Danny Ching: The Quiet Champion | SUP Magazine

“We’ll meet you in the water,” Danny Ching tells me over the phone after giving me directions to his local surf spot. “You’ve got a SUP?”

 “Yeah, I’ll be right there,” I reassure him, turning on to the Pacific Coast Highway.

“Good,” he says. “You just might get to experience some L.A. localism.” I can almost see him smiling through the phone.

The towering cliffs fall from the sky into the sea. McMansions decorate the bluff while the ocean crashes into the rocks with a ruggedness that belies this urban locale hidden on the other side of Crenshaw Boulevard, only miles from the grime of Los Angeles. I trudge down the trail scanning for Ching in the break. All the surfers are sitting and I start to wonder if I’m in the right spot. I scan the lineup again and suddenly a SUP surfer smoothly snaps off the top on his backhand. That’s got to be him.

 A guy getting out of the water looks at my board. “Some dude on a standup board is absolutely ripping out there,” he says.  Read more; Danny Ching: The Quiet Champion | SUP Magazine

Edmond de Rothschild and Arkema - Aquitaine win the Route des Princes. - La Route des Princes 2013

After 2450 miles of offshore racing, linking Valencia to Roscoff on the Bay of Morlaix via Lisbon, Dún Laoghaire and Plymouth and 16 inshore short course contests of which they won nine, Edmond de Rothschild are winners of the MOD70 class on the inaugural Route des Princes multihull race around Europe.

                                                      © D. Le Roux/RDP

Skippered by Sébastien Josse, the Edmond de Rothschild crew won the crucial Leg 4 bonus points at the Roche Gautier mark this morning and then made sure of their overall race victory when they finished first across the finish line of the last offshore stage, the short sprint from Plymouth which started yesterday evening.

In the Multi50 class, the combination of second place into Morlaix and winning the bonus points on the last leg, was enough for Lalou Roucayrol’s Arkéma - Aquitaine Region to take overall victory on the first major race outing for the fleet’s newest Multi 50.

P1 Superstock: Yankee Raiders Dominate in Plymouth

Two commanding victories in the historic arena of Plymouth Sound this weekend saw the American pairing of Andy Biddle and Tracy Blumenstein take a clear lead in the P1 SuperStock UK Championship. Having started the weekend level on points with the New Jersey racers, the Pertemps-backed team of John Wilson and Daisy Coleman left Devon empty- handed. An error by Wilson in the opening race, when he took his short lap too early, resulted in disqualification and his misery was compounded by his failure to finish in the next race.
    

 

The new short lap format produced several changes at the front of the field during the early stages of Race 2, but it was the Americans in their MBY Allam Marine boat who emerged in the lead, closely followed by the consistent Nick Williams of Team Oval and a rejuvenated Typhoo boat piloted by Andy Wilby.

MBY Allam Marine take two wins in Plymouth

 

Whilst chasing Typhoo, the hard-charging Pertemps duo were thrown clear of their boat which hi-sided whilst rounding a turn, causing the race to be red flagged. Both drivers were immediately recovered by the safety team with no injuries. The re-started race gave Biddle and Blumenstein more cause for celebration as they notched up their second victory in the West Country sunshine. John Wilson commented "We got a poor start in that last race and I was just over driving to try and catch up, I could just see the championship slipping away. We just caught the wash of Typhoo wrong and hi-sided, Daisy and I are fine just bruised egos."

The incident delayed the schedule, resulting in the cancellation of the final race. Next stop for the P1 SuperStock Championship will be Torquay on 10-11 August.

Plymouth Results: MBY Allam Marine 40 pts, Oval 34 pts Typhoo 30pts, P1 Marine Foundation 27pts, Cornhill FX 27pts, One Hull of a Boat 23 pts, Abu Dhabi 23 pts, Pertemps 17 pts.

Final Championship Standings: MBY Allam Marine 77 pts, Oval 60 pts Typhoo 55 pts, P1 Marine Foundation 56 pts, Cornhill FX 54 pts, One Hull of a Boat 46 pts, Abu Dhabi 23 pts, Pertemps 54 pts.

Photo credit: Tim Piper, Juice Photography

News race - Edmond de Rothschild first MOD70 into Morlaix, win Route des Princes - La Route des Princes 2013

Edmond de Rothschild (Sébastien Josse), first MOD70 in the Bay of Morlaix
At 14 h 36 min and 14 s (UTC), the MOD70 Edmond de Rothschild, skippered by Sébastien Josse, crossed the finish line of the fourth and final stage of the Route des Princes (Plymouth - Bay of Morlaix) winning the race overall.

 Their elapsed time for the stage is 19 hrs 36 mins t 14 seconds for the 265 miles course, averaging 12.5kts.

ORC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2013 ITALY - HURAKAN AND SCUGNIZZA NEW 2013 ORCi WORLD CHAMPIONS

Three close races today in perfect conditions and an applied penalty help decide two new ISAF offshore world champions

On a day that was the perfect ending to a week-long series that featured a wide variety of conditions, a new ORCi World Champion is crowned in Class A, and the winning team from last year retains their title for Class B.

Marco Serafini’s TP 52 Hurakan was one of a group of five fast 50-footers that pushed each other all week to dominate the results in Class A for most of the eight-race series. Led by America’s Cup tactician Thomasso Chieffi, the Hurakan team overcame a mediocre start in the first three races of the event to find their stride in the next four inshore races, never scoring worse than sixth and winning two races outright, but not by strong margins…in fact, for most races the corrected time differences among the top five finishers were measured in seconds, making this one of the most competitive Class A fleets ever in ORCi Worlds history.

News race - Duelling in the mist - La Route des Princes 2013

On their last leg of the Routes des Princes race multihull race around Europe the MOD70’s fleet and the Maxi Prince de Bretagne passed Wolf Rock, 4 miles SW of Land’s End at close to 0100hrs UTC (0200hrs local time, Plymouth) in thick mist, not seeing each other on a dark, chilly and wet night.

© Rodrigo Moreira Rato

Less than two miles apart, from the front of the fleet to the back, the MOD70’s and Prince de Bretagne were left monitoring each others’ progress on AIS whilst some even confirmed that they had not even seen the light at Wolf Rock, so poor was the visibility.

Leader of the fleet this morning was Lionel Lemonchois’ race flagship Prince de Bretagne whilst the two main MOD70’s protagonists were locked together less than half a mile apart.

Team Aqua lift the RC44 Sweden Cup » News » RC Forty Four

The breeze really kicked in on for the final day of racing at the RC44 Sweden Cup in Marstrand. Forecasters had predicting anything from 12-30 knots from the south, east or west; as the 12 competing RC44 teams headed out to the race course no-one knew quite what to expect.  Ironbound (USA) won the only race of the day before the breeze reached 30 knots and the fleet were sent ashore. Team Aqua’s (GBR) fourth place was easily enough for Chris Bake’s team to win their second event of the season, but the fight for the remaining podium positions went down to the wire.

Racing got underway on time in a 20 knot southerly breeze. Two teams, Peninsula Petroleum (GBR) and Katusha (RUS) were called over the start early. Synergy (RUS) looked like the early leader on the far left of the course until the rain came pouring down and the wind shifted 20 degrees to the right halfway up the first beat, switching the standings. Ironbound coming in from the middle right led at the top mark from Torbjorn Tornqvist’s Artemis Racing. The shift helped Katusha recover to fourth from their premature start. Early leaders Synergy rounded last with Team Aqua in ninth.

Surf's up at this Seattle getaway | GrindTV.com

Hitting the waves at Seattle’s closest surf destination—Westhaven State Park;

photo courtesy of Kitaro & Kiwauso

We know Seattle as home to world-class hiking, skiing, and mountaineering, but did you know that it also sees its share of wave shredding? That’s right, if you’re jonesing for a clean Pacific set, just 2.5 hours from the city sits one of Washington’s most consistent surf spots—Westport. A rare sand beach along Washington’s rocky coastline, Westport is a popular spot for day trips and those looking to trade the confines of city life for the freedom of saltwater. As temperatures heat up, skip the usual lakes and rivers around the metro area and head to Westport for a day of surfing and sun (well, chance of sun) along the Pacific Coast.  Read more; Surf's up at this Seattle getaway | GrindTV.com

How to Move On, From Flatwater to Beyond - Week 2 | SUP How-tos & Techniques

SARASOTA, Florida - Have you ever wanted to move beyond flatwater stand up paddling and get into something a little more challenging and fun, but simultaneously have some real fears, concerns and lack of knowledge/experience to be able to make it happen on your own? If yes, then these notes which will post each week for several weeks to come will be extremely helpful and motivating.

 Photo Submitted by: Julio Filho

Follow Karla Gore on her incredible real life journey from Flatwater to the open ocean and beyond.  It also helps that her husband/coach is an accomplished stand up paddler and surfer, Aaron Pollard.  Together they will bring you some incredible information which we will share with you here at Supconnect! 

Read More; How to Move On, From Flatwater to Beyond - Week 2 | SUP How-tos & Techniques

Deadliest Catch Deckhand Gets a New Ride - Features, Boat Reviews and Boat Tests - Boats.com

Travis Lofland takes a break from commercial crab fishing to go fast -- really fast -- for a while.
 

 

Travis Lofland and Peter Meyer ran Instigator for the first time together last month at the SBI Offshore Race in Cocoa Beach. Photo by Dave Crago/Watermen News.

If you’re a fan of the “Deadliest Catch” Discovery Channel television series, the last time you saw Travis Lofland he was lucky to be alive. At the end of last season, the veteran Time Bandit crab-fishing vessel deckhand slipped on ice while trying to leap from the dock to his boat, and ended up in the below-freezing waters of Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

Read more: http://features.boats.com/boat-content/2013/06/deadliest-catch-deckhand-gets-a-new-ride/#ixzz2XhRJOqibDeadliest Catch Deckhand Gets a New Ride - Features, Boat Reviews and Boat Tests - Boats.com

H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Series » 63rd Indiana Governor’s Cup…July 5 – 7

The weekend of July 5 – 7 marks the 63rd Anniversary of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing in Madison, Indiana and race fans will be here watching ten unlimited hydroplanes vie for the LUCAS OIL Indiana Governor’s Cup, the third stop on the H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Series schedule.

Local fans are eagerly awaiting the battles among these thundering 200-mph-plus competitors to see and cheer on the hometown team (the 2012 National High Points Champion U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto / Miss Madison) against a strong field of contenders.  Will there be a new contender that races to the front of the pack?  With so many teams within a couple of mph of each other, you never know who might be lifting the Lucas Oil Indiana Governor’s Cup trophy at the end of the weekend.  Ten of the world’s fastest race boats are ready to race deck-to-deck along the Bill Cantrell Memorial Race Course with qualifying set for Friday, and multiple heats scheduled for Saturday and Sunday leading up to the coveted LUCAS OIL Indiana Governor’s Cup final heat set for 4:20pm on Sunday, July 7th.  Madison is one of eight race sites on the 2013 H1 Unlimited calendar.  More; H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Series » 63rd Indiana Governor’s Cup…July 5 – 7

ORC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2013 ITALY - TWO RACES TODAY AT THE 2013 ADRIA FERRIES ORCi WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

One day left before World Champions are crowned

Ancona, Italy -- There were two inshore races...and rain...today here on the Le Marche coast, which means there are enough races completed for a valid official championship with one day left of racing tomorrow at the Adria Ferries ORCi World Championship. The  cool and rainy conditions were driven by a low pressure system affecting the weather throughout northern Italy today, but at least it brought with it

The uncharacteristically cool conditions did not reduce the heat on the race course, as over 50 boats in each class battled for position in the 12 knot-northwesterly breeze in the racing area just north of the venue at Marina Dorica. Starts and mark roundings were extremely crowded and hard-fought, particularly among entries in Class B.

The first race of 9.4 miles for Class A and 8.0 miles for Class B came off well after an early start to the day. But a dark cloud approaching the course area from the north brought with it a significant right shift in the second race, where the runs became reaches and beats became fetches on both courses. So race managers shortened the course at the top mark for Class B, and the scorers on both courses adjusted their Performance Curve scoring models to reflect the shift.

News race - Avantage Edmond de Rothschild - La Route des Princes 2013

Edmond de Rothschild completed their hat trick of inshore race series wins when they sailed to victory in Race 4, the final heat of the Plymouth Series, to maintain their 100% inshore record, winning in Valencia, Lisbon and now Plymouth.

                                                                © M. Lloyd/RDP

Sébastien Josse’s crew took control on the second downwind after Jean-Pierre Dick’s team made a very good start and lead around the first circuit of the upwind-downwind course. Edmond de Rothschild won with Virbac-Paprec 70 second and Sidney Gavignet’s Oman Air-Musandam  in third.

That is the final order on the overall standings for Plymouth with Edmond de Rothshchild winning – and so heading into the final offshore with a lead of four points ahead of Oman Air-Musandam  which took third here with Virbac-Paprec 70 in third.

Aqua extend in Sweden » News » RC Forty Four

The penultimate day of the RC44 Sweden Cup challenged the 12 competing team’s crew work and punished small mistakes. Consistency has proved tough in Marstrand with eight different winners coming from the first eight races. Only overall leaders Team Aqua have been able to win two races, helping them increase their lead over the chasing pack to 14-points.

 

With the breeze touching 20 knots for the opening race, Team Nika was eager to get their day started and were called over the line early. Katusha looked to be leading the fleet up the first beat, when their runner block broke putting them out of the race. Hugues Lepic’s Aleph Racing took over the gauntlet and rounded the windward mark first, followed by Aqua and Ironbound.  Aleph held onto their lead until the closing stages of the race when a broach resulted in a ripped kite, putting them back to sixth.

U.S. Coast Guard issues permit for America’s Cup racing on San Francisco Bay / America’s Cup

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued the America’s Cup with the Marine Event Permit required to conduct America’s Cup racing on San Francisco Bay this summer.

“This is an important and necessary step for the America’s Cup,” said Iain Murray, independent Regatta Director for the America’s Cup.

“I’d like to thank the United States Coast Guard and all of the other organizations and agencies who have helped the America’s Cup get to this point where we are ready to conduct racing, starting with the fleet parade and time trials on July 5, and the first race of the Louis Vuitton Cup, America’s Cup Challenger Series, on July 7.”

Noseriding: the art of balance in surfing / Surfer Today

Noseriding is the ultimate maneuver in classic surfing. The art of hanging five and ten toes was born in the early 1950s, but has been conquering new grounds and enthusiasts in the modern world.

Longboarders say it's one of the most accomplished maneuvers in surfing. Noseriding is a wide concept involving a large number of maneuvers and tricks.  More; Noseriding: the art of balance in surfing

Famous surf spot in Wyoming experiencing rare staying power | GrindTV

You may not think of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, as the perfect locale for surfing, but the ridable waves churned up by the Snake River’s Lunch Counter Rapids just outside of town have been an open secret among surfers for years. The waves are produced when snowmelt and release activities from the Jackson Lake Dam cause water levels to rise and the river to flow 8,000 to 12,000 cubic feet per second.

  Photo by Travis Burke

During most years, the Lunch Counter wave is active for two to six weeks, usually from late May until June. But the wave is inconsistent, sometimes lying dormant for days at a time. This year, however, the folks in Jackson Hole have been experiencing a rare event, with the river producing consistently ridable waves for 40-plus days, and at the time of this writing, the waves are still pumping.  More; Famous surf spot in Wyoming experiencing rare staying power | GrindTV.com

The 31st Annual 2013 California Surf Lifesaving Championships Set for July 26-27 in Newport Beach

The top professional and junior lifeguards in the state will compete in the 2013 California Surf Life Saving Assn. Southwest Regional Lifeguard Championships on Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27. The two-day event will be held on the south side of the Newport Beach Pier between 18th and 20th Streets, adjacent to the Newport Beach Lifeguard Headquarters located at 70 Newport Pier. The competition returns to Newport Beach after a highly successful 2012 event.

The California Junior Lifeguard Regional Championship for all CSLSA affiliated Junior Lifeguard programs will be held on Friday, July 26, while the events for California Lifeguards and Lifeguard alumni will be held on Saturday, July 27. On both days, competition begins at 8 a.m.

Commentary: If You Build It / Speed on the Water

This month, we were fortunate to attend two Northeast performance boating events in two weeks. The first, the National Powerboat Association's New York City Poker Run—dormant for four years—showed a bit of hope for the future as a truly high-quality fleet turned out for the resurrected event.

(Photo courtesy/copyright Tim Sharkey/Sharkey Images.)

What the event lacked in quantity—back in the day fleets of more than 150 boats packed the Hudson River two deep from shore to shore—it made up for in eye-catching quality. More than 30 extraordinary high-end cats and V-bottoms gave notice that the sport may be re-emerging as a viable nationwide series, either because of or in spite of local economic conditions. The weather sparkled, the boats were spectacular as they ran on the Hudson and NPBA's Billy Frenz and his team are certainly on to something. We came away thinking that there was at least some hope spinning around us.  More; Commentary: If You Build It

Super Boats Headed To Sarasota Florida For Big Summer Race | Super Boat International

Key West, Fla (June 27, 2013) – Professional offshore race teams are preparing for one of the biggest events of the year. July 5th through the 8th, teams will compete in the 29th Annual Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix Festival in Sarasota, Florida. Super Boat International (SBI) is the largest professional offshore racing sanctioning body in America, producing eight events through the year which attracts hundreds of thousands of fans and spectators to beachfront cities.

The Suncoast Grand Prix is one of the largest offshore powerboat races of the year which brings race teams from all around the United States and abroad. Racers travel from as far away as the Middle East and Europe to compete in SBI events. For this race event, some of the most exciting and competitive racing action takes place just offshore from the beaches of Lido Beach, Florida.  More; Super Boats Headed To Sarasota Florida For Big Summer Race | Super Boat International

French 52 makes eight for Royal Cup Marina Ibiza | 52 Super Series

Eight 52’s will race next week when the 52 SUPER SERIES is hosted for the first time on the Balearic Island of Ibiza. The second European regatta of the season, the Royal Cup, reflects the initiative of the owners to choose venues which are a mix of established, key regattas and standalone regattas at desirable, perhaps less well known locations.

Ibiza may have a global reputation as a holiday destination but it is the chance to compete on an equable racing arena which is not very well known by the crews and so offers a new set of challenges that has been just part of the attraction. Summer weather, reliable sea breezes, the island ambience and of course the range of upscale accommodation, restaurants and bars add support the choice.

Honoring Hawai'i's Outstanding Käne and Wähine O Ke Kai / 2013 Waterman Hall of Fame

Aloha! Hawai'i is steeped in the legacy of the waterman beginning with the ancient Polynesians who crossed the vast Pacific Ocean in canoes and then practiced the art of surfing for centuries using long, heavy wooden boards before western man ever encountered the Hawaiian Islands.

 

Led by the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation, the Hawai'i Waterman Hall of Fame is paying tribute to Hawai'i's extraordinary waterman athletes of more modern times, with this showcase of remembrance honoring their achievements.

Hawai'i's watermen and waterwomen have been vital to the cultural heritage of the Hawaiian Islands, their stature essential to the aura of unmatched qualities that makes these islands so special to so many people worldwide.

Each Hall of Fame inductee celebrated here has had a profound impact in perpetuating Hawai'i's waterman legacy, and establishing the Hawaiian Islands as the focal point in the ocean-sports universe.

The Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation is proud to recognize the 2013 Hawaii Waterman Hall of Fame Inductee Class:

 

Steve Borowski - Swimming

Tommy Conner - Paddling

Linda Kaiser - Open Water Swimming

Bill Smith - Swimming, Ocean Safety

China Uemura - Surfing

Source; Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation

Embark on a spontaneous surf adventure / Grind TV

The process of haphazard adventure is detailed in 'Holes in the Map'

Sometimes the best adventures are the ones we don’t plan—at least, this is what we learn from surfers Jen Smith, Mele Saili, and Jenna Balester in “Holes in the Map,” a new short film about a road trip that stretched up the West Coast from San Diego to a tiny island off the coast of Canada. Overflowing with fun waves and breathtaking scenery, “Holes in the Map” captures a spontaneous journey into the unknown.

Filmmaker Hayley Gordon on location for “Holes in the Map”

Image courtesy of Gordon

Hiding behind the lens is New York-to-Cali transplant Hayley Gordon, an Encinitas-based filmmaker who inspires us to throw caution to the wind and set off on unexpected undertakings with our best friend riding shotgun.

GrindTV caught up with Gordon to learn more about her recent exploits.  More; Embark on a spontaneous surf adventure

News race - Two out of three ain't bad - La Route des Princes 2013

After winning two of the three offshore legs sailed so far on the Routes des Princes multihull race around Europe, Sidney Gavignet’s Oman Air-Musandam now lead the overall MOD70 standings by the smallest possible margin. With only Friday and Saturday’s inshore race series and the last offshore sprint to Morlaix, France still to be raced they top the table only on tie break. 

Oman Air-Musandam slid across the finish line on Plymouth Sound at 18 h 53 mn 06 s local time on a glorious sunny Wednesday evening, then threaded their way through the local sailing fleets engaged in their club racing, the international crew drained but contented after a nerve shredding, intense leg from Dun Laoghaire, Ireland which started on Monday morning.  More; News race - Two out of three ain't bad - La Route des Princes 2013

Rain doesn’t stop play in Marstrand » News » RC Forty Four

Tricky conditions on the opening day of fleet racing at the RC44 Sweden Cup saw no one team able to finish in the top half of the leaderboard in all three races. There were race wins for Team Italia, Artemis Racing and Team Aqua, but the most consistent performers of the day were John Bassadone and Vasco Vascotto onboard Peninsula Petroleum. The Gibraltar based team scored two seconds and a seventh to take a two point overnight lead over Artemis Racing.

Race one started in seven knots, with the breeze from the north-west, but quickly increased to 12 knots as the rain increased. Aleph Racing, Katusha, Team Aqua and Ironbound were all called over at the start of race one and struggled to get back through the fleet. Massimo Barranco’s Team Italia with Flavio Favini calling the shots got the jump on the fleet to round the windward mark first, Artemis Racing (SWE) close behind and competing in their first ever RC44 fleet race was Bronenosec Sailing Team in third. More; Rain doesn’t stop play in Marstrand » News » RC Forty Four

ORC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2013 ITALY - SHORT RACE FINISHED, LONG RACE FINISHING AT 2013 ADRIA FERRIES ORCi WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Ancona, Italy -- It was indeed a long night for the fleet at the Adria Ferries ORCi World Championship, but dawn has brought a welcome 10-knot SE breeze to bring the teams home to the finish at the venue at Marina Dorica. The fleet was battered overnight by extremes of weather, from dead calm to thunderstorms and heavy squalls of 25-30 knot winds.

First to cross the finish line here for their long Class B race course of 83 miles was Vincenzo De Blasio's NM38S Scugnizza. The reigning World Champion for this class finished at about 0930 local time, the first of both classes to cross the finish line, as the Class A boats are still out completing their longer 130-mile course. Seven minutes later Giuseppe Giuffre's M37 Low Noise crossed the line, correcting over Scugnizza by 3 minutes.

Two AC72s on the Bay / ORACLE TEAM USA / America's Cup

ORACLE TEAM USA completed a first full day of two-boat testing today in San Francisco. Both of the team’s AC72 racing yachts spent the morning running through various tests and boat set-ups as they maneuvered around the San Francisco Bay.

“It was the best day of the campaign,” said skipper Jimmy Spithill. “It has taken a lot of work and a lot of energy to get two full crews up to this level, to operationally get to this level, to launch and have two boats ready to go. A lot of credit goes to the shore and build teams.

“Now, we have two competitive boats,” Spithill continued. “That’s a good position to be in as you never know what’s around the corner. For us to have two boats, with two race wings, and have a lot of depth in our sailing team, it certainly gives us a chance to produce more boat speed. And, from a racing point of view, it allows us to really learn the race track and build a playbook.”

Spithill took the helm of one AC72 while Ben Ainslie was behind the wheel of the other AC72. Two full crews – 22 sailors combined – were onboard for the morning session. Following testing, one boat returned to the base while the other spent time on the race course.

Joel Parkinson Wins the Oakley Pro Bali, Fanning New ASP WCT No. 1 : ASP World Tour – The Association of Surfing Professionals

KERAMAS, Bali/Indonesia (Thursday, June 27, 2013) – Joel Parkinson (AUS), 32, has won the inaugural Oakley Pro Bali over Michel Bourez (PYF), 27, via an impressive come-from-behind effort in four-to-six foot (2 metre) waves at the iconic Balinese righthander of Keramas.

Joel Parkinson (AUS), 32, your 2013 Oakley Pro Bali Champion.

Stop No. 5 of 10 on the ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), the Oakley Pro Bali hosted a historic high-performance showdown including perfect heats and next level progression from the world’s best surfers, culminating with Parkinson’s hard-fought victory over Bourez in the Final.

Parkinson was quick to adapt to the changing conditions on the final day of action, besting fellow countrymen Taj Burrow (AUS), 35, and Josh Kerr (AUS), 29, en route to the Final. The natural-footer got off to a slow start on his road to victory, but an impressive series of fully-committed forehand combinations on a steep righthand wall would see the reigning ASP World Champion surpass the Tahitian in the final minutes for the win.

Inside the America’s Cup: No Second Place / America’s Cup

NO SECOND PLACE, a six-episode feature, produced in conjunction with Red Bull Media House and the America’s Cup, offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the teams competing in the 2013 America´s Cup during the Summer of Racing in San Francisco.

This documentary-style production goes inside the teams, boat designs, training regimens, rules, the speed of the sport, strategy and teamwork, among other elements.

The first episode, titled Racing to Win, sets the scene by showcasing the stunning power of the new AC72s and the day-to-day life of the athletes as the America’s Cup teams prepare for the culmination of the summer’s racing in September.

ORACLE TEAM USA is preparing to defend its title, but challengers from New Zealand, Italy and Sweden are all gunning for the trophy too.

These elite sailors are constantly pushing the limits of both themselves and the AC72 and this opening show delivers perspective from team members as they break down what it will take to raise the America’s Cup, the oldest active trophy in international sport. There are national bragging rights at stake and there is “No Second Place”.

Source; America's Cup



Who's Doing Molokai? Check Out The Full Competitor List And Find Out... | SUPracer.com

We’re only a month away from one of the most prestigious SUP races on the calendar; the 2013 Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships. We called it a couple of months back; this will be the most competitive SUP fields ever assembled for Molokai, with the likes of Danny Ching and Travis Grant signing on for the first time.

Well now you can see how the entire field of stacks up with the full competitor list. There’s going to be 156 Stand Up Paddlers competing this year…

The big four are there: Connor Baxter (winner of the past two titles), Danny Ching, Travis Grant, Kai Lenny.

Missing are a couple of big names: 2010 Champion Dave Kalama and 10x Paddleboard Champ Jamie Mitchell, however there’s a whole stack of dark horses that could challenge Connor, Danny, Kai and Travis.  More; Who's Doing Molokai? Check Out The Full Competitor List And Find Out... | SUPracer.com

Opinions Surface About Equal Gender Prize Money | SUP Other

SAN DIEGO, California - The question of whether or not there should be equal prize money for male and female··winners at stand up paddle events continues to be a huge debate in the SUP world.··Recently supconnect has witnessed many conversations, particularly across social media, where a variety of opinions and possible solutions have been shared.·

Please note that the ideas and opinions mentioned below are not the opinions of Supconnect but rather a brief sample of some of the schools of thought that currently exist with regard to equal prize money payment for men and women in SUP competitions. More; Opinions Surface About Equal Gender Prize Money | SUP Other

Roar at The Shore: Is ‘Big Time’ Offshore Racing Back In Atlantic City? Speed on the Water

The three-day Atlantic City Festival of Speed culminated with exciting, lead-swapping, air-grabbing offshore boat racing last Sunday, but the real story isn't so much the race results as it is the impact the weekend of high-speed hardware may have had on the future of the sport through a first-rate example of how cities and race promoters working together can deliver high-quality, high-performance entertainment and a boost to the local economy.

Sunday's offshore racing action was wild during the first Atlantic City race in decades. All photos courtesy/copyright Tim Sharkey/Sharkey Images.

 

The Jersey Shore suffered badly from Hurricane Sandy, but Atlantic City itself faired far better than the impression the rest of the country may have from news coverage of the storm. Tourism numbers are down and it frustrates local officials who believe people are staying away because they think the Boardwalk and seaside attractions were wiped out. To be sure, the storm was devastating to many, but even those not affect by the storm's direct impact are feeling the economic pinch with the decline in visitors.  More; Roar at The Shore: Is ‘Big Time’ Offshore Racing Back In Atlantic City?

Surprises and upsets at the Oakley Pro Bali 2013 / Surfer Today

The leader of the ASP World Tour rankings is out of the Oakley Pro Bali 2013. Kelly Slater has been eliminated in Round 5, at the primary venue of Keramas.

Excellent six-to-eight foot (2 – 2.5 metre) barrels greeted all surfers still riding the Indonesian wave lines. Taj Burrow and Joel Parkinson will battle themselves in the Quarterfinals.  More; Surprises and upsets at the Oakley Pro Bali 2013

Volvo Ocean Race | Team SCA maintain record breaking rhythm

Team SCA's record breaking rhythm shows no sign of letting up after the all-female team posted a new best time in a training run from their Lanzarote base at Puerto Calero to La Palma Marina.

The team, joined on board by several coaches, took on the 218-mile Canary Islands course on Saturday and according to Sam Davies, one of the five sailors already confirmed for the 2014-15 edition, it was a case of mission accomplished. More; Volvo Ocean Race | Team SCA maintain record breaking rhythm

Luna Rossa’s Draper adapting to Cup lifestyle / America's Cup

'Chris Draper debuted with Luna Rossa Challenge on the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) at Naples on April 11, 2012. Four days later he and his Luna Rossa mates were standing atop the championship podium, winners of their first ACWS regatta.

The victory could hardly have come at a better time for Luna Rossa. One week earlier the team had been introduced to the Italian media. Italy is a sports-mad country, and the America’s Cup ranks high in the competition for eyes and hearts. At the ACWS Naples earlier this year in April, the Saturday racing had better ratings than qualifying for the F1 race at Bahrain.

News race - Light and getting lighter - La Route des Princes 2013

After losing out slightly in the strong currents at Tuskar Rock on Ireland’s SE coast when they were climbing north towards Dun Laoghaire over a week ago, Sidney Gavignet’s Oman Air-Musandam  made no such errors yesterday evening as they built a small lead on Leg 3 of the Routes des Princes race around Europe.

© M. Mochet/RDP

On the passage from Dun Laoghaire to Plymouth via the Fastnet Rock, which they should round later today, Oman Air-Musandam were the only one of the MOD70 crews to stay very close to the Irish coast and so lead by six miles ahead of Edmond de Rothschild.

This morning, with around 50 miles to go to reach Fastnet, Oman Air-Musandam  have built that lead to 8.7 miles although more recently Edmond de Rothschild – leaders at Bardsey Island yesterday afternoon – have caught them a little.

ISAF | World Sailing | Close At The Top Of The 2013 Adria Ferries ORCi World Championship

This morning on the first day of the Adria Ferries ORCi World Championship, things looked extremely promising: partly sunny skies, 14-17 knots of wind from the northwest, just enough to speckle whitecaps on the beautiful azure seas of the Adriatic.

 

TP52 Enfant Terrible ©Max Ranchi

Race managers were excited about the day, planning to hold two out of the seven inshore races they intend for the week.  More; News & Features | ISAF | World Sailing | Official Site : Close At The Top Of The 2013 Adria Ferries ORCi World Championship

Camille Juban claims the Pistol River Wave Bash 2013 / Surfer Today

Camille Juban claims the Pistol River Wave Bash 2013: Juban was masterful at picking off the best waves of the final, at Gold Beach. Ingrid Larouche defended her title against a powerful Fiona Wylde.

Keramas Fires for Round 3 of the Oakley Pro Bali : ASP World Tour

KERAMAS, Bali/Indonesia (Tuesday, June 25, 2013) – The Oakley Pro Bali resumed competition today and the world-class Balinese righthander of Keramas delivered barreling six-to-eight foot (2 – 2.5 metre) waves for the elimination Round 3.

Joel Parkinson (AUS), 32, reigning ASP World Champion, driving through a freight train Keramas barrel during Round 3 of the Oakley Pro Bali.

Event No. 5 of 10 on the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), the Oakley Pro Bali endured four lay days of small surf before Keramas reawakened today and the world’s best surfers threaded barrels, lofted airs and executed turns, whittling the event’s original 36-man field down to the final 12.

Joel Parkinson (AUS), 32, reigning ASP World Champion and current ASP WCT No. 7, put on a clinic in his morning bout against an on-fire Damien Hobgood (USA), 33, amassing an excellent 18.60 out of a possible 20 for flawless barrel-riding and searing carves.

RESULTS: 2013 Atlantic City Offshore Grand Prix - OPA Racing

RESULTS: 2013 Atlantic City Offshore Grand Prix

Atlantic City, New Jersey June 23, 2013​

​

 EXTREME
1st - 1 Cintron
2nd - 388 Phoenix Parts
3rd - 5 Broadco Cat 5
4th - 113 Miss Geico

SUPER VEE LITE
1st - 66 Tug It
2nd - 51 Wild Ride
3rd - 21 Pirate Racing
4th - 29 Typhoon
5th - 3 Lilly Sport Boats

CLASS 1
1st - 129 Cleveland Construction​

CLASS 3
1st - 311 Chiro One
2nd - V6 Strictly Business
3rd - 377 Wanted Racing
4th - 360 Bull on the Beach
5th - V1 Wazzup

CLASS 4
1st - 441 Saris Racing
2nd - 401 R&S Racing
3rd - 467 Velocity Racing
4th - 487 Jersey Outlaw

CLASS 5
1st - 555 Pushin Tin
2nd - 519 Dirty Sutphen
3rd - 540 Pump It
4th - 505 Cisco

CLASS 6
1st - 639 Repeat Offender
2nd - 618 Pro Boat
3rd - 667 Hurricane Force
4th - 699 Grinch Racing
5th - 626 Maxed Out
6th - 623 Country Service
7th - 644 Knot Guilty
8th - 601 Wazzup II
9th - 611 Joker

CLASS 7
1st - 717 Aquaholic
2nd - 732 Woah Mama
3rd - 727 Molson Muscle
4th - 779 Toasty

 

Next race of the OPA race season will the "ST CLAIR RIVER CLASSIC OFFSHORE POWERBOAT RACE" ​in St Clair, MI on JULY 26-28!

Gregg, Sarrazin Capture Payette River Games Titles | SUP Magazine

While whitewater events sometimes take a back seat to ocean contests, the Payette River Games at Kelly’s Whitewater Park in Cascade, Idaho is proof that SUP competitions have firmly taken hold in the intermountain regions. And the $14,000 prize purse only upped the ante.

Haley Mills had the hardest move on the river dialed. Low center of gravity = better balance

The PRG combined a downriver sprint and a SUP cross event with competitors earning points for their finishes in each discipline. The first day saw the field cut from 40 to 10 for the final Sunday with both men and women battling for an equal prize purse.

In Sunday’s final, Nikki Gregg greased the downriver race, making all of her lines. Then, in the SUP Cross final she was the only competitor to remain on her board, sealing up the $3,000 in prize money. It’s been a summer of living dangerously for the hard-charging Hood River-resident as Gregg has placed in the top five in every river event she’s entered including the Go Pro Mountain Games and FIBARK last weekend in Salida, Colo. “My mind is in the right place,” she said. “I was really focused on this event and I was really honored that the people at Kelly’s Whitewater Park wanted me to be a part of it.”  More; Gregg, Sarrazin Capture Payette River Games Titles | SUP Magazine

RC44’s ready to race in Marstrand » News / RC Forty Four

After a tantalizingly close finish to the RC44 Trapani Cup, the fleet has returned for the third consecutive year to the sailing mecca of Marstrand, Sweden for round three of the 2013 RC44 Championship Tour. 12 teams will race for the RC44 Sweden Cup, the fleet joined by Bronenosec Sailing Team, owned by Russian Vladimir Liubomirov in Marstrand.  Five days of racing will start on Tuesday 25th May with one day of match racing, followed by four days of fleet racing.

The Championship is still wide open after racing went down to the wire, in the final metres, of the final race, of the RC44 Trapani Cup, Sicily back in May. RC44 heavy weights Team Aqua eventually snatched the lead from Slovenian Team CEEREF to secure the event win and their place at the top of the overall fleet racing leaderboard.

Team Aqua’s tactician Cameron Appleton explained, “The class is in a  fantastic place right now, its some of the best sailing on offer in an international circuit. The last event in Trapani was really tough, we were victorious in the end but we really had to fight for it, it was close racing all week and for us it all finally came together in the last race when it really counted. The skill level in the fleet is really deep, we’ve seen the new teams put in some really good events.”

To be expected to England - La Route des Princes 2013

Heading to Plymouth, one of England’s most historic ocean racing centres, the Routes des Princes fleet of eight grand prix multihulls left from Dun Laoghaire, Dublin Bay at 1100hrs this Monday morning. For the teams the return to perfect sunshine with only moderate winds at start time proved an ironic change from the blustery, chilly gales which prevented any of the planned inshore racing being completed over the weekend.

          © M. Mochet/RDP

When they left the National YC dock this morning they were leaving race leader Spindrift tied forlornly to the pontoon. Plans to dive to recover the rig – broken when they capsized on Saturday - sails and standing rigging are well advanced, weather dependent.

On the initial, short 7.2 miles circuit before leaving Dublin Bay it was Virbac-Paprec 70 and FenêtréA-Cardinal which took command of the MOD70 and Multi 50 classes respectively, but this penultimate offshore leg to Plymouth promises to be very tactical, peppered with several zones of stop-start sailing. Once more a close finish, in light winds, is anticipated by the MOD70 skippers. As well as the sunshine and very light winds, there will be rain clouds at times, thick fog banks and strong tidal currents along the south coast of England, all providing different challenges or opportunities for the teams.

Volvo Ocean Race | Ken Read: "The Volvo Ocean Race is my life"

The 2011-12 edition was the closest in our 40-year history but according to Ken Read the next one will be even tighter – and even more demanding for the sailors involved. The former PUMA skipper, now president of North Sails, is (almost) certain he'll be watching from the shore this time but when your emotional bond with a race runs as deep as his, it's best not to rule it out.

After two editions at the head of PUMA Ocean Racing, you're now President of North Sails. How would you rate this new challenge against a Volvo Ocean Race campaign?

“It’s a big Volvo project! North Sails worldwide has 1,600 employees so it’s a reasonable size company. And I think that’s why they want me to do what I do.

“It’s managing people, it’s managing projects, it’s managing problems, it’s creating solutions, it’s surrounding yourself with good people… It’s really no different!”

Becker, Oliphant Win The Surftech Jay Race In Santa Cruz | SUP Racer

Matt Becker and Brit Oliphant have taken out the 2013 Surftech Jay Race, as over 150 stand up paddlers hit the water in Santa Cruz yesterday to honour the late Jay Moriarty.

Legends: Joe Bark and Gerry Lopez by Allison Riddle

America’s Cup skipper Jimmy Spithill was second over the line in the 12 mile distance race, while Anthony Vela and Allison Riddle took out the Waterman Challenge “triathlon”.

Full results;  Becker, Oliphant Win The Surftech Jay Race In Santa Cruz | SUPracer.com

Connor Baxter Makes it a Clean Sweep in Bilbao | SUP Races

BILBAO, Spain - The following are the latest updates from the Stand Up World Series in Bilbao, Spain.·Enjoy learning about many of the athletes and their progress at 6 months into the year.

Photo courtesy of the Stand Up World Series

Connor Baxter (Starboard) makes it a clean sweep in Bilbao with a convincing win in both the long distance and sprint racing making it his 4th consecutive bullet win on the 2013 Stand Up World Series, thereby strengthening his ratings lead. In a challenging Long distance race that took in some of the most dramatic sites that the striking city of Bilbao has to offer, Connor played it strategically, waiting for the right moment to strike and burst into the lead to take the win.In the sprints, he conserved energy through the heats and peaked in the Final, with a blistering start that saw him take the lead before the first buoy and maintain it through the duration of the course.Connor now returns to Maui still holding the yellow jersey, but in the knowledge that it is still all to play for this year on the Stand Up World Series, with Hamburg up next, and then the US Trilogy of events in Chicago, San Francisco and Huntington Beach. For highlights, galleries, full results and much more go to: www.watermanleague.com  more; Connor Baxter Makes it a Clean Sweep in Bilbao | SUP Races

ABU DHABI INTERNATIONAL MARINE SPORTS CLUB TEAM-UP WITH RANDY SCISM’S MARINE TECHNOLOGY INC

Monday, 24 June: Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club has reached an agreement of ‘technical cooperation’ with American racing legend and owner of the highly successful Marine Technology Inc, as they look to step-up their bid to win the Class 1 World title. “We have many ambitious plans in order to make the emirate of Abu Dhabi the capital of marine sports racing,” said HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. “This will give us great benefits in the future.

“We have various plans to promote Abu Dhabi and to boost tourism,” he added. “The participation of various teams from Abu Dhabi in all competitions helps to achieve this goal. We want to be at the very pinnacle of all forms of racing.”

OPA Powerboat races awe Atlantic City fans on sea, sand and boards - Press of Atlantic City

ATLANTIC CITY - Paul Baker and Tom Barnhart couldn't ignore the roar Sunday afternoon.

The 38-year-old residents of Hagerstown, Md., had come to Atlantic City for a getaway with their wives and kids. Once they learned that the Atlantic City Offshore Grand Prix was happening, however, they made a bee line for Steel Pier to watch approximately 40 powerboats race across the ocean at speeds approaching 150 mph.

More; Powerboat races awe Atlantic City fans on sea, sand and boards - pressofAtlanticCity.com: Sports

7th Annual SEA Paddle NYC August 9, 2013

The 7th Annual SEA Paddle NYC will be held on August 9, 2013.  More information on start time and location (as well as finish line) will be posted shortly.  Be sure to check back!

Paddlers from around the world come for the challenge on the water, the beauty of Manhattan and the camaraderie in paddling for a cause. 

The SEAPaddleNYC serves as Surfers' Environmental Alliance's primary fund raiser. The Paddle and ancillary events raise money for environmental preservation, a number of non-profit autism organizations and for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, bringing awareness to and supporting the causes closest to SEA's core values.

Started in 2007, the 26.5 mile marathon paddle around Manhattan is acknowledged as one of the first SUP events in the country. It's raised more than $1.7 Million by drawing hundreds of participants from all over the world -including legends like Gerry Lopez, Tom Curren, Joel Tudor, & Jamie Mitchell.

We continue building the SEAPaddleNYC into an internationally recognized event, showcasing how paddlers can make a huge difference in helping important causes while having the time of their lives. 

There are several Paddling events in this years SEA Paddle NYC: SEA Paddle NYC 2013

Tactical race to Plymouth - La Route des Princes 2013

With no inshore racing possible in Dun Laoghaire Sunday for the Routes des Princes fleet due to very high winds on Dublin Bay, the focus for the multihull fleet returns to offshore racing as Leg 3, to Plymouth is set to start on Monday morning at 1100hrs local time (Dublin).

After the spectacular capsize of Yann Guichard’s Spindrift on Saturday there will now be three MOD70’s racing on the penultimate offshore stage.

 

The race leading MOD70 was righted by crane on Saturday evening and the crew and technical team spent Sunday doing their best to restore what equipment had been salvaged and make the hull ready for repatriation back to France which is expected to take place later this week.

 

Injured crewman Jacques Guichard (FRA), who suffered a fractured pelvis, remains comfortable in hospital and will be further evaluated by a specialist on Monday.