3rd Annual Naish Maui International Paddleboard Championships

This highly anticipated event saw more than 200 competitors and was blessed with excellent conditions - 25 knot trade winds kicked in on race day after a solid week of atypical light onshore winds. The Naish sponsored downwind race runs 9.5 miles, from Maliko Gulch to Kahului harbor, features both lay down and stand up paddling, and has grown in just three years to include competitors from all over the world.

Jamie Mitchell (Molokai) left no doubts that he is the man to beat in the lay down unlimited class (longer than 13 foot) easily taking the win, while Australian Shakira Westdrop was first in the women’s unlimited class. In the lay down paddle board stock class (under 12 foot), Talia Ganjini scored one for the home (Maui) team, and Mikey Cote won the men’s division.

Adding to the excitement of the Stand up paddle race was the challenge to beat the time of the best unlimited class lay down paddlers. Dave Kalama put the hammer down in no uncertain terms, beating Jamie Mitchell by more than 6 minutes and absolutely dominating the unlimited Stand up fleet. Maui's Andrea Moller decisively won the women’s division. In the SUP stock class (under 13 feet with no rudder), legendary Jacques bartender Devin Blish won the the girl’s division, and fellow Maui paddler Jeremy Riggs bought it home in the men’s fleet.

Naish introduced the new Stand Up Surf Glide 12’0”, a stock class stand up board designed for cruising on flatwater and downwind conditions as well as for riding small surf. Using the new board, legendary shaper Harold Iggy took 2nd in his age division and Naish product manager Michi Schweiger scored 3rd overall in the Stand Up Stock Class, showing the competition potential of this promising new design.

A big Mahalo to event organizers Blair Thorndike and John Ganjini for a job well done, and for setting the pace for even bigger events in the future of Stand up paddling.

Oxbow European SUP Endurance Championships

Brighton’s Famous “Paddle Round The Pier” Beach Festival played host the Oxbow European SUP Endurance Championships.

With a competitive SUP competition scene becoming established in the UK, twenty of the countries leading SUP pioneers gathered for this inaugural distance race. The original course had been set at a distance of 10 miles Pier to Pier from the Pier at Worthing to Brighton’s famous West Pier, home to many a PWA Slalom event in the nineties - Due to safety issues raised by unfavourable weather conditions (12knt direct cross on/onshore winds and stormy skies) it was decided by organizers on the morning of race to halve the distance and start at Shoreham Harbour instead.

Heading straight out from Shoreham in rolling side shore swells and breaking waves, it soon become clear that this was going to be a challenge for everyone. As the leaders closed in on the finish, the conditions took their toll, with several competitors forced to retire.

The race was won by Ekolu Kalama from Hawaii with Britain’s Mark Slater and  Elliot Dudley taking second and third place respectively.

Naish UK’s very own Rich Marsh finished in a creditable 12^th place with a time of 71 minutes.

Throughout the weekend, the visiting crowds were treated to sideshows, free music and vendors selling everything imaginable for a day at the beach or on the water.

This year’s Paddle Round The Pier Festival raised over £20,000 for three local charities!