Updated- Salt Life “Champion Paddler of the Year” entry winners
DANA POINT, CA — Salt Life Apparel, in association with the World Paddle Association and the Pacific Paddle Games will crown the “Salt Life Champion Paddler of the Year” of the 2018 Salt Life Cup. The WPA National Races and the Salt Life Cup will be awarding the top placing Open and Junior competitors throughout the racing season. New for 2018, a stand-alone Salt Life Cup Open & Juniors “Champion Paddler of the Year” will be given out at the Pacific Paddle Games on October 6 & 7, 2018 at Doheny State Beach, California.
The Salt Life Cup WPA National races (see below schedule) strive to support Open & Junior paddlers who are competing on a regional level by giving them the opportunity to compete against the best in class at the biggest SUP event of the year: the 2018 Pacific Paddle Game presented by Salt Life. Top placers in the WPA National races, will receive complimentary entry into the Technical race for 
#PPG2018, courtesy of the WPA, Salt Life and PPG. Salt Life product will also be awarded to the top placing competitors in each division with Open Men’s SUP 14’&U, Open Women’s SUP 12’6&U and Junior Boys and Girls(17U) 12’6 &U board classes.
All Open & Junior paddlers participating in the Pacific Paddle Games will have the chance to be crowned the Salt Life Champion Paddler of the Year and Salt Life Cup Open Champion for 2018. The new Salt Life Cup Open champion award will be based on results from the Pacific Paddle Games and the Open Technical race and the Junior Pro only. The Open and Junior competitors have always been the most important participants in the sport and now they have a place to showcase their talent with the support of Salt Life apparel, Pacific Paddle Games and PaddleGuru in the events sanctioned by the WPA to provide the best growth for the future of the sport. Competitors earning free entry into the Pacific Paddle Games Open and Juniors Technical race are listed below. For the chance to become the Salt Life Champion Paddler of the Year, register for the Pacific Paddle Games on the following link; https://www.supthemag.com/ppg/registration/.
WPA partner PaddleGuru who manages the race solution for WPA sanctioned events will also be managing the points by region throughout the year. Look for additional WPA and Salt Life Cup event information at www.worldpaddleassociation.com and www.paddleguru.com.
Pacific Paddle Games Entry Winners
Entry winners listed below should register for the Pacific Paddle Games and then you will get a refund for your Technical race entry. Please email info@worldpaddleassociation.com if you have any questions with your entry at the PPG event.
| Division | Competitor (Men & Women) | Event |
| Open | Jason Casuga/Erika Lane | Shark Bite Challenge |
| Junior | Shea Herbst/Lina Bowers | Shark Bite Challenge |
| Open | Jeremy Whitted/Sarah Nelson | Carolina CUP |
| Junior- Money | Robert Peters/Valeria Salustri | Carolina CUP |
| Junior- Harbor | Campbell Carter/Elle Newkirk | Carolina CUP |
| Open | Curt Hawn/Michele Porter | Salt Life Columbus Cup |
| Junior | Campbell Carter/Elisabeth Mccall | Salt Life Columbus Cup |
| Open | Jake Graham/Mel Wygal | Santa Monica Pier Paddle Festival |
| Junior | TJ Munks/Soryn Preston | Santa Monica Pier Paddle Festival |
| Open | Noah Garfield/Zane Saemz | Turtle Bay Challenge |
| Junior | Kiyomi Sheppard | Turtle Bay Challenge |
| Open | Phil Glawe/Samantha Stewart | Treasure Island Pirate Paddle |
| Junior | Emma Engle | Treasure Island Pirate Paddle |
| Open | Mark Asher/Cheryl Kemp | OABI Detroit |
| Junior | Max Sulayman | OABI Detroit |
| Open | Leif Berstrom/Alyson Fromm | Naish Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge |
| Junior | Thomas Nilsen/Belah Ellis | Naish Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge |
| Groms | Finn Spencer/Mary Rose Kissinger | Naish Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge |
| Open- 5 mile | Jake Graham/Erin O’Malley | RHD Charity Paddle Race |
| Open- 2 mile | Ron Remeyer/Jen Van Diest | RHD Charity Paddle Race |
| Junior | Conrad Rojas/Jade Howson | RHD Charity Paddle Race |
| Open- 7 mile | David Wells/Jen Fuller | Battle of the Bay |
| Open- 3 mile | Danilo Bonilla/Andriana Marino | Battle of the Bay |
| Junior- 7 mile | Elijah Schoenig/Abby Baker | Battle of the Bay |
| Junior- 3 mile | Nick Campbell/Amy Craig | Battle of the Bay |
| *Top placing Open/Junior competitors from each event receive entry into the Open or Junior Pro technical race at the Pacific Paddle Games. | ||