Only one year ago in most parts of Canada, Stand Up Paddling was just that sport that “I saw in Hawaii” or “Saw in a magazine” and now it’s quickly become the worlds fastest growing water sport – From coast-to-coast, paddlesurfing, on the lakes, rivers and beyond.  The attraction to SUP comes in many forms and perhaps what makes it most alluring is the freedom it provides us – A chance to get away from our gadgets and busyness and reconnect to nature (and our soul).  So get out and enjoy what many consider as the most versatile water sport ever re-invented – period. In the meantime, here’s our toast to the Best of 2010!

The sport has been enjoying undeniable growth in it’s birthplace of Hawaii and has spread quickly to California, Florida and around the world’s abundant coastlines.  It has since moved inland and the flatwater and whitewater scenes are growing at a breakneck pace.  The act of ‘standing up’ on water for the first time is liberating and could be compared to riding a bicycle for the first time – Wind in your hair, the constraints of responsibility left behind, and the feeling of…. freedom – to go somewhere without regulations, emails, cel phones, texts, phones, wastebook, inboxes and all of the other mental clutter that permeates our daily existence.

For those who have already been hooked by SUP, this collection of stories and pics may be familiar and for those who are considering the sport, they will serve up a glimpse of a multi-dimensional, freedom-giving, sport of the ages.  Stand Up Paddle Board, Paddlesurfing, SUP’ing is here to stay.  Welcome to Oh-Eleven.

NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR: Norm Hann & StandUp4Greatbear (Standup4Greatbear)

Squamish resident, Norm Hann, grew up in Ontario and is a true Outdoorsman (much in the way guys like Jamie Mitchell and Laird Hamilton are genuine Watermen).  From his Standup4Greatbear expeditions, his growing race resume, and all-round humble Canadian-ness, he’s our SUP Newsmaker of the Year.

Norm moved west to pursue his love for adventure sports and a career as a wilderness guide. The move took him to King Pacific Lodge where he began working as a salmon fishing, sea kayaking, hiking and wildlife viewing guide on Princess Royal Island. Located in the Great Bear Rainforest, this magical area became his passion and it is now a place he knows intimately. He started Standup4Greatbear, his first conservation expedition, a first of it’s kind 400km standup paddleboard from Kitimat to Bella Bella along the proposed oil tanker route to help bring awareness to traditional food harvesting areas of the First Nations and wildlife of the GreatBear Rainforest.  Watch for more from the Sudbury SUP’ster in ’11.

CANADIAN SUP EVENT OF THE YEAR: Surftech KALAMALKA CLASSIC (June 2010)

Until 2010, Stand Up Paddle race events were scarce in Canada.  Warren at Easy Rider in Edmonton had a good scene going on but beyond that, not much was being organized.   In 2010, a fresh crop of local event sprung up on Vancouver Island, Deep Cove, Alberta and throughout the Okanagan.  In the Okanagan alone, there were three local series’ spanning from the South end of Okanagan Lake to the North shores of Kalamalka.  Penticton, Kelowna and Vernon all have good scenes developing thanks to the efforts of dedicated SUP shops.

The year’s biggest race, both in numbers and exposure for the sport, was the Kalamalka Classic on June 19-20th in Vernon.  Hosted by Kalavida Surf Shop and sponsored by Surftech, it featured two days of racing and playing on one of Canada’s most scenic lakes – Kalamalka Lake.  The colourful and wildlife-rich lake brought together SUP’ers from across BC, Alberta and Washington state and was much more than just a race – it was the start of a tradition and perhaps the marquee SUP event in Canada. It was the first time newbies and veterans (say, more than a year of experience) got together and enjoyed a laid-back yet competitive weekend together.  To that end the Kalamalka Classic race is our 2010 SUP Event of the Year.

Note: The 2011 Kalamalka Classic is scheduled for June 18-19th so mark your calendars – click here for info.

INT’L SUP EVENT OF THE YEAR: Rainbow Sandals Battle of the Paddle, Doheney Beach, CA (Oct, 2010)

It was the first time this season that Canadian’s from around the country connected with each other at an event out of country.   At the 2009 BOP (Battle of the Paddle)  there were only a handful of  Canucks but this year, there may have been more than two dozen.  It means that the sport has finally caught on in the great wet north.

They came from Ontario, Alberta along with a large contingent from BC . Vancouver, the Island, and the Okanagan were all well represented and everyone had a great time.  Canada’s relay team (left) of Norm Hann, Bodie Shandro, Lina Augaitis and Kelvin Humenny capped off a sun-drenched, surf-filled weekend of SUP’ing at one the premier spots in SoCal and helped put the country on the world SUP radar.   Toss in some epic sunset surf sessions at  Dogpatch (San Onofre),  parties, and movie premiere’s (Destination 3 Degrees) and you have one wicked fun weekend of SUP. It was a great chance to come together as friends  and ultimately it will help strengthen the bond that we already have for this sport.

ECO-ADVENTURE OF THE YEAR: Standup 4 Great Bear

Norm Hann’s effort stands out as the most adventurous and truly inspiring expedition of the year – STANDING UP to North Coast Oil Tankers: A 400 km Stand Up Paddleboard expedition along the proposed north coast oil tanker route, bringing awareness to the people and wildlife of the Great Bear Rainforest and Pacific Ocean.  Explore Magazine felt the same way and printed a full story on the expedition this year. It would be tough for us to summarize it in just a paragraph or two so check out his StandUP4GreatBear blog here.

LOCAL-ADVENTURE OF THE YEAR: Tie: Shuswap and Similkameen River SUP Runs

It’s a coin flip between the Shuswap River Run at Ashton Creek and a late summer trip down the Similkameen River near Keremeos, BC.  Ashton Creek, a put-in on the Shuswap just East of Enderby, BC became a popular haunt in the middle of the summer with groups of up to 12 and more getting in on the fun.  It starts off with fast moving current and some Class I rapids followed by a more lazy, sun-drenched pace on the latter half.  It features some pull-outs along the way and with frisbee in hand, we all got a chance to play a frisky game of sandbar ultimate. Plus, you get to pass all passed-out tubers on the last half on the 2.5 hour journey.

In late August, Pam Young of SUPBC and I took a trip down the Similkameen River from the quaint town of Keremeos, BC and it was one of the highlights of the summer.  My early GPS readings had the journey at completion time of 2.5 hours but the trip was almost double…   Still, it was a blissful afternoon on the silky river with a constant supply of bumpy rapids, fast moving current and possibly the worlds smallest standing wave.  I suspect this scenic gem gets bigger in high water and there were a few sections that were still moving pretty fast for late summer. Note to self:  Pack more than a single energy bar for a 4-hour paddle.

So, it’s a tie – both of these trips were sweet.  Find a river near you and you’ll double your stoke for SUP.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

• Most active brand – Bodie Shandro, Surftech Canadian Brand Manager
• Okanagan SUP Pioneer – Bob Purdy, Paddle for the Planet founder
• Canadian Website - Paddlesurf.ca – Keep up the great work Taylor Fulde
• Carl Jacks – Whitewater magician, moviemaker, lifesaver – thanks!
• McKinney Family, Kelowna – For their efforts on X-Weighted – You rock!
• Icebreaker Award – Warren Currie, one dedicated guy!
• Cover of Breathe Magazine (Jamie Mitchell) ——————————————————–>>
• SPrKL – Society for the Protection of Kalamalka Lake, ensuring the future of the lake.
• Coverage for SUP in Okanagan Life Magazine and other mags and newsies
• Everyone who got involved in the sport – cheers to you!

WHAT WE’RE MOST STOKED ABOUT IN 2011: Lake Downwinders

Well, it’s hard to pick just one but here it is – There is no doubt BC will be a top SUP destination for it’s lakes and rivers and we should see the SUP Surf scene start to develop more on the Island.  For us landlocked folk near the lakes in BC, namely Okanagan and Kalamalka, the ‘Downwinder’ will become a relentless pursuit – much in the way that we wait for ‘good’ surf.  We had the chance to take on a couple of epic runs on Kalamalka and the SUPBC crew did the same on the South end of Okanagan but the stronger, more consistent winds push across Skaha on the other side of Penticton so we’re stoked to get out there more often.

Wind and no sails….If you ever get the chance to go downwind on your board – don’t hesitate – it is one of the biggest thrills you can get on the lakes. A 30km tailwind is true bliss…. In this pursuit, timing is everything and hopefully we’ll find ways to ‘alert’ the troops when the winds come up.  Shuttle up and go!  Weather Network works in general but sometimes, it’s way, way off the mark so beware.

MORE THINGS TO GET STOKED ABOUT in 2011:

• Exploring more lakes and rivers – It’s endless so pick one, research it and go.
• Vancouver’s surf scene – Taylor Fulde of Paddlesurf.ca is on top of that surf report (Ambleside, etc)
• New Boards n’ Paddles - Cool stuff on the way including new race boards, bent-shaft paddles, graphics and more.  Check out brands  like Surftech, Rogue, C4 Waterman, Lake Tahoe, Bark, Naish, Kialoa, Werner, Quickblade and many more.
• Local Racing series’ – Check out local-action hosted by shops who are genuinely developing the sport: Relic Surf Shop, Kalavida Surf Shop, SUPBC, Island Longboards, Deep Cove Kayak, Easy Rider, Compass Adventures and hopefully many more.
• Road Trips – Downwinders in Oregon, Surf trips to Tofino, River Expeditions, Racing in Washington and oh, so much more.  Get a map and go.
• Environmental Action – Check out Standup4 Great Bear, Paddle for the Planet, Earth Day Activities and look after your planet.

Best of the season – OK SUP

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