Major SUP Events Cancelled Due To CoronaVirus

SAN DIEGO, California - In light of the CoronaVirus pandemic that has hit hard in the past couple of weeks major events in the standup paddle industry are being cancelled and postponed. The more widely known events that have announced the cancellation or postponements of events are as follows:

• Santa Cruz Paddlefest - Cancelled
• Carolina Cup - Postponed
• Air France Paddle Fest - Postponed

Announcements from the event are below:

Carolina Cup:

In light of the recommendation of the US Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention that no gatherings with 50 or more people take place for the next eight weeks to slow the spread of this novel coronavirus, we have decided to postpone the April 25th 2020 Carolina Cup race day to November 7th, 2020. We were hoping to keep our event stable on the calendar to show our human resiliency and fortitude, but feel the CDC guidance is the prudent direction for the greater good of the human race.

We are grateful for each of YOU, our Carolina Cup family, and look forward to seeing you in November!

Air France Paddle Festival:

Dear athletes,

The whole world is experiencing a unique situation and our island is not spared in the face of the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). In view of the situation in this evolving environment, and in line with the recommendations of the health authorities aimed at strengthening prevention in Polynesia, the precautionary principle applies to an international event such as the Air France Paddle Festival.

As a result, the 7th edition of the Air France Paddle Festival to take place on Saturday, April 4 will be postponed to the second half of that year. In an approach of responsibility and wisdom, this decision is motivated by the desire not to make the different actors of the event: athletes, media, partners, members of the organization and of course, spectators.

We must guarantee the safety of people, but also the interest of everyone including foreign competitors and media that must participate. So far, no delay date is yet confirmed but we are already in communication with The Paddle League to find a solution. We will come back to you soon to communicate the next steps. This is an exceptional measure in an exceptional circumstance. We thank you for your understanding and trust.

Sportingly,

The management of '4 Events Pacific' - organizers of the Air France Paddle Festival

Santa Cruz Paddle Fest:

Based upon recent events, and at the recommendation of the County of Santa Cruz Health Department, we have cancelled our event. The decision was not made lightly and in the interest of protecting our local and paddling communities we are heading their advice. As we move forward SCPF will be assessing the financial stress that this cancellation has on the event. Afterwards, we will reach out about any potential refunds. Thank you for your understanding and patience in this difficult time. We have TENTATIVE dates for 2021 running from April 1st to the 4th. It is still too soon at this time to be certain if we will be able to reschedule the 2020 event. We will be in communication with all of our vendors, competitors, friends, and family as soon as we have any new information on the dates of our next event.

Thank you all for you support in this challenging time. We hope that you all stay healthy and we hope to see you on the water soon.