After a spectacular showdown at Pipeline and Backdoor in 2016 that saw Mo Freitas (Focus SUP) put on an impressive display of skill and bravado to take the win, 2017 sees the return of the prestigious Stand Up Paddle component of the Backdoor Shootout in memory of Duke Kahanamoku.
Naish SUP team rider Bernd Roediger is a waterman of many talents. He flies with the wind on his wind surfboard, and absolutely shreds. He’s also a master at SUP and traditional surfing as well. Bernd’s been home on Maui for the ‘off’ season but has been keeping busy and having fun in the ocean. Check out his just-released edit from Fall 2016.
Film producer and avid stand up paddler Jesse Hieb recently completed a solo, self-supported SUP journey down all 430 miles of the Wisconsin River. Why? He wanted to create a documentary that tells the story of the revitalization of the river through experiencing all 430 miles of it. We caught up with Jesse to ask about his trip and documentary. Check out our interview:
A scant 6-seconds at the finish line separated Canadians Larry Cain and Tamás Buday Jr. in their exciting rematch at North Carolina's 2016 Surf to Sound Challenge. Cain, an Olympic Gold Medalist and inductee into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, regained the men's championship from fellow Olympian Buday, posting a time of 1-hour 12-minutes 35-seconds in the 6.5-mile ocean to sound elite paddle board competition. Cain has captured the Surf to Sound Championship four times with Buday winning twice.
Fall in Florida's West Coast sees the Englewood Beach Waterfest coming back this November. It’s bringing some big names and even bigger excitement with multiple weekends consisting of three staple events – Ecofest, Paddlefest and Racefest – full of fun for the entire family! Spectators will see the return of Waterfest’s Ecofest and Paddlefest.
The first ever Red Bull Heavy Water stand up paddle board race saw optimal weather conditions with sunny skies and challenging conditions of 6-8ft waves in San Francisco on Wednesday. 15 of the world’s best watermen were tasked to a grueling 12km (7.5 miles) battle of athleticism, with the ultimate victor Connor Baxter, 22, of Maui, HI, crowned Champion of Red Bull Heavy Water.
Fiona Wylde has secured her first World Title with a dominant performance on Maui for the 2016 World Series Finals. After an impressive performance in the long distance race on Saturday, Fiona didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to compete alongside the men in the Open Surf exhibition, which she did and as always, made her presence felt.
This past weekend of racing proved to be nothing short of spectacular, as ideal downwind conditions on Day 1 for the World famous Maliko run came together with pumping surf at what can only now be regarded as the ultimate arena for Surf Racing (Ho'okipa Beach Park) for a show like no other, with non-stop entertainment.
Red Bull Heavy Water is officially in the green light phase. This weather window schedules the event for Tuesday, October 18, with Wednesday, October 19 as the alternate day in San Francisco Bay.
While in town for the biggest week in SUP in North America Zane Schweitzer, his brother Matty, and the entire Starboard crew gathered at Mission Bay in San Diego, California and later in Dana Point for the Pacific Paddle Games. The week was filled with hydrofoil demonstrations, SUP racing, SUP surfing, beautiful sunsets, and of course nothing but pure fun in and on the water.
It is that time of year when the World Series returns to Hawaii for what has become one of the most dramatic battles of the year: timed to perfection during a period when consistent, strong tradewinds are still in effect and winter ground swells are starting to show, the World Series Finals provides one of the most spectacular showcases imaginable for the Sport of Stand up Paddling.
NLand Surf Park will open Friday, October 7, 2016. NLand, North America’s first surf park, offers world-class surfing in the heart of Texas Hill Country.