With over 140 paddlers hitting the water, the 2009 Hobie / Hennessey's Waterman's challenge delivered some of the best paddle racing so far this year. Offering a $3500 pro race as well as a 4 mile fun race, paddle boarders and stand up paddlers from across the experience spectrum made a showing. For the hard core it was all about the race, while for others it was their first introduction to the racing experience.
As in years past, Mother Nature couldn’t resist playing her part as well, offering up some abnormally stiff winds and choppy conditions that really defined the race as a true "Waterman’s Challenge". The overall 8 mile title was taken down by unlimited paddle boarder Tyler Anderson with a time of 1:17. Brian Murphy took 1st in the heated stock paddle board division, and Christina Powers once again repeated as this years women’s paddle board champion.
Unlimited SUP paddler Rob Rojas was the fastest overall Stand Up with a time of 1:21.3, and Chuck Paterson cleaned up and crushed the 14’ SUP division, also taking down two thirds of the unlimited SUP class in the process. The 6 mile pro stock SUP race was nothing less than a grueling grind between Byron Kurt, Brian Szymanski, and Mitch Kahn. At the finish, it was Byron Kurt who took home the pro stock SUP honors. The women’s title belonged to Brandi Baksic, followed by Vicki Mills, and Jodie Nelson. The top 3 pro stock men’s and women’s SUP finishers also received coveted invites to this years Battle of the Paddle Elite Race
Hobie team rider Chuck Patterson summed the race up perfectly "As we rounded the downwind buoy, we were met with a strong 15-20 mph headwind and rough seas. The last 5 miles really challenged your mental and physical toughness because if you hesitated for a second between paddle strokes, you were going backwards."
Too keep true to Hennessey’s race style, the racing quickly shifted up the street to Hennessey's Tavern Dana Point where racers were welcomed to a huge outdoor BBQ and a monster raffle with prizes from Dakine, H20 Audio, Ocean Minded, Crossfit Orange County, and Hobie Polarized.
Race Sponsors: Barcardi, Bud Light, Extreme Drinks, Dakine, H20 Audio, Ocean Minded, Soleo Organics, Hobie Polarized, Ocean Minded, Crossfit Orange County, Stand Up Journal, and O2H Sarcoma Alliance
Race Information and Results: http://www.hobie.com/race
About Hobie
Hobie's dream was born in his parents’ garage in 1950, when Hobie Alter decided to apply his love of woodworking to the sport of surfing. Over the Next 59 years, plenty of other innovations emerged from Hobie’s imagination: the Hobie Catamaran, innovative Kayaks, Stand Up Paddleboards, world-famous polarized sunglasses and sportswear. It seems incredible that one man’s vision could provide so much fun the world over, but in that department, Hobie stands alone. He didn’t just create toys; he created a way of life. The dream born on the beach in 1950 has become reality not just for Hobie but for generations of dreamers, all of whom continue to spell fun in the sun, the surf and the sand with a flying capital H
http://www.hobie.com
About Hennessey’s
Founded in 1976 by Paul Hennessey, an entrepreneurial former Wall Street stock trader, Hennessey's Tavern, Inc. has grown from a single location in Hermosa Beach, Calif. into a diversified group spread throughout Southern California, the High Sierra's and Nevada that today includes: 16 Hennessey's Tavern and H.T Grill operations, as well as the renowned Lighthouse Cafe jazz club along with The Fish Bucket and Mickie Finnz Fish House & Bar - a casual "beachy" concept.
http://www.hennesseystavern.com
http://www.hennesseyspaddleboarding.com
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