6th Annual Newport SUP Cup To Raise Money for Clean Ocean Access

NEWPORT, Rhode Island – The Newport SUP Cup is a family fun standup paddle race for a great cause based at the historic Newport Shipyard. Paddlers will navigate 3 or 6 mile courses around Goat Island, passing the Newport Harbor Lighthouse, Newport Bridge and other landmarks. The Newport Harbor is home to some of the largest, fastest, and most beautiful new and restored ships, sailboats, and yachts in the world. Not only will the race provide a collegial end of summer challenge, but also scenery of the sea-faring type. This isn’t your typical race venue!

In its 6th year, the Newport SUP Cup will award $1,000 in cash prizes and over $8,000 in merchandise from the race sponsors, which are Coastal Urge vendors including Patagonia, Vineyard Vines, The North Face, Southern Tide, Mountain Khakis, Olukai, Kaenon, TOMS, and more. A hallmark of all Coastal Urge paddle races is that every participant leaves the race with prize.
Here’s what paddlers have to say about Coastal Urge paddle races:

"Thanks for putting on a great race and making sure everyone walked home with a prize!"

"Thanks again to Coastal Urge and all the sponsors for putting on another stellar event!"

"I'd heard the prizes were cool but these were completely amazing!"

“We want everyone that attends the race to have a great time and go home with something to remember the event by,” says Jeoffrey Nathan, co-organizer of the Newport SUP CUP. “Our sponsors have been incredibly generous in making that happen.”

The sponsors also help the Newport SUP Cup raise money to benefit the work done by Clean Ocean Access - a local Non-Profit organization that works to keep our coastlines and waterways Clean, works on water quality of our Ocean, and maintains public Access points to the many miles of Aquidneck Island coastline, as well as educating the community about maintaining healthy oceans. In 2014, Clean Ocean Access performed 61 marine debris cleanups, removing 11,272 pounds of debris from 46 miles of coastline (among other activities).

In its 6th year, the Newport SUP Cup will award $1,000 in cash prizes and over $8,000 in merchandise from the race sponsors.

“Clean Ocean Access is delighted to be the event beneficiary of the 6th Annual SUP CUP,” says Dave McLaughlin, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Clean Ocean Access. “We plan to use the funds for community development and education; Within our 3 core programs we have developed a campaign entitled ‘Simple ways YOU can help to improve OCEAN health.’ This campaign provides fun, easy, and impactful ways for residents on Aquidneck Island to improve the health of our watersheds, eliminate marine debris, reduce beach closures, and overall it promotes long-lasting stewardship of the coastlines and waters of the island.”

Clean Ocean Access will be onsite during the Newport SUP Cup to distribute information and answer questions about their initiatives. There will also be a coastline cleanup during the event.

Rooted in Community

The Newport SUP Cup was started by Jeoffrey Nathan, Co-owner, with his wife Catherine, of Coastal Urge, and his childhood sailing partner Jamie Haines, who spends her time, when not planning this great event, racing yachts competitively all over the world. “I went home to visit my family one year over Thanksgiving and we had a Pickup SUP CUP. It was right when we were getting into paddleboarding. Everyone asked if we could do it again in the summer, when it’s warm!” said Nathan. A tradition was born. “The whole day is great! We love getting to showcase the Newport Harbor in such a unique way. It offers the chance for paddlers around the country to get a different view of the sport.”

The Newport SUP Cup was started by Jeoffrey Nathan, Co-owner, with his wife Catherine, of Coastal Urge, and his childhood sailing partner Jamie Haines.

Registration

Paddlers can register online via the website www.newportsupcup.com.

Schedule and Details

Saturday, August 22, 2015
8:30 AM: Check in/ Onsite Registration (Coastal Urge tent. Same-day registration fee addtl. $15)
9:30 AM: Racer's Meeting (Coastal Urge tent)
10 AM: Race Begins
12:45 PM: Awards Ceremony

Race Course

The Course will begin and end at the Newport Shipyard, at 1 Washington St., Newport RI 02840. The 6 mile Elite Division course will paddle from the Newport Shipyard and north under the Goat Island causeway, and go around a buoy just south of the Newport Bridge, and then circle Goat Island, and then repeat, to finally fishing at the Newport Shipyard.

The 3 mile Recreational Division will head north from the Newport Shipyard, under the Goat Island Causeway, and round a buoy just south of the Newport Bridge, and then circle Goat Island, finishing at the Newport Shipyard. There is provision by the race director to change the course due to weather on the day of the race.

Divisions

Recreational Division: Registration Fee: Adults: $55 | Kids: $25

• Kids 14 & under division
• 12'6" and under Women's
• 12'6" and under Men's
• 14' Men's
• 14’ Women’s
• Men’s Prone
• Women’s Prone

Elite Division: Registration Fee: $75

• 12'6" and under Men's
• 12'6" and under Women's
• 14' Men's
• 14’ Women’s
• Men’s Prone
• Women’s Prone

More information and to register visit http://www.newportsupcup.com

About Coastal Urge

Coastal Urge is a family of stores specializing in outfitting the active coastal lifestyle. There are six stores open in the Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Bald Head Island, and Myrtle Beach areas of the Coastal Carolinas. Available brands include Patagonia, The North Face, Carve, Arc'teryx, Prana, Southern Tide, Vineyard Vines, Lilly Pulitzer, TOMs, Mountain Khakis, Rayban, Olukai, Mountain Hardware, Southern Marsh, UGG, and Costa, among others. Owners Jeoffrey and Catherine Nathan opened the first retail location in 2008. More at coastalurge.com