Industry News: Quiksilver, Tahoe SUP Announce Expedition Florida 500

(Huntington Beach, Calif.) – Quiksilver Waterman Collection recently partnered with Mother Ocean and Tahoe SUP to launch a yearlong project in 2013 called Expedition Florida 500 (XF500). XF500 is a modern-day exploration of Florida’s coastline, waterways, and marine ecosystem as seen through the eyes of the waterman. 2013 is Florida’s 500th anniversary since Ponce de Leon discovered the land back in 1513; in celebration of this momentous occasion, the three organizations will unite to embark on a year-long journey combining the best of exploration, adventure, stewardship, science, and sport into a package that will include the full gamut of the waterman’s lifestyle.

The team will consist of watermen from all three organizations, spending the first half of the year exploring the coastline: chasing hurricane swell in the Atlantic, freediving Spanish shipwrecks, sailing in the Gulf of Mexico, stand up paddling the state’s coastline, catching mini-season lobsters in July, spearfishing in the Dry Tortugas, stopping into local beachside communities and hosting cleanups. They’ll encourage others to paddle with them, including team riders from Quiksilver and various celebrity paddlers. They’ll also be mapping the coastline and waterways with the help of Below the Surface and their Riverview Project (imagine Google Street View for rivers). In addition, the team will be collecting research and data along the way to further ocean science.

Team XF500 will then turn inland, spending the second half of the journey along the rivers, lakes, estuaries, and marshland – the intricate network that makes up the Florida marine ecosystem. They’ll document, map, and explore the waterways in similar fashion as they did with the coastline. They’ll camp and airboat through the Everglades, canoe the natural springs, drive old pickup trucks that run on algae biofuel, film amazing Florida wildlife and scenery, kayak and stand up paddle the rivers and waterways, and leave the land in better and cleaner condition than when they arrived. Camping and living off the land will be the norm.

The expedition’s primary goal is to highlight the importance of stewardship efforts as they relate to the ocean, coastlines, waterways, and the marine ecosystem. Florida is unique in that it embodies the entire marine waterway system from source to sea – one of the few places on Earth with such thriving wildlife and a natural environment based around water. The team will document their journey through daily blogging, daily photos and videos for social media outlets, filming for their own documentary and filming for Tahoe SUP’s EXPLORE project series.

XF500 was designed by Justin Riney, founder and Executive Director of Mother Ocean. Riney recently launched Mother Ocean on January 1, 2012 with the purpose of creating, inspiring, and empowering ocean advocates worldwide. “Our goal with Expedition Florida 500 is to merge our passion for ocean advocacy with an incredible storyline that resonates with the masses. With the help of Quiksilver and Tahoe SUP, our voice and platform will reach a global audience. XF500 is just the beginning – we’re rallying the troops.”
Riney will lead the expedition with Peter Mel of Quiksilver Waterman Collection, Matt Kechele of Quiksilver, and Nate Brouwer of Tahoe SUP rounding out the project management team. In addition, both Quiksilver and Tahoe SUP have designated Riney an ambassador and team rider for their brands.

For more info, visit: TahoeSUP.com or XF500′s facebook page
Contact: XF500@motherocean.org

Standup Self-Support

Five wanderers disappear on California’s Big Sur coastline

Words by Joe Carberry

In a world fraught with uncertainty, escape is an oft-sought commodity. And there’s no better place to lose yourself than California’s Big Sur, a 90-mile section of rugged seascape between Monterey to the north and San Simeon to the south—a perfect place to lose ourselves on a fall weekend.

“Where are you guys?” crackled Vince Shay through the cell phone. “Bad news,” I answered sheepishly. “We were stuck in L.A. traffic for three hours … and I just locked my keys in the van.”

My passengers, SUP Art Director Rob Zaleski and Associate Editor Dave Shively, seemed ready to leave me at the Chevron pump with the locksmith. But the van—loaded with four standup boards, paddles, camp stoves, drybags and enough processed food to keep us alive for weeks—was mine. So they were stuck with me.

It was close to midnight when we rolled up on Vince and Fletcher Burton, who were bedded down on a dark roadside. Vince, a 39-year-old videographer and Fletcher, a 31-year-old contractor, had driven up from Pismo Beach hours before and scouted what little of our route was visible from the road.

Our plan was to paddle a 10-mile stretch of coastline faced by vertical cliff walls and towering rock spires, and affording no access to the outside world. We’d search out a campsite somewhere along the way, our criteria being shelter and, most importantly, an empty surf break.

We slogged the boards down an old dirt road through a shuttered state park, where Dave and I strapped drybags onto the noses of our 12-foot boards. Fletcher and Vince, who opted for smaller rides in anticipation of the surf to come, seemed to be second-guessing their choice. Fletcher’s overloaded 10-footer was sinking up to his shins, and Vince wobbled like a drunken carnie on his 11’0”.

He’d be off his board soon enough. Our first stop was the carcass of a blue whale that Vince had spotted during his reconnaissance the previous day. The blue whale is far and away the largest living creature on the planet, stretching more than 100 feet and weighing nearly 200 tons. This one had been struck by a passing ship a few days earlier, and sharks had been feasting on the giant mammal’s greasy flesh.

As we paddled towards the whale, I noticed streaks of oil spreading rainbows across the dead-flat water like gas spilled from an outboard. Before the endangered species was protected in 1966, whalers would routinely take more than 13,000 gallons of oil from a single blue—a factoid the boys were clearly unaware of when they decided to clamber onto the whale’s belly-up carcass. Dave, Vince and Fletcher apparently had a bucket-list item to check off: whale walking. They hopped on the great beast’s underside, taking pictures and ooing at the sizeable chunks taken out of its tail by passing great whites–which, fortunately, we’d yet to see.

Rob and I sat back and enjoyed the shit show, which got markedly better when the three stooges tried to remount their boards. The dead whale blubber was caked to their shoes and as they stepped back onto their rides, each of them began slipping and sliding, falling repeatedly into the potentially shark-infested waters. Blubber was everywhere, and the smell of dead fish hung like a pall. Vince fell in near the whale’s head, blubber covering his face. “I just threw up in my mouth!” he screamed.

We moved on but the whale remained with us the rest of the trip, a silent but very smelly rebuke. Thankfully, the ocean did not hold the same grudge: The miles slipped by easily as we wove in and out of sea caves, playing with the soft swell. Big Sur’s notoriously rough seas were calm, glassy as a mountain lake. Aside from overcast skies the conditions were ideal. A little swell here goes a long way.

After passing a few different waves that looked surfable, we came to a pristine cove with a grassy shelf just above the beach, a perfect spot to bivy. A small wave broke off a castle-sized rock in front of our camp, with a right and left-hander on either side of it. We were home.

We dumped our gear, cooked some lunch, and then surfed till we couldn’t walk. The waves were anything but big, but the faces were clean. And our egos were boosted.

The whale-walkers had a hard time getting traction on their boards, slipping and sliding on the leftover blubber. They rubbed sand and kelp all over their boards until they gained footing. Fletcher shredded every wave he caught, while Dave paddled into the biggest wave of the trip, a head-high, peeling right that came out of nowhere.

We built a fire at the high-tide mark and huddled close to it during the cool evening. I can’t remember Campbell’s Chunky ever tasting so good. We crawled into our sleeping bags on the soft, grassy chaparral and slept heavily.

In the morning, we enjoyed one more exhausting surf session, packed up and paddled the last of our eight miles to our takeout, enjoying the awe-inspiring coastline’s vertical rock-walled channels and exploring thick kelp beds.

Big Sur has a history of playing host to wanderers like Jack Kerouac, John Steinbeck and Henry Miller. Count us among the lucky. Count us among the lost.

See more of Zaleski’s fantastic photos here.

This piece originally appeared in the Fall 2009 issue of SUP magazine.

SUP Clinic with Kalama & Lenny Kicks off World Tour

The Standup World Tour kicks off early February at Sunset Beach, but to get everyone geared up, exclusive SUP clinics will be held with legendary waterman, Dave Kalama, and two-time Standup World Tour Champion, Kai Lenny. The clinics will be held Feb. 1st — 2nd at the beautiful Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore and will feature:

• 2-day clinic with the Champions (morning & afternoon clinics with on & off the water tuition)
• Video analysis
• Edited video from trip to take away
• Access to all special events of the Sunset Beach Pro
• Accommodation at Turtle Bay Resort
• Breakfast and Lunch on both days at Turtle Bay
• Special rates for stays at Turtle Bay Resort through the Sunset Beach Pro (directly following the clinic)

Learn to improve your paddling, surfing and ocean skills in the company of the world’s best in surfing and SUP’s birthplace.

For all bookings, click here.
For more info, e-mail: clinic@watermanleague.com

SUP magazine is the official media sponsor for the Standup World Tour. Follow all the events from the surfing to the World Series of racing in realtime at SUPthemag.com and look for the World Tour preview in the spring issue.

Bringing SUP Mag to Life: Motorcycle Diaries

In the Winter Issue of SUP magazine, intrepid traveler Victor Myers penned “Motorcycle Diaries,” a personal narrative of four young adventurers exploring Central America via motorcycles, paddling their inflatable standup boards as much as possible, and drinking a whole lot of beer. It’s a timeless feature available on newsstands now. And as is the philosophy of SUP magazine, we bring our features to life at SUPthemag.com.

Here is Part I of Myers’ adventure……DEFLATED: PUMP. IT. UP.

Stay tuned to SUPthemag.com for Part II.

Bringing SUP Mag to Life: Motorcycle Diaries

In the Winter Issue of SUP magazine, intrepid traveler Victor Myers penned “Motorcycle Diaries,” a personal narrative of four young adventurers exploring Central America via motorcycles, paddling their inflatable standup boards as much as possible, and drinking a whole lot of beer. It’s a timeless feature available on newsstands now. And as is the philosophy of SUP magazine, we bring our features to life at SUPthemag.com.

Here is Part I of Myers’ adventure……DEFLATED: PUMP. IT. UP.

Stay tuned to SUPthemag.com for Part II.

Riviera Wraps up 2011

Wrap-up stories and videos abound at the end of each year. Heck, we even had one of our own celebrating the best of 2011. But a favorite comes from Riviera’s Taylor Rambo, one of the most talented filmmakers in the biz. Check out this cut.

Industry News: Boardworks a Finalist for OIA Award

(Encinitas, Calif.)–– The Outdoor Industry Association is hosting the second annual OIA Outdoor Inspiration Awards presented by Adidas Outdoor at winter Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City January 19-22 to recognize the programs, people and companies that are breaking new ground and getting people active outdoors.

This year they had 250 nominations and Boardworks has been nominated as one of the SMALL COMPANY category winners, and is one of three finalists for the award. Final selection of the winners is being made by a panel of outdoor business and community leaders who have their own inspirational track records to draw from. Winners will be determined by Monday, January 9.

Hundreds of business and outdoor leaders will gather during the evening of January 20, 2011, at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City to recognize the winners and formally present the awards. Mountaineer Reinhold Messner and champion climber Sasha DiGiulian will be on hand to talk about their own inspirations and to take part in the Award presentations.

For more information on the awards and the celebration, please visit Outdoorindustry.org

SUP Women: Mariko Strickland

Kauai’s Mariko Strickland had a big year in the standup world: She became the first to paddle the Peruvian Amazon, was a 2011 Teva Mountain Games Champion, North Shore Paddle Challenge Surf Sprint Champion and competed in the Molokai Channel crossing. If you haven’t heard of this talented 24-year-old consider yourself on notice as she takes her turn in our profile series on influential women in the sport.–Shari Coble

Tell us about your year.
Looking back, I realize that I’ve done quite a lot in my first year in the SUP scene. I started my SUP racing career here on Kauai and my confidence and support unexpectedly began to extend off-island to the outer islands, the Mainland, and even internationally. The first high-profile paddleboard race I competed in was [Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez] Battle of the Paddle (BOP) Hawaii, where I was humbled and impressed by so many physically and mentally strong female athletes. From then on, the ball just kept rolling.
Teva Mountain Games (TMG) was my first trip with my C4 ohana and we had a blast! I won both events at TMG, Kalani Vierra and I were featured tandem surfing the Glenwood Springs wave in the sports section of a local Colorado newspaper, and we made a 6-man IMAT run down the river! Since I was having so much fun on my SUP, I continued to compete in events such as Cline Man, Na Pali Challenge, Duke’s OceanFest, North Shore Paddle Challenge, and unexpectedly, Molokai to Oahu.
After doing my first proper downwind run this past year on Kauai with Uncle Dave Parmenter, I was hooked! From then on, paddling from Molokai to Oahu became a tangible goal. I didn’t think I’d do it my first year of starting open-ocean standup paddling. What an experience. Being so fresh to the sport, every event I’ve done thus far has been a fun learning experience and it’s been such an exciting year for me. I’ve been fortunate to do a lot of traveling for races, as well as fun adventures, including SUP surfing in Tahiti, and paddling throughout the lush Peruvian Amazon. I’ve met– and continue to meet– so many amazing water sport legends, industry people, fellow competitors, and genuinely nice people. I’m stoked and feel so blessed to be part of such a great sport and growing industry.

What’s your favorite experience been with SUP this year?
Teva Games was definitely a favorite, but I have a “top three list” and each experience is phenomenal for different reasons. My Peru trip was especially a unique favorite since it felt like we were pioneering SUP in the Amazon. We were the first people to SUP in the most remote area. We surfed standing waves, charged rapids and camped in the boonies. The trip was an amazing cultural experience as well as a true test of character.
My first Molokai to Oahu race was epic as well. I was fortunate enough to get invited to ride on Uncle Archie Kalepa’s boat from Maui to Molokai with Uncle Dave Parmenter and skipper Terry Hee. Despite getting a little seasick, to view and take in the mana that the backside of Molokai exudes– and doing so with such legendary watermen and good-hearted men was an amazing experience for me. Thus, on a tactical side of things I definitely think the boat ride helped prepare myself mentally and physically for the paddle.
Lastly, paddling 17 miles for Evan Valiere’s Na Pali Challenge was one of the best, most beautiful, and most challenging downwind runs I have yet to do. In the beginning I wasn’t even paddling, I was just surfing for miles on epic coastal swells! The challenging part came when we hit a headwind and had to paddle another 3 or 4 miles in flat water ‘til we hit land. That event was particularly special because my Dad also paddled this grueling race with me at age of 60. I was so proud of him and will definitely cherish that day for the rest of my life. The event and the power of SUP stoked out my Pops and because of that, I am grateful for this sport. It was such a great day that brought together families, friends and the community in a positive event that supported standup paddling.

What is your greatest accomplishment in SUP so far?
Surviving the Amazon! I’m kidding. I think my greatest accomplishment in SUP so far has been the Teva Mountain Games. When I heard about this event from C4 Waterman, I watched YouTube videos of people standup paddling down river rapids. I couldn’t pass it up. Right from the get-go I was having a blast, even when I was “superman-ing it” over the falls during practice runs. To enter the event as a major dark horse and paddle in river rapids for my first time, winning both events felt so rewarding. I was especially proud of my victories because I was competing in new territory and an entirely different body of water from what I am accustomed to. My results and presence at the event also allowed me to make a lot of connections with some really rad people, as well as great companies within the industry. TMG was definitely one of the most fun and craziest adventures I’ve done so far. I can’t wait for next year!

What’s the SUP scene on Kauai like?
It’s primarily geared towards surfing. There are a lot of uncles as well as youngsters that rip on SUP. But that’s not to say it’s welcomed with open arms at all the surf spots. As far as races go, there aren’t many “SUP only” races, so we usually have the option to jump in on the OC-1 races. When we do have [Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez] Battle of the Paddle formatted races it usually turns out to be a fun SUP community gathering with limited competitors. Nevertheless, we have a small, yet talented, paddle surf and SUP community here on Kauai to motivate and encourage one another. My paddling buddies and mentors here on Kauai consist of Uncle Parmenter, Kawika Carvalho, Kalani Vierra, Kainoa Lum, and my Dad. Mahalo for all the support and awesome downwind runs this past year. Hopefully more girls on Kauai will continue to get involved in SUP!

Do you have any plans for next year?
I definitely want to continue traveling inter-island, nationally and internationally to compete in races, as well as experience new cultures around the world. Australia for the Noosa Festival might be the next adventure! After finishing up my first year of SUP races I’m really excited for next year’s racing season. A couple personal goals are to defend my title at the Teva Mountain Games, better my results in both Hawaii and California’s Elite BOP race, paddle Molokai to Oahu solo, and enter SUP as well as OC-1 at the OluKai Ho’olaule’a event on Maui. And to get more high-profile racers to come over to Kauai for one of the greatest downwind races, the 17-mile Na Pali Challenge Race. I’m also going to do my best to get over to the outer-islands as much as possible for weekend races. I’m enjoying the journey and stoked to be part of such a great water sport involving so many good people. Aloha.

To read about Helga Goebel, click here.

From the Mag: Core Commentary with Travis Grant

How’d you get into paddling? I started paddling when I was 16. As a kid, I grew up doing surf lifesaving, which is big in Australia. I started competing on outrigger canoes. I was a small kid, so they taught me how to be a steersman. I learned how to have ‘feel’ for the water and how to control a canoe, which made the transition to standup really easy. The first time I saw an SUP was in 2007 in Hawaii when racing the OC-1 series. I remember thinking, ‘This sport won’t take off’. It looked silly.

So why’d you get into standup? When I finally tried it, I was immediately really good at it. At the same time, there was a ton of buzz about standup and it started to blow up. I realized there could be a lot more opportunities with the sport than I originally assumed—from sponsorship to coaching. In 2009, I entered my first race in Noosa and won the whole thing. Someone told me I should enter the Battle of the Paddle in Hawaii. I didn’t really train for it … just mucked around, and somehow took second place. After that, I decided to take the sport a bit more seriously. I am stoked to be part of it now, and I’ve become a huge ambassador for the sport.

Why do you think outrigger paddlers make great standup racers? You’re just standing versus sitting, and using a longer paddle. Little things, like knowing where to stand and how to use the paddle, have really given myself, and guys like Danny Ching and Jamie Mitchell (also canoe steersmen) a huge advantage. The canoe and surfski guys have an advantage because they have that feel. Surfers have balance; they just tend not to have technique.

So you ready to be a pro? I have a full-time job building outrigger canoes and I’m not fully sponsored like a lot of the guys, so I try to train smart. I usually train at 5 a.m. or 5 p.m., but only one session a day. I don’t really do any gym work. I just stay on the water.

Is there a scene there? In Australia, standup is the fastest growing water sport. There’s a training squad that goes every morning at 5 a.m. out at Currumbin on the Gold Coast with at least 20 people on the water. Girls are really getting into it, and since everyone in Australia is fitness-oriented, creeks are becoming littered with standups. It’s drawn athletes from all different backgrounds—Aussie football or surf lifesaving guys—and this is their new sport. There’s a huge range of ages from 15- to 50-year-olds.

Is there tension in the water? In Australia, surfing culture is massive, and it’s our biggest sport. A lot of standup paddlers are beginners and when they paddle right into the lineup, the shortboard guys get really pissed. I’ve seen quite a few fights. There are certain places where standups aren’t allowed in the lineup, but other breaks like Currumbin Alley are becoming standup-only waves. Overall, surfers and standup guys don’t really mingle. I don’t know if that will ever change.

— as told to Shelby Stanger

Photos by Andrew Shield

This piece originally appeared in the Fall Issue of SUP magazine.

Field Notes: California Road Trippin’ IV

Morgan and Gillian continue their adventure through California, ringing every little piece of surf they can out of Santa Cruz while taking time to cross-train on traditional paddleboards.

Click here for Part III.

Bump-to-Bump: Mitchell, Machado Charge Big Downwind Run

Things have been windy in Hawaii lately. Like howling, 35-mile-per-hour windy. With the entire surf industry converging on Oahu for a series of notable events–-specifically the Eddie Aikau Opening Ceremony, the Vans Triple Crown and Surfer Poll–-Rob Machado took timeout with Jamie Mitchell to go for a macking downwind run from Turtle Bay to Waimea Bay. Machado is a standup afficionado while Mitchell, a two-time SUP mag cover boy and 10-time Molokai Champ–is chronicling his Oahu stay here.

Paddling Colombia: Another Peter Trow Short

One thing is certain: Peter Trow knows how to handle himself behind the lens and in the editing bay. From Novia Scotia to Iceland (more on that in the winter issue of SUP Mag) to the Sri Lankan coast, Trow’s short flicks featuring artistic angles and thoughtful presentation have become viral sensations across the blogoshphere. Here, Trow wraps up a recent trip to Colombia with Jim Brewer, Noah Yapp and Ammy Naff with the Blueline Team out of Santa Barbara…

Colombia, South America — Stand Up Paddle from Blueline — Santa Barbara on Vimeo.

Field Notes: California’s Klamath River Part II

Delivering the prayer bundle to Josh from the Karuk Indian Tribe and the sharing of river stones had an elating effect on me. Being a first time prayer bundle courier between tribal elders, I felt very honored but also relieved to get it into the right hands.

The plan for the remaining couple of hours of sunlight was to get on a section of the Klamath River with Craig Tucker, from the Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources where he specializes in Dam Removal Advocacy. He had never been on a standup board before but has more whitewater knowledge in his little finger than the three of us combined. He was a natural and was easily taking on class II rapids and finding small standing waves to play on. Craig guided us down a 6-mile segment of the river while providing us with an overview of the work he does with the tribe to bring the salmon population numbers back.

One minute he would eddy out on a section to ferry into a wave and the next minute he would drop a wake up call statistic on us, like, the once abundant Klamath salmon runs that have now been reduced to less than 10% of their historic numbers. Some species, such as Coho salmon, are now in such low numbers in the Klamath River that they’re listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act.

There was a lot to be learned from someone we were supposed to be ‘teaching’! I spend a lot of time on SUP’s and I’m always amazed and humbled by the movement of river water and the skill of river paddlers. It’s a completely different feel then being on flatwater or on the ocean. Being zipped along at speeds that far exceed how fast you can paddle and the unpredictable nature of a river requires far more focus and presence of mind than cruising across our home waters of Lake Tahoe.

Although the weather was serving up rain with some drops wanting to be snow, our apprehension was giving way to the excitement that comes with successfully navigating a tricky section. More than once, Craig’s knowledge of the river kept us out of the sketchy side channels and his growing comfort level on the board was an amazing thing to watch.

Arriving at the takeout, we pondered as a group whether or not to continue further but the light was fading fast in the deep river canyons. We had yet to set up camp for the night and the allure of food and warmth from a campfire was redirecting our desire. Besides, we had a couple of days of paddling ahead of us, following the final 20 or so miles of the Klamath River to its mouth and the Pacific Ocean. –Ron Ayres

Click here for Part I.

Industry News: Boardworks, Badfish Unveil Inflatable SUP for 2012

(Encinitas, Calif.) — Boardworks, a market leader in the standup paddleboard (SUP) industry, recently announced a new game-changing inflatable SUP predicted to lead the market in terms of performance and stability.

Registering a patent on its new innovation—Multi Chamber Inflatable Technology (MCIT) and the Axially Stabilizing Apparatus— the company has challenged the design constraints of existing drop-stitch inflatable SUP technology to create a board with tapered rails and enhanced rigidity. The result is Boardworks/Badfish’s new MCIT Inflatable for 2012.

“Conventional drop-stitch material construction which is used by the leading inflatable SUP manufacturers, has a consistent thickness, limiting design variations to outline shape and rocker curve,” says designer Phil Rainey. “Our new technology lets us create design elements previously only possible in hard boards including tapered rails which increase responsiveness and stability.” MCIT’s I-Beam Stiffening System is another design innovation, he adds, that greatly boosts rigidity.

These features and more make the MCIT the perfect choice for all levels of SUP paddlers, from beginners and surfers to fitness paddlers and river runners. It’s also perfect for instructional programs, combining ease of storage and transport with stability, safety and durability.

With its superior rigidity and stability, the MCIT is also expected to open the doors to the world of river SUP, which is what Boardworks partner Badfish SUP of Salida, Colo. plans to capitalize on with the design it helped create.

“Because of their durability, ease of storage, and transport benefits, Inflatable boards are popular for river use, but until now they have required sacrifices in stability and performance,” says Badfish co-owner Mike Harvey, who helped design the board with partner Zack Hughes and the Boardworks’ design team. “The new MCIT SUP is the most stable inflatable in whitewater by a large margin, yet incredibly nimble and downright fun to paddle. It does many of the things that make our MVP hard board a great river runner.”

Perhaps its best feature, he adds, is the board’s secondary stability. “You can lean it over on edge to make eddy turns and the rails don’t grab, which is a critical feature for river SUP boards,” Harvey says, adding, “It also has three air chambers compared to one in conventional inflatable SUPs. It also punches holes and surfs waves well. We’re proud to have it in our Badfish line.”

The Boardworks Badfish MCIT line is comprised of 9’0”, 10’6” and 11’6” models and will be available in the spring of 2012. Stay tuned to boardworkssup.com and badfishsup.com for more news on this revolutionary new line of inflatable StandUp Paddle boards.

BOARDWORKS UNVEILS REVOLUTIONARY INFLATABLE SUP DESIGN!! from Boardworks Surf on Vimeo.

About Badfish
Located in Salida Colo., Badfish Stand Up Paddle is the market leader in river-specific stand-up paddleboards, with founder Zack Hughes one of the first shapers to design surf and SUP boards specific to river applications. Partner Mike Harvey has built whitewater parks all over the country, many of which include standing waves for SUP surfing. Badfishsup.com

About Boardworks
Encinitas, California-based Boardworks’ mission is to share its passion for all things water, and to make stand up paddle and surfing more fun for more people. Boardworks represents some of the best shapers and brands in the world and, with its proprietary construction technologies, bring their premier SUP and Surf models to the global water community. Boardworks’ SUP brands include Badfish Standup Paddle, Infinity, Rusty, Paddle Surf Hawaii, Morrelli and Melvin, and Ohana; its Surf brands include Von Sol, Hynson, Aipa, Kane Garden, Dewey Weber, and Eaton and Hansen. Boardworkssurf.com

SUP, Turtles and Tequila in Los Cabos

It’s an unlikely combination but SUP, turtles and tequila mix seamlessly in Mexico, at the Los Cabos Classic. The multi-race event, presented by SUP Mexico, will be held on the sandy shores of Los Cabos from Nov. 4 to 6, with all proceeds benefitting the Don Manuel Orantes Turtle Camp.

Racers get a full weekend with racing, demos, clinics and Mexico’s premiere liquor.  Opening ceremonies (limited to racers and sponsors only) will begin with a turtle release, followed by happy hour with hors d’oeuvres and Clase Azul Tequila.

Saturday will kick off with the 10-mile Point to Point (P2P) race, with competitors paddling from Punta Gorda to Palmilla. The only board class allowed for the weekend will be 12’6. A 30-minute boot camp and SUP demos will follow the P2P, along with an SUP Clinic with professional paddlers Candice Appleby and Anthony Vela. A short, kids’ race will take place in the afternoon, along with the Eco Warrior Essay/ Drawing Contest awards. The day will wrap up with P2P awards and a Tropical Caribbean Party with live music.

The 4-mile Elite/Open race will start Sunday morning off, with the entire course inside the calm waters of Palmilla Bay. SUP continue and includes a special SUP Fishing Clinic with Mike Doyle scheduled for midday. Wrapping up the weekend will be awards and closing ceremonies with a second turtle release, followed by a beach party and concert by Kilometro Band. – Shari Coble

Details:
Read more »

An SUP Halloween in Long Beach

Paddlers beware: it’s a Halloween party, SUP Cafe and Victory Koredry style. This Saturday, Oct. 29th, McKenna’s on the Bay presents the second annual Costume Paddle and Dance Party in Long Beach, Calif. with racing and fun Halloween festivities all evening.

Paddlers decked out in their best costumes can look forward to prizes for the best costumes and a parade paddle that will launch from McKenna’s On The Bay. Paddlers will leisurely standup paddle down the bay to the SUP Cafe, where they will be served an adult treat. The parade will then head down to a secret spot for adult tricks, before heading back to McKenna’s.

There will be a short 1.9-mile race followed by a cocktail hour, and then attendees can try their hand at standup paddle jousting in the Quikblade Jousting Championships. Jousting will go until dark with dinner at McKenna’s to follow. After dinner, the party will get started with a live DJ, dancing and more drinks. – Shari Coble

Details:
3:00 p.m. – Registration
4:00 p.m. – Costume Parade
4:30 p.m. – Race
5:00 p.m. – Cocktail Hour
5:30 p.m. – Quikblade Jousting Championships
6:00 p.m. – Couples Race
6:30 p.m. – Epic Party, Food and Drinks
9:00 p.m. – DJ and Dancing (until 1 a.m.)

*Entry: $40 – Includes the costume party, dinner and drink

For more info: Lbcsupgrandprix.com

Fall Paddle Festival in Florida

Professional paddler and Water Monkey SUP founder, Chase Kosterlitz, will be in Treasure Island, Fla., this weekend to help organize the World Paddle Association (WPA)-sanctioned Fall Paddle Festival. Teaming up with the Treasure Island Classic, the Fall Paddle Festival will be a weekend of races to promote water sports in the Tampa Bay area.

The weekend’s events include an outrigger canoe race and SUP clinics, as well as races for SUP and other watercraft. Those heading out to the event on Saturday can look forward to the 6-man outrigger canoe race and getting some tips from Kosterlitz during a 2-hour SUP clinic. There will also be lunch, drinks, awards and raffle prizes both days.

Sunday will be another day of fun and racing on 8- and 3-mile courses. Various watercrafts are welcome to compete, including single and tandem canoes, kayaks, surf skis, and OC-1/OC-2. Elite water athletes will race the 8-mile course, with standup paddlers competing on 12’6, 14’ and unlimited boards. Amateurs will race the shorter 3-mile course with standup paddlers competing only stock/12’6. The Halloween Costume Relay will be the event of the weekend with 4-person teams (including at least one female) competing on a short course and decked out in Halloween attire. – Shari Coble

Details:
Saturday, 10/22
8:30 a.m.: Registration
9:30 a.m.: Captains meeting
10:30 a.m.: 6-man Outrigger Race Start
Cost: $25 – includes drinks, lunch, awards, t-shirt, goody bag & raffle prizes

Sunday 10/23
8:30 a.m.: Registration
9:30 a.m.: Captains meeting
10:00 a.m.: 8- and 3-mile Race Start
Cost: $20 – includes drinks lunch, beer & awards

*Registration for both days: $35
*Rooms have been reserved at the Island Inn for $88/night with an extended checkout time of 1 p.m.

For more info: Fallpaddlefestival.com
To register now, click here.
To make reservations at the Island Inn: Islandinnresort.com

Industry News: Michael Tavares Joins Boardworks

(ENCINITAS, CA) — Boardworks is pleased to announce the addition of Michael Tavares to the Sales Team as well as the first team member for Whitewater Specific SUP. Michael comes from a strong background in whitewater kayaking, skateboarding, and snowboarding, and is pushing the boundaries for SUP in the whitewater arena.

A Native of Richmond, Va., Michael has been splitting his time between Salida, Colo. and Chattanooga, Tenn. After completing college at Radford University in Virginia, Michael set off to make his mark in the sport of Whitewater Kayaking. Over the past 7 years Michael has become a well-respected instructor as well as an accomplished competitor in both freestyle and down-river kayaking. It was only a matter of time before Michael discovered SUP and used his background to become an accomplished river standup paddler. Michael has now been dedicating a good chunk of his time to both river surfing and river racing.

With a vast knowledge of the Southeast Rivers and waterways, this year Michael is going to bring Boardworks to areas not yet exposed to our brand. “The Southeast is an up and coming SUP destination with amazing potential for both Whitewater and flatwater SUP. There is a huge population that has not yet been exposed to standup paddling and I plan to bring this healthy sport to as many people as possible,” says Michael.

“With our ongoing commitment to growing the sport in the river community, we are especially excited to have Michael join our family,” commented Mike Fox. “Boardworks has positioned itself to be the leader in river SUP with its relationship with Badfish SUP and the introduction of several new river specific models coming out Spring of 2012. Michael is the perfect candidate to represent our brand.” Michael will help connect retailers and SUP paddlers alike to Boardworks in Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, and Missouri.

Along with becoming our newest sales representative, Michael will embark on the first ever “SUP Whitewater Tour” in 2012. Boardworks is pleased to say that Michael will be bringing SUP to all major whitewater events in 2012, as well as other selected SUP races and events. “The whitewater tour and events circuit is an awesome series of events with great people and energy. Most stops on the schedule have both great river waves to surf as well as rivers to cruise and race. Most events already have some sort of SUP event attached to the whitewater kayaking and my hopes is to have a full blown schedule of whitewater SUP races and surf contests,” says Michael.

If you live in the Southeast, look for Michael anywhere there is water to be paddled and stay tuned to Boardworkssup.com for details about the 2012 whitewater tour.

About Boardworks Surf: At Boardworks we are passionate about all things to do with the water lifestyle we all embrace. Our goal is to share that passion, to promote respect for the planet, it’s creatures and each other and to make stand up paddle and surfing more fun for more people. Boardworks represents some of the best shapers in the world and bring their premier SUP and Surf models to the global water community manufactured with our proprietary construction technologies. Our SUP brands include Badfish Standup Paddle, Infinity, Rusty, Paddle Surf Hawaii, Morrelli and Melvin, and Ohana; our Surf brands include .

For more info: Boardworkssurf.com

Field Notes: Amazon Undertaking

We love fall and winter. No, not just because of the waves and lack of crowds but because talented standup athletes and adventurers end the competition season and start doing cool trips again that allow us to live vicariously through them. Over the past year and a half, SUPthemag.com has done a number of blog and video series. Field Notes is one of our favorites. Here, SUP magazine contributor Shelby Stanger checks in from the Amazon, where she and a group of athletes are preparing to paddle one of Earth’s great drainages. Stay tuned as we continue this series over the next two weeks.

Amazon Diaries Day 1 October 2, 2011

Our driver is taking us in circles through Lima to get us to our hotel. We have four inflatable C4 Waterman iSUPs, enough gear to rival an REI warehouse sale and a gallon of bug spray. After 65 minutes of what should take us only 20, our driver finally tells us that with all of our gear, he is worried someone is following us, so he has taken a round about way to our first destination.

I’m with Mariko Strickland and photographer Chase Olivier. We are going to standup paddle the Amazon.

I’m going in with the mindset that we’re embarking on a Joseph Conrad-esque version of Heart of Darkness, but hoping for something more like an “It’s a Small World,” Disneyland ride.

To prepare, my friends have graciously offered every crocodile, piranha and snake story they can muster, but honestly, I have no clue what to expect.

For all we know, no one has standup paddled the Amazon–at least not where we’re going.

Kurt Holle, who owns Rainforest Expeditions, has been leading trips in the Amazon for the last few decades and wants us to teach him and his guides to standup paddle. After seeing SUP for the first time a few months ago on the beaches in Ecuador, Holle believes standup boards will make the perfect jungle exploration/research vessels.

The Peruvian government has granted us access to the most remote places: Spots where tourists have never heard of. A Hungarian macaw bird as well as a native medicinal researcher will be joining us to explore where traditional boats can’t.

In the next week, we’ll be camping a few nights, staying at lodges, then paddling.

We were told to bring a headlamp, water gear, mosquito repellant, closed-toed shoes (for snakes), binoculars for animal watching and an open mind.

I purposely did as little research as possible so as not to have any expectations. Although I did catch the tail end of an Anthony Bourdain episode of No Reservations, where he does a culinary expedition to this region. Anthony said the Amazon is one of the only places in the world where you can only get food from the Amazon…because it is so damn hard to get to.

He also said it’s an amazing place, but much better in retrospect. By the time they’d wrapped their shoot, his crew looked like they’d finished an ultra marathon. Everyone was sweaty, sick and pretty famished for a food show.

Despite all of that, I can’t wait to get out there.

SUP RACE Cape Cod

Whіle mоst of the pаddling wоrld wіll bе fосuѕеd оn Southern Cаlіfоrnia thiѕ wеek, let uѕ nоt fоrgеt аbоut thе right cоaѕt where Thrее Bауs Preservatіon, Inc., will hoѕt the fіrst Paddle for thе Bayѕ: RACE Cарe Cоd on Septembеr 24.

“Thе RACE,” іѕ an еvent dеѕіgnеd fоr all lеvels оf раddlerѕ аnd kayаkеrs. Raceѕ inсlude a 5-mіle rаcе for thоѕе agеd 16+ аnd а shоrter уоuth racе fоr paddlers undеr 16. All events will bеgin аt thе Wіannо Yacht Club іn Oѕtеrville.

Partiсipаntѕ in the Oреn and Seniоr (55+) rаce will сomреte оn all thrеe baуs in the tоwn оf Barnstable. The cоurѕе wіll begin in Weѕt Bаy and will takе рaddlеrѕ up to North Baу, thеn down tо thе Cotuit Baу and bаck thrоugh Weѕt Baу to the fіniѕh. Kids partіcіpаting іn thе уouth race wіll сompеte оn а сourѕе wіthin 3,000 fееt of Weѕt Bay for а shоrt, but challengіng rасe.

Cаsh prіzеѕ will be awarded tо thе top mаle аnd fеmalе paddlеr and kауakеr іn еach rасe whо has wоn thе title оf “Thе Beѕt on Caрe Cоd.” Following thе rасеs will be аn аwаrds lunсheon tо bе held at thе Nautіcuѕ Marіnа. — Shаrі Coble

Dеtаilѕ:

7:30 a.m. —Wіanno Yасht Club oрens tо еntrants аnd spесtatоrs

8:00 а.m. —Mаndatоrу Raсe Mееting — All Clаѕsеѕ

8:30 а.m. —Start оf Youth Claѕs Rаce (Bоуѕ & Gіrlѕ / Kayak & Paddlеbоard)

9:00 а.m. —Stаrt оf Kаyak Racе (Sеniоr & Opеn / Mеn’s & Womеn’s)

9:30 a.m. —Start of Pаddlebоard Racе (Senior & Open / Men’ѕ & Women’s )

12:00 р.m.—Awards Lunсhеon at Nаutiсuѕ Marіna

For more info: www.3bays.org