The 1st Annual International Waterman Stand Up Paddle and Surf was a resounding success even with the less than favorable weather. A big thanks to all of you who came out - you are the reason this and future events happen. Another 'thank you' to our gracious sponsors (Deline Wealth Management, Maui Rippers, Bob's Mission Surf, Legends Surf, Xdream Sportz, and Las Olas Restaurant). Also, a special thanks to David Hebble Photography for braving the elements and recording the event for us on film.

A HUGE thanks to Diane and Sharon - my good friends who are locals at the Shores. They braved the elements, got everyone signed in, gave out all the event t-shirts, organized the raffle, and provided their usual aloha spirit. If you ever see them in the water, stop and say hello - they're two of the nicest ladies you'll ever meet. And if you're lucky, they'll invite you for some of Diane's famous Cocoa Coffee - awesome to say the least!

The 'Official' Event winner was Jeff from Legends, as he is the only one who followed the correct course (we missed you Jeff). The farthest traveled award goes to Dan Gavere, who came all the way down from Hood River, OR. A big thanks to Dan for bringing all the Werner paddles for us to try. I for one like this paddle better than any other I've tried. They're made in the good ol' USA, and the retail price is $40 less than other paddles that claim to be high-end and top of the line. Just one look at the blade will tell you that Werner has done their homework - they are the inventors of the dihedral and have many more years of experience than any other SUP paddle manufacturer in the industry. With world-class paddlers like Dan helping to develop their gear, how can they not have a great product?

Another thanks goes to Allen Chateaux, owner/shaper of Nui Moana SUB's. He brought down a few demo boards - I hope some of you got to try them - they're INSANE! I just rode the 10' pulled in nose quad fin today at Swami's. This board performs circles around other boards - even my C4. Allen's got a great thing going with these boards, and he's local (Encinitas). Support your local shaper - he knows the waves and conditions better than non-local shapers, and you'll be supporting the local economy. Also, thanks to Allen for his speech regarding the growth of the sport and awareness for both safety and etiquette. If we all follow Allen's guidelines, we'll see continued healthy growth of the sport here in Southern California.

Again, thanks to everyone for supporting the event in whatever capacity. Stay tuned for more events like this coming soon to a beach near you. There are plans to set up a series with some really cool venues and unconventional contest formats.

PHOTOS OF THE EVENT