World Race Series will kick off with a Prime event in the Philippines
Monday 5 March
Stand Up World Series to make history in Asia this April
After a dramatic opening event at the Namotu World Paddle Challenge in Fiji at the end of 2011, the Stand Up World Racing Series will kick off its first event of 2012 in style, in the magnificent town of San Jose in the Philippines, for the CamSur World Paddle Challenge.
Running from the 19th to the 22nd April, this Prime World Series event ($20,000 in prize-money) will see the very best Stand Up Paddle Racers in the world battle it out for vital World Series points at the first Major World Championship Stand Up Paddle event to ever take place in Asia.
The CamSur World Paddle Challenge to set the standard
The CamSur World Paddle Challenge will be the next major step for the Stand Up World Series in 2012, featuring its trademark sprint racing elimination format and a long distance challenge that will complete the World Series program.
This will be the first Prime event of the season featuring the $20,000 prize purse and will set the standard for the year to come as athletes will battle it out for the glory, the points and the cash.
The event will also feature the now well celebrated Na Kama Kai kids clinic, providing a unique opportunity to the local kids in San Jose to benefit from an unforgettable experience in the company of the World’s best Stand Up Paddlers, an example set by Founder of Na Kama Kai Duane DeSoto with his ongoing efforts in Hawaii and beyond.
CamSur: the ultimate watersports destination to play host
With its world renowned cable park, CamSur has already established itself as a focal point for watersports in Asia. Now, it will be able to showcase itself as an ideal destination for Stand Up Paddling of all kinds, from high performance racing, to touring and recreation in the truly magnificent surroundings that this location provides.
Athletes will be staying in paradise at the beautiful waterside accomodations, with access to the water wonderland that surrounds them. More information on entry process, accommodation and travel specials for athletes and spectators alike will follow at www.standupworldseries.com.
Stand Up World Series event classification & points
The Stand Up World Series provides a professional competitive platform for the world’s best Stand Up Paddle Racers to determine the legitimate Men’s, Women’s and U16 World Champions as a result of a WQS Series that spans the globe, and will culminate in the World Championship Finals at Turtle Bay on the North Shore of Oahu in October (www.turtlebaysurf.com).
Events are classified according to their prize purse, with the following event classifications:
- Prime: US$20k or more
- 5 Star: US$15k or more
- 4 Star: US$10k or more
- 3 Star: US$5k or more
Prime events will garner the most points, with the points calculated relative to the level of the event and final placings. Event points will be determined from athletes’ overall result, in both sprint and long distance. More info will be posted this week on www.standupworldseries.com, inclusive of detailed racing rules, guidelines and other event information.
Ranking, qualification process, board class and more
Athletes’ best 3 results from the Series will count towards their overall ranking, making it possible for region specific qualification for the World Championship Finals and a truly global field of competitors.
The World Qualifying Class will be a rudderless 12′6, and while many World Series races will have their events open to multiple classes, the qualifying Class will be 12′6 across the board, to create a uniform one board event and allow athletes to travel with their boards rather than face unsurmountable shipping charges to travel to events.
The Top 200 men and Top 50 women will qualify for the World Championship Finals at Turtle Bay Resort, whittling it down to the very best of the best competing on Oahu’s legendary North Shore from the 12th – 14th October 2012.
The Stand Up World Series will visit 10 countries in 2012
From Cities such as Chicago and Copenhagen, to holiday hotspots such as Ile d’Oleron in France and Namotu in Fiji to world class and well renowned downwind runs such as the Maliko Gulch to Kahului Harbor in Maui and the Na Pali Race in Kauai, not forgetting the Grand Slam surf and race events in Surf City USA, La Torche and Brazil, the Stand Up World Series has something for everyone, and provides a dynamic professional racing platform that will test the complete athlete, from sprinter to long distance expert and from surfer to flat water paddler.
It will also take the incredible sport of Stand Up Paddling to places it has never been before, opening up new markets and spurring new interest in the sport with entry level participation at all events.
At the end of the year, there can only be one man, one woman and one U16 crowned World Champion, so stay tuned to www.standupworldseries.com for the latest news and information from the Stand Up World Series.
Here is the 2012 Calendar of events:
- Namotu World Paddle Challenge, Fiji: 13th – 18th November 2011 (5 Star)
- CamSur World Paddle Challenge, Philippines: 19th – 22nd April, 2012 (Prime)
- La Torche Grand Slam, France: 5th – 6th May, 2012 (3 Star)
- St. Tropez SUP Race Cup, France: 26th – 27th May, 2012 (4 Star)
- Anzio Stand Up Paddle Challenge: 9th – 10th June, 2012 (status tbd)
- Ile d’Oleron Stand Up Paddle Challenge, France: 23rd – 24th June, 2012 (4 Star)
- Chicago World Paddle Challenge, USA: June 30th – July 1st (Prime)
- Copenhagen Paddle Challenge, Denmark: 7th – 8th July, 2012 (status tbd)
- Varberg World Paddle Challenge, Sweden: 14th – 15th July (Prime)
- Maui Naish Paddleboard Race, Hawaii: 21st – 22nd July, 2012 (Status tbd)
- Na Pali Paddleboard Race, Hawaii: 4th – 5th August, 2012 (Status tbd)
- Brazil Grand Slam: 1st – 2nd September 2012 (Status tbd)
- Florida Stand Up Paddle Challenge USA: 8th – 9th September 2012 (Prime)
- Huntington Beach Pro Grand Slam, USA: 15th – 17th September, 2012 (Prime)
- Tahoe World Paddle Challenge, USA: 22nd - 23rd September, 2012 (Status tbd)
- World Championship Finals at Turtle Bay, Hawaii: 12th – 14th October, 2012
- Invitational: Namotu World Paddle Challenge, Fiji: 11th – 17th November 2012
Namotu World Paddle Challenge, Fiji: November 2012
Having kicked off the 2012 season at the end of 2011, the Namotu World Paddle Challenge presented by Air Pacific will become a unique invitational this year, featuring 25 of the World’s best Stand Up Paddlers taking part in the now legendary and gruelling downwinder from Natadola Beach to Namotu, the challenging Surf Slalom at Namotu and the Tourism Fiji Surf exhibition event to cap off a week full of adventure in Fiji.
The week will once again be hosted by none other than Dave Kalama and build on the prestige established in 2012, where Connor Baxter stormed to victory in the Long Distance, Kai Lenny in the Surf Slalom, with the Final tie breaker allowing Connor to edge ahead of Kai for the overall win, and allowing Slater Trout his victory run ahead of Australia’s up and coming Jake Jensen.
Stay tuned for the show now airing worldwide and to come as a download on itunes shortly.
Exciting new events and destinations to come in 2013
Already worth noting down in your diary are exciting events that will form part of the 2013 World Series, that will include:
- South Africa (December 2012)
- Chile (Date tbd, 2013)
- New Zealand (March 2013)
- Australia (Date tbd, 2013)
- Norway (Date tbd, 2013)
Stay tuned for more information on all these events at www.standupworldseries.com
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