Surftech Athletes Dominate The 2016 Catalina Classic

CATALINA, California - Surftech athletes dominate the 2016 Catalina Classic with a first place finisher in every class. Max First won the unlimited division, Lachie Lansdown defended his 2015 stock class title with a 2016 first place finish and Abby Brown won the women’s stock class pulling off the "Single-Double” (winning the M2O and Catalina Classic in the same month). Only Carter Graves and Abby Brown have the distinguished honor of the Single-Double in the history of the M2O and Catalina Classic.

Lachie Lansdown smashed the stock class record by almost 7 minutes to get the back-to-back victories in the 2015 and now the 2016 Catalina Classic. Max First got first in the unlimited class on his unlimited Bark prone for the second time in his carrier. Congratulations to all of the paddlers for an epic race in one of the most grueling races on the planet.

About the Catalina Classic

On Sunday, August 28th, 2016, paddlers from all over the United States took to the waters off of Southern California in the 40th Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race, the premier and most historical paddleboard race in the world. Officially started in 1955 by Los Angeles County Lifeguard Bob Hogan, the first Catalina crossing was won in 1932 by Tom Blake, beating out Pete Peterson and Wally Burton in just under 6 hours. Legendary watermen such as Ricky Grigg, Mike Bright, Tom Zahn, Gregg Noll, Bob Hogan, Kemp Aaberg, Mike Doyle, George Downing, Joe Quigg, Mickey Munoz, Mike Eaton, Buzzy Kerbox, Joe Bark, Jamie Mitchell, and Laird Hamilton have helped make the Catalina Classic the preeminent waterman’s event of the year. Paddlers will leave Catalina Island at dawn and paddle 32 miles to the Manhattan Beach Pier on boards between 12 and 19 feet long, using only their hands to propel them through the water. Swells, Currents and wind conditions play into what is notoriously one of the most grueling endurance events in the world.

About Surftech

Surftech is a global community of surfers, paddlers, shapers, designers, and craftsmen who are connected through water sports and the pursuit of perfection. For over 25 years we have been pioneering new technologies and introducing them to surfers and paddlers around the world. We take immense pride in every board we make, we celebrate the millions of waves around the world that have been ridden, oceans, lakes and rivers paddled and look forward to being a part of the water lifestyle for years to come.