. Check out 2014 Standup World Series Long Distance race ...more

Paddlesurfers stand up and be counted for new event

 

Hundreds of people flocked to the beautiful countryside for the UK’s first SUPBIKERUN event, sponsored by Surfdome.com.

Originating in Hawaii and California, this new breed of triathlon saw ompetitors of all ages from all over the British Isles take on a 3k SUP course, 30k off-road bike ride and 5k trail run.

Out of the 162 entrants, around 40 per cent of were women. SUP brands Fanatic and Specialized were on hand to demonstrate their boards to all those who caught the SUP bug while the Surfdome shop offered the perfect opportunity to get on board.

Every competitor left with a medal, goody bag, a Vita Coco drink and was offered a free sports massage.

Following the huge success of the event, SUPBIKERUN plans to roll out the event to various locations in ...more

Novice paddlers stand up for cause

 

Tauranga Community Foodbank and people who donated in exchange for stand up paddle boarding reaped the benefits of a "give it a go" day on offer at Pilot Bay.

The Give Stand Up Paddling a Go event offered people the chance to enjoy a 30-minute lesson and experience of paddling yesterday in exchange for a tin of food or gold coin donation, with all proceeds going to the foodbank.

The opportunity was hot property among crowds of people who gathered at the beach to take their turn to learn the modern water sport. It was part of an initiative of Sport Bay of Plenty, which has helped organise "give it a go" days for other sports in previous years.

Organiser Tinikai Rolleston said this was the third time paddling has been on offer.

"It's always a good ...more

Stand Up World Series Finals Long Distance race win for Kai Lenny

 

...they then used the trade winds to head south towards the finish line at Halewia, running parallel past some of the best surf breaks in the world along the North Shore of Hawaii. Today tested paddling ability to the max, not only contending with the 13 mile course but also the conditions and paddlers used them to their advantage to show their true waterman ability. The tough course provided the perfect platform to show just how testing this sport is and just how good a waterman you need to be to race in these ...more

Anderson, Ching Win 2014 SUP Champions Tour

 

The inaugural season for the The SUP Champions Tour has come and gone with Annabel Anderson and Danny Ching taking overall titles. The Tour released a presser yesterday. Here’s the gist:

Six months ago several of the top male (Travis Grant, Connor Baxter, Danny Ching, George Cronsteadt, Lincoln Dews, Jamie Mitchell, Casper Steinfath, Chase Kosterlitz, Matt Becker, Chuck Patterson and many more), and female sup racers (Annabel Anderson, Jenny Kalmbach, Lina Augaitis and others) sat down with the goal to unify professional SUP racing around the world.

There are currently at least three entities that claim to crown a world champion: the WPA, World Series, and ISA. However, none of them have the support of all, or even most, of the athletes. And all are restricted to a particular board class and racing style.
The Champions Tour athletes wanted to support the biggest and best events (in the sport), events we felt deserved our support. (And we posed these questions to our panel): Does bringing top competitors to an event help grow the sport? When professional paddlers show up to events, does it help grow the event and make it better? Where do athletes rank at the end of the year based off race results at the best events, against the best racers?
The Champions Tour picked seven races that encompass a wide range of styles and board classes. The men were scored for their top five races and women for their top four results. Here are the seven:
Carolina Cup, Graveyard elite result, winner Danny Ching
Olukai Ho’olaule’a, line honors, winner Connor Batxer
Lost Mills, distance race, winner Eric Terrian
Ultimate SUP Showdown, race side final result, winner Kai Lenny
Gorge Paddle Challenge, combined 2 day result, winner Connor Baxter
BOP elite, line honors, winner Kai Lenny
BOP distance, 14′ elite division, winner Danny Ching

The tie breaker this year was a count back to next best result (sixth result for men, fifth for women) to reward consistent finishes.

So that’s the meat of it. Here’s where the racers that made enough starts to qualify ended up:

 

1 Danny Ching
2 Travis Grant
3 Connor Baxter
4 Georges Cronsteadt
5 Kai Lenny
6 Jake Jensen
7 Chase Kosterlitz
8 Eric Terrien
9 Slater Trout
10 Beau O’Brian
1 Annabel Anderson
2 Lina Augaitis
3 Sonni Honscheid
4 Candice Appleby
5 Jenny Kalmbach
6 Angela Jackson
7 Fiona Wylde
8 Andrea Moller
9 Kelsa Gabehart
10 Talia Decoite

A quick takeaway before we get into more analysis for the upcoming season, The Champions Tour was a really solid first stab at trying to unify a severely ...more

Controversy ensues at the world’s largest SUP race

 

Stand Up Paddleboard racing rules are suddenly a hot topic for conversation on the beach and online after following last weekend’s Battle of the Paddle. 

The BOP saw a few false starts, missed buoys and other rule infractions that have become common at races around the world.

The main controversy of the event surrounded a wave ridden by Connor Baxter and 

Kai Lenny during the elite race final.

 Both paddlers were on the same wave and exchanged fouls back-and-forth to the point that

 they fell off of their boards. 

Kai and Connor were not given any penalties after the race. 

We are not implying that this was the right or wrong decision, we simply want 

your feedback so we can improve our rules to cover similar incidents. 

This particular incident would currently fall under ...more

Racers Brave Big Surf in Paddling Contest

 

Hurricane Simon brought relentless overhead sets to Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point last Saturday and Sunday, turning the seventh annual Battle of the Paddle into a wild free for all, as hundreds of men, women and children of all ages and skill levels battled the breakers to compete in the world’s largest stand up paddle event.

“It was kind of crazy,” said Kristin Thomas, Laguna Beach resident and ...more

Beyond the Shore Paddle Fest this Sunday

For the second annual beyond the shore paddlefest and 

help us set the Guinness World Record for the Largest SUP Yoga Class. 

(World Record Attempt for the "Largest Stand Up Paddle Yoga Class" will start promptly loading on to the water at 8:30 am.)

Never tried SUP Yoga? 

Feel free to sign up for an Olympus SUP Fit SUP Yoga class any time before or after the festival. See their entire SUP activity schedule on Meetup.

The festival also includes a 4.4 mile SUP race, a relay fun SUP race,the kids’ Seaside Lagoon race,

 live music, a kid's activities, slack line demonstrations, aeriel yoga demonstrations (think Cirque de Solei!) raffles, silent auction items, and a ton of family fun!

Each registered participant will be entered into ...more

Opinion: Kai vs. Connor at BOP 2014

 

If you were at the 2014 Battle of the Paddle Elite Race last Saturday at Salt Creek Beach, 

or if you read a recap or talked to anybody about it, 

you inevitably heard about “The Wave,” where now-two-time champ Kai Lenny and 

2011 winner Connor Baxter played an aggressive game of 

bumper boards until they both went down. 

Lenny was able to regain his composure and go on to win the race. 

The beach was alive with chatter. Was it fair? 

Do there need to be rules in place for this sort of thing? Who’s at fault? 

Now that we’ve received press releases from every conceivable source on the matter, 

read page upon page of forum posts and heard all sorts of industry insiders opine on the hot topic, 

here’s our take:

An episode of this magnitude has been brewing for some time. 

Baxter and Lenny have been at the forefront of racing for a couple of years now and there’s a lot of insider talk about how these two ...more

Q & A With SUP Instructor Nikki Johnston Beaudoin

 

Q: How did you get introduced to SUPing?

A: I first  stepped onto a paddle board about 4-5 years ago on Lake Champlain in Vermont. I really started to get into paddling over two years ago. I grew up kayaking and sailing, and I like to surf, (or at least try to), so I loved the ability to stand on the board and paddle and the vantage point it gives you above the water, the full body workout, and the sense of freedom and peace that comes with it. It really is a great and fun way to travel and explore.

 

Q: Tell me about your most epic SUP adventure.

A: My husband and I have gone on some fun SUP missions. One fun paddle that stands out in my mind was our little adventure over to Thormanby Island on the Sunshine Coast. We paddled across the Strait in the morning from Secret Cove, paddled around the island along its white sand beaches and stopped to picnic looking out at snow-capped mountains. So beautiful. We paddled back in the ...more

Also posted on playak.com

The 2014 SUP Awards, Four Konas Deep

 

The thing that makes the SUP Awards so special is that everyone is there—minus Laird (inside sources say he was busy inventing another sport last Thursday). That night the greater standup community is not racing, not surfing, not paddling, they’re just hanging out with each other, having a good time eating free food and drinking free alcohol. As a journalist, it’s a great time to watch everyone mingle. What did we learn? Well, after four cold ones from Kona Brewing Co., everything starts to get interesting.

Connor Baxter owns a collared shirt. It’s true. We have photographic evidence. The Most T-shirts Worn to SUP Awards for the Most Consecutive Years award winner finally gave up his reign tonight by wearing a button-up shirt. With a collar. We can’t confirm if he has more than just that one.

Caio Vaz is the most stoked-est. The first Brazilian male to break into the SUP Awards, Vaz was unusually smiley—even for himself. Seriously, the guy always has a grin on his face whether he’s winning Standup World Tour events, free-surfing in Indonesia or just hanging on the beach with his family. When I asked him if he’d thought about racing in the BOP he gave me a “hell no” look and told me he was going to surf in Mexico for a few days. Then he smiled.

Mickey Muñoz lives the good life. He’s is one of the happiest guys you’ll see. He was truly stoked to win the Lifetime Achievement award, even more stoked to get sandwiched between Izzi Gomez and Annabel Anderson backstage for a photo op and even more stoked than that to get to surf Salt Creek alone all weekend as he “refereed” the Battle of the Paddle. The spoils of being a living legend.

Izzi Gomez is still fourteen. She’s taller, more well-spoken and ...more

Fifty two hope for world record on stand up paddleboard

 

A group of 52 stand-up paddleboarders from Auckland are waiting to be confirmed as Guinness World Record holders.

The record attempt for the most people on a stand-up paddleboard happened last Saturday at the On Water Boat Show in Auckland's Viaduct Harbour.

Charles Winstone, general manager of Lancer Industries, came up with the idea as a way to demonstrate the stability and durability of their Airodock.

With Winstone's strong ties to the Child Cancer Foundation it quickly became a fundraiser with four children from the foundation taking their place at the front of the board.

Winstone then approached Troy Huston, the ...more

Local trio claim Irish surfing titles

 

They were among a range of winners in all categories that were largely dominated by competitors from the north west.

Bundoran’s Shauna Ward claimed the women’s title in top class conditions on her home waves, while fellow Bundoran local Emmet O’Doherty claimed his first national tile in the longboard event and backed up this with a second place finish in the Stand Up paddle (SUP) category.

Shauna dominated the Women’s final, with some high scoring waves leaving Rebecca Pigot 2nd, Ayesha Garvey 3rd and Grace Doyle 4th.

Rossnowlagh’s John Britton took top spot in the senior division beating Mayo’s Robin Keating, Kerry Larkin and Derek Parle.

Competitors were treated to some of the best surf experienced for a contest at the Irish Championships held at the famed reef break known as “The Peak”.

With over fifty heats and finals in ...more

2014 SUP Awards Presented by Tommy Bahama Celebrates Standup Paddling

 

Standup paddling’s greatest athletes, philanthropists and filmmakers came together for an historic night with SUP Magazine at the 2014 SUP Awards presented by Tommy Bahama. With hundreds of guests gathered at the Casino in San Clemente, Calif., SUP Magazine and industry pros celebrated the top male and female paddlers, expeditions, philanthropic efforts and films of 2014. Returning hosts Sam George and Dave Boehne passed out the hardware as California’s Izzi Gomez received top honor as Female Paddler of the Year, while Connor Baxter of Maui was
 awarded Male Paddler of the Year.
“I’m so grateful to share this sport with all of you,” Gomez said.”It means a lot.”
“I’m so stoked to be in the situation I am,” said Baxter.
Also receiving commendation for their athletic achievements in standup paddling were Nicole Pacelli and Annabel Anderson, who were voted second and third in the women’s category, as well as Maui’s Kai Lenny and Caio Vaz of Brazil, who came in second and third respectively on the men’s side.
Check out all the video acceptance speeches here.
“I’m super honored,” Pacelli said.
“I’m excited to be here tonight—this is super exciting,” Lenny said. “Without the support of everyone in this sport I wouldn’t be where I am.”
Acknowledging the outstanding young guns breaking into the sport, Fiona Wylde was awarded Female Breakthrough Performance of the Year for her top finishes in SUP racing, while Travis Baptiste took home Male Breakthrough Performance of the Year for ...more

Supplements for Standup Paddlers

 

The supplement industry continues to go from strength to strength–if you’ll pardon the bad intentional pun–and may reach $60 billion by 2021. The trouble is that there’s an increasingly baffling array of products to choose from, many of which have insufficient scientific evidence behind the lofty claims their manufacturers make. Some might even damage your health.

So should you just avoid all supplementation? Certainly, it’s best to eat a well balanced diet based on organic, non-GMO foods. This will not only supply most of the nutrients your body needs, but also limit your exposure to environmental toxins. But beyond this basic premise, there are several supplements that have been shown to safely promote exercise performance and recovery. Here are four you should consider:

ZMA

For the longest time, doctors and physicians swore up and down that taking high levels of vitamin C was the best way to ward off a cold. But recent studies call this claim into question, and suggest that zinc is actually the micronutrient you need if you want to prevent and shorten the duration of a cold. The trouble is that intense exercise can deplete zinc levels, making it hard to get enough from natural sources such as citrus fruits. Enter ZMA, a natural supplement that not only gives you a  ...more

Also posted on playak.com

Local racer debuts in 2 Dam Days

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2 Dam Days is one of the biggest paddling events in the world with events spanning the length of the Lake of the Ozarks.

This will be Lake Ozark resident Anthony Arauz’s first time participating in the ...more

Battle of the Paddle Welcomes Prone Paddlers

 

With all eyes fixed on the action at the 2014 Battle of the Paddle on Salt Creek in Dana Point, California this weekend spectators will notice a new paddlecraft at the start line on Saturday. With a solid south swell in the forecast for the 7th Annual Battle of the Paddle, prone paddlers for the first time will charge the pounding shorebreak at Salt Creek along with their stand up counterparts. If it wasn't evident that prone paddleboarding's popularity is on the rise, it is now!

"We added prone paddling because it's a natural to the Battle of the Paddle," commented Barrett Tester, Battle of the Paddle race director. "We have seen the growth of the sport the past several years and know that many athletes enjoy both sports."

Indeed it looks like many of stand up paddling's most notable athletes will be leaving their paddles on the beach and racing alongside some of the world's top prone athletes this weekend. Jay Wild, Morgan Hoesterey, Alison Riddle and a number of ...more

Sylt PWA Super Grand Slam - Reno SUP Challenge begins

 

 With light winds continuing to dominate on day six of the Davidoff Cool Water Sylt PWA Super Grand Slam, the decision was made to begin the Reno SUP Challenge during the afternoon, which saw twelve teams battling it out in heats of two for a place in tomorrow’s final, to keep the crowds entertained.

The opening heat of the Reno SUP Challenge saw Team 11 - consisting of Sarah Bibby (Simmer), Cedric Bordes (Tabou / GA Sails), Julien Quentel (RRD / NeilPryde) and Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde) - take on Caroline Weber (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg), Björn Dankers (Patrik / GA Sails / Maui Ultra Fins), Ingmar Daldorf and Jordy Vonk (F2 / Point-7) of Team Five. However, Team 11 were able to claim an emphatic victory after leading from start ...more

Battle of the Paddle hits Salt Creek Beach

 

 

Hundreds of elite athletes will compete in the seventh annual Battle of the Paddle on Oct. 4-5, held for the first time at Salt Creek Beach. Hosted by Rainbow Sandals and surf legend Gerry Lopez,

the two-day event is expected to attract 20,000 spectators with a slew 

of stand-up paddleboarding races, kids’ events and expo vendors. 

Needing more space after last year, event organizers decided to move 

from Doheny State Beach to Salt Creek, which adds room for a 

bigger expo and crowd, not to mention a more challenging surf. 

The elite route will move in and out of the surf and requires participants 

to catch a wave and ride it to a point, which means ...more

Surfing on SUP raceboards is FUN!

 

Surfing on raceboards is a lot of fun and a great skill to practice if you want to get faster on downwind runs, since it's all about surfing the bumps. Surfing these big, long boards also allows you to catch and surf waves that others can't, which opens up all kinds of uncrowded spots and smaller waves that are barely breaking that you can catch from way outside,surf and ...more

Also posted on playak.com

Was SUP paddler too close to blue whale?

 

Paddler captures remarkable blue whale footage during close encounter off Laguna Beach, but some are suggesting that this was illegal harassment

 A standup paddler has captured incredible footage of his close encounter with an endangered blue whale off Laguna Beach, California.

At times, Rich German seems only a few feet from the majestic creature, and his underwater shots reveal beautiful closeups of the mammal’s face, body, and fluke.

It must have been a surreal experience; one the SUP paddler is likely to remember for the rest of his ...more

Sup Surfing on Downwind Race Boards Is Fun

 

Surfing on raceboards is a lot of fun and a great skill to practice if you want to get faster on downwind runs, it's all about surfing the bumps.  Surfing these big long boards also allows you to catch and surf waves that others can't, which opens up all kinds of uncrowded spots and smaller waves that are barely breaking that you can catch from way outside,surf and ENJOY.

 These two videos are from our ...more

Also posted on playak.com

How to Stand Up Paddle Through breaking waves

In this video ACA SUP Instructor Trainer Jimmy Blakeney gives detailed instruction for getting back out through breaking waves while surfing.

Post founded on  standupjournal.com