Original Watermen Signs Alex Mauer to the Team

Alex Mauer, newest team rider for Original Watermen

CARLSBAD, California - Original Watermen, a nationally recognized supplier of apparel inthe action sports industry, recently signed its newest Team Rider, Alex Mauer. Maurer, a Colorado-basedstand-up paddle boarder and whitewater river racer, is the first SUP rider on the southern California-based team.

"I'm pretty stoked to be on the team, and am thankful to everyone at Original Watermen for theopportunity to ride on the team," said Mauer. "Being part of the paddling world, it just means a lot tome to be a part of the brand; and the name Original Watermen is so much more than a brand - it isa lifestyle. Being out in the water is where I find my balance in life, I draw my life from being on thewater."

Mauer began riding river waves at the age of 12. Over the last few years, Mauer has won several RiverSurf and Stand Up Paddle competitions, including making a name for himself when taking first placein 2009 and 2010 at the Pueblo River Surf Competition. He continued paving the way for the inlandwaterman scene in 2011, placing at the Ice Breaker SUP Elite Race, the Boulder Running Company Eventand Larson's SUP Cup Elite Race, to name a few. Most recently, Mauer took 3rd in the 2012 Battle of thePaddle Open Class Race, ages 18-29, and first place at the Cherry Creek Chase Competition.

"Having a rider like Alex on the team is a very exciting step for us," said Jeff Jones, BrandAmbassador. "When choosing a new Team Rider, we don’t just look for the best athletes, but athleteswith a self-motivated spirit, positive attitude and who are community driven. With Alex being located inColorado, he understands that when you reach the top, that’s when the climb begins!”

Mauer helped create the inland surf scene, and is a co-founder of the Colorado River Surfing Association(CRSA). This season alone, Mauer helped put on a number of flat-water races, and plans to continue onto work with whitewater competitions as well.

"I feel like I was born in the wrong state," said Mauer with a laugh. "Being landlocked, you see peopleriding waves on kayaks, called Play Boating. I had a boogie board and thought, 'If they are doing that, Ican ride that same wave on my boogie board!' So I started riding waves on my boogie board, then wentto drop-knee, and the next step was obviously surfing. I fell in love with that, so I pioneered the surfscene in Colorado, and that transitioned to SUP. I've been hooked ever since."

Mauer progressed quickly, learning about new Colorado breaks from kayakers. Surfing the Glen WoodWave, a wave that doesn't break, allowed him to surf without time restraints - helping him strengthen hisskills. He is also sponsored by Rogue SUP, SUP Life and Paddle Simulator.

Original Watermen has signed several groms over the last year, both locally and nationally. For moreinformation on the Original Watermen Surf Team, visit the Web site at www.originalwatermen.com/team.

In 2011 and 2012, Original Watermen more than tripled sales in retail and mail-order with its surf-inspired clothing. Original Watermen, Inc. owns the trademarks Original Watermen, Watermen,Waterman and Earn Your Salt. In the past year, the company also signed several local, SouthernCalifornia surfers to their own Original Watermen Surf Team and sponsors the Carlsbad Surf Team.

ABOUT ORIGINAL WATERMEN:

Like so many great things in the ‘80s, Original Watermen started in the back of a VW bus. Surfer andlifeguard, Ken Miller and future wife Jen, began making and selling water trunks. The first customerswere Carlsbad, CA locals and eventually the State of California lifeguards signed up for 36 redshorts. Since those early days, Original Watermen has evolved and grown, now outfitting over 1,900organizations from local and state agency lifeguards and fire fighters to military Special Forces. The brandOriginal Watermen has a major following within the retail industry and the hype for what a Watermantruly is has just begun. Original Watermen, as a company, was created with a solitary vision: provide thebest quality, fit, and performance in every garment.

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