The 2015 Supconnect Editor's Choice Awards Launches

SAN DIEGO, California - In partnership with the Association of Wind and Watersports Industries (AWSI) and presented by Turtle Bay Resort, Supconnect has officially launched the 2015 Supconnect Editor's Choice Awards.

The Supconnect Awards started in 2010 as a way of recognizing individuals that made exceptional contributions to the sport. As such, it’s the world’s first and original awards in the stand up paddle industry. Unlike most awards, winners are not chosen strictly on athletic performance and results. The ultimate objective of the Supconnect Awards is to help to create positive icons for the youth in order to increase the longevity of the sport for generations to come. And what’s more, it also aims at recognizing exceptional brands, products, and shops that help raise the bar in their field, serving as blueprints of excellence for others to follow. In that light, do not expect the usual run-of-the-mill winners. Nominees and winners, at least we hope, capture the all-inclusive culture of the sport, with friendly smiles and awe-inspiring stories and, yes, performances.

Read more about the Supconnect Awards History here.

In 2015, Supconnect has had a makeover with an exciting new website launch with tons of amazing new features including the Supconnect Events Page, Brand Hubs, and a beginner curriculum that is set to be launched later this year. And now this year, Supconnect has partnered with the Association of Wind and Watersports Industries (AWSI) and to announce the winners during the awards party at the September 2015 Surfexpo in Orlando, Florida. Also, Turtle Bay Resort, our long-time sponsor and supporter, has become the presenting sponsor of this exciting new chapter of the Supconnect Awards.

In 2015, Supconnect will continue to have the original categories of Supconnect Man/Woman of the Year as well as continuing the Supconnect Grom of the Year and adding even a few more. The full list of awards to be given in 2015 are:

• Supconnect Man of the Year
• Supconnect Woman of the Year
• Supconnect Grom of the Year
• Supconnect Gear of the Year
• Supconnect Brand of the Year
• Supconnect Blog of the Year
• Supconnect Shop of the Year

The selection process for the Supconnect Editor's Choice Awards is a detailed one that involves the Supconnect Staff and an advisory board consisting of highly knowledgeable individuals of the standup paddle community. The athletes chosen for the Supconnect Awards all went through the same criteria which is based on four qualities:

• Ambassadorship: Conveying the cheerfulness and inclusiveness characteristic of the sport.
• Involvement: Attending events and gatherings, having a finger on the pulse of the sport.
• Performance: Showing proficiency in the sport, though top results are not a requirement.
• Support: Having a following and votes to show you have some support to validate your credibility.

Click here to see the Supconnect 2014 Awards winners. 

The Awards has two major phases, starting with the selection of the nominees and then narrowing the field even further to choose the winners. As people fully immersed in the sport, the members of the Supconnect Awards board had an incredibly hard time selecting only 30 or so nominees for each one of the Awards categories. The pool of talent is so vast and the location of these athletes so wide that it is nearly impossible to present a full array of the world’s top talents with a limited list of athletes. But after much deliberation and some very tough decisions, the committee has chosen a respectable lineup of athletes, brands, blogs, shops, and products to be part of this year’s awards.

Often times awards play to the ol’ girls and boys club, i.e., industry folks who award themselves for the sake of … “who knows what,” other than perhaps some nice parties. The Supconnect Awards seeks exceptional talents wherever they may be found. It strives to find the unknown hero, the wunderkind in the making, and the quiet production manager cranking out heaven-sent equipment. So without further ado, the Supconnect Editor's Choice Awards for 2015 is now officially open! Get involved with the Supconnect Awards 2015 kicking off 7/1 and support your favorite athletes.