Cold Stroke Classic in Wilmington, NC

Meg and Dave Chun, founders and owners of KIALOA Paddles, are at the Cold Stroke Classic this weekend in Wilmington, North Carolina. Cold is definitely and apt title this year as they are currently experiencing freezing weather. The SUP races start at noon on Jan. 9 at Dockside Restaurant & Marina, 1308 Airlie Road and tonight there is a pre race dinner where Chuck Patterson is the key speaker. Paddlers will do a 3.5-mile recreational course or a seven-mile “elite” course. The race is put on by Coastal Urge and proceeds benefit the Cape Fear Surf­rider Foundation.

Stay tuned to KIALOA's blog, facebook and twitter to get results!

Battle of the Paddle 2009

Day One of Battle of the Paddle:

While some will want to use the clichés “Super Bowl of Stand Up Paddling” to describe the Gerry Lopez Rainbow Sandals Battle of the Paddle, I think “Super X of SUP” is a better description for yesterday’s rough and tumble Elite race. Gerry’s motorcycling roots were evident in the winding course laid out by the evil genius.

The course was an in and out affair, taking the racers through the surf zone and into a shallow section referred to by the locals as the Bone Yard. While twisty and technical, a healthy south swell breaking the length of the bay proved to be the triple jumps of the day. I had thought the first buoy turn was going to be a cluster. I was wrong. Mother nature thinned the herd by sending a timely set of waves at the mass. Riderless 18’ unlimited boards mow a wide path. If the sprint out through the surf didn’t get the heart pumping, I am sure having a carbon fiber missile firing at your legs surely did. Karen Wrenn from Portland, Oregon, had asked my opinion on wearing a leash. I told her a leash would complicate remounting the board if she took a spill. 30 seconds into the race and I’m thinking, “Man, that was some bad advice”.

Aaron Napoleon and Chuck Patterson had great starts and my fingers were crossed for a 1 and 2 KIALOA finish. My 2010 advertising campaign was quickly smashed as my friends crashed in pack which included Danny Ching, Slater Trout, and Jamie Mitchell. It was a mad scene as some of the best big wave riders in the world participated in what looked like a surf lesson at Waikiki.

My classic moment of the day was watching Aaron longboard his way to the finish on his last wave. Aaron looked like the Duke as he carved his way “right” though the finish line was to the left.

A side note: KIALOA Paddlers Vicki Mills and Beau Whitehead met for the first time at the local Immediate Care. Vicki needed a few stitches for her head wound; Beau has a new scar on his wrist.

Aloha, Dave

More pictures of the event at KIALOA's facebook page.

Top Results:

Elite Men:

1.Jamie Mitchell (AUS)

2.Slater Trout, HI

3.Danny Ching

4.James Billy Watson (AUS)

5.Chuck Patterson ,CA

6.Aaron Napoleon, HI

Elite Women:

1. Shakira Westdorp

2. Candice Appleby

3. Brandi Baksic

Open Men:

1.Mark Raaphorst

2.Dane Deboer

3. Barth Garrit

Open Women:

1. Nikki Gregg

2. Dian Wenzel

3. Sue Sheard

Full Results

Karen Wrenn at the Hennessey's Cup and Battle of the Paddle

The Hennessey's Cup in San Diego was this past weekend and Karen Wrenn is becoming quite a contender. Karen was happy with her race, here's what she said, "The Hennessey Race went really well. I got 4th. Which was really good considering who was there. I can tell I have improved a ton just since Tahoe."

The next big event is this weekend, Battle of the Paddle. KIALOA will be on the beach with a booth ready to demo! We are all excited to see Karen compete there as well as defending champ Chuck Patterson.

Both Karen and Chuck will be competing in the elite category with the possiblity of winning the largest cash purse offered in SUP racing, and on Sunday they are teaming up to do a relay.

Good Luck and see you there!

Meg Chun is Interviewed About Women in SUP

Interview with co-owner of KIALOA Paddles in Bend Oregon Meg Chun and interviews with the Ladies winning team from the Asthetic Clinic YOLO Race Series, Julie Ogle and Nancy Babin. Below is the link to 30A Radios podcast and the video from YOLO.

30A Radio Interview podcast

Ta-hoe Nalu SUP Classic 2009

Vicki Mills 1st place overall for women.

Chuck Patterson 1st pl men and Karen Wrenn 4th place women

Congratulations to Chuck Patterson and Vicki Mills for first place overall in the Men's and Women's categories. The Ta-hoe Nalu had their 3rd annual event this last weekend on beautiful King's Beach at North Lake Tahoe. The weather was kind and the water was a sparkly blue. Both Chuck and Vicki were using KIALOA paddles to take first place out of the 200 plus participants in this year's event. The race is 7 miles from King's Beach to Crystal Bay and back. The Ta-hoe Nalu provides a venue for paddlers of all skill levels from beginners to elite and has become a popular race over the past three years. Here are some pictures and we have a bunch more on our Facebook page and KIALOA's photo gallery.

Gorge Outrigger Races

The 12th annual Gorge Outrigger Races are taking place July 17-19th on the famous Columbia River Gorge! This race draws paddlers from all over the Northwest, Canada, California and Hawaii. The unique waters and beautiful gorge make this the premier race in the northwest and the most anticipated event of the season.

On Friday there is a fun downwinder for OC1, OC2 and surfskis. If you're lucky you can get behind the Sternwheeler for a really fun ride! Saturday is the 6-man races and Sunday is the 1-man races and an SUP category as well. Camping is free at the Stevenson Fairgrounds where you really get a chance to visit with all the clubs for the two nights we're there.

KIALOA has always been a proud sponsor of this race and we haven't missed one in all the 12 years. Most of KIALOA employees are paddlers and we look forward to the event every year! KIALOA will have a booth at Bob's Beach with many good deals to be had!

For more information go to Waterwalker or Bend Oregon Outrigger.

Watch a fun and informative video!

SHQ Cruise to the Cerberus

The SHQ Cruise to the Cerberus SUP flatwater race was held at the Sandringham foreshore in Melbourne Australia over the weekend. This is one of the biggest races in that part of the country and participation more than doubled from last year. The Seabreeze Forum has a great post and pics all about the event. The top three finishers of over 40 paddlers all used KIALOA's Shaka Puu.

The race was a 6km out and back and here are the results:

1 Matt Lumley 32.21 minutes

2 Dave Hunt 38.30 minutes

3 Dave Peterson 39.00 minutes

Here is a fun clip of the start:

3 Disciplines of SUP by Dave Chun

There are three popular forms of Stand Up Paddle Surfing and having the right paddle can make a difference. Below is an article written by Dave Chun that was inspired by the ever growing aspects of SUP and KIALOA's promise to provide the best equipment while always listening to the stand up paddlers needs.



SUP Surfing:
Paddles used for surfing should be small. Surfers need quick short bursts of speed to catch waves, and small blades excel at this. Resistance is greatest on the surfboard when it is not moving, a common situation while waiting for a set. A small blade will allow for a high stroke rate and get the surfboard up to speed more quickly. The higher stroke rate facilitated by the smaller blade, also aides in balancing and maneuvering in the rough conditions associated with surfing. Performance surfboards are also getting smaller and less buoyant. Because these surfboards sink deeper in the water, they are inherently slower when paddling. As a general rule, the slower the watercraft, the smaller the blade. Good choices in the Kialoa line-up are the Methane, good for most surfers, or the Shaka Pu’u, if you are a big strong paddler like Mel Pu’u.

SUP Racing:
SUP race paddles should be chosen based on the length of the race, type of board, and fitness and strength of the athlete. In very short sprint races, a larger blade may be of benefit. Less paddle slip will occur with each paddle stroke, which in theory should translate into a more efficient transfer of energy. However, this must be balanced with fatigue. Race boards are faster than a pure surfboard, so this should allow for a larger blade.

The most important factor in choosing a distance paddle is the physical condition of the athlete. Strong fit paddlers have greater potential for high hull speeds and can use larger blades. A good choice for long events and most mortals is the Methane. For general use by a fit experienced paddler, the Shaka Pu’u is excellent. (The Shaka Pu’u is the paddle that was used by Chuck Patterson, to win the $10,000. first place prize in the 2008 Rainbow Sandal “Battle of the Paddle” ).

For an aggressive downwind racer who is able to link swell after swell and prefers a larger blade, the Nalu can be a good choice. Water conditions (the board moves fastest when it is flat on the water and not bouncing up and down), wind direction, the conditioning of the athlete, and type of surfboard, are all “moving targets” when trying to pick the optimum blade. Just keep in mind; if you are moving more quickly, you can use a larger blade, if you are moving more slowly, you need a smaller blade.



Fitness paddling:
SUP Surfing and Racing are both great fitness activities, but there are a number of SUP paddlers who do not use their boards to surf or race. Fitness paddlers generally use boards which cross over from surfing. Because of this, we recommend that paddlers use equipment similar to that used in surfing; with the first choice for most paddlers being the Methane for women, and the Shaka Pu’u being a good choice if you are stronger and/or more fit.