World Paddle Association - WPA

WPA CERTIFICATIONS DATES ANNOUNCED – JUNE 8 MIRAMAR BEACH, FL, JUNE 23 DUNEDIN, FL

admin — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:37:43 +0000

WPA Level 1 Certifications coming soon led by

YOLO Board Team Riders!

This is a one day class to meet requirements for a WPA instructor class 1 certification.

The WPA Water Safety curriculum includes classroom and on water instruction as part of the water safety education classes that includes:

Board and Equipment Purchasing
SUP Etiquette
Safety Planning
Injury Prevention
Water Dynamics
Boating Laws
Board & Paddling Skills
Rescue techniques
Water Safety information

All instructors who complete a WPA Water Safety class are also required to complete the following criteria to satisfy the certification requirements. An instructor may attend a WPA Water Safety class if have not met the following CPR/First aid and insurance criteria:

Requirements:
CPR/First Aid certificate (class format through the American Heart Association or American Red Cross)
Liability insurance coverage (we will send you information with lower insurance rates only available for WPA instructors)
$75 per year to maintain WPA instructor certificate (first year fee included in the first class)
80% on certification exam
Be a WPA member

Benefits:
Marketing: instructors will be posted by level and region on the WPA website
Insurance: discounted rates for individual and group insurance
Backed by a structured organization with the WPA and the WPA Board of Instructors
Updates with curriculum supplied to all WPA instructors

SATURDAY JUNE 8 – led by YOLO Team Rider Gary Wise:

World Paddle Association Level 1 Certification

This will be a Class 1 course and will be limited to the first 8 applicants with their applications submitted and their $295 course fee paid. First Aid and CPR certification, water sports liability insurance, 18 years of age are a pre-requisite for this course.

If you have not already completed an online application, please visithttp://worldpaddleassociation.com/instruction/ for all answers regarding cost, registration, and qualification requirements, please read all 7 links.

When: Saturday June 8, 2013

Time : 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Where:

YOLO Board Adventures Sandestin

9300 Emerald Coast Parkway

Miramar Beach, FL 32550

Cost: $295

Please complete the online application by going to http://worldpaddleassociation.com/apply-now/.

SUNDAY JUNE 23 – led by YOLO Team Rider Karen Mirlenbrink:

World Paddle Association Level 1 Certification

When: Sunday June 23, 2013

Time : 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Where: Dunedin Causeway, Dunedin, FL (exact location TBA)

Cost: $295

Please complete the online application by going to http://worldpaddleassociation.com/apply-now/. Please include the code listed next to your course in your application. You will be receiving a invoice via Pay Pal to pay a deposit of $150.00 to your e-mail address. Please also send an e-mail to Karen (kmirlenbrink@gmail.com) using our contact form to confirm your e-mail and your attendance for the class listed below. Your deposit will confirm your spot to attend the attached class. All instructors attending must adhere to the guidelines set forward by the WPA with information posted below and on www.worldpaddleassociation.com.

WPA Class I Instructor Certification Classes Announced

bkurt — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:46:01 +0000

WPA Class I Certification course for SUP instructors will be conducted on the following dates and locations. Please submit your application through the WPA website and read all of the requirements to become a WPA Certified Instructor. Go to the “Instruction” button on the WPA homepage to find all of the information and requirements to become a WPA Certified Instructor and to complete the instructor application. Once you complete the application your information will also be forwarded to the nearest WPA Class II Instructor and you may contact any of the listed Class II or higher instructors to see about any of their upcoming classes.

Please contact the listed instructor to reserve your space for the following classes:

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Kathy Osterman Beach

5800 N. Lakeshore Dr.

Chicago, Il 60626

To register please contact:

info@chicagopaddlecompany.com

312-970-0861

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Big Foot Beach State Park

1452 S. Wells Street

Lake Geneva, WI 53147

(Park entrance is at 1550 S. Lake Shore Dr., one mile south of the city of Lake Geneva)

To register please contact:

info@chicagopaddlecompany.com

312-970-0861

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Beach Lodge at Culver Town Park

819 E. Lake Shore Dr.

Culver, IN 46511

(this is in conjunction w/ the Lake Max Challenge, part of the Midwest WPA series)

To register please contact:

info@chicagopaddlecompany.com

312-970-0861

US SUP Tour- San Onofre, June 14 & 15, 2013

bkurt — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:43:16 +0000

US SUP Tour- San Onofre Event

Although the Seaside Heights, NJ US SUP Tour on May 18 & 19 has been cancelled due to clean up from Hurricane Sandy the US SUP Tour San Onofre event on June 14 & 15 is now the focus for all competitors to participate at this unique venue. The US SUP Tour will be first ever stand up paddle race conducted at San Onofre State Beach at the famous Churches surf break.

In association with the World Paddle Association and Surfing America the US SUP Tour San Onofre event will conduct the SUP Surf competition heats on Friday, June 14 and the SUP races on Saturday, June 15. The US SUP Tour officials have lowered the entry fees for the amateur divisions of the SUP Surf entry fee to $75.00 and the SUP race entry fee to $50.00. All of the SUP race competitors will receive WPA points for rankings along with a first class event at a world class venue.

Registration is now open for entries and the event details on www.paddleguru.com/races. The US SUP Tour at San Onofre looks to be a great event at this premiere location in Southern California and will offer $10,000 in prize money and great prizes for all of the Amatuer competitors.

WPA Announces Partnership with PaddleGuru

bkurt — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:10:19 +0000

The World Paddle Association (WPA) and PaddleGuru has partnered to provide registration, payment, results, rankings and timing services for all WPA sanctioned races in 2013.

PaddleGuru, founded by David Petrovics, Tim Hornsby and Sam Ritchie have created a full service registration process for paddlers and race directors to utilize for their needs. All WPA sanctioned races will be listed on the PaddleGuru site to provide a one stop process. “The Paddling community has grown along with the sport of stand up paddling (SUP) and we feel that we have developed a system that will streamline the process for everyone involved”, states Petrovics. “The WPA is the perfect and best organization to partner with given that we are both dedicated to paddle sports”.

PaddleGuru will begin handling all of the World Paddle Association events effective immediately. The World Paddle Association believes the partnership with PaddleGuru will create quick and easy process for all WPA sanctioned events. “PaddleGuru cuts four steps into two steps once a competitor enters a WPA event”, states, Byron Kurt, President and Co-founder of the World Paddle Association. “PaddleGuru has already worked to make their system better since we begin our discussion which keeps our mission to provide a great experience for the competitors and the sport”, adds Kurt.

Detailed event information can be found at http://www.paddleguru.com/races.

2013 Hennessey’s-WPA World Paddle Championships

bkurt — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:54:05 +0000

Hennessey’s and the World Paddle Association announces the date for the 2013 World Paddle Championships to be held on September 21, 2013 at a location to be announced. Two locations are still being considered that will be convenient for competitors to make travel plans that may be participating in other events on the west coast.

The 2013 World Championships will include the World Championship race with the SUP 14′ division for Men, SUP 12’6 for Women, Open SUP race that will include SUP Surf, 12’6 and 14′ board classes, age divisions for both Men and Women, Paddleboard Unlimited and Stock for Men and Women. There will also be an added board division for SUP Unlimited for Men and Women and to crown the Unlimited World Champion. All competitors who will be competing in the World Championship race in the Men 14′ and Women 12’6 will need to qualify through their WPA region, WPA National races, U.S. Paddle Championships and the US SUP Tour events. No qualifying needed to enter in the SUP Open race or Paddleboard races. See the 2013 WPA SUP Racing Rulebook for the qualifying guidelines.

The Hobie-Hennessey’s WPA U.S. Paddle Championships will be held on June 1, 2013 at Doheny State Beach, CA and offers qualifying spots to the top 30% of the entries in the Championship races. Go to https://www.paddleguru.com/races to enter and get more detailed information.

2013 Carolina Cup WPA National Race

bkurt — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:58:29 +0000

The first WPA National race of 2013 kicks off with the Carolina Cup in Wrightsville Beach, NC on April 26-28, 2013. The Carolina Cup is put on by the Wrightsville Beach Paddleboard Club with the Blockade Runner Hotel serving as race venue.

The Carolina Cup was the largest race on the East Coast in 2012 with 318 participants and the race looks to attract 400 competitors in 2013. With being the first WPA National race of the year the Carolina Cup also attracts the top paddlers in world with Danny Ching and Jamie Mitchell and the top female paddlers Candice Appleby, Brandi Baksic, Annabel Anderson and Jenny Kalmbach.

The Carolina Cup offers three distinct races that offers something for all levels of paddlers that includes the grueling 13 mile Grave Yard race that competitors need to negociate every condition in the water and weather from current, waves, wind and strategy that not only challenges the competitors physically but mentally.

Go to http://wrightsvillebeachpaddleclub.com/about-the-carolina-cup/ for more information and to register for the event.

2013 WPA National Race Schedule

bkurt — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:05:33 +0000

Check your local WPA region for detailed information
Date	Region	Event	City	State
4/27/2013	6	Carolina CUP National Race	Wrightsville Beach	NC
5/10-12/2013	5	16th Annual Key West Classic National Race	Key West	FL
6/1/2013	9	Soundsurfer Waterman’s Challenge National Race	Westport	CT
6/1/2013	1	Hobie-Hennessey U.S. Paddle Championships	Dana Point	CA
6/8/2013	1	Santa Monica Pier Paddleboard WPA National Race	Santa Monica	CA
6/9/2013	7	Wet Feet/Blue Planet Surf WPA National Race	Oahu	HI
6/16/2013	8	Paddlers for Humanity WPA National Race	Wainscott	NY
6/22/2013	16	Waterman’s Paddle for WPA Humanity National Race	Minneapolis	MN
7/13/2013	10	Midwest Standup Paddle Festival WPA National Race	Middleton	WI
7/27/2013	4	WPA National Race	TBA	UT
8/10/2013	2	Tahoe Nalu WPA National Race	Lake Tahoe	CA
8/31/2013	13	Waterman’s Paddle for Humanity WPA National Race	Washington DC	MD
8/31/2013	Canada	Canadian SUP Championships	Vernon	BC
9/8/2013	3	Round The Rock WPA National Race	Seattle	WA
9/14/2013	12	Waterman’s Paddle for Humanity WPA National Race	Austin	TX
9/21/2013		Hennessey’s-WPA World Paddle Championships	TBA

Big Ten, Points Race Series – Pacific Northwest Region 3

admin — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 20:28:52 +0000

SUP Racing at Every Level

Everyone’s Welcome! WPA Member or Not. These are the
gatherings for SUP experience! Everybody’s doing it!

• Share common experience
• See how you’re doing
• Learn more, get better
• Great stories and beverages at the finish

Events Details

India Surf Festival – Results

admin — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 20:25:07 +0000

The second India Surf Festival hosted 2 races, a recreational race and an elite race.

Over 20 participants raced in the recreational course, including Orissa’s first local female participant. The event was run in heats of four up river to a buoy and back for a beach finish with board and paddle. Participants came from Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Kerala, and West Bengal. A few ISF volunteers from Argentina and the USA made this race a truly international event.

Recreational Female:
1) Tapashi Devchoudhury
2) Arpita Mohapatra
2) Hashmina
Recreational Male:
1) P. Sekar
2) Arun
3) S. Dharani

The Elite race was the first in India to leave a flat-water environment and traverse open ocean. Racers with the experience first paddled up river to a turn, upon turning they faced increasing winds and an incoming tide. The paddlers were in a close group as they paddled out of the river mouth and into the ocean, but the increasing technicality opened up a large gap between the top 2 finishers and the remaining participants. The top three finishers caught some amazing runners coming back into the river mouth before finishing next to the old bridge on Ramachandi beach. Based on the performance of all of those that competed in the elite race, it is safe to say India will see more races ofthis caliber. As the abilities of SUP racers in India advance, so will the courses designed to test their skills. All elite race participants should be proud to be on the forefront of such events and to have raced in such a technical course and finished.

Elite:
1) Vignesh (Bay of Life)
2) Manikandan (Bay of Life)
3) Murthy (CoveLong)

Congratulations to all participants! And to “Vicky” the Champion of the 2013 India SUP Cup!

WPA announces Kristin Artz to the position of Director of Marketing/PR

bkurt — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 22:28:47 +0000

The World Paddle Association (WPA) is proud to announce Kristin Artz as the Director of Marketing and PR effective immediately. Kristin will coordinate and facilitate the exchange of information between Paddlers, Race Directors, Sponsors, Manufacturers and the WPA, its Advisory Boards and Board of Directors across each of the WPA’s programs and activities.

“The WPA is proud to have Kristin to bring her experiences in event management and the SUP world to the WPA and to create a consistent message to all involved,” states Byron Kurt, co-founder of the WPA. “Given the need for constant communication in the SUP community and with the new programs were introducing, it is important that the WPA is communicating as much information as possible to all aspects of the community.”

WPA co-founder Scott Sanchez agrees, “With our increased growth in the last 12 months (16 regions in the U.S. and worldwide with 160 plus races) it has challenged us to keep pace with Marketing and PR. It takes the right individual whom embodies the professionalism and belief in the WPA mission. Kristin’s experience will only help and become a great asset to the WPA.”

Kristin will continue to work with her business partner Kimberly Hildreth at their event management company, Swivel Group that manages all types of events for leisure and corporate clients, SUP races and recently adding SUP weddings and group adventures. Swivel Group ran the Key West Paddleboard Classic for the past two years and is a huge supporter of the race & leisure paddle circuit. “The WPA has the voice of the stand up paddling community and has always held the best interests of the paddling community as its focus,” Kristin says. “I’m excited for the opportunity and to help create an increased awareness for the organization.”

Kristin will be based in San Diego, CA at the new west coast office of Swivel Group however will be actively attending events across the country to best serve the WPA. Please join us to welcome Kristin to the WPA organization and to help continue to build the sport for the future.

About the World Paddle Association

The WPA’s mission is to provide a comprehensive voice, fair and equal access and organizational structure to the sport of Stand Up Paddling (SUP) and its participants in a manner that benefits the collective paddling community.

Contact

Kristin Artz

305-509-2559

kristin@worldpaddleassociation.com