QUIKSILVEREDITION MOLOKAI TO OAHU PADDLEBOARD RACE

SUP Division Presented by C4 Waterman

    32 MILES                                    SUNDAY, JULY 27, 2008

MITCHELL, KING of a LITTLE-KNOWN KINGDOM

HONOLULU - (July 22, 2008) — At 31 years of age, world champion paddleboarder Jamie Mitchell (Australia) is at the peak of his game. Capable of outpaddling the strongest ocean-going athletes in the world, it seems unfortunate that he has chosen a sport that few know or understand. But it isn’t the size of the kingdom that matters to Mitchell, it’s about setting a new standard of reign. And he’ll be out to do exactly that again this Sunday in the 32-mile QuiksilverEdition Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard Championship - a race he has ruled for the past six years.

At a shade under six feet tall, 170 pounds, and with a mind of steel, Mitchell could have dominated any number of the water sports he has excelled at in his lifetime: swimming, surfing, big-wave riding, canoe paddling, paddling. He just happened to choose the least understood and least rewarded.

Above: Seven years at the top. Jamie Mitchell (Australia)
Credit: CunninghamPhotos.com

Being the fastest to swim a 1,500 meter race or the best at shooting down a 20-foot wave are feats that are readily comprehended in today’s sporting world. They also garner hefty rewards by way of endorsements and prize money. But being the best at paddling a board long distances in challenging open ocean conditions barely hits the radar, despite demanding the key athletic skills of both swimming and surfing.

“The sport chose me,” says Mitchell, “and there’s nothing I can do about it. You go with what feels right and for me paddleboaring is my passion.

“I did a little bit of everything as a kid, but competitive surfing, for example, never really appealed to me. With paddling, the result is clear cut. There’s no-one to blame but yourself. There’s no disputing the result.

“It’s been a hard road for sure, but hopefully the kids coming up after me will benefit down the track. I’m just trying to forge a niche in the market and make a living at it.

“The most misunderstood thing about it is the sacrifice,” says Mitchell. “There are people who think you should just get a job to support your sporting ambition, but this sport is a full-time job. I train distances two-to-three times a day, six days a week, and in-between that you’ve got to eat right, sleep right and take care of yourself.”

To make it work, Jamie has had to diversify into other ocean sports he enjoys - big-wave riding, stand-up paddle surfing, and tow-in surfing. Over the past 12 months he has turned heads in all these disciplines, being nominated for a coveted big-wave surfing award, and recognized as an elite invitee into the Quiksilver/C4 Waterman Ku Ikaika big-wave stand-up surfing event. He has also worked with his major sponsor Quiksilver to attend public clinics and events around the world.

There are no official world titles, no world champion’s trophy, no organized tour of events, no substantial prize purses, no ceremonious awards presentations.

This weekend’s QuiksilverEdition race is considered the unofficial world title. Mitchell has won the past six consecutively and will set out for a seventh title on Sunday. A record large field of challengers from around the world will be on hand and conditions bode to be some of the roughest in years. The winner’s purse? $3,000. But to Mitchell, the taste of a Molokai victory is priceless.

“Molokai is my Everest,” said Mitchell. “This race is important to me personally, financially, in every way.

“Try having world class athletes come after you every year for seven years. Some will put their all into it for a year and come at you with everything, then disappear into the sunset. It takes so much to stay on top year after year.

“Molokai is my defining moment. It sounds so cliche, but just to finish is so hard. The feeling you get when you cross the line…. I don’t get that from anything else. I’d trade every other win for this win.

“No disrespect, but I could paddle out at Waimea Bay tomorrow and take off on a 20-footer, but there’s no way I could paddle the Molokai Channel without having invested at least four months of daily hard work, dedication and sacrifice. That’s why nothing comes close to it. There are very few people who are capable of investing as much of their life into something or sacrificing as much as it takes to win a race like Molokai. And because of that, they can’t understand why it’s such an accomplishment.”

The QuiksilverEdition Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard Race will take place this Sunday, July 27, covering the 32-mile distance from Molokai to Oahu’s Maunalua Bay. Mitchell is the 6-time defending champion and course record holder (4 hours, 48 minutes, 23 seconds, set in 2007). In addition to the traditional paddleboard division, C4 Waterman will also be presenting the stand-up paddleboard division, for paddleboarders who will cross the channel standing on specialized paddleboards and utilizing a single-ended paddle (similar to a canoe paddle) to propel themselves.

Full report, press release and VNR will be available at the conclusion of the race.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jodi Wilmott, Ocean Promotion, Hawaii - +1.808.258-8533 - oceanpromotion@hawaii.rr.com

Presents the C4 Waterman Stand Up Paddleboard Division

ShareThis

Here’s a preview of the Blair 8′7″ x 30″ x 4.25″ high performance stand up board. Joe shaped this from a thinner blank than I would have liked and it feels like this board should be for a person under 200 lbs. I’ve ridden it a few times and it is definitely smaller than the 8′9″ I have.

Pros: This board surfs really well and makes sharp turns with ease.

Cons: This board has less paddle power than the 8′9″ and it is more tippy.

I think this would be perfect for an expert rider up to 215 lbs and intermediate person up to 200 lbs. I really think this is best for someone around 185 lbs or lower. This board really feels like a short board.

[Show as slideshow]

ShareThis

Hennessey’s International Paddleboard Championships
Saturday, July 19th, 2008

********** AWARDS LIST **************

Standup Stock Male All Ages

1   189 BRENDAN SHEA        1:10:02
2   137 MARK RAAPMORST      1:15:45
3   167 MIKE PIETECH        1:16:41
4   136 LIVIO MENELAU       1:23:00
5   185 KAINOA BEAUPRE      1:23:19
6    82 ERIC OLSEN          1:23:36
7   170 DANIEL KEREODA      1:24:27
8   175 DAVE YESTER         1:24:48
9    76 JOHN DEMARCO        1:31:37
10   120 ROGER MADEIRA       1:35:47
11   127 JEFF DAHN           1:37:47
12    86 JON TABUDLO         1:39:22
13    79 KAHEKILI KEALOHA    1:39:55
14    83 ANTHONY SILVA       1:40:07
15   121 SAM PAE             1:41:54

Standup Unlimited Male All Ages

1    97 GUY PERE            1:08:30
2    96 AARON NAPOLEON      1:12:08
3   169 BUZZY KERBOX        1:14:03
4    93 VITOR MARCAL        1:14:55
5   171 CAMPBELL FARRELL    1:15:14
6    74 TODD BRADLEY        1:16:08
7   119 GREG PAVAO          1:16:18
8    89 KAMAKI WORTHINGTON  1:16:35
9   182 CARLOS KUHN         1:17:32
10    92 DOUG LOCK           1:21:22
11    98 IRON PHIL           1:21:24
12    91 JACK DYSON          1:22:26
13    95 BLAKE MCELHENY      1:22:29
14    75 JEFF CHANG          1:24:25
15   135 VICTOR LOZANO       1:29:57

Standup Unlimited Female All Ages

1   129 CANDICE APPLEBY     1:27:16

Standup Stock Female All Ages

1   125 MORGAN HOESTEREY    1:29:27
2   115 KIM STEPHENS        1:31:35
3    85 CHANTELLE STROME    1:34:11
4   114 LAURA LAPA          1:40:47
5   139 LYNN BLOMFIELD      1:42:59
6   178 IVY BLOMFIELD       1:46:12
7   112 KALIKO AMONA        1:48:50
8   176 NIKKI GREGG         1:56:08
9   138 BRYNN THURSTON      2:02:36
10   154 STEPHANIE LUM       2:16:59

Standup Male 1-17 AGE GROUP:

1     6 CHRISTIAN BRADLEY   1:18:01
2    87 SLATER TROUT        1:22:46
3    88 TANNER TROUT        2:08:04

Standup Female 1-17 AGE GROUP:

********** MALE OVERALL RESULTS ***********

1   174 MIKEY COTE          1:12:42
2   177 ERIC ABBOTT         1:13:42
3    24 KAI HALL            1:13:50

********** FEMALE OVERALL RESULTS ***********

1    19 TALIA GANGINI       1:26:01
2   108 JOCELYN KEMPE       1:28:22
3   103 JOANNE AMBROSI      1:29:46

STOCK-JR Stock Paddleboard Male 1 - 17

1   162 CHRIS FONG          1:16:29
2    73 BRIAN AMANTIAO      1:22:08
3    99 KEVIN SEID          1:22:14
4   100 RANDY STROME        1:22:34
5    21 NOAH GINELLA        1:23:53
6    94 JIM MARTINDALE      1:25:00
7   150 CJ OWENS            1:26:17
8    40 HOLDEN TAKAHASHI    1:27:54
9    84 ROBERT STEHILIK     1:28:28
10     7 BRENDAN BRADLEY     1:29:24
11    22 JOHNNY GINELLA      1:30:44
12    26 BLOOMFIELD KUHU     1:33:11
13    80 KELLY KROHNE        1:36:08
14    77 CHRIS FURTUNO       1:41:14
15    78 JEFF HARRIS         1:42:56
16    90 JAMES AKAKA         1:51:06
17   158 CHAD BROWN          2:11:47
18    81 REID OKIMOTO        2:17:01

STOCK Stock Paddleboard Male 18 - 29

1   174 MIKEY COTE          1:12:42
2   177 ERIC ABBOTT         1:13:42
3    11 MITCH DEGEUS        1:14:37
4    25 MATT JOHNSTON       1:14:48
5   118 IAN MACDONALD       1:17:47
6   145 TRAVIS DESTOCHES    1:18:25
7   152 JIMMY AUSTIN        1:18:49
8    13 CASEY DYSON         1:19:23
9   173 TOM ROTH            1:24:17
10    15 ANDREW ESTES        1:27:47
11   160 SIMEON KE PALOMA    1:30:37
12     8 KIMO CAMBRA         1:31:18
13   124 ANDERS JONSSON      1:32:39
14   179 BRANDON WOODS       1:37:35
15   117 KAIAO AEA           1:40:19
16   122 DANIEL MENCHC       1:40:30
17    44 CARSON WEIDMAN      1:41:25

STOCK Stock Paddleboard Male 30 - 39

1    24 KAI HALL            1:13:50
2    17 KIRK FRITZ          1:21:30
3   163 PETER HURSTY        1:22:21
4   186 JASON HENDERSON     1:23:35
5    32 DAVID MELLO         1:24:51
6   132 SAM CHILLINGWORTH   1:24:55
7    29 KEONE MACARTHUR     1:24:57
8   143 DUSTIN MORRIS       1:26:34
9    42 PAUL TUCKER         1:26:58
10    23 KIMO GREENWELL      1:27:24
11    16 JOSHUA EWING        1:27:48
12   116 CHAD TSEN           1:29:04
13   168 KELLY TAM SING      1:29:05
14   123 RUA TAFT            1:29:18
15     4 DARREN BENNETT      1:33:04
16   126 CHRIS LOOMIS        1:33:36
17    14 ROBERT EGBERT       1:35:58
18     3 TY AWEAU            1:38:17
19   142 MICHAEL GANZAGAN    1:42:25
20    12 SEAN DOUGLAS        1:56:08
21   159 BOBBY DAVISON       2:21:50

STOCK Stock Paddleboard Male 40 - 49

1     9 BURT CHARLTON       1:15:07
2    18 JOHN GANGINI        1:19:06
3    41 BLAIR THORNDIKE     1:21:59
4    10 MICHAEL CHEAPE      1:22:10
5     2 BRAD AKEO           1:23:03
6   183 JOHN HOOGSTEDEN     1:24:34
7    31 SCOTT MCPHAIL       1:25:30
8    34 JON PIPER           1:25:58
9   156 DON DEL CARMEN      1:29:04
10    20 SEAN GINELLA        1:30:35
11    37 JAY ROBERTSON       1:31:23
12    39 KEN SULLIVAN        1:32:37
13    38 RON ROEBUCK         1:35:49
14   164 MIKE BENNETT        1:35:56
15    33 LAYNE OWEN          1:36:39
16    36 TIM RITTER          1:46:22
17   165 SCOTT LOOS          1:50:57
18   187 CHRIS BETTIS        1:55:22
19   157 GREG WUNDERLICH     1:58:04

STOCK Stock Paddleboard Male 50 - 59

1   155 DALE HOPE           1:17:21
2    35 GEORGE RAMOS        1:19:33
3   128 BUTTONS KALUHIOKALA 1:28:34
4   141 CARL KIM            1:30:55
5    45 RICK WILLIAMS       1:31:06
6   144 WAYNE GIANCATERINO  2:00:22
7    30 PHIL MARSHALL       2:06:16

STOCK Stock Paddleboard Male 60 - 99

1   140 TIMOTHY FERNANDEZ   1:31:27
2    43 BODO VANDERLEEDEN   1:32:37
3     5 GENE BOYER          1:41:20
4    27 ERNIE LESKOVITZ     1:59:35

STOCK Stock Paddleboard Female All Ages 1 to 99

1    19 TALIA GANGINI       Hawaii         1:26:01
2   108 JOCELYN KEMPE       Hawaii         1:28:22
3   103 JOANNE AMBROSI      California     1:29:46
4   104 JOAN FUKUMOTO       Hawaii         1:35:00
5   111 ERIN WASCHER        Hawaii         1:35:59
6   146 BIANCA SALAZAR      Hawaii         1:36:08
7   106 HEIDI GUTGESELL     Hawaii         1:36:27
8   109 CHRISTINA POWERS    California     1:42:02
9   107 CAIRNS JANE         California     1:42:03
10   105 MARY GRAHAM         Australia      1:42:58
11   166 LINDA AAGON         Hawaii         1:47:38
12   110 AMANDA SIDAR        Hawaii         1:58:14

********** MALE OVERALL RESULTS ***********

1     1 JAMIE MITCHELL      1:03:57
2    54 JACKSON ENGLISH     1:06:14
3    56 NATHAN HENDERSON    1:06:27

********** FEMALE OVERALL RESULTS ***********

1   101 KANESA DUCAN        1:16:49
2   102 SHAKIRA WESTDROP    1:19:01
3   161 SARAH HERRINGTON    1:42:08

UNILMITED MALE  Paddleboard  1 TO 17

UNILMITED MALE  Paddleboard  18 TO 29

1    56 NATHAN HENDERSON    1:06:27
2    55 DEAN HANMER         1:13:20
3    62 BRYAN PHILLIPS      1:14:06
4   148 WILLIAM LAWSON      1:14:07
5    51 SEAN CAMBELL        1:14:20
6   172 KAEO ABBEY          1:16:47
7    71 AARON UNGERLEIDER   1:17:05
8   188 SHERR MURPHY        1:28:31
9    66 JACK SHIMKO         2:05:04
10    50 JOSEPH CADIZ        2:21:50

UNILMITED MALE  Paddleboard  30 TO 39

1     1 JAMIE MITCHELL      1:03:57
2    54 JACKSON ENGLISH     1:06:14
3    46 RYAN ADDISON        1:07:44
4    64 BRIAN ROCHELEAU     1:08:08
5    72 KEONE WATSON        1:09:51
6   147 MATTHEW SACK        1:10:06
7    59 GEORGE LOREN        1:16:23
8    58 JUSTIN LANGLAIS     1:18:18
9    53 MATT DUBRULE        1:19:07
10   131 CHAS BEASLOY        1:20:50
11    57 SIMON KEALLEY       1:22:37
12    68 ROBI SOLMSSEN       1:26:01
13   130 MIKE BLEDSOE        1:26:19
14    67 DAVID SKIMIN        1:29:01

UNILMITED MALE  Paddleboard  40 TO 49

1    52 MICK DI BETTA       1:09:46
2   149 CHRIS OWENS         1:10:24
3    70 BRAD THOMAS         1:12:48
4   180 MARC HAINE          1:15:31
5    49 JERRY BESS          1:17:32
6   133 CLARK ABBEY         1:30:18
7    47 DESMOND BARBADILLO  1:30:37
8    60 JASON NIXON         1:32:03

UNILMITED MALE  Paddleboard  50 TO 59

1    48 MATT BARNETT        1:15:21
2    61 DENNIS PANG         1:18:49
3    69 MIKE TAKAHASHI      1:25:07

UNILMITED MALE  Paddleboard  60 TO 99

1    65 BUDDY SHEPARD       1:23:01

UNILMITED FEMALE  Paddleboard  01 TO 99

1   101 KANESA DUCAN        1:16:49
2   102 SHAKIRA WESTDROP    1:19:01
3   161 SARAH HERRINGTON    1:42:08
4   134 CYNTHIA AGUILAR     1:49:56
5   184 JEN GAYEN           2:08:51

ShareThis

HENNESSEY’S INTERNATIONAL
PADDLEBOARD CHAMPIONSHIP

MITCHELL REMAINS UNDEFEATED FOR 2008
Hawaii’s Duncan Trumps Women’s Field

Turtle Bay to Waimea Bay, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii
Distance: 7 miles
Total Prize Purse: $15,000

HONOLULU - (Saturday, July 19, 2008) — World paddleboard champion Jamie Mitchell, from Queensland, Australia, remains undefeated after posting his fourth conclusive win of the season today in the $15,000 Hennessey’s International Paddleboard Championship, on Oahu’s North Shore. The 7-mile course from Turtle Bay to Waimea Bay offered no records due to inconsistent tradewinds, however the flatwater pace set by Mitchell was blistering, finishing in a time of one hour, three minutes and 57 seconds.

Honolulu’s Kanesa Duncan took honors in the women’s division (1:16:49), and Brian Rocheleau (Honolulu, 1:08:08) was the top Hawaii men’s finisher, placing fifth overall. A total field of 186 paddlers took to the water today, including 44 standup paddleboarders (SUP). Guy Pere (Haleiwa) won the men’s SUP division, Candice Appleby (Honolulu) won the women’s SUP, and Christian Bradley claimed the C4 Waterman 17-and-under SUP division.

Above: Jamie Mitchell en-route to victory.
Credit: Hennesseyspaddleboarding.com

Since arriving to Hawaii three weeks ago, Mitchell, 31, has now made a clean sweep of four separate races that have ranged in distance from four- to 17-miles. His final test will come next Sunday when he sets out to defend his title in the 32-mile QuiksilverEdition Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard Race.

“Hard work is what keeps you on top, to tell you the truth,” said Mitchell. “Train harder and harder each year. I just keep looking for new and fun ways to train and raise the bar and hopefully that brings the whole field up to another level.

“It’s really just you against the ocean and try to catch every bump you can - especially on a day like today. You really had to work to get a bump.”

The “bumps” Mitchell referred to are the small rises of wind swell that a paddler looks to catch a free ride on, thereby increasing his speed and gaining distance ahead of his rivals without the need to constantly paddle. Today the bumps were limited to the first third of the race, from Turtle Bay to outside Sunset Beach, where tradewind swells peaked at around three feet. Once paddlers rounded the corner into Sunset Beach, the tradewind swells largely backed off and it became a hot, flat race that was all about hard work - Mitchell’s forte.

“At that point it’s just head down, bum up, and go!” said Mitchell.

“My time was a little slower but I think we were paddling faster. The times don’t show that, but you’ve got to take into account that the conditions weren’t as fast as the year I finished in 59 minutes, 59 seconds (2005). Everyone’s paddling faster, for sure.

“The competition’s getting a lot tougher,” said Rocheleau, 32. “I was not surprised but definitely impressed by how fast the top guys were going.”

Above: (L to R) Brian Rocheleau, Kanesa Duncan, Guy Pere
Credit: bigwaveshawaii.com

Rocheleau remains the top Hawaii paddleboarder heading into Molokai, working hard to adopt the Australian style of knee-paddling that has made them unbeatable for the past six years. The majority of Hawaii paddleboarders still paddle the full distance prone.

“I’m feeling a lot more comfortable paddling on my knees now. I’m a 100 per cent better at it than I was a year ago - I’m paddling 70 per cent of the distance on my knees, and mixing it up 30 per cent of the time laying down.”

Rocheleau has proven to be even more of a threat over long distances, so is optimistic about next week’s 32-mile marathon across the Ka’iwi Channel.

“There’s a lot more waves out there in the channel - more of that surfing feeling. You can catch more waves, rest more, relax more, and stay on your knees for longer. But we’re still trying to catch the Aussies.”

Kanesa Duncan was ecstatic with her victory over Australia’s Shakira Westdorp today, particularly given that she has been out of the water for much of the past year with a knee reconstruction after a skateboard injury. For two years the pair have dominated the top two positions in all major races and Duncan leveled the score today. Westdorp is the defending champion of the Molokai race, so next week will be the decider.

“It’s so good to have Shakira racing,” said Duncan. “She’s everything our sport is about. She’s a total water athlete, she’s a super good surfer, she’s happy, she trains hard, so it’s way better to race against somebody like that who can motivate you.

“I’m having a really good season and I’m really happy with my equipment. My knee is feeling good, even though I’m working it really hard with the knee paddling.”

Guy Pere, a former stock paddleboard champion took the standup paddleboard (SUP) division this year that was presented by C4 Waterman. Paddleboarders and standup paddleboarders started at the same time today and Pere came in sixth over the line behind the top five paddlers who were all on unlimited class, traditional paddleboards.

“It just goes to show that Jamie and those guys can still beat the stand-up paddleboarders even though you get so much reach and leverage with the paddle,” said Pere. “There’s no comparison - they’re two totally different sports, really. I don’t go out there to race the paddleboarders, I go out there to race the other standups. To me, that’s the fairness of the sport.”

Just one week remains before the 32-mile unofficial world championship race: the QuiksilverEdition Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard Race that will take place next Sunday, July 27th.

Mahalo to Hennessey’s Taverns, O2H, Bacardi, C4 Waterman, Bud Light, Hobie, Men’s Journal, and Bark Paddleboards for making today’s race such a huge success.

For Media Information:
Jodi Wilmott - 258-8533
E: oceanpromotion(at)hawaii.rr.com

MAJOR RESULTS:
UNLIMITED PADDLEBOARD DIVISION:
Men’s Overall:
1. Jamie Mitchell (Australia) 1:03:57 - $800
2. Jackson English (Australia) 1:06:14 - $500
3. Nathan Henderson (Australia) 1:06:27 - $200
* Top Hawaii finisher: Brian Rocheleau, 5th overall, 1:08:08

Women’s Overall:
1. Kanesa Duncan (HI) 1:16:49 - $500
2. Shakira Westdorp (Australia) 1:19:01 - $300
3. Sarah Herrington (HI) 1:42:08 - $100

Stock Men:
1. Mikey Cote (HI) 1:12:42 - $500
2. Eric Abbott (HI) 1:13:42 - $00
3. Kai Hall (HI) 1:13:50 - $100

Stock Women:
1. Talia Gangini (Maui) 1:26:01 - $500
2. Jocelyn Kempe (Australia) 1:28:22 - $300
3. Joanne Ambrosi (Maui) 1:29:46 - $100

Big Bruddah Division, Overall: (Weighing in at more than 200 lbs)
1. William Lawson (HI) 1:14:07 - $300
2. Marc Haine (HI) 1:15:31 - $200
3. Phil Iron (SUP - HI) 1:21:24 - $100

STANDUP PADDLEBOARD DIVISION:
Men’s Overall:
1. Guy Pere (HI) 1:08:30 - $800
2. Brendan Shea (HI) 1:10:02 - $500
3. Aaron Napoleon (HI) 1:12:08 - $500

Women’s Overall:
1. Candice Appleby (HI) 1:27:16 - $500
2. Morgan Hoesterey (HI) 1:29:27 - $500
3. Kim Stephens (HI) 1:31:35 - $300

17 & Under:
1. Christian Bradley (HI) 1:18:01
2. Slater Trout (Maui) 1:22:46
3. Tanner Trout (Maui) 2:08:04

Media contact:
Jodi Wilmott
Email: oceanpromotion@hawaii.rr.com

ShareThis

More pictures:

[Show as slideshow]

ShareThis

This is from a while back. This year’s Makahiki in Makaha (say that tongue twister 10 times fast) was pretty fun. The waves were small although small is better than none at all. I heard it was flat in the morning and then some waves came in just in time for the contest. The conditions were really nice. As you can see from everyone under pop up tents, the sun was blazing.

Driving out to Makaha is a long drive to us islanders. Anything over 15 minutes seems unbearable and the hour drive to Makaha gave me the ability to kill 2 birds with one stone. I wanted to see all the new stuff and the guys ripping in the waves and I needed to go and meet Leleo Kinimaka to find out on his paddles.

Since it was on a Sunday, my wife took my oldest son to church and I took my younger one to the beach. I bribed him by telling him I’d buy him a shave ice and he became very agreeable. There was a good amount of riders in the stand up contest and one stuck out to me. I saw Mel Pu’u who is an icon in Makaha and a lifeguard. Mel must be at least 240 lbs and he’s big. He was on a 10′ pink board and bright pink paddle. The board he was on looked like a skateboard compared to his size and he was ripping it up.

I left before the canoe surfing competition because my son wanted to go and he’s pretty convincing.

[Show as slideshow]

ShareThis

HENNESSEY’S INTERNATIONAL
PADDLEBOARD CHAMPIONSHIP

Mitchell Defends Title
Record SUP Field Anticipated

Turtle Bay to Waimea Bay, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii
Saturday, July 19th, 2008

Start Time: 11am
Distance: 7 miles
Prize Purse: $15,000
Defending Champ: Jamie Mitchell (Australia)

HONOLULU - (Wednesday, July 15, 2008) — The $15,000 Hennessey’s International Paddleboard Championship will take place on Oahu’s North Shore this Saturday, July 19th. The 7-mile course will feature the world’s top prone and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) racers from the United States, Australia, Japan, Europe and New Zealand. The race is an open-ocean, near-shore course that parallels the North Shore’s picturesque coastline from Turtle Bay to Waimea Bay. A record field of 200 paddlers is anticipated.

This will be the fourth time that the Hennessey’s International has been staged in Hawaii, and the third time that it has been held on the North Shore. The defending champion, Jamie Mitchell (Australia) is once again the favorite, looking for a clean sweep of the Hawaii summer paddleboarding season that has so far netted him three victories over courses ranging from four to 17 miles.

The Hennessey’s International is also an important part of Mitchell’s preparation for the long-distance finale to the Hawaii paddleboard season: the 32-mile race from Molokai to Oahu the very next weekend.

“This race is as important to me as any,” said Mitchell, 31. “We train so hard yet get to race so little. Four months of intensive training and sacrifice goes into a season that offers maybe five or six races, so I really love to race, whatever the distance. Once I’m on the starting line, they’re all important to me. I’m very easily motivated.”

Along with Mitchell and the hard-core, traditional paddleboarding crew, a burgeoning field of stand-up paddle surfers are also anticipated for this race. Recent short-course races off Maui and Oahu have each seen more than 100 SUP paddlers take to the water, reflecting the exponential growth of this new branch of ocean paddling. Cash prizes will be awarded to both prone and SUP division top finishers, courtesy of Hennessey’s, and C4 Waterman will award product prizes to the top SUP paddlers.

A full report and results will be distributed at the conclusion of the race.
A VNR will be delivered to local news stations.

Media contact:
Jodi Wilmott
Email: oceanpromotion@hawaii.rr.com

ShareThis

7^th Annual Duke’s OceanFest Waikiki Water Sports Celebration
Taking Place August 17-24, 2008

This year’s Duke’s OceanFest will feature a variety of fun and exciting water sports competitions and events in paying tribute to Duke Kahanamoku, culminating with the always popular Waikiki Lei Parade and decorating of Duke’s Statue on the 118th anniversary of his birthday, Sunday, August 24. Find out more at dukefoundation.org.

Come watch SUP surfers rip it up on August 19 & 23 during the C4 Waterman / Honolua Surf Stand-Up Beach Boy Contest. Download the  entry form! Limited space, first come first served.

Click here to see photos from last year’s OceanFest! 

From the Duke Foundation Homepage:  

The primary objectives of the weeklong festival are to honor the legacy of Duke Kahanamoku, provide a Waikiki water sports celebration for residents and visitors to enjoy, and raise funds for ODKF’s college scholarship and athletic grants program. Last year, Duke’s OceanFest generated more than $30,000 for ODKF.

“Duke’s OceanFest is the best week of the year to enjoy Waikiki Beach. It’s incredibly fun for residents and visitors alike and is all based on the long and storied water sports tradition that Duke Kahanamoku and Hawaii’s other watermen established over the years,” said ODKF President Patrick Dugan.

Events scheduled for Duke’s OceanFest include the following:

ShareThis

What: XTERRA WETSUITS Surf Monkey
      1 Mile Swim, 5k Beach Run, 1 Mile Swim / 5k Run Combo,
      8 Mile Paddleboard Race

Where: Oceanside Pier Amphitheater

When: Saturday August 2nd, 2008

• 5:30am – 6:30 am on site registration
• 7:00 am - 5km Hard Packed Beach run Presented by Newton Running
• 7:40 am - 1 mile rough water open swim
• 7:30 am -Combo 1mile swim/5 km race - The Surf Monkey! Presented by Clifbar
• 8:30 am - 8 mile paddle board race Presented by Nixon
• ***option- King/Queen Monkey…5k run, 1 mile swim, 8 mile paddle

Entry Fee:

• See Web Site for Details http://multisports.com/surfmonkey/
• All participants will receive a race t-shirt, assorted sponsor swag and post race refreshments

Divisions:

• Paddle Board race: Stock-12 ft. and under, 14’, Unlimited, Women - Open class. Kapuna (45+). Stand-up Paddleboard rudder/no-rudder. Top three finishers in each division will receive an award (Chip Timing)
• 1 Mile Swim - Male & Female, wetsuit or non wetsuit: 12-under, 13-17, 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+, Top three finishers in each division will receive an award (Chip Timing)
• 5k Beach Run - Male & Female:12-under, 13-17, 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75+, Top three finishers in each division will receive an award (Chip Timing)
• Combo 5k 1 Mile Swim / Beach Run - Male & Female:12-under, 13-17, 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75+, Top three finishers in each division will receive an award (Chip Timing)

Awards: The awards ceremony will be held on the beach from 8:30 am-11:00 am.

Details: http://multisports.com/surfmonkey/

Contact: Dan Van Dyck  (760)436-3589    dvandyck@pcfs.net

ShareThis

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (July 8, 2008) — Stand-up paddle surfing will make its debut at the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing on Sunday, July 27, when the Corona Stand-up Paddle Surf Challenge hits the water at famed Huntington Beach Pier.

The event begins at approximately 1:20 p.m. and will showcase six to eight of the world’s top surfers competing on individual chosen Surftech built standup paddleboards. Among the paddle surfers expected to appear in the inaugural Corona event are longboard surfing champion Joel Tudor, four-time women’s world champion Lisa Andersen and current WCT competitor Timmy Reyes. Additional participants in the exhibition will be announced in the coming weeks.

“The Honda U.S. Open of Surfing and Surftech are strong event partners for Corona and our Corona Extra brand,” said Timm Amundson, vice president of marketing, Corona Extra and Corona Light for Crown Imports. “Through the Corona Stand-up Paddle Surf Challenge we hope to leverage the diverse backgrounds and talents of some of the world’s great surfers to showcase Stand-up Paddle Surfing. Combining the best elements of surfing and fitness, the Corona Stand-up Paddle Challenge is the perfect vehicle for us and it brings something entertaining to the fans and a unique programming element to the event.”

The modern version of Stand-up Paddle Surfing originated in the 1960s in Hawaii and in the last decade some of the world’s top surfers used paddle surfing as a training tool when the surf was down. Surftech, the pioneer in advanced surfboard construction helped spearheaded this movement. Working with Legendary waterman Laird Hamilton, Surftech created a line of standup boards that have been embraced by the surf community and helped the sport gain traction worldwide.

– more –

Corona Stand-up Paddle Surf Challenge
2-2-2

”The Honda US Open of Surfing is the world’s largest forum for showcasing all things surf and lifestyle. The Corona Stand-up Paddle Surf Challenge is sure to be a relevant addition to the mix,” said James Leitz, vice president of IMG and executive producer of the event.

Owned and produced by IMG, a global leader in sports and entertainment, the U.S. Open of Surfing is North America’s highest-rated qualifying event and the world’s largest and most heavily attended professional surfing competition with some 400,000 spectators annually. The surf contest runs July 18 to 27 at the Huntington Beach Pier and is all part of a multi-sports, music and lifestyle festival entitled GO211 Live!

ShareThis

I got a chance to ride two of the Oxbow stand up paddle boards on July 2. Duane DeSoto called up and said he was taking his family (5 kids and wife) along with a bunch of family friends and kids to Baby Queens in Waikiki. I took my family to meet up with them for a fun late afternoon get together. I really wanted my boys to play with Duane’s kids so that they get more comfortable in the water. Duane’s kids can all swim and most can surf. I brought my Surftech Blacktip for the kids to play on and when we both got to the beach around the same time. Duane brought a whole truck full of boards…I think 6 or 8 of them, paddles, bodyboards, etc. There was definitely enough for the kids to play with.

Duane with the kids catching some waves

One highlight was watching him take 4 kids on the Surftech Blacktip and catch waves. I’m bummed that my camera ran out of batteries at the wrong moment but it was a sight to see. At first, he started inside the wall area of the lagoon in front of Baby Queens and eventually moved out to the break right in front of Queens. They caught some fun waves and some of the girls stood up while riding. If you have kids and want to play around with them, the Blacktip is a really fun stand up board.

The board I was surprised with was the Oxbow stand up board. I tried the 11′er for a short while during a downwind run with Duane a few weeks back but that wasn’t in the surf. His Oxbow 11′ is surprisingly stable and paddled pretty well. My only gripe was there was some delam on the board but that may have been due to a LOT of use and no pad on the board.

I jumped on the 11′er with my 54″ paddle to get close enough to get closer pictures. After the battery died, I started catching waves. At first I thought that the glide and speed I was experiencing was due to the short paddle and that may have been the case but I could catch ripples and waves that were just thinking about forming.

I later tried out his 10′ Oxbow and realized that the awesome glide I was experiencing was for real. I wish all the stand up boards could glide like the Oxbow did. I need to get more time on it in the water to properly judge the surfing although Duane won second place in the Steinlager Queens contest the previous weekend on it.

We stayed at the beach until after dark. I wish we could have stayed longer although it was after 8 pm and a school night so the kids needed to get back home. We’ll definitely do this again.

(click thumbnail to launch video)

[Show as slideshow]

ShareThis

Before we got over the Southern California (SoCal) Bill Fitzhugh from BSUPA had put us in contact with some people in California, one person was Ted Rutherford, who, apart from being a full time airline pilot, is also C4 Waterman’s US mainland representative.  

After a few emails and phone calls we were to meet up early at 6am in the State Beach car park at Cardiff (about 30 minutes drive north from San Diego).  Little did I know what a great session this was going to turn into.  

Ted is one of the “gang of four” original SoCal stand up paddle surfers, the others are Rick Thomas, Scott Bass and Tom English.  As Ted came into the car park it was clear that he knew everyone, and everyone knew him.  The word “gentleman” gets thrown around from time to time, but it really does apply to Ted.  He is a erudite and witty man, with a huge quantity of stories from his time as a US Navy fighter pilot, mostly unrepeatable in polite company !

Matt Argyle and Ted Rutherford

Ted came with a selection of C4 boards, and he had sorted out the new 10ft board for me.  Cardiff Reef is a really nice left and right hand break, and the waves this morning, like so many in SoCal, were clean and glassy.  The swell was small, but it looked so much fun as we paddled out.  After a couple of cautious waves I started to get into the rhythm of the session.  The Pacific Ocean is very different to the North Atlantic in the way that it serves up waves.  Often there are large gaps of time between the bigger sets, so surfing and stand up paddle surfing is a very social sport, with people having plenty of time to talk between set waves.

Cardiff Reef at 6am

As the sets came rolling in I started to get to like the C4 10ft more and more. It was a little narrower than I am used to but once you get over that the board is loose and responsive, and not at all adverse to nose riding, having previously owned a C4 10ft 6″ I was finding myself at home on the 10ft.

Ted and Matt McFarland waiting for the sets

When we first got into the water the weather was cloudy with the coastal haze yet to burn off, but about 1 hour into the session the clouds had gone and the sun came out, at this point Ted scared the life out of me by saying “once the sun comes out you can see all the sharks beneath you on the reef”.  Given that only weeks ago at the next beach along (Solana) a swimmer was killed by a Great White Shark this sent my imagination into overload.  Ted must have seen the expression on my face as he followed it up with “these are leopard sharks and the are harmless”.  I felt a little better until I saw the classic fin slicing through the water towards me, once again my Pacific Ocean ignorance and my imagination had got the better of me as a pod of dolphins cruised through the line up.  This was to become a regular sight for me during my stay in SoCal, but I never really got used to it, like the local guys were.  I was acting like a complete tourist, snapping photos and just being amazed by these fantastic creatures.  Later at Tourmaline Surf Park (another surf break) someone told me that they liked having dolphins around as they scared the sharks away.  I have no idea if this is true or not but it did make me feel better.

SUPing at Cardiff

Back to the session, the swell had picked up slightly and nice waves were rolling in.  I paddled back in and Ted let me take out a C4 Waterman 9′ 6″ bat wing.  This proved to be an interesting experience as I had not paddled anything so narrow before, just as I am doing the indo board wobble at sea impression, Scott Bass paddle past and I was introduced, I suspect that I looked a complete kook !  Scott’s first wave that I saw was a fantastic right hander that he immediately pulled a slick 360 helicopter in the critical session.  Jeff Warner from Legends Surf Shop, Carlsbad, also paddled out to join in the fun.  Jeff is another interesting guy, a free diver, who got a job as a dolphin trainer at San Diego Sea World, he now is a web designer and runs his own surf shop.  He is equally at home on a Stand Up Paddle board as he carved his way through the waves.

Ted Rutherford surfs a nice right

Andre Niemeyer kicks out on a 9ft C4

Sharing a wave is always fun

Another nice wave

Ted gets another Cardiff Reef wave

Dropping into a nice one at Cardiff Reef

I had to take afew moments just to sit on my board and watch the guys SUPing, Scott Bass, fluid and aggressive, Rick Thomas, super smooth and on the nose, Phil Rainer, late drops and big turns, Ted with his relaxed soul style, Andre Niemeyer throwing a C4 9ft Poly board around like a 6ft short board, bouncing off the white water sections, the list goes on.  It was a feast for the eyes to have so much stand up paddle surfing talent out at one session and it certainly helped me up my game.  Back to the 9ft 6″ bat wing.  I was struggling with the balance on this board, but as soon as I caught a wave I could see why this board is so sought after.  It turns fast and really responded when I dropped the paddle into a big turn, it definitely felt like short board surfing, give a a couple of weeks on the paddling front and I am sure that I would have the balance issues sorted out !

Matt Argyle, Jeff Warner, Ted Rutherford and Andre Niemeyer

After a couple of hours Ted took myself, Jeff, Matt McFarland and Andre to Pipes Cafe, just above the beach in Cardiff.  Its a great place to eat after a surf session, its run by surfers and the food certainly hits the spot.  After breakfast we went over to Carlsbad to look at Jeff’s shop, Legend Surf.  Its a great place and it is the centre for Stand Up Paddle Surfing in the Oceanside/Carlsbad/Cardiff area.

Legends Surf, Carlsbad

After that Ted took me up to the C4/Boardworks warehouse in Oceanside to have a look round, Boardworks CEO Bob Rief and General Manager Phillip Rainey had made it back before us (they were both surfing at Cardiff) and had started work.  Its really common in SoCal for people to do a dawn patrol before work as there is usually no wind first thing in the morning and the surf is super glassy.  By mid morning the sun has heated up the land and you get the thermal sea breeze coming in, so a dawn patrol is a really good option.

Boardworks Warehouse Oceanside

Ted at Boardworks checking the custom C4 Poly Boards

Surfboards ready to be shipped

It was a great day and I felt like I had been given a good glimpse of the SoCal stand up paddle surfing scene, which is friendly, laidback and has some really talented riders. It was the first of many great SoCal SUP sessions.

Massive thanks to C4 Waterman, Ted Rutherford, Jeff Warner, Andre Niemeyer, Bob Rief and Phillip Rainey.

ShareThis

Honolulu, Hawaii-

The first ever magazine which will cover the fastest growing recreational sport of stand up paddling launches this fall and will feature some of the most fascinating images captured over the last year and a half by the world’s greatest photographers.

Standup Paddle Magazine publisher Reid Inouye has this to say about the new magazine, “With the growing interest in SUP, we are now ready to launch a magazine which caters one hundred percent to the SUP consumer and industry.”

“The growth is phenomenal and the time is now. What you’ll see in our premiere issue is a format which touches on all subjects of the market, where the industry is headed, lifestyle of the top watermen and women in the world and of course, since this art form has been around since the early day beach boy off the shores of Waikiki, we honor them with it the “All Hawaiian Issue.”

“With that being said about content, a percentage of sales revenue from the magazine will go to both

The Bi-Monthly magazine features will include;

ENVIRONMENT

Paddling With The Living Earth;

Lava Flow Dancing For Madame Pele featuring Leleo Kinimaka

LIFESTYLE
Beach Boy Art Form

DESTINATIONS

Hawaiian Paddle; Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Big Island

FEATURE
Paddlin’ In Style; What To Wear When Pullin’ Into Pipe with Ikaika Kalama

INDUSTRY
Those Who Get You Walking On Water

EQUIPMENT
What to buy guide: From A to Z

Based just a couple miles from Waikiki Beach, Standup Paddle magazine
expects to go global right off the press.

For more information contact;
Reidinouye@gmail.com
Telephone: 808.723.5357

ShareThis

Surftech works with top triathletes and trainers to show how sta