Pacific Paddler Contents


	Well, my winter sports fans – the Series has taken off with flying colors! We opened in La Jolla in November, then to Oceanside early December, followed by the Tecolote 500 before Christmas! Happy New Year my friends! We came back to fantastic weather for the January race in Santa Barbara, and are eager to hit the thrills of Mission Bay on the 23rd. After just three races the Junior Surf Ski Winter Race series is really getting competitive with the boys and girls battling it out on the water. The first race of the series saw surf conditions at the start of the La Jolla Shores Race, but all the kids made it out through the breakers and made it back to ride the waves into the beach. The following week, it was up the coast to Oceanside, and despite the cold offshore breeze, a large field of 19 and under paddlers headed out through the harbor and back. Last month before the holidays, the Tecolote 5000m race provided sunny skies and flat water to give the kids a chance to test their raw speed and tactics turning the island and buoys. In the EPIC KAYAKS boys standings, 15 year old Sean Barlow is at the top of the table with 167 points; he won overall at Oceanside and picked up a couple of 2nd place finishes at La Jolla and Tecolote. However, being the son of Epic Expert Chris Barlow, Sean does not qualify to win the EPIC V10 surf ski that is up for grabs for the top point scorer. So, the EPIC V10 is in the sights of Michael Holmes, Garen Doyle, Michael Lowe, Ryan Stock and Kevin Stock (Kevin had an awesome paddle at Tecolote, beating Sean and Junior World Team member Nick Hanoian). However, with 6 races still remaining in the series, there is still a chance for someone else to come up in the standings, especially with Newport Aquatic Center paddlers and racers from Mexico getting in on the action. The VALHALLA SURFSKIS girls rankings is also hotly contested with Katarina La Juenesse streaking to the top of the table with 162 points; she is followed by Sydney Bohlman with 153 points who just pulled ahead of her older sister Lexie who was last year's EPIC KAYAKS overall winner of a V10 Surf Ski. In the over-19 divisions, we are seeing a lot of the same faces coming into the finish line first with some new surprises too as Will Reichenstein steps up his program; and then we also have the rudderless V1 guys traversing the course: Ross, Jimmy, Dana. Danny is finishing in the top 10 overall on his OC1- not a surprise, eh? Julie and Vicki are still dominating the OC1 women's division; more OC2’s are making their way to the line: Larry and Deb; Larry and Monica; Larry, Darryl and Daryl – no, I’m kidding. The Campbells, Dennis and son Brent, are back; sometimes on the OC2, sometimes solo. Al Ching, Jim Groark, and Marshall Parks are making a good showing for the Golden Hamster men. It's always fun to race the winter series; everyone is just happy to see each other, to compare notes on training, and pick each others brains about technique, to show off new canoes and paddles, and compare GPS times, course, and speeds. Additionally, we continue to welcome the Stand-up paddleboarders to our series. It's fun to have that kind of variety on the water – Matt Becker being one of the latest and greatest SUP artists; he had his own film crew with him last weekend! The SUP division has some very strong 13 as well as 62 year old paddlers giving it their all. The traditional paddleboarders need to come back with a vengeance! We miss you! Jerry Merayo is still hammering away as the most consistent short and long course racer – been doing it that way for 3 years now! We even had the Czech Republic and Slovakian guys and gals out here in early December giving us a run for our money! Big thanks to series sponsor Huki Outrigger for his generous loaning of equipment; to Caseman for raffle donations of waterproof cases for phone and MP3 players and flashlights; to HoneyGirl for bathing suit donations, to Paddleme.com, Mudbrook paddles, Patagonia, Kialoa Paddles – 2 new paddles are coming to 2 lucky 1st timers! Better Surf than Sorry, FirstTeam Extreme… I opened the door, can't close it until I ask you all to remember our sponsors when thinking about buying gear… Ocean Paddlesports, HamsterWorks Photography, Keli's Outrigger, Ocean Ohana, JL Racing, Sambo Rudders and Repairs, and of course, Pacific Paddler Magazine. A lot of people are taking to the water, and I encourage you to paddle safe and smart; it's not that much extra effort or weight to take a leash and a cell phone with you on long practices, leaving a float plan in you car. Call someone when you get back after a practice, and wear lights at night. See you all soon, Cheance Adair	New Challenge in Seattle California Big Island of Hawaii Tui Tonga Festival Hawaiian Kamali‘i, Inc. Braddah Mel's Canoe Surfing Stan Dickson on the future Vaka Eiva

Well, my winter sports fans – the Series has taken off with flying colors! We opened in La Jolla in November, then to Oceanside early December, followed by the Tecolote 500 before Christmas!
Happy New Year my friends! We came back to fantastic weather for the January race in Santa Barbara, and are eager to hit the thrills of Mission Bay on the 23rd.
After just three races the Junior Surf Ski Winter Race series is really getting competitive with the boys and girls battling it out on the water.
The first race of the series saw surf conditions at the start of the La Jolla Shores Race, but all the kids made it out through the breakers and made it back to ride the waves into the beach. The following week, it was up the coast to Oceanside, and despite the cold offshore breeze, a large field of 19 and under paddlers headed out through the harbor and back. Last month before the holidays, the Tecolote 5000m race provided sunny skies and flat water to give the kids a chance to test their raw speed and tactics turning the island and buoys.
In the EPIC KAYAKS boys standings, 15 year old Sean Barlow is at the top of the table with 167 points; he won overall at Oceanside and picked up a couple of 2nd place finishes at La Jolla and Tecolote. However, being the son of Epic Expert Chris Barlow, Sean does not qualify to win the EPIC V10 surf ski that is up for grabs for the top point scorer. So, the EPIC V10 is in the sights of Michael Holmes, Garen Doyle, Michael Lowe, Ryan Stock and Kevin Stock (Kevin had an awesome paddle at Tecolote, beating Sean and Junior World Team member Nick Hanoian). However, with 6 races still remaining in the series, there is still a chance for someone else to come up in the standings, especially with Newport Aquatic Center paddlers and racers from Mexico getting in on the action.
The VALHALLA SURFSKIS girls rankings is also hotly contested with Katarina La Juenesse streaking to the top of the table with 162 points; she is followed by Sydney Bohlman with 153 points who just pulled ahead of her older sister Lexie who was last year's EPIC KAYAKS overall winner of a V10 Surf Ski.
In the over-19 divisions, we are seeing a lot of the same faces coming into the finish line first with some new surprises too as Will Reichenstein steps up his program; and then we also have the rudderless V1 guys traversing the course: Ross, Jimmy, Dana. Danny is finishing in the top 10 overall on his OC1- not a surprise, eh? Julie and Vicki are still dominating the OC1 women's division; more OC2’s are making their way to the line: Larry and Deb; Larry and Monica; Larry, Darryl and Daryl – no, I’m kidding.
The Campbells, Dennis and son Brent, are back; sometimes on the OC2, sometimes solo. Al Ching, Jim Groark, and Marshall Parks are making a good showing for the Golden Hamster men.
It's always fun to race the winter series; everyone is just happy to see each other, to compare notes on training, and pick each others brains about technique, to show off new canoes and paddles, and compare GPS times, course, and speeds.
Additionally, we continue to welcome the Stand-up paddleboarders to our series. It's fun to have that kind of variety on the water – Matt Becker being one of the latest and greatest SUP artists; he had his own film crew with him last weekend! The SUP division has some very strong 13 as well as 62 year old paddlers giving it their all.
The traditional paddleboarders need to come back with a vengeance! We miss you! Jerry Merayo is still hammering away as the most consistent short and long course racer – been doing it that way for 3 years now! We even had the Czech Republic and Slovakian guys and gals out here in early December giving us a run for our money!
Big thanks to series sponsor Huki Outrigger for his generous loaning of equipment; to Caseman for raffle donations of waterproof cases for phone and MP3 players and flashlights; to HoneyGirl for bathing suit donations, to Paddleme.com, Mudbrook paddles, Patagonia, Kialoa Paddles – 2 new paddles are coming to 2 lucky 1st timers! Better Surf than Sorry, FirstTeam Extreme… I opened the door, can't close it until I ask you all to remember our sponsors when thinking about buying gear… Ocean Paddlesports, HamsterWorks Photography, Keli's Outrigger, Ocean Ohana, JL Racing, Sambo Rudders and Repairs, and of course, Pacific Paddler Magazine.
A lot of people are taking to the water, and I encourage you to paddle safe and smart; it's not that much extra effort or weight to take a leash and a cell phone with you on long practices, leaving a float plan in you car. Call someone when you get back after a practice, and wear lights at night.
See you all soon, Cheance Adair

New Challenge in Seattle
California
Big Island of Hawaii
Tui Tonga Festival
Hawaiian Kamali‘i, Inc.
Braddah Mel's Canoe Surfing
Stan Dickson on the future
Vaka Eiva