Kialoa Paddles
The Gorge Games
The 2008 Gorge Games in Hood River, Oregon are this weekend. Outrigger races have been held in July on the Columbia River for 12 years. The Gorge that separates Oregon from Washington is one of the country's most famous spots for watersports. The unique conditions of current and wind create some really fun action in the water. This is the premier race in the Northwest and has attracted paddlers from Hawaii, California and Canada every year. The weekends Outrigger events include a fun downwinder for OC-1, OC2, and Surfskis. Saturday are the 6 man races and Sunday the one man races. New this year is the addition of an SUP category. KIALOA has always been a proud participant of The Gorge Outrigger Races both as paddlers and sponsor. This year KIALOA will have three employees racing and officiating at the races. Pray to the River Gods for wind! [Link]
Chuck and Bitsy
Chuck Patterson takes his Mother, Bitsy, out for a paddle. Extreme sports run in the family. Bitsy was a professional skiier and windsurfer and started her son on the same path at an early age. Chuck is now one of the most accomplished extreme sport atheletes and an amazing waterman.
KIALOA is proud to sponsor such and amazing athelete. His feedback and support of KIALOA’s surf paddles is invaluable. Find out more about Chuck at Hobie.com and be on the lookout for his beautiful new website being launched soon.
Photo Courtesy of Joe McBride [Link]
Makapo Outrigger Prepares for Queen Lili'uokalani
On Sunday June 8, 2008 in preparation for the 18 mile Queen Lili’uokalaniRace in Kona, Hawaii the Makapo Outrigger Canoe Club completed an 18 milepractice from Newport Beach to Dana Point, California. With Billy Whitford of the Newport Aquatic Center (NAC)driving the escortboat and (3) sighted steersmen the 10 blind paddlers completed the course in3 ½ hours.
The ocean was beautiful with the conditions being nearly perfect – a bit ofwind chop in the last 2 miles created a challenge as the blind paddlers learned to find the ever changing ocean surface below their paddles. Most of our practices thus far have been inside the protected Newport Harborwith very little time spent in the open ocean. All of the paddlers LOVEDthe ocean conditions – noticing how the canoe “wanted to fly” in the openocean.
Most of the paddlers reported losing sleep the night before due to fears ofthe unknown. Would they actually be able to go the distance? What wouldhappen if they couldn’t? What would it be like to be in the open ocean forso long? Imagine being completely blind and jumping into an outrigger canoe andpaddling out into the open ocean ………………. Just imagine.
“These paddlers are the bravest I’ve ever known and are a constant source ofinspiration," says the Makapo Outrigger Canoe Club coach, Kirsten Hermstad Garwood. Practices are held at the NAC in Newport Beach Tuesdays and Thursdays at5:30pm and 9:30am Saturdays. Blind paddlers – kids and adults - interestedin paddling are welcome to join us the first Saturday of every month at Noonat the NAC.
Visit http://www.ocmap.org/ to learn more about our programs. Makapo Paddlers equipment, race fees and travel expenses are completely paidby the Orange County Makapo Aquatics project non-profit corporation. KIALOA is a proud donor and any donations and sponsorships are greatly appreciated.
Aloha,Kirsten Hermstad Garwood
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Another Day In Paradise
Our friend, Rambo in Queensland, has done another great video. Check out his blog, Rambo’s Locker [Link]
Touching Base With Justin De Bree
Justin De Bree is being interviewed by FOX in the photo above. Justin is "Standing Up" for the Skin Cancer Foundation. His goal is to paddle on his surfboard at least 35 miles a day from Key Biscayne, FL to St. Mary's, Georgia. His journey will begin on June 19th and end on July 4th. Please visit his page at the Skin Cancer Foudation's website.Justin told us in an e-mail that "I have just been training like crazy…the interview was awesome. Florida is real excited about my journey." KIALOA is too and very proud to have helped him! [Link]
11 year old Noah Yap with his Shaka!
Here is a video of young Noah Yap being filmed by his grandfather. Noah is 11 an has been surfing with an SUP for about 8 months now in Maui, HI. We are so proud he has been using a KIALOA Shaka Pu'u!
May 2, 2008 Noah having fun SUP on Maui from Byron Yap on Vimeo
I hope you enjoy the video. [Link]
SYOC Open Women Win Australia'a Gold Coast Cup
Jasmin Kelly of Southport Yacht Club Outrigger in Australia talks about their win at the Gold Coast Cup in Australia. Congratulations Ladies!
“Southport Yacht Club Outriggers (SYCO) proved on Saturday 12th April that they have closed the gap on Mooloolaba Outrigger Canoe Club since last season, winning the 12th Annual Gold Coast Cup with a four minute lead.
“After coming second in this race last year and second in the Burleigh Point Regatta two weeks ago by only two seconds, we were ready to take the line first," said Southport Yacht Club Outrigger Jasmin Kelly.
“This win has really set us up for the rest of the season and ultimately the Hamilton Island Cup," she said.
SYCO Open Womens team won in 3hrs 7mins and 35sec, four minutes ahead of Mooloolaba 1 with SYCO Secretary Shandy Danford-Spittle steering Mooloolaba 2 to a third place win.
A mixed team from SYCO also competed in the Gold Coast Cup placing third, however disqualified as they had eleven paddlers instead of the allowed nine.
“We had eleven paddlers as there were a number of novice paddlers who wanted to have a go with our experienced paddlers; they had a great time," said Past Southport Yacht Club Outrigger President Amanda Kennealy.
The thirty-three kilometre race started off Greenmount Point before heading north along the Gold Coast beach line past Surfers Paradise to the Gold Coast Seaway for a flat-water dash in the Broadwater to the finish line at Southport Spit."
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Introducing kialoasurf.com
We now have a dedicated website for SUP. Check out KialoaSurf.com for some Cool Stuff about everyone's favorite new sport. We are continually working on this site an adding new photos and articles. If you have any feedback or content it would be well received. Choose contact us on the bottom of the website to do so.
Thanks for your support and have a beautiful day on the water! [Link]
2008 Catalina Challenge
Jack Roney and Ryan Dolan placed 2nd overall last weekend at the 2008 Catalina Challenge (Oc-1 team relay). Jack and Ryan are both High School Seniors on Oahu, Hawaii, and paddle for Lanikai Canoe Club. Jack will be attending UCLA next Fall. Ryan is yet undecided, but will be near the water as he has set a goal of making a future Olympic team in kayak. Finishing one place back in 3rd, were fellow Hurricane/ Kialoa teammates Jim and John Foti. Racing to a decisive 1st place, were Danny Ching and teammate Steve Sinkus, from Team Kaku Designs/Mudbrook. Aloha, Dave Chun [Link]
Mel Puu Interview
The Mel Puu video interview is available at Stand up Paddle Surfing Magazine. Check it out. [Link]
Cranking On KIALOA's Shaka Pu'u
Stand Up Paddle Surfing Magazine has given KIALOA a little teaser of their Mel Puu video interview. Here he is cranking on the Shaka Pu'u, KIALOA's SUP that was designed and tested with much help from Mel Puu. Visit their site for more information and the upcoming interview. [Link]
Dave Chun's Interview
Dave Chun was interviewed by Evan Leong of http://www.standuppaddlesurf.net/ in December. Dave very eloquently explains the evolution of the surf paddle why KIALOA’s Paddles are available in different shapes and sizes. This is the first of four parts to the interview, check out the rest at YouTube. [Link]
Live Like You Paddle Scholarship 2008
Trisha is a 2007 scholarship winner from Canada's Lotus Sports Club. She submitted this YouTube video as her entry. We look forward to more fun and creative entries like this for Watch and enjoy! For details go to Kialoa’s Live Like You Paddle Student Scholarship and you could win free paddle! 
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2008 KIALOA Student Scolarship
2007 winner Cody Sylvester
of Hokuloa Canoe Club in California
It's time for the 2008 KIALOA “Live Like You Paddle" Scholarship. This is a scholarship for students 18 years and under and a chance to win one of our outrigger paddles.
It involves submitting a creative project to KIALOA of either an essay, art, digital, video, music. Use your imagination! 10 students each year have a chance to win. The application process is explained in detail at our website Kialoa Surf and Outrigger Paddles.
So I ask our readers to please help us get the word out and let our paddling students know of this opportunity!
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Our good friend Noah Shimabukuro surfs Oceanside California."Thanks for all the great paddles! Aloha!" - Noah [Link]
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On the morning of June 19th, 2008, Cocoa Beach, FL resident Justin DeBree will embark on a challenging 18 day journey from Key Biscayne, FL up the East Coast to St. Mary's, Georgia. The expedition's goal is to raise money and awareness while promoting the World Skin Cancer Foundation's mission. The grueling 398 mile long journey will be done entirely on a stand up paddle board and using a Kialoa Paddle.
Justin is 27 years old and works for DeWALT Industrial Power Tools & a volunteer for the World Skin Cancer Foundation. Justin has been stand up paddle boarding every day for the past year in preparation for this journey and is eagerly awaiting this challenge.
This year, instead of surf & fishing trips like he has done in past during his vacation time, he is donating his entire time off for this event.
During the journey, certain Port Stops such as Miami, Boca Raton, Palm Beach, Cape Canaveral, & Jacksonville will have free skin Cancer screenings by Dermatologists.
Money raised will directly help the World Skin Cancer Foundation. To read more about it please visit WWW.WorldSkinCancerFoundation.Com or visit Justin’s Blog. [Link]
Paddling For Josh
Two men, 120 miles, 15 hours, 50,000 spectators, and one amazing overnight canoe marathon. The Weyerhaeuser Au Sable River Canoe Marathon is the longest non-stop canoe race in North America. The canoe race begins in Grayling, Michigan and finishes where the Au Sable River meets Lake Huron in Oscoda. Best of all, this endurance challenge is the only overnight canoe race in North America!!! The Au Sable Canoe Marathon is the richest canoe race in North America with a prize pool of over $50,000. KIALOA is proud to help sponsor Brandon Gerardy and Stephen Leppard in their race next summer. Both Brandon and Stephen are in the field of physical therapy with an emphasis in sport performance enhancement. Here is a bit more info from Brandon about their inspiration for this race. "Stephen and I are undertaking this race not only as a personal challenge, but also to raise money for Josh LeJarett. Josh is 17 year old patient who we have treated in our Kalamazoo (Michigan) physical therapy clinic for 5 years for a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Stephen has been Josh's physical therapist for the past five years and I has worked with Josh on and off for the past five years. Josh is wheelchair bound having only voluntary control of his left upper extremity. He is able to drive his wheelchair with a left hand joystick, but is unable to transfer, dress, toilet, and shower independently. With his mental capacity intact, Josh plans to attend college next fall to pursue a degree in computer programming. However, aside from the typical challenges of paying for his own tuition, living expenses, and textbooks, Josh will also need daily assistance with transferring, dressing, toileting, and showering. Stephen and I hope to make this already difficult transition to college a little easier by raising money to help pay for caregivers. We plan to raise money in a Paddling For Josh program by accepting pledges for each mile we paddle. By paddling 120 miles, we will not only be demonstrating a healthy lifestyle but also paddling for a good cause!" They are continuing to look for sponsorships. If you are so inspired please contact Brandon at solsticecanoeing@winning.com [Link]
Gerry Lopez - The Fire Inside
This is an article by Gerry Lopez which he kindly gave KIALOA permission to post. This is a very good read folks!
The Fire Inside
Surfing astonishes me still. Even after almost 50 years of steady pursuit I find my inner fire for the experience, though cooled on occasion, still can be stoked up into a blaze that all but consumes my attention toward everything else in my life. For those who don’t surf, this somewhat juvenile passion is difficult to understand. But for those who do, this internal heater room fuels that private smile and keeps us coming back for just that one more wave time and time again.
I surfed the first time when I was 10 years old. For the next 7 years I enjoyed it with friends but it was only recreation. During my first year away from home attending a Southern California college, on a weekend surf safari to Baja Mexico, the fire inside suddenly burst into a conflagration. I was resting on the beach after a long session at an obscure spot called K-38 1/2, trying to warm up in the sunshine from the chilly below-the-border water, when an unusual thing happened. The waves were perfect and my vantage point ideal as I watched them break empty of any riders. I closed my eyes but the picture continued to play in my mind. I saw a surfer riding across a wave, something I had witnessed before while dreaming of surfing, but this time I recognized the surfer. I was astonished to find he was me. In my mind’s eye was a clear picture of myself, riding a wave and performing maneuvers I had never been able to do before. I was completely astounded, closing my eyes tighter to replay this picture; I hoped it would not fade away. It didn’t and even better, I was able to think about things I had watched other, more skilled surfers do and see myself doing the same. It was a moment of surf/self visualization and instantly I was warm from the inside out. The flame that had been barely kindling before suddenly flared. The meandering direction of my surfing took on an immediate focus. From that point forward the fire inside burned hot. I became a surfer for life.
Over the following years, many things happened to fuel those fires. In 1967, the Shortboard Revolution began in Hawaii and I had the great fortune and privilege of owning the surfboard that was its opening shot, an 8’- 6” mini-gun made by Dick Brewer. Each new surfboard led surfing performance to a higher level at the various surf spots. Ala Moana, Sunset Beach, the Banzai Pipeline, all kept the fires burning. Close friends pushed each other to new places of progress and innovation. Surf traveling added more fuel. Discovering Bali, G-Land and the splendid surf of Indonesia prolonged the stoke for many years. Windsurfing and wave sailing opened new doors and broadened our horizons. Tow surfing into the big waves that had been unattainable before was a huge stoke. Surfing the snow on a snowboard kept it going all the more.
My affair with the mountains and the snow had marooned me inland for the last 15 years, 200 miles from the coast. The surf fire seemed to have dwindled down to a pilot light level, still able to flare under the right stimulus but little more than a warm glow. It seemed my job of building surfboards did more to keep the fire alive than the few surf trips I took. I felt like I was on hold for something, surfing was always on my mind and in my soul but the physical part had shrunk. Then something happened.
I discovered stand up paddle surfing. Not that it was anything new. Beach boys like Joseph “Scooter Boy” Kaouiki had been doing it in Waikiki back in the late 1940’s. Leroy and Bobby Ah Choy also played with it on their tandem surfboards using outrigger canoe paddles.
Then Laird got into it. He asked me to shape him a board which I did out of a huge 12’-8” tandem blank. The shaping task was an ordeal, the glassing part even worse. The final product was so big and heavy only Laird could pick it up by himself. But he was stoked, his smile showing it was just perfect for what he had in mind. The only bummer was he wanted another dozen just like it right away for all his friends. I shuddered at that thought and began thinking fast in another direction. Another good friend and great shaper, Ron House, had said in a recent conversation that surfboard work in Southern California had slowed down. I called him and without mentioning much about the down side of the task, somehow talked him into getting involved in Laird’s big board project. Ron rose to the occasion, his and Laird’s relationship bloomed and currently Ron House stand up boards are on the leading edge of this new sport. But the years went by and I never gave it much of a try. I took an Indo boat trip with Laird, Dave Kalama and a big group of others to some fabulous waves. There I was able to witness firsthand Laird’s expertise at stand up paddle surfing in any and all waves that didn’t required the use of a tow-board and jet ski. It was an incredible and unbelievable show. But still I lagged. I found the boards too big, the balancing tricky and keeping it going in a straight line difficult. Yet those visions of Laird kept playing through my mind. I was impressed by the ease with which he paddled into any wave, and his precise maneuvering to make the big 12’ board fit into every part of the wave.
I got myself a 12’ Mickey Munoz SurfTech board and a Kialoa paddle to try on my own. I paddled all over the local lakes. That was easy on the flat still water, but several attempts in the ocean waves didn’t offer much hope. This sport was really hard and Laird’s quick mastery of it seemed beyond belief even for him. I went to visit him in California and we got in a good surf session at Point Dume. He danced around on his board like Fred Astaire. I felt like a klutz, but I watched him carefully.
The next week I went to visit Sparky Longley of Rainbow Sandals who was just getting into stand up paddle surfing and we met Ron House down at San Onofre. Ron had some beautiful equipment and showed us some entry level technique that made everything easier. San Onofre, the slowest wave in the world, was the perfect stand up paddleboard playground. I stayed out for hours totally hooked on the new sport.
Ron sent me a fantastic 10’ stand up board with a thruster fin set-up. Meg and Dave Chun of Kialoa Paddles made an almost weightless carbon fiber paddle for me to try. I practiced on the lakes to improve on the most difficult part of learning this sport. To ride waves, one needs to see them first, paddle out to meet them, then turn around quickly to catch them. That’s the hard part, to turn around fast while still maintaining a forward momentum to be in a position to paddle into the wave at the right moment and in the right place. It sounds easy but believe me, it's not.
The first surf day finally came. A nice swell was breaking on a well formed sandbar, but a lot of regular surfers were in the line-up. I was careful to avoid them and pick waves for which they were out of position. I had fun and the best part was standing up. I stayed warm while everyone else shivered in the ice-cold water. I went several more times and began to better understand the subtle nuances of Ron’s fine board as well as improve my paddle technique. Then there was a morning I woke up to a perfect swell breaking on an outside sandbank. The roving line-up made positioning an impossible task on a regular board but easy work with the greater mobility range of the stand up board. The paddle blade is much bigger than two hands increasing the power of each stroke tremendously. The peaks were all over the place but I could chase them down and paddle into many that would have been impossible to catch on a regular board. Sometimes on a wave, sections would pop up ahead. By taking a few hard strokes, I was able to speed up and easily make it through. Using the paddle to pivot off of, I could make that 10’ board turn on a dime. The glide of the big board and power available with the paddle smoothed out the lines I was able to take on any given wave. Getting caught inside proved a formidable obstacle but there were times when a little speed going out and a little fancy balancing rolled me over some big whitewater that I thought for sure would knock me down. I also began to pay more attention to what was behind the wave I was riding and managed to escape getting trapped by pulling out at the right moment. But many of the waves that the other regular surfers were not interested in were fair game for the stand up board. My wave count went up enormously. I was stoked. Before I knew it, 7 hours had gone by, several different groups of regular surfers had come and gone and I was still feeling pretty good.
After that I watched the surf forecasts like a hawk. At any hint of waves, I would make the 4 hour drive to go surfing. The fires inside are roaring again, driving 200 miles for surf once seemed absurd but now it hardly makes me blink. Am I nuts or what? Keep surfing! [Link]
Surfers Environmental Alliance
In August a bunch of Surfers gathered in New York to raise awareness of Autism by paddling 28 miles around the island of Manhattan. SEA Paddle NYC hopes to create awareness of their organizations fight to protect coastal waterways as well as a condition that is more prevelant in New Jersey that any other state.The paddle route began near South Street Sea Port and continued up the East River into the Harlem River, then down the Hudson River, ending at Battery Park City.Click on the photo for more information and some great pictures. [Link]
Pure Light Racing Canoe Club
Three female and three male adaptive paddlers were recruited by coaches Aka Hemmings and Michi Wong to race the Queen Lili'uokalani 18 mile distance canoe race in Hawaii. As part of an initiative supported by their church ministry, project Pure Light reaches out to the disabled community using the outrigger canoe as an instrument of strength and recovery. They finished the demanding race in 2:43:57. Their time ranked them among the top 60 finishers out of more than 100 crews. "I've had good days in my life," says Coach Hemmings. "But that weekend was probably the most rewarding thing I've ever done. It touched my soul." Read more about this amazing crew at Mixed Plate Special and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. [Link]
New Favorite Links
Check out a couple of our new favorite places to catch up on SUP news.
Stand Up Paddle Surfing Magazine is a fun and informative site with great pictures and videos. I recommend the Australian video.
StandUpPADDLEBend.com is our local surfing community in the High Desert! Surfing in Bend Oregon might sound a bit crazy to some, but hey! We got Gerry out there too!
Check out the FREE!! "Ladies First" CLINIC & DEMO DAY for SUP on Sept 29th down on the Deschutes. [Link]
Hammered from Behind
Rambos Locker Outrigger Canoe Blog: Hammered from Behind
This is a great video of Rambo in Moloolaba Queensland surfing his one-man with a Kialoa! Check out his blog here.
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Chuck and Wade. Is that dog on a leash? [Link]
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Chuck Patterson's dog Wade is taking a break. Paddling without opposable thumbs is very tiring.
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Gerry Lopez plays Kialoa
What in the world is Gerry playing? A crazy long banjo? Why no, that would be KIALOA's Kole, our full carbon surf paddle. Gerry Lopez not only shares our beautiful locale in Central Oregon but also our passion for excellence. He has given us the honor of a wonderful testimonial for our product and gives us valuable and honest feedback regarding our surf paddles. Thanks Gerry! See ya on the Deschutes!
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Miami2Maine
Margo Pellegrino is doing a paddle from Miami to Maine to raise awareness of ocean and coastal quality issues, in the hopes that she can make a difference in the world and inspire others to take an active role in the stewardship of the oceans. KIALOA is proud to sponsor Margo with a paddle to support her in her amazing journey. If you kayak, row or paddle, it'd be a great time to get back in the water. She encourages others to paddle along with her and she has a lot of paddling company on the water for many segments. This Tuesday, June 19, she will be speaking to the Members of Congress on the Ocean Caucus at Capital Hill. The hearing actually started out as an invitation to discuss her journey and observations with a small group of Congressmen, but the interest was so great, that it is now a full hearing. Check out her Miami2Maine website for frequent updates about her progress. Go Margo! [Link]
West Coast Outdoors Product Review
Thanks Dave Norona who featured our Nalu in his article for Westcoast Outdoors promoting stand up paddling. This great sport is making it's way into Canada fast.
There was another great article by Dave in North Shore News.
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What do you think of our Stand Up Surf Paddle?
We want your feedback. What do you think of our Stand Up Surf paddles? Do you have a Nalu or Kole or SUS? Have you tried other brands?
What is your opinion on blade size? [Link]
Kialoa's First Blog Entry
Hi, this is Amy at Kialoa Paddles and I am going to be managing our business blog. I look forward to getting to know our paddlers in a new way.
Our business has always been based on customer feedback and we are constantly looking for ways to keep in touch with our paddling community.
I am currently sitting in a Business Blogging class at the local community college creating this post while not paying attention to the instructor.
Gotta Go!
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