PaddleXaminer is a veteran owned publication based in Los Angeles, California. We provide stories, gear reviews, and news for adventurers on and off the water.
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As a young girl on the small island of Ilhabela, Brazil approximately 150 miles (240k) down the coast from the thriving metropolis of Rio de Janeiro, Andrea Moller found everything she needed to make herself happy in the ocean. The water was equal parts playground, refuge and competitive arena upon which Andrea demonstrated her aptitude to excel from an early age as a competitive swimmer and windsurfer within Brazil’s water sports community. In pursuit of her dream to become a professional ocean athlete, Andrea moved to Maui in 1998 and took up outrigger canoeing, both in the OC-1 and OC-6, where it was not long before she established herself as a widely respected top paddler – particularly in long distance events and channel crossings.
Beginning of the Big Waves
Andrea Moller’s passion for the ocean has never been far below the surface in her life. A year after her daughter Keala was born, she longed for an avenue to manage her schedule and still get in time on the water close to home. Already known for her exceptionalism, Andrea pursued tow-in big wave surfing. “I was 23 or 24 and my daughter was one year old,” she told me with a bit of a chuckle. “The surf was too big and everywhere was closing out and I didn’t have enough time to drive to the other side of the island to catch the wrap-around. So I wanted to just get on the jet ski and go tow-in and do fun stuff for two hours and then come back to my kid.”
The time was around 2004-2005 and Andrea partnered with her good friend Maria Souza, Laird Hamilton’s ex-wife, and began training in earnest to become a big wave surfer. They each felt that if Laird could do it, then they could too, but were always met head on by the glass ceiling of the gender barrier in extreme sports. Not long after, Andrea became the first woman to successfully paddle in at Maui’s infamous big wave known simply as Jaws.
Andrea Moller Leads the Stand Up Revolution
“I was around at the beginning of stand up paddling when stand up paddling didn’t really exist,” said Andrea as she reminisced about the sport’s contemporary beginnings in Hawaii during the first years of the 21st century. Maria had a tandem surf board and had started stand up paddling with it. Laird had already begun practicing the sport and together her tow-in surf partner, Andrea decided she wanted to cross the Ka’iwi Channel in 2005 during the annual Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard Race “because nobody had done it”. There was one major obstacle, however. The equipment to do so simply did not exist. All they had was a tandem surf board that they could stand on.
Courtesy of SIC Maui.
Undeterred, Andrea and Maria enlisted Jimmy Lewis to build them a stand up paddleboard. He was not immediately sold on the idea and took some convincing. Jimmy Lewis finally relented on the condition that Andrea and Maria would spend the time with him in the shaping bay to help make what became one of the first purpose-built stand up paddleboards. “We made a 13 ft board,” Andrea told me. The length is not noteworthy in today’s era of unlimited SUPs regularly exceeding 17 ft, but for the time, 13 ft was considered to be massive.
The board was so long it did not fit in the shaping room. Foam blanks were much shorter back then and the trio had to hold two pieces of foam together so they could be glued to create the board.
“I remember back then when we made that board, or we were kind of telling people secretly, because people would make fun of us,” said Andrea. “‘Why are you doing this?’ ‘What are you trying to prove?’ people would ask us. It’s kind of funny to see how big the sport grew and the fever that it is today compared to the response that we were getting back then.”
Already a respected outrigger canoe paddler, Andrea approached the Molokai to Oahu organizers and asked them for permission to enter the event as a stand up paddling relay. The organizers agreed and in doing so, breathed life into what may have been the first formal SUP race in modern times. Andrea and Maria were joined on the start line by a few men’s relay teams, including one headed up by renown Hawaiian lifeguard Archie Kalepa. The small cadre of stand up paddlers formed an unusual sight at the start line. “We looked like the goofiest thing, I was almost embarrassed,” said Andrea. All the other athletes were laying down looking at them with wondering eyes asking, “What are you trying to do on a stand up?”
Andrea and Maria left their mark in the history books as the first women’s relay to ever cross the channel on a stand up paddleboard. Later as the equipment began to progress, Andrea successfully crossed the channel as a solo stand up paddler, winning the women’s solo race with back to back victories in 2010 and 2011.
Benefits of Practicing Multiple Water Sports
For most recreational stand up paddlers, SUP has been their first water sport. Many are content to simply glide around their local marina, enjoy their time outdoors and take in some light, low impact exercise. For others, particularly those coming to the sport from another water sport discipline, stand up paddling represents something different. SUP is a common ground where athletes are known to come together and form a broader, all-encompassing paddling community.
“I started seeing a mix of athletes turning up,” Andrea told me. “It was either the [prone] paddleboarder who was tired of laying down and wanted to try and liked it. Or it was the outrigger guy who tried it and liked it, or the triathlete who was tired of triathlons. It was finally mixing all those sports.”
Prior to SUP, outrigger paddlers hung out with other outrigger paddlers and “did outrigger things”. Prone paddlers during that era were very individualistic and didn’t have a cohesive community. There were also the surfers, bikers, windsurfers and others – all united in the common community of stand up paddling. “Stand up somehow kind of brought all those people together,” she said. Due in large part to its newness, the first generation of top stand up paddle athletes all came from another discipline.
Courtesy of SIC Maui.
Andrea Moller quickly moved into the SUP arena and it was not long before she became known as one of the top female paddlers – particularly in rough open water and downwind conditions from which she could draw upon her experience to enhance her performance in the new sport. “Maybe it is part of my personality, but I always have a hard time giving up on something,” said Andrea. This has challenged her relationships at times, particularly when it was perceived she was “adding” another sport to her repertoire. “It was never like I’m tired of this, I want a new group of friends, I’m going to join this canoe club and start paddling. It was like, ‘there goes Andrea adding something else to her agenda’”.
Part of her drive to continue pursuing new sports has been enabled by Hawaii’s seasons and weather patterns. Summers are known for their wind – hence the timing of the SUP downwind season, whereas the swells typically arrive during the winter months. These changes have allowed multi-sport athletes like Andrea to compartmentalize their pursuits to match the time of year.
“You carry your experience on outrigger or surfing or my experience windsurfing. The more you spend time in the ocean and you read the ocean and you can read the waves and the motion – you carry that knowledge with you into the new sport.”
The knowledge and lessons Andrea has learned from a lifetime as an ocean athlete have helped propel her to the top of the downwind racing scene. “My other sports have helped me a ton on stand up…especially when it comes to big waves or big windy conditions, the gnarlier the better for me I think,” she said without a hint of boasting.
“It goes down to what you love and I wasn’t ready to give it up,” added Andrea.
Outrigger – Big Wave Surfing – Stand Up Paddling
Windsurfing held a prominent place earlier in her life, but for the last decade outrigger canoeing, big wave surfing and stand up paddling have been Andrea’s top three pursuits. In an earlier time, OC-1 paddling took priority over OC-6, “I did a lot of channel crossings in an OC-1”, she said. Over time as the sponsorship opportunities in stand up paddling grew and surpassed those available to outrigger paddlers Andrea gradually began to spend more and more time on her SUP.
“Stand up has given me so much return. The sponsorships in stand up supported me so much more, which almost helped me love the sport more. Every time you dedicate so much to a sport you are ditching your friends and your family, you’re slacking on a little bit of work because you want to dedicate and stand up gave me a return.”
With expanded sponsorship Andrea was able to travel more and have a meaningful impact on the lives of others. In 2013 she formed a partnership with Imua Family Services and founded Imua Keiki o ke Kai as a way to provide special needs children with the opportunity to experience the ocean one-on-one with an ocean athlete in a safe environment.
The historic lack of a strong competitive field of women in surfing translated into a lack of sponsorship money for female athletes. “It was always an inner happiness, but it didn’t let me grow wings as much as stand up did,” said Andrea. Unlike some athletes, Andrea doesn’t have a clear-cut favorite sport. Her particular focus shifts with the seasons, yet she emphasized the prominence stand up paddling has played in her pursuit of her goals and ambitions.
Inspirational Athlete
Andrea’s accomplishments played a role in inspiring my own pursuits as a stand up paddler and have undoubtedly left their mark on countless others around the world through her victories and philanthropic endeavours. When I asked who she has drawn her own inspiration from throughout her journey Andrea named Maria Souza, her first tow-in surfing partner who helped her first get into stand up paddling. “She never really got to compete and become known, but she was a lady who showed me how much I can do. She had a kid and she had a job and a passion and she had morals and I really looked up to her. I think that part of who I am today is from looking at her and how she did things.”
Big Wave surfer Yuri Soledade has also served as a role model over the years for similar reasons, “He charges and also has a job and a family, he’s a good person,” said Andrea.
Perseverance Pays Off
Andrea has won the women’s division at Maui’s famed Olukai Ho‘olaule‘a for the past seven years, an accomplishment which has not been replicated on the men’s side. In 2016, however, she will be on the sidelines rehabilitating her hamstring after a severe accident big wave surfing earlier this year. The injury has given her a chance to pause and reflect on her accomplishments, yet missing the chance to compete for her eighth straight win at the fun, annual event is difficult.
Photo: Nate Volk
The injury has set back her stand up paddling ambitions for the year, but all was not lost. Andrea was nominated for a WSL Big Wave Award for her performance during the epic 2015/2016 winter swell. It was the second time she had received a nomination for the prestigious industry award and this past weekend at the 2016 WSL Big Wave Awards in Anaheim, Andrea won the Women’s Best Performance Award after more than 10 long years of hard work and perseverance against challenging odds both on and off the water.
Not every sport provides equal recognition to female athletes compelling Andrea and those like her to channel their inner happiness in order to derive pleasure from the sport. Cautioning she did not want to sound cocky, Andrea spoke about the uphill battle she faced as a big wave surfer dedicating countless hours, money and equipment without any recognition or major sponsorship as a surfer to reach the pinnacle she now holds. “As a woman you still have to come home and be a mother, take your kid to school…I have a full-time job as a paramedic.” The larger competitive field among men directly translates into more competitions and sponsorship opportunities. “As a woman it was really about how much I wanted it, it wasn’t a case of who put me there,” said Andrea. There were always fewer high-fives and congratulatory pats on the back to provide feedback to her enjoyment – she did it for the pure passion of the sport.
Things are slowly changing as the WSL now provides a platform to recognize female athletes and more and more SUP events are beginning to offer equal gender prize money. Much of this is due to the efforts of Andrea and her generation. “To be a pioneer, it was definitely a struggle,” she said looking back over the years.
Photo: Bruno Lemos
#MattChebatoris #Dispatch #OluKaiHoolaulea #MariaSouza #WSLBigWaveAwards #Windsurfing #AndreaMoller #BigWaveSurfing #AthleteStories #YuriSoledade #Downwinding #Jaws #Maui #LairdHamilton
One of the best things about SUP is the possibility to paddle on any body of water – oceans, lakes, rivers and even man-made indoor water parks. Wherever you look there is a body of water just waiting to be explored by a stand up paddler. With that in mind, however, one of the largest challenges for paddlers is getting their board to the water. The boards are large and may be difficult for some paddlers to position on top of a vehicle. Others may live close to the water, but not quite close enough to carry a board from their residence to the shoreline. Sure you can drive, but there is still that long walk from the parking lot to the water’s edge. Enter the Wheele SUP.
According to the company, the first Wheele Surf Trailer was conceived in the mid 90s by a San Clemente, California resident seeking a convenient and reliable method to transport surf boards to the beach via bicycle. Fast forward to contemporary times, The Wheele Rack Company led by Mike Holland, a long-time entrepreneur, inventor and all around tinkerer, has delivered a rugged bicycle trailer as a thoughtfully engineered solution for stand up paddlers’ transportation woes.
The Wheele SUP
Close up of the hitch.
The Wheele SUP bicycle trailer is essentially comprised of four primary components:
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Frame: The telescoping, square steel tubing frame can be adjusted to three settings to accommodate various board lengths. Three board racks made of high density rubber are mounted on top of the frame to support and cushion your board.
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Wheels: The rims are constructed of one piece of high strength molded plastic which is mounted on 13 inch (33 cm) tires made from EVA puncture proof foam.
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Bag & Cover: A heavy-duty, lightweight bag attaches on the underside of the frame and is large enough to hold a wet suit, leash and other gear. It even includes a side storage pocket for small items. The cover is lined with elastic and is easily attached by stretching the fabric around the top of the bag.
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Hitch: A custom designed hitch which enables rotation on three separate axis for ultimate maneuverability.
MSRP: $329
SUP Examiner’s Take
The Wheele SUP is a terrific, well designed bicycle trailer suitable for anyone looking for an alternative to transporting your board to the water. This innovative bicycle trailer is sold in a space-saving flat pack that can be shipped directly to your door from the Orange County California-based company. If you shirk at the idea of self assembly, fear not. This kit is easier than Ikea with the aid of a well scripted, six-minute YouTube video posted by the Wheele Rack Company. Assembly is literally as easy as tying a pair of shoes!
We tested the Wheele SUP around Los Angeles for the past few months and found it to be a fantastic, eye-catching solution for transporting your SUP to the water’s edge. We used the rack with a 3-speed beach cruiser and it would also work well with a mountain bike. If there are any hills along your route you will definitely want a bicycle with gears. Our 3-speed beach cruiser got the job done in our area where we only really encountered one minor elevation rise.
The trailer looks good and will attract attention from bystanders as you make your way through the traffic to the beach. In fact, as our product reviewer was cycling through Marina del Rey yesterday afternoon after a session on the water, he spotted by a young couple each holding an end of their SUP as they made their way down the sidewalk. As he whizzed by with a smile he distinctly heard the young girl tell her boyfriend, “We need one of those”.
The Wheele SUP hitch slides onto your bicycle’s seat post. If you have a rear light on the seat post you may need to remove and/or reposition it when attaching the hitch. Make sure the tow bar has enough clearance over your rear fender; attach the cotter pin to secure it in place and you’re all set!
Included bungee cords.
The rack has three settings to adjust the length and is long enough to accommodate a 14’ board which is pretty cool. Positioning your board on the rack is easily accomplished, however, we found the included three bungee cord attachment system to be awkward to the point of frustration. First, the cords are attached to the underside of the rack and not conveniently secured around your board without the assistance of another person. Second, depending on the width of your board, there may be a lot of play left in the cords. We also found regardless of the board’s width, the bungee cords are simply insufficient to firmly secure your board (which is effectively balancing on the top of the trailer) resulting in a scenario where you board will shift from side to side on the trailer. Lastly, the plastic hooks and loops formed by taping down the cord on the ends of the bungees are not strong enough to hold up over time and eventually come detached.
To resolve this minor flaw in an otherwise well-designed product, we removed the included bungee cords and used basic nylon straps with quick release clips to secure our boards to the trailer. The result was a significantly improved user experience. The single length nylon straps are easy to attach without the assistance of second person as you can easily loop the strap around the board and trailer instead of battling with what essentially becomes six separate cords due to the manner which Wheele Rack Company instructs you to attach the bungees. You can also tighten the nylon straps to ensure there is not any side-to-side movement of your board as it sits on top of the trailer.
Back to the finer points, the Wheele SUP hitch articulates extremely well enabling you to easily make turns and navigate around obstacles. What impressed us the most, however, was the expertly engineered articulation points incorporated into the rear section of the trailer. The rear articulation points are the secret sauce that makes the Wheele SUP stand out by allowing the trailer to rotate side to side in a manner similar to the trucks on a skateboard. As a result, the trailer pivots naturally behind your bicycle instead of bumping along like a rigid, inanimate object.
View from back.
The EVA puncture proof foam wheels perform well and give the trailer a smooth ride. We’ve pulled the Wheele SUP over miles of concrete, dirt trails and rocks without any issues to the wheel assembly or frame. Wheele Rack Company includes a bag which attaches to the underside of the trailer like a large pouch. The rugged fabric has held up well and the size of the bag will easily accommodate a number of items, such as a wetsuit, towel and backpack. When parking your bicycle and trailer assembly, we found it is best to do so with the bicycle at an angle to the trailer. This provides stability and prevents your rig from easily toppling over.
Overall, this is a great product for paddlers looking for a pedal power solution to transporting their boards to the water. The design focus is clearly on the Wheele SUP’s performance as a bicycle trailer and while we don’t agree with the use and configuration of the included bungee cords to secure your board to the trailer, this is easily remedied with a set of inexpensive aftermarket straps that you can pick up at an outdoor store. We can really see the Wheele SUP coming in handy for paddlers living near a body of water in small towns and rural environments where the security concerns that come with leaving a bicycle trailer (and bag) on the shore are different from what one may find in a large urban area such as Los Angeles. Biking to the beach is a great warm up for your paddle and we found it fun and satisfying to make the trip under our own power.
Get out there!
Disclosure: Wheele Rack Company provided SUP Examiner with a Wheele SUP for the purposes of testing and review, however, the opinions expressed are our own.
The SFIA COVID-19 Response Survey confirms dramatic, unprecedented revenue drops across the sports and fitness industry, while indicating select product category surges. With the onset of COVID-19, much of sports retail business stopped almost immediately, with corresponding impact on brands and manufacturers, unlike anything the industry has ever experienced. Over 70 percent of sports and fitness manufacturers and businesses reported a sales drop of over 25 percent for the month of April (comparing April 2020 sales to April 2019 sales), with 30 percent of respondents reporting a sales drop of over 75 percent. However, there were pockets of strength: home fitness equipment and at-home sports equipment sales grew in same period.
“It is not news that the pandemic struck our industry hard,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO of SFIA. “But the immediacy and magnitude of the decline of sales across so many categories was dramatic. That said, this survey does identify hopeful signs, especially in the confidence respondents showed in predicting increased sales in the second half of this year. We will conduct this new survey on a monthly basis to identify what is working and track how the industry is evolving.”
Eighty-one percent of respondents indicated that they experienced disruptions in their supply chain. With regard specifically to fulfillment and distribution centers, respondents characterized such disruptions as “moderate” rather than “severe.” SFIA will monitor this closely in the future, as “shelter in place” regulations in many states may prove a constraint to full staffing of these locations. This is important as the positive elements of sales indicated in the survey were weighted to the ecommerce channel. Near term sales trends will likely continue to be heavily reliant on one’s ability to connect virtually with the customer.
The survey also explored “return to play” projections. The industry believes fitness will be the first to come back, with a majority seeing fitness clubs and boutiques to return in the next one to three months. Team sports, according to the survey, are perceived most likely to return in the fall. In both fitness and team sports, a minority (8-20 percent) expects no return until 2021.
ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.
Bionox Nutritional Supplement Provides a Natural Boost of Nitric Oxide for Sports Performance, Endur
Athletes across all levels and disciplines often seek natural ways to improve performance, endurance, and recovery time. A 2020 meta-analysis conducted on 18 studies of arginine supplementation found that this amino acid can improve performance in anaerobic, aerobic, and high intensity activities.
Further studies have shown that arginine supplementation can also support faster recovery, an important consideration for athletes. Arginine is an amino acid produced naturally by the body that can also be supplemented for various functions, including athletic performance. Bionox has been working with arginine and similar molecules to motivate wellness in athletes and fitness enthusiasts since 2005.
One reason that arginine supplements support performance is that they are a natural precursor to nitric oxide production. Nitric oxide is a molecule created by the body that supports vasodilation and therefore blood and oxygen flow. Nitric oxide supports cardiovascular, muscle and respiratory health, making it an essential focus for the athlete or athletically inclined. In 2005 after the revolutionary 1998 Nobel Prize winning research on nitric oxide crossed Dr. Jay Wilkins’s desk, he dedicated his life to improving lives through nitric oxide nutrition through his company Bionox.
Nitric oxide has been researched in over 140,000 articles since 1980, confirming that, as Dr. Wilkins says, “absolutely everything in the body depends on it.” It was with this in mind that Bionox created their scientifically formulated supplements. Bionox’s signature product M3 Ultimate Nitric Oxide Nutrition is a potent combination of nutrients that activate the innate power of the body to increase nitric oxide production. The formula features arginine, but also includes additional nitric oxide precursors such as l-citrulline, beet root powder, and watermelon extract. This unique blend makes for an effective three stage nitric oxide supplement that supports health and athletic performance. M3 Ultimate Nitric Oxide Nutrition also includes natural ingredients, such as hawthorne berry, horse chestnut, amla, green coffee bean, camu camu, grape seed and skin, pomegranate and other vitamins and minerals that support successful nitric oxide production. M3 Ultimate Nitric Oxide Nutrition is trusted by doctors globally, is vegetarian, gluten-free, soy-free, made in the USA, sugar-free and non-GMO.
Athletes and coaches love M3 Ultimate Nitric Oxide Nutrition:
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I love using Bionox M3 Ultimate Nitric Oxide Nutrition for all my athletes. M3 gives them an advantage in recovery and performance. My athletes over the years have consistently seen tremendous results in endurance, strength gains in the weight room, and better recovery when taking the formula. I have noticed a big difference in our championship victories as it helps my athletes get a competitive edge on the track. My recommendation for them is to take 2 scoops an hour before track practice and additional scoop before sleep for added recovery during heavy training cycles. M3 gets it done!”
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M3 Ultimate Nitric Oxide Nutrition can be purchased in 30 or 60 scoop containers in Original Berry Flavor or Citrus Flavor. Individual packets are also available on bionoxusa.com/ or on amazon.com.
About Bionox
Bionox® was founded by Dr. Jay Wilkins, a naturopathic doctor who has been in the health and wellness industry for over 25 years. As a health practitioner, Dr. Jay Wilkins was interested in the science of nutrition and supplementation. When discovering the effectiveness of nitric oxide to maximize health in the body, Dr. Jay Wilkins researched and developed Bionox’s first product, as their flagship product – M3 Ultimate Nitric Oxide Nutrition. M3 provides a potent combination of nutrients that activates the innate power of the body to realize optimum health. Bionox mission is to motivate all to unlock their own wellness through providing trusted solutions to overcome life’s challenges and live life fully. Their potent formulas for nitric oxide nutrition, Bionox M3 comes in both Citrus Flavor and Original Berry Flavor, available as a one-month supply, 15-day supply, and stick packs. Bionox has developed other blends for motivating wellness with their Ultimate Sugar Balance Support, Chelanox, M-Mune3, and Nox3 Daily Greens. Bionox is motivating all to live life, fully.
Major SUP events are always a great opportunity to pick up a few tips from other paddlers, learn new techniques, and reinforce old lessons. Looking back on the weekend, the Pacific Paddle Games presented an extraordinary opportunity as not only were there many of the world’s best professional SUP racers in attendance, but also an all star cast of announcers with years of paddling experience under their belts.
A number of the big names were freely doling out insights and lessons learned throughout the weekend over the course of the official commentary during the event. The volume of information being exchanged was virtually unprecedented and I made a point to carve out a few mental notes on some of the most impactful tips shared during the weekend.
When competing in a race, focus on yourself and mentally block out your competition. ~ Dave Kalama
It is important to paddle your own race. Frequently turning your head to see what your competition is doing is an unnecessary distraction and will erode your concentration on what matters most – you. By not letting your competitors become a distraction you will be able to paddle a more clean race, achieve a better result, and most importantly, have more fun.
Place your hands and arms over your head during a fall, especially if you are in the surf zone and do not know where your board is.| ~ Anthony Vela
Falling off your board in most normal paddling conditions is generally not a dangerous prospect. Falling off your board during a surf race, however, can easily result in an injury or worse if you are struck by your board or that of a competitor. Protect yourself to the best of your ability by remaining calm, not scrambling back to the surface if your go underwater, and making a “hand helmet” to protect your head.
When lining up your race board to catch a wave back into the beach, make sure your board is pointed directly at 12 o’clock. ~ Dan Gavere
It is easy to get caught up in the intensity and excitement of surf racing, especially at a major event like the Pacific Paddle Games. The thrill of the race, the desire to catch or pull away from your competition, the roar of the crowds and spectacle of the tents, flags, announcer’s booth, and spectators are all enough to get your adrenaline racing. Even a minor misalignment when paddling to catch a wave can be enough to cause you to falter or worse. Keep the nose of your board pointed straight ahead, step back and enjoy the ride.
Attend the race briefing, be sure are fully aware of the requirements for the competition, i.e. are leashes and a PFD required, and study the course. ~ Anthony Vela
At least one prominent and experienced competitor failed to adhere to the requirements for the competition at the Pacific Paddle Games and paid the price in the form of a penalty levied against their finishing time in one of the races. Always attend the race briefing and pay attention so you fully understand the race requirements and are prepared to meet them. The rules may vary from one event to another. Never assume something is being run a certain way or that you can get away with not following the rules.
Be safe, have fun, and go fast! See you on the water!
Photo: OnIt Pro
#DanGavere #PaddlingTips #DaveKalama #AnthonyVela #TipsfromtheTop #PacificPaddleGames #Technique
Photo by Kalen Emsley on Unsplash
The race roster is set for the 22nd Yukon River Quest, which will begin on Wednesday, June 23 in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. This year’s field, as of today’s date, will feature 48 teams with 136 paddlers from the Yukon and three Canadian provinces.
After several years of record-setting registration numbers, the 2021 race will look a bit different. Following the cancellation of the 2020 event, organizers adjusted this year’s format and scale to meet COVID-19 guidelines. Only Yukoners and other Canadians who meet the territory’s current requirements for visitors were eligible to register, and the race has an approved COVID safety plan.
“It was really important” that the race go ahead in some form this year, said YRQ board president Peter Coates. “We’re one of the first events of the summer, we’re one of the first headline events that’s actually happening” after a year of shutdown.
The race is the highlight of the paddling summer in the north, keeping teams, volunteers, support crews, and spectators coming back year after year.
Except for 10 hours of mandatory rest, adventure and marathon paddlers race non-stop over the 715 kilometers (444 miles) to Dawson City. Held annually in the north during the last week of June (around the summer solstice), it is a true “Race to the Midnight Sun,” drawing many of the world’s best paddlers.
Following the race is a lot of fun, whether you are watching from alongside the river or sitting at home. All teams are required to have activated SPOT or InReach tracking devices, which greatly aid those following the race on their computers or mobile devices. Just follow the Race Tracker link at www.yukonriverquest.com and also watch for updates and photos on the race’s Facebook and Instagram pages. You can even replay the race when it’s all over!
The adjusted total possible 2022 race purse is now $12,997 (CAD) based on the paid registration of 41 teams in the full-distance YRQ as of June 1 (down from the usual 100-125 teams). The prize money structure awards the top three male, female and mixed teams per class as long as they beat another team in their class and finish within 25% of the top team in the class. A complete prize breakdown can be found in the race rules on the website.
“It’s the smallest race we’ve had since 2002,” Coates said, “so in some ways the race has reverted to where it was two decades ago. But it’s not going to stay there. Next year is going to be in enormous demand.”
Who to Watch on the River in 2021
Most of this year’s COVID-reduced field of 48 teams is made up of Yukoners who will
be hoping for a high river and fast times, but there will be challengers from across
Canada. Here’s a breakdown of teams that could win their categories (disclaimer:
there are sometimes surprises that we miss):
Solo canoe (C1): 2 teams (1 man, 1 woman)– This is an easy pick – it’s just a matter
of who will finish first, the woman or the man. Defending women’s champion “Gulo
Gulo,” Whitehorse’s Alison Eremenko, is a strong paddler, and she will be out to
beat “That’s a Paddlin’,” Duncan Hillhouse of Whitehorse. He is paddling for the
Yukon Humane Society.
Solo kayak (K1): 8 teams (3 women, 5 men) – The K1 field should be led by a pair
of familiar faces: “Golden Retriever” Wayne Anderson of Alberta, the 2016 and 2018
K1 champ, and veteran YRQ racer “Veni Vidi Vici,” Thomas de Jager of Whitehorse.
They were teammates in the winning 2017 voyageur “Yukon Wide Adventures” (a
team captained by de Jager that also won in 2018) and de Jager has been a top
three finisher in solo kayak as well. The women’s race favorite is “Victorious Secret,”
Mirjam Fleming, who placed third in the 2019 race. She will be challenged by fellow
Whitehorse paddlers Amy Lank and Crystal Shimoon, who have raced the YRQ
before, but will be going solo for the first time.
Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP): 3 teams (3 men) – This division will have a new
champion for the first time since this class was added a few years ago (four-time SUP champ Bart de Zwart from Hawaii is not in the field). The favorite is Ontario’s “Riveryeti” Mike Crouzat, who won the 40K OX race in the 2019 Muskoka River X and has placed numerous times in various classes. He will be challenged by two Albertans, “SuperiorSUPer” Alex Joseph and “wuzSUP” Billy Bender.
Tandem canoe (C2): 15 teams (1 women’s, 7 mixed, 7 men’s) – Tandem canoe
remains the oldest and most popular class in the race, and occasionally produces an
overall winner, as in 2016 and 2019. This year’s C2 favorite is “Ottawa Valley Boys”
with Mike De Abreu and Sebastian Courville of Ontario. With a different partner, De
Abreu finished second in 2017 and third in 2018, while Courville and his partner
won the mixed division in 2018 and were second in 2019. Several local teams could
give them a run, especially strong men’s and mixed teams captained by Dan
Girouard, Spencer Edelman, Margo Millette, Carmen Gustafson, and Jason Biensch –
all have been in top boats in past races.
Tandem kayak (K2): 0 teams – This field is empty due mainly to the lack of
international teams. There is one local team in the Half Quest (see below).
Four-person canoe (C4): 5 teams (1 women’s, 1 mixed, 3 men’s teams) – The C4
class is poised to produce this year’s overall winner and a fast time. “Solstice
Solderworks” includes Yukoners Stephen Mooney and Greg McHale, overall winners
in a K2 way back in 2005. Mooney also has some early K1 titles and more recently
was in the YWA voyageur boat with teammate Gus Oliveira of B.C. that won two
overall titles. Dan Kuhl, a two-time finisher from Whitehorse in C2 and VC, rounds
out the 4-person team. But watch out for the “Soggy Bottom Boys,” a group of top-
notch local athletes: Nansen Murray, Knute Johnsgaard, Colin Abbott, and Matthias
Purdon, and mixed “Team Frost” captained by Pauline Frost and daughter Alice
Frost, with Elisha Sidoun and Bryan Allemang, a past C1 champion.
Voyageur canoe (VC): 8 teams (3 women’s, 3 mixed, 2 men’s) – All eyes this year
will be following the 20th anniversary Paddlers Abreast team from the Yukon. They will be joined by veteran women’s teams “Stix Together,” which has dominated
this class in recent years, and “Team WHOA.” The fastest team likely will be the
veteran mixed team “Ts’alvit,” but watch out for mixed “Team CAP” and men’s team
“Northwestel.”
Half Quest: 7 teams (5 C2, 1 K2, 1 K1): There’s no prize money in this shorter
experimental race from Whitehorse to Carmacks. Most will be testing their ability to
deal with what it takes to be a marathon paddler in the north. Good luck to all!
Bios of all teams and any charities they support may be found under the Racers tab on the event website: www.yukonriverquest.com
Paddlers who have finished multiple YRQs also now covet entrance into the “Great River Club” which was unveiled for the 20th anniversary in 2018. Racers who have logged 5,000 and 10,000 kilometers are members of that club and receive special pins.
The Start & Race Route
The start will look a little different this year. Instead of the traditional mass start, racers will line up at Rotary Peace Park and be called down to the waterfront in order for a staggered launch. Teams will be called every fifteen seconds, and will then head to their boats to hit the water. Access to the park and the start area will be restricted only to racers, support crews, and race personnel, but spectators are welcome to spread out along the waterfront. The horn will blow at noon, and even without the chaos of the mass start, watching the racers set off for Dawson City should still be a spectacular sight.
Those from afar will be able to watch via a Facebook Live link to CKRW-The Rush. Then it’s a long paddle on Lake Laberge, through the waning light of the midnight sun on the Thirtymile heritage section, and then on to Carmacks and the first possible rest stop at Coal Mine Campground. This year, racers have the choice to complete all, some, or none of their mandatory ten hours of rest at Carmacks. When they’re ready, or if they choose to go straight on, the paddlers head down Five Finger Rapid, to the second rest stop at Minto Landing, where they can complete the balance of their ten hours if they didn’t do so at Carmacks. Then comes the final push to Dawson City. Teams will finish sometime between the afternoon of Friday, June 25 and Saturday, June 26 just before midnight, the official end of the race.
There will be no finish banquet this year, but awards will be given out on Sunday morning along the Dawson City riverfront, near the gazebo, at 10 a.m. A complete race schedule is posted online and will appear with several stories about the race in a special Whitehorse Star race supplement the week before the race.
More Volunteers, Sponsors Welcome
Like many great Yukon events, the River Quest could not happen without a tremendous volunteer effort from those in our river communities. Volunteers help out in Whitehorse, Carmacks, Minto Resort, Dawson City, and a few remote checkpoints along the river. There are still spots available, particularly for Carmacks and for volunteers with access to motorized boats, so if you are interested in volunteering, please check the Volunteer tab on the website to see where you could help and fill out a volunteer form.
The race is organized by the Yukon River Marathon Paddling Association, based in Whitehorse. Major sponsors on board for 2021 are: Yukon 1000 Race Timing Software, Gold Trail Jewellers (Dawson City), Paddeljumper, CKRW – The Rush, Air North, Kanoe People, yukoninfo.com, Whitehorse Star, City of Whitehorse, Up North Adventures, Total North Communications, Superior Roofing YT, Yukon Civil Air Search & Rescue, Yukon Wide Adventures, The Coal Mine Campground (Carmacks), Fireweed Helicopters, North 60 Petro, makeIT Solutions, and the Selkirk Development Corporation (Minto Resort).
Many small businesses also support the race by sponsoring bibs worn by paddlers. A complete sponsor list appears on the race website along with a link to a sponsor package.
I have done a lot of backpacking in my time and worn a countless number of packs. Large ones, small ones and everything in between. They each have their use. A specific purpose for a certain activity. It didn’t take long to recognize that Hala Gear’s newly designed bags are a cut above the competition. Why? They are specifically designed to carry an inflatable standup paddleboard.
A good board bag for your inflatable SUP is important. It is also something that most manufacturers skimp on. I know one brand that doesn’t even provide a bag with their inflatable SUPs. The Hala Gear bag is a perfect fit for everything you need without straining the zippers when you seal it up. In fact, I quickly learned on my initial outing with the Hala Playa that there is even ample room for a few extra items such as a hydration pack and PFD. Nice!
Durable design and well placed features
To start off, the bag has two rugged (think 4×4 tough) wheels and a comfortable, perfectly positioned handle to pull the bag. There are also multiple grab handles. The grab handles enable you to easily carry and pick up the bag in different scenarios. Loading and unloading the bag from your vehicle? There is a handle for that. You’d like to carry it horizontally like a suitcase? There is a handle for that too. This bag was clearly designed by someone who knew what should go into a board bag to truly make it a functional piece of gear.
The Hala Gear bag has five compression straps you can actually use. If you have ever seen a bag from another brand you know what I’m talking about. There are two straps on each side and one on the top. Each strap is built with a small elastic loop to tidy up the excess material.
There is a large, rugged looking two-piece zipper running around a large front panel emblazoned with the words, “Hala Stand Up Paddle” in blue and red lettering. In a nice touch, Hala Gear placed an oversized red tab on each zipper. The oversized tabs make the zippers super easy to use. They also contribute a nice bit of colorful flair to the bag. The long zipper track fully opens the bag so you can access the entire inside.
Easy to load and unpack
Many brands require you to roll up your inflatable SUP and stuff it through a small opening at the top of the bag. Such a bag is nothing more than a stuff sack. Not the case at Hala. Not only does the zipper on the Hala Gear board bag allow you to unzip the full front panel, it also tapers to the back of the bag. The taper allows the bottom of the bag to articulate. The effect is similar to the bottom jaw of an alligator which can open extra wide to capture and swallow prey. As a result, the Hala Gear bag fully opens in a manner unlike any other bag I’ve seen. Once the bag is fully unzipped it is incredibly easy to pack and unpack the board.
The board on its own weighs 27 lbs, so you’re looking at around 30 lbs with the bag. That is light enough for most people to load and unload from a vehicle without difficulty. I used the backpack straps to carry the bag down an approximately ¼ mile dirt trail to a rocky cove on my first session with the Playa and found the comfort level to be well suited for such a trip.
Inside the bag is a large clear pocket. The pocket is perfect for holding the Hala Playa’s three fins a few other small items. I stuck my GoPro and a tube of lip moisturizer in there during my first outing. There is a large strap with a quick release buckle to secure the board and pump inside the bag. The board itself also comes with its own strap with a D-ring buckle. This strap is useful to hold the board together so it doesn’t flop apart when packing/unpacking it from the bag.
Hala Gear clearly put as much R&D into designing the bag as they did the board it carries. The bag is a premium quality product and makes a great first impression of the experience that is yet to come. Many small details like the oversized zipper tabs, elastic loops on the compression straps, and well placed grab handles make their bag very user-friendly. It is a product you can be proud to own.
#inflatablesup #HalaGear #PumpedUpPaddler #boardbag #HalaPlaya #iSUP #Inflatable
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Vaikobi has updated their original lightweight ocean racing PFD with a batch of new features which make what was already a solid product even better. The original PFD contained two open front mesh pockets. The pockets were appropriately located, but their open design meant you could not secure small items. This issue has since been remedied by redesigning the pockets to be slightly larger and fully closable. Each pocket is now able to be fully closed with a robust, non-corrosive zipper. As with the original model, the redesigned PFD still has a lanyard and clip in one of the pockets for attaching a small item.
The second new feature is the inclusion of four elastic loops on the shoulders to secure the drinking tube for a hydration bladder. The loops allow users to position a hydration tube on either shoulder and firmly secure it to the PFD.
A third new feature is the incorporation of a small elastic loop at the top of the main front zipper. The loop works great if you want to secure your drinking tube close to your mouth. I also found it to be a great place to clip a small light which comes in handy during early morning OC-1 practices. The only downside of hanging a small light from the loop is it attracts fish. I learned this on a few occasions, and even carried one little guy along for the ride in my foot well for part of practice one morning!
Doubles as a hydration pack
The Vaikobi Ocean Racing PFD is supremely comfortable. The main reason for this is it was designed to be worn while paddling. If you are a paddler who regularly wears a backpack hydration pack, I’m confident you’ll discover the Vaikobi PFD is even more comfortable to wear than even the best designed backpack. And you no longer need that backpack hydration pack because the Vaikobi PFD has a great big pocket on the back panel designed to hold your hydration bladder.
I’ve used a few different hydration bladders with the PFD and have settled on a 1.5L Widepac from Source Outdoor. I choose to use products from Source Outdoor because of their Glass-Like™ technology which delivers a superior taste compared to any other product I’ve tested. The 1.5L Widepac is a perfect size and the low profile design fits securely in the pocket of the Vaikobi PFD.
At the finish of the Malibu Downwinder. Using a Source Outdoor Widepac with the PFD. Photo: OnIt Pro
Additional features of the PFD include the following:
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ISO 12402-5 (Equivalent to AS 4758 Type 2)
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Two fully closable mesh pockets with lanyard to store key safety items
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Super lightweight and breathable
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Hi Vis colors for maximum visibility
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Hydration compartment on the back to store your hydration bladder
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No side panels for maximum breathability
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Easy access mesh pockets for storage
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Padded shoulders
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Front center zipper for ease of putting on
I use the Vaikobi PFD for OC-1 and SUP paddling. I’ve found it to be a fantastic piece of technical gear perfectly suited for both disciplines. So much so in fact that anyone who claims it restricts their paddling motion probably needs to spend some more time dialing in their stroke. The PFD does trap a small amount of body heat, but when paddling in the winter or on a cold day, this is not an issue. I wore it during an OC-1 race in San Diego last January on an approximately 75F/24C day. I did not overheat and had a good outcome in the race.
Similarly, the PFD is great to wear during high intensity SUP races such as open ocean downwinding. I wore the Vaikobi PFD along with a Source hydration bladder at the 15th annual Malibu Downwinder in late April. It was a cold day with a 20+ mph wind from the NW. As with OC-1 paddling, wearing the PFD while standup paddling is so comfortable you don’t even realize you are wearing it.
Learn more at Vaikobi.com
#MalibuDownwinder #OC1paddling #Vaikobi #Gear #Reviews #Safety