After years of preparation and training, Frenchman Nicolas Jarossay was set to take to the water and attempt to be the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean, solo and unsupported, on a stand up paddle board. On April 10, 2016, Jarossay set off on his expedition in favorable weather and conditions but unfortunately, and for reasons still unknown, a broken rudder system caused Jarossay’s vessel to capsize forcing him to enable his distress beacon only 24 hours after launch.

"Yes, I can confirm that I will be back in Wrightsville Beach to have another crack at the Carolina Cup," said Annabel Anderson, three-time champion in the Cup's elite and grueling 13.5-mile Graveyard Race and top woman in the world in standup paddle board.

For expert paddlers or those looking to dip their paddle in the water for the first time, the sixth annual Northwest Paddling Festival is THE place to be to get started for a summer on the water. Held at Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah, Friday May 6 and Saturday May 7, the festival is the largest event of its kind in the Pacific Northwest.

Hailing from El Cerrito, California, Haakon Hoyer-Nielsen is rising the ranks in the stand up paddle (SUP) world in both SUP surfing and racing having become a podium regular in practically every event he attends. Haakon trains in the San Francisco Bay, has already finished his first Molokai 2 Oahu race, is a puppy raiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind, works year round as a lifeguard and consistently makes high honors as a sophomore at Saint Mary's College High School. Get to know this rising SUP star here:

Ever wonder what makes up Starboard’s carbon sandwich? Here, Starboard plays off the popular TV show Iron Chef to demonstrate how their Carbon Sandwich construction is uniquely designed and created with more high quality materials compared to other boards on the market.

Travis Grant is one of the powerhouses of stand up paddle (SUP) racing. Hailing from Australia but now calling the island of Oahu home, Travis is an avid waterman who simply loves being in the water. Get to know this champion paddler just a bit better in a great video presented by Surftech titled “Conversations With Travis Grant.”

The 6th Annual Golden Games is scheduled to take place May 20th-22nd, 2016 in Golden, Colorado. The Golden Games was recognized by Elevation Outdoors as the “Best Paddling Event in the Rockies” – 2016! Learn more about the sixth edition of this awesome event!

When anyone hears KTA (Kiteboard Tour Asia), they think kiteboarding, which is fair enough as that is what they have been spearheading in the Asia region and sometimes further since they were founded back in 2009. But, you could never accuse the KTA of becoming routine or following the norm and it seems they have done it again with their inclusion of stand up paddle racing.

The MR340, a 340 mile paddling race on the Missouri River will take place on July 19th, 2016 and no female has ever crossed the finish line. This year, Lauren Rodriguez will attempt at being one of the first, if not the first, female to finish this race and all alongside her team of eight including Shane Perrin, who once held the World Record for longest paddle in 24 hours. As only one of two females entering the race this year Lauren is determined to not only cross the finish line but to also raise funds and awareness for GoRedforWomen.

The seventh annual Mickey Munoz Mongoose Cup to benefit the Sport of Kings Foundation will be held Saturday April 9, 2016 at Dana Cove Park (Baby Beach), Dana Point Harbor. Mickey and his friends will join many of the world’s best paddlers for a special fundraiser and a great day of paddling fun and competition.

At only 14 years of age, Dave de Armas has a lot to be proud of. Not only is Dave an excellent student but he is bilingual and a world traveler. Oh, and did we mention a two-time National SUP Surf and Race champion in his home country of Puerto Rico? Dave has also been honored with a nomination by the FSPR (Surfing Federation of Puerto Rico) to represent Puerto Rico as a SUP Surf and Race Athlete to compete in the ISA SUP Worlds in Fiji in November, 2016. With aspirations to be SUP World Champ and to have a career as a chiropractor, this kid has a big and bright future.

Earlier this year we introduced you to an incredible man from Brazil, Jonas Letieri. Jonas holds one of the most inspirational stories of overcoming obstacles and tragedies that are thrown at you in life and overcoming these obstacles against all odds. This short film from Quickblades about Jonas Letieri and his inspirational story is a must watch.