Battle of the Paddle California 2011

RAINBOW SANDALS GERRY LOPEZ BATTLE OF THE PADDLE World's Best SUP Paddlers, Elite Sprint & Distance Races Stand-Up Paddle Expo, Novice and Kids Race September 24 & 25        Doheny State Beach      Media Contact: Jodi Wilmott (808) 258-8533 www.battleofthepaddle.com Dana Point, CA -- (Sept. 23, 2011) -- A new Elite Race format for this weekend's $25,000 Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle, at Doheny State Beach, has Battle champions Danny Ching, Travis Grant, Jamie Mitchell and Candice Appleby on guard. As the number of competitors and the level of competition in the sport of stand-up paddling (SUP) booms, Saturday's Elite Race will require an estimated 200 paddlers to qualify for the final through preliminary heats. This means more paddling with less room for error.. Photo: Tom Servais.  Ching (Redondo Beach, CA) won both the Elite and Distance races here last year. Travis Grant (Queensland, Australia) won the Hawaii Battle over Ching back in May. Mitchell (Queensland, Australia) won here at Doheny in 2009, and recently returned to dedicated SUP racing after claiming his 10th prone paddleboard world championship in Hawaii in July. Appleby (San Clemente, CA), like Ching, won both races here last year and over the past 12 months has blurred the performance line that separates the men from the women. All four athletes are both nervous and excited to see how the new format plays out. "Most of the guys, including myself, struggle the first lap and you shoot out of the gate a little harder than you should," says Ching. "I think (the new format) is scary because if you make a mistake on one lap, there's not enough time to come back. I'm a little nervous about that. And catching one swell could make a huge difference this time. My big advantage is that I can out-paddle the others over distance, but now we've got two shorter races, not one long one, so that levels the field." Travis Grant expects that the heat format will help everyone iron out the bugs and result in a greater battle between more paddlers for the win: "The longer the race, the better I do, so shortening it up will really change things. In Australia we do heats for a lot of races, so I don't mind that, it gets you ready, but it gets the other competitors ready, too! For me, in a straight out final you can break people straight away, but it's going to be very different with the heats. It's incredible that the sport's grown to the point where we need to run heats now." Jamie Mitchell admits he's nowhere near his performance goals yet, so the Elite Race format will be a true test for him: "When I said SUP was my next thing, I meant over the course of a year, not straight away," said Mitchell. "I went from Molokai (world championship race in July) to my honeymoon, then to New York (where he headed up water patrol for the ASP World Surfing Tour), and now I'm here. But I'm nowhere near where I'd like to be at in terms of performance. I know how to race and I have plenty of experience so I'll be trying to draw on all that. For me, a Top 5 finish would be a good result. I know what I'm capable of and I'm nowhere near it at the moment, so I can't be too confident. "You can't get ahead of yourself. You've got to get through that first heat. And while the distances are shorter, when you combine the 2-mile preliminary heat with the 3-mile final, you're actually paddling 5-miles this year compared to 4-miles before." Candice Appleby is excited about the new format, but wishes the Elite Final had the men and women starting at the same time: "You're going to see the strongest, deepest, fastest women's field you've ever seen in stand-up paddle this weekend," said Appleby. "The gap between the men and the women is really closing, so ideally, I'd like it if the women started with the men in the final so we could see where we stand in the field overall. But it's going to be exciting regardless, and there's a lot more aspects to the race this year with the new format." The preliminary heats of the Elite Race will commence at 9am Saturday. The Elite Final will commence at 2pm. Saturday will also feature the Open Race at 11:30am, the SUP beach expo, and kids races. The distance race from San Clemente Pier will take place on Sunday, finishing at Doheny. In total, more than 800 starters are expected to compete throughout the weekend. All event proceeds to go to the Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association. MEDIA CONTACT: Jodi Wilmott,  Email or +1.808.258-8533

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Battle of the Paddle May 2011 Hawaii

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RAINBOW SANDALS GERRY LOPEZ BATTLE OF THE PADDLE RETURNS TO HAWAII May 14 & 15, 2011 Presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Ft. DeRussy Beach Park, OAHU, HAWAII Na Kama Kai to Conduct Free Hawaiian Ocean Skills & Education Clinics   Stand-Up Paddleboard Races, Exposition, Demonstrations and Fun! -- Entries Now Open --   www.BattleOfThePaddle.com    Honolulu, Oahu, HAWAII (February 8, 2011) --- The world famous stand-up paddleboard (SUP) races and SUP lifestyle exposition known as the Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle returns to Oahu, Hawaii, May 14 & 15, 2011, presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection. The weekend's events will also be webcast live at www.BattleOfThePaddle.com . Join us at historic Duke Kahanamoku Beach in beautiful Waikiki as more than 700 of the fastest and fittest men and women on water gather from around the globe to test their skills against the majestic blue Pacific ocean. The weekend of fun, fame and festivities offers something for everyone:   Beach expo, novice races, championship battles, family and team relays, demonstrations, and hair-raising action! There's something for all ages and skill levels. FOR THE ELITE: The Battle of the Paddle is an exciting championship styled surf race that offers the sport's largest cash purse of $25,000. Think NASCAR meets surfing, as racers battle it out on a multi-lap course that takes them through the surf and onto the sand for a short run. FOR ALL PADDLERS: The Battle of the Paddle has an Open Age-Group Race, a Distance Race (Hawaii Kai to Waikiki), Kids Races, and SUP Relays. Last year the Hawaii Kai distance race had the largest SUP field ever assembled in Hawaii with over 230 paddlers.. This year promises to be even bigger, so come and make history! All races are now open for entry. FOR THE FAMILY: Looking to try SUP or simply learn more about the latest trends and technical products? Visit the Battle of the Paddle SUP Expo. Meet the world's best board, paddle and SUP equipment manufacturers to learn about their latest designs and innovations. There will be a rainbow of boards and paddles to demo at the event site. Na Kama Kai will also be on hand to conduct free Hawaiian ocean skills and education clinics for kids. They will also be organizing keiki (children's) SUP races for all ages and abilities of children. SWAG: Everyone who enters the Battle of the Paddle Hawaii will receive a pair of commemorative Battle of the Paddle Rainbow Sandals, event tee, lunch and cool event swag. A special welcoming party and aloha concert for competitors will be hosted by Quiksilver Waterman Collection on Friday evening, May 13, featuring local musicians. Event proceeds will directly benefit the Hawaiian Community. Whether you're racing for the prize or just want to get your feet in the waters of SUP for the first time, the Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle Hawaii is the perfect way to experience the rich tradition of Hawaii's original surf lifestyle. The event is dedicated to supporting Hawaii's youth and the local community with a portion of proceeds from the event going to Na Kama Kai. The Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle is proud to receive the support of the Hawaii Tourism Authority this year, and the support of our sponsors: Quiksilver Waterman Collection, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, Surftech, Kona Brewing Co., Maui Jim, Duke's, Patagonia, and Na Kama Kai.

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Danny Ching Cleans Up!

CHING REPEATS WITH DISTANCE WIN AT
RAINBOW SANDALS BATTLE OF THE PADDLE

 

Above: Stars of the BOP Show - Danny Ching (R), Jamie Mitchell (L), "Sparky" (C)
Photo: Pat Huber

 

Dana Point, CA - (Sunday, October 3, 2010) -- It was a Danny Ching repeat at the Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle California, Presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection, as the Redondo Beach paddling powerhouse took out today's 10-mile distance race. Ching added another $1,100 to his weekend wallet, and his fourth Battle of the Paddle title for 2010 after claiming both the elite and distance stand up paddle (SUP) races this weekend, and in Hawaii back in June.

Above: SUP doesn't get bigger than the Battle of the Paddle.
Photo: Pat Huber

Ching led the field of 159 from start to finish, racing in the unlimited 18-foot paddleboard division. He crossed the line in one hour, two minutes and 19 seconds, ahead of Rob Rojas (San Clemente, 1:02:59) and Chuck Patterson (Dana Point, 1:03:52). In the shorter 14-foot division, Australian paddle icon Jamie Mitchell was the first to finish in a time of 1:09:13. Mitchell was pushed to the limit and the finish line by Tahiti's George Cronsteadt and Maui's Slater Trout, who were tied for second place just one second behind him.

"It has been an unbelievable weekend," said Ching. "There's no doubt that it doesn't get more fun than this. I love to paddle - kayaks, surf ski, outrigger canoe, but to get out there on the water standing up, catching waves, it's the greatest feeling."

Ching switches gears after today, heading to Hawaii to compete as part of a 6-man outrigger canoe team in the 32-mile world championship Molokai Hoe.

The women's race was equally intense and one of the fastest in Battle of the Paddle history. California's Brandi Baksic, paddling a 14-footer, won $800 for her time of 1:15:25 - just six minutes after Jamie Mitchell. Behind Baksic was Rachel Brunton (California, 1:16:30), and Andrea Moller (Maui, 1:17:00).

"I wasn't even thinking about the other girls, because I knew they were hot on my heels," said Baksic. "I didn't want to know how close they were!"

Twelve year-old Riggs Napoleon (Hawaii) gathered a new following today after starring in the distance race (1:25:25), and dominating the elite kids Battle of the Paddle race to win in a time of 5:41. Standing less than four feet tall, Napoleon has offered endless entertainment for the SUP community here in California, showing off his advanced surfing, racing, and strategic skills.

The third annual Battle of the Paddle California wrapped up in true festival style with a wild relay battle between 51 teams that represented the full spectrum of stand up paddling: men, women, young, old, professionals and amateurs. For the elite paddlers the win carries ultimate team bragging rights, and the $1,200 victory belonged to Team SUP Company, that included Jamie Mitchell, Slater Trout and Brandi Baksic. There was plenty of carnage as 51 paddlers at a time raced it through shoulder-high surf, around a buoy course and back through the waves before finishing with a beach sprint to tag their next paddler. Mitchell, the anchor paddler of Team SUP Co, brought the weekend to a climactic close by surging past Team Hobie's Chuck Patterson on the biggest wave of the day to sprint home with the win. Team Hobie had held the lead through more than 40 minutes of racing.

The Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle, presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection, rallied a total of 863 entries from around the world this weekend and around 10,000 spectators. The event was webcast live, inspired by SUP Co, with more than 60 countries tuning in online. This world famous SUP event will return in 2011 at the beginning of summer. Stay tuned... and ALOHA!!!

All results can be found at: eternaltiming.com



Danny Ching Wins Day 1

DANNY CHING VICTORIOUS AGAIN AT
RAINBOW SANDALS BATTLE OF THE PADDLE

LIVE WEBCAST


Above: Starting Line. Photo: Pat Huber
 

Dana Point, CA - (Saturday, October 2, 2010) -- Californian Danny Ching remains the king of stand up paddling (SUP) after taking first place in the Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle California elite race, Presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection. Ching (Redondo Beach) survived a tough battle with nine-time world paddleboard champion and last year's Battle of the Paddle California champion Jamie Mitchell (Australia). The Battle of the Paddle is the world's largest SUP festival and exposition, with more than 700 race entries across the weekend's events. There were 160 starters in today's elite race and 340 in the open race. Thousands turned out at Dana Point, and more than 58 countries tuned in to the live webcast, inspired by SUP Company.

The course was a technical 5-mile/4-lap buoy circuit in and out through the surf, and included 100-yard beach sprints between laps. Ching started out in the lead and never relinquished it. Mitchell was hot on his heels throughout the first two laps, but felt the distance grow thereafter.

Ching (57 minutes, 45 seconds) won $5,000; Mitchell (59:36) took home $3,500; and Slater Trout (Maui, 1:00:39), third, won $2,500. All three will return tomorrow for the 10-mile Distance Race from Dana Point to San Clemente Pier, and back.

Above: Danny Ching crosses the finish line. Photo: Pat Huber

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In the women's Elite division, San Clemente's Candice Appleby and Brandi Baksic exchanged the lead position more than a handful of times, but it was the never-say-die determination Appleby is famous for, that gave her the final honors. Appleby (1:10:31) won $2,500; Baksic (1:11:03) earned $1,250; and Jenny Kalmbach (1:13:20), third, won $1,000.

"It got pretty heavy on some of those of those buoy turns," said Ching, of the large field of racers and bottlenecks of the course. "But my goal from the outset was to make space. There were a lot of waves and some hectic moments, so when I'd get a long stretch of paddling I'd just go for it.

"I've been in training for a 32-mile six-man canoe race in Hawaii next weekend and my focus has been all about the distance, so I was feeling pretty good on those long stretches where I could just put my head down and go as hard as I could."

Mitchell is better known for being the world's greatest paddleboarder - distance paddling without the use of a paddle, but he's a threat on all forms of craft. He proved that when he won here last year. But today's battle was always going to have him pegged as the chaser after Ching won both the elite and distance races at Battle of the Paddle Hawaii in June.

"This was Danny's race, he was the man, he earned every bit of that and it was a great battle," said Mitchell. "I think the turning point came after the second lap when we were coming in to the beach. I got a wave and he was right there in front of me so I put everything into the run and caught right up. But after that, I was feeling pretty spent and just watched him drift away from me."

Appleby, like Ching, was the woman to beat after Battle of the Paddle Hawaii. Here she had the emotional advantage of a hefty home-town and family crowd.

"That was a really exciting race," said Appleby. "Brandi and I were back and forth and I knew it was going to come down to the finish. But I've got all my family down here and its all of them that keep me going. Never give up!"

The open race featured a host of different age group and board length categories, with as many respective champions. Line honors today went to Maui's Bart De Zwart (52:52), who was riding a 14-foot board yet managed to eclipse even the 18-foot paddlers. The first woman over the line was Betsy Risner, of Park City, Utah, (1:06:26) who crossed at the same time as her husband. At 58 years of age, Betsy is the epitome of what stand up paddling is all about: all-inclusive with no age or gender barriers.

The oldest paddler to hit the water today was legendary California surfer Mickey Munoz (Dana Point), 73, and the youngest was Dax McPhillips (San Clemente), 6.

The Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle, presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection continues at Doheny State Beach tomorrow, as does the live webcast, inspired by SUP Company. Go online to win prizes throughout the day.

All results can be found at: eternaltiming.com

SUNDAY SCHEDULE:
8am - LIve webcast begins
9am-4pm SUP Expo and kids activities
9am - The Distance Race
12pm - Kids Races
1:30pm - SUP Surf Relays
3pm - Awards
4pm - Live webcast ends



Battle of the Paddle Build Up

RAINBOW SANDALS BATTLE OF THE PADDLE
STARTS TOMORROW

World's Largest Stand Up Paddle Festival & Exposition

LIVE WEBCAST



 

Dana Point, CA - (Friday, October 1, 2010) -- The third annual Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle, presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection goes live at 9 a.m. (PST) tomorrow, Saturday, October 2, with all the action in real time on www.bopcalive.com, inspired by the SUP Company. The Battle of the Paddle is the world's largest stand up paddle (SUP) festival, featuring world class racing and a beach exposition. It takes place at Doheny State Beach, Dana Point on Saturday and Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This year, the elite racers will be the first to hit the water at 10 a.m. Saturday, battling it out for a share of SUP's largest prize purse of $25,000. Among them will be former Battle of the Paddle champions Danny Ching (Redondo Beach, CA); Jamie Mitchell (Australia); Chuck Patterson (Dana Point, CA); Slater Trout (Hawaii); Candice Appleby (Hawaii); and Jenny Kalmbach (Hawaii).

The action continues on Sunday with the 9.5-mile long distance race from Dana Point to San Clemente Pier and back, starting at 9 a.m. Both days will be webcast live at bopcalive.com from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Mitchell won here last year but points to Ching as the man-to-beat tomorrow. Ching won the Battle of the Paddle Hawaii in June - both the elite and the distance races, and is also the reigning world champion of one-man outrigger canoe racing.

"Danny is the dominant force in the world right now," said Mitchell, who is a 9-time and reigning world paddleboard champion. "Danny's the reigning champion of this sport after Battle of the Paddle Hawaii and he deserves to be the favorite. As for me, I really enjoy being the chaser, not the chased.

"The beauty of the Battle is that weekend warriors get the chance to line up alongside the best paddlers in the world and maybe even cause an upset. What other sport can you do that in? That's why it's so appealing and why so many people take part."

Entries for this weekend are on track to exceed 700, with racers coming from 17 states around America, and 10 countries. It's not all about the big-name surf racers either. A large contingent of inland whitewater specialists - the likes Charlie & Jenny MacArthur, Dan Gravere and Nicky Grigg will be competing, as well as Hawaii teenage sensations Noah Ginella and Slater Trout.

With so many stars and darkhorses, and a sea of variables, nobody's safe.

"A lot of racers are going to be here this weekend," said Trout, who finished second to Mitchell here last year and has been competing full time through the summer. "There's going to be some jaw droppers for sure. Everyone in the elite race is competition.

"This is my favorite race of the year - it's the most exciting, the most fun, the most people, the craziest, there's surfing involved, all the aspects come together. I can't wait."

SATURDAY SCHEDULE:
8am - Live webcast begins - bopcalive.com
8:30am - Opening ceremonies begin
9am-4pm SUP Expo and kids activities
10am - The Elite Race
1:30pm - Open Age Group Race
3pm - Awards
4pm - Live webcast ends

SUNDAY SCHEDULE:
8am - LIve webcast begins
9am-4pm SUP Expo and kids activities
9am - The Distance Race
12pm - Kids Races
1:30pm - SUP Surf Relays
3pm - Awards
4pm - Live webcast ends

The free beach exposition will be equally diverse, featuring fitness companies, natural foods, SUP destination marketers, well-known surf industry labels, and dedicated SUP brands.