Paddleboarders Raise $18,000 for SurfAid
- Written by Morgan Becker
- Published in News
- Comments::DISQUS_COMMENTS
written by Rob Farrow
The paddleboarding and stand up paddle (SUP) fundraiser attracted some of the region’s best paddlers, who competed in the 6-mile elite race, and dozens more who participated in the 2-mile fun paddle.
Paddleboarders strike out from the start line to try and gain an advantage on the open water.
ENCINITAS, California – On April 30th, 182 athletes gathered at Doheny State Beach to compete in the 3rd Annual Paddle for Humanity to benefit SurfAid International. The paddleboarding and stand up paddle (SUP) fundraiser attracted some of the region’s best paddlers, who competed in the 6-mile elite race, and dozens more who participated in the 2-mile fun paddle.
The Executive Director of SurfAid International USA, Randal Schober, said the event would not have been possible without the commitment from the sponsors, most notably Watermans Applied Science. “Watermans has come out year after year to help organize and rally the paddling community in support of our cause,” Schober said.
The event was sanctioned by the World Paddleboard Association and was part of the WPA’s championship points races. San Clemente’s Thomas Maximus was the overall male winner with a time of 54:08 and Brandi Baksic, also from San Clemente, was the overall top female in 1:06:48. Each competitor had a chance at winning raffle prizes that included gear from Rogue, Quickblade, Toes on the Nose, Sticky Bumps, Board Fisher and Hobie.
Special prizes were also awarded to the top three event fundraisers. First place for “Most Funds Raised” went to Mark Carlisle of Team Hobie who raised $2,825 for SurfAid. Mark Pighini of Team Suplove and Jared Varges were also recognized for their individual efforts in raising money and awareness for SurfAid.
The event’s success reaffirms the event’s popularity which has grown from one event in 2010 to a national series this year. SurfAid and Watermans Applied Science are taking the Paddle for Humanity to Deerfield Beach, FL on June 4th and to Washington, DC on August 20th.
Fore more information and details on how you can join the Paddle for Humanity race series please visit http://www.paddleforhumanity.org.
Which races have you participated in this year?
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Morgan Becker
After spending the first part of her life in Minnesota, Morgan traded in her snow boots for sandals and moved to sunny California. After graduating with a degree in Communication from The University of Southern California, she eventually made her way down south to San Diego and is taking advantage of the living by the best beaches and burritos California has to offer. If it’s sunny, you can find her at the beach relaxing, or exploring the calm water in the bay via paddleboards and kayaks.
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