what a season we have in store!!!!!

Hi everybody... sorry it's been a while since I posted.  Things are going 1000 miles an hour here as the season rapidly approaches.  First and foremost, let's talk about what's been happening in the water.  I got my first windsurf session in last Saturday at Wolf Lake.  It was HOWLING, gusting into the 40's.  I started the day on 5.5m and ended overpowered on 4.6m!  What a great start to the season, shaking off the cobwebs and enjoying some blistering speed runs and powerful jibes.  Sorry, but I didn't get any action shots... maybe next time.

Other than that one windsurf session, it's been all about waves here.  We're having a slow start to spring with colder-than-normal temps, which arrive accompanied by strong North winds that mean... you guessed it... WAVES for us south-enders.  These next two shots I grabbed off of Facebook... that's Chicago surfer Tommy Shimenetto getting some action at Ogden Dunes.  I missed this session due to work, but I've had a few good surf sessions lately and a lot of other Great Lakes surfers have been posting some pretty amazing pics around FaceBook.  It's been a great surf season.

BUT, it's almost time to swap bottom turns for buoy turns... that's right, race season is just around the corner and if you've been lagging on training as I have, you might want to turn up the intensity a notch or two.  I was kind of nervous about being a bit behind in my training, but recent developments have put me into a full-on panic!  Here's the scoop...

A few weeks ago I was approached by the organizers of Leon's Triathlon, which runs on June 2nd at Wolf Lake in Hammond, Indiana.  Leon's is the Midwest Qualifier for USA Triathlon, so it's a well attended event hosting over 650 participants.  After a few phone calls with the event's incredibly enthusiastic founder, Leon Wolek, it was decided that we had an opportunity to make history... and we seized it.  We're a few days away from the official announcement, but I can take the liberty of letting the cat peek out of the bag here on the blog.  Leon's Triathlon will be the first-ever USAT Qualifying Triathlon to feature a brand new format, SUP TRI.  In SUP TRI we're going to replace the swim portion of the triathlon with a standup paddleboard race.  This is going to be intense!  It's an Olympic distance event, so we'll be looking at a 4.5km SUP leg on a technical course with a bunch of buoy turns.  After the SUP leg athletes will jump on their bikes for a 40km road ride, then put on the running shoes and do a 10km run.  There will be details up on the Leon's Triathlon website sometime next week, so if you're interested in entering the race check out their site and join us to make history!

In addition to Leon's Tri, there's also a new Spring race series being pulled together called The Amped Up Midwest SUP Cup.  This series kicks off in Fontana, Wisconsin on May 4-5 and features a race each weekend through June 22.  Click the photo above for a closer look at the schedule.  I'll be at the May 4-5 event in Fontana, so if you can make it come on up and get on the water with me.

And finally, if you aren't already dialed in to the Midwest Standup Paddleboard Championship series, here's the link to the BIG ENCHILADA of Midwest SUP racing.  Midwest SUP is our own WPA-sanctioned race series.  If you want to accumulate points toward the regional championship and possibly even win yourself a spot at the nationals, this is the series you must compete in.  Of course, if you couldn't care less about points, championships or even casually paddling around a racecourse, these events are still a blast.  There's always food, music, clinics, boards to demo and the generally raucous scene that goes with any SUP event.  Do yourself a favor and get out to at least one of these events to see all that the SUP community has to offer.

OK... that's it for today.  Hope you're getting out on the water a bit and looking forward to an incredible season of Midwest SUP!  See you all out on the water soon!

the cold stroke... and stuff

It's been a crazy few months with a lot of work and play.  I've been spreading the love of SUP making appearances at a bunch of boat shows from Chicago to St. Louis to Milwaukee.  In between these gigs I worked in a fun trip down to Wrightsville Beach for some surfing and a race, The Cold Stroke Classic.  It was a super fun event and the scene in Wrightsville Beach was everything I'd heard.  WB is definitely the East Coast capital of SUP and I hope we can boast as thriving a scene in Chicago in the future.  Here's a big stack of pics from the trip...

We arrived to some nice waist to chest high surf.  In the end we logged 5 straight days of surf.  We even surfed the day of the race... not recommended procedure but we couldn't pass it up :)

Here are a few of my great friend Matt Sommer.  Matt's parents live in WB and they hosted us for the weekend.

This is our new friend Ryan Hipp,  a WB local who after we met him in the lineup on the first day became our unofficial guide to WB surf.   We ended up surfing with Ryan every day and he showed us all the hot spots.

Here's Starboard team rider Dan Gavere (on the left) taking an early lead in the race... he would go on to win the 14' elite division.

So if you get a chance to hit an event in Wrightsville Beach, don't pass it up!

In more local news, the MidwestSUP race schedule is out.  You can learn all about the upcoming race season at www.midwestsup.com.  Here's a peek:



And finally, at the risk of appearing a little braggadocios, I have to share a nice little article done on yours truly by SUP the Mag.  It was a great honor to be interviewed by them and hopefully it will turn a few new paddlers on to what a SUP paradise we have here in the Great Lakes.
 


You can check out the full article here.  OK that's it for tonight.  Hope there's some water time in your future.  See you soon!

surf season and a race announcement

     Well it's full-on surf season here on Lake Michigan, and so far it's been a blast.  I made it out yesterday for a fun little session at Greenwood Avenue Beach.  It was a small day but we had a great time and got a solid workout.  With air temp around 40 and water at 45, I was cooking in my 6/5/4 Hyperflex Amp wetsuit.  This year will be my first go at staying on the water all winter, so I'm kind of getting my bearings as far as how cold I can go out and still be comfortable.  I'm glad to see that I haven't even gotten close to finding the limits of my wetsuits.  If you're interested in surfing, go out and get yourself some quality rubber and come join us!  It's not as crazy as it seems...

     In other SUP news, The Standup World Tour is wrapping up with a final event scheduled for sometime in the next two weeks at an as-yet undisclosed location in the Caribbean.  As you recall, we hosted a Standup World Series race event here in Chicago this year as part of the World Tour, and I'm happy to announce that the race organizers have committed to coming back to Chicago in 2013.  Mark your calendars for August 24-25th 2013 and plan to be in Chicago to get on the water with the world's top SUP racers.

     In the meantime, I'll leave you with a couple of videos to get you up to speed on the recent World Series action.  The first video features the Starboard riders working out in Brazil and the second is the final day of action at the comp held there, The Ubatuba Pro.  Enjoy and I'll see you on the water!

 

GO TIME!!! The Chicago Shoreline Marathon is this weekend!!!

It's almost GO TIME!  This Friday and Saturday The Chicago Shoreline Marathon will be happening in a HUGE way at Leone Beach in Chicago.  If you're not registered yet, you can do so by clicking here.  We are so excited to be bringing WPA racing to Chicago... but remember this event is not just for elite racers.      Even if you're more of a recreational paddler, you can enter the fun 3-mile course race being held right off the beach.  And if you're not into racing at all, there will be paddle clinics, board demos and great events all day long.        The awesome Hummingbird Food Truck will be on site providing amazing snacks too!      Post-race there will be lots going on, including SUP clinics by my buddy Westy from YOLO Boards.  Be sure to pre-register for the clinics cause they're sure to sell out fast.        Below you'll find the full schedule of events.  A few things to note... there will be security all night on Friday so feel free to show up, get to know the course, enjoy the awesome Hummingbird dinner and leave your board on the beach so you're ready to rock first thing on Saturday!  Check out the details below and email me if you have any questions.  Can't wait to see everyone there! FRIDAY, AUGUST 10th, 2012 – All activities at Leone Beach: 1pm-5pm – Clinics top paddlers  - Clinics will be offered again this year. Courses and schedule TBD. Please contact info@chicagoshorelinemarathon.com if you are interested in participating. 2pm-5pm – Boat demos with Chicago Paddle Sports  Come out early and try out the best and newest in kayaks, surfskis and paddle boards. Reps will be on-hand to answer all your questions. We will be featuring Epic, Fenn, Custom Kayaks.                 2pm – Registration Check-in Opens 2pm - Friday Night Boat Drop-Off Opens Competitor boats may be stored (no racks provided). Security will be on duty all night.  5:30pm - Friday night Pre-race Beach-Side Dinner and Meeting: Hummingbird Kitchen is $15.00/person (cash only). Meeting to follow will include marathon course review. SATURDAY, AUGUST 11th, 2012: 6:00 AM – Leone Beach site opens, Check-in opens 7:00 AM – Shuttle for Marathon participants and their equipment leaves for 63rd Street Beach 9:00 AM – Marathon event start gun 10:00 AM – 2 Beach and Elite SUP Start guns 10:30 AM – Rec SUP start gun Saturday Post-Race Awards and Meal: Post-Race meal will be provided to registered paddlers. Hummingbird foodtruck will be serving up delicious sandwich boxes with beverage, fries and salad. Vegetarian option is available - just ask! Turn in your meal ticket from your race bib to receive your box. Accommodations: Local Hotels: Super 8, one block from Leone Beach. Convenient and a definite budget option. Heart O' Chicago Motel, 8 minutes from Leone Beach. Outdoor, car-top friendly parking. Best Western University Plaza, 10 minutes from Leone Beach. Indoor parking ramp (if no racks on truck.) Street parking also available. Hotel Orrington, 15 minutes from Leone Beach Hilton Garden Inn Evanston, 20 minutes from Leone Beach. House 5863. 20 minutes from Leone Beach:  5863 N. Glenwood. Bed and Breakfast, executive 4-person suite available. Breakfast included. Inn on Early. Bed and Breakfast, about 20 minutes from Leone.      Camping: Illinois Beach State Park, 1 ½ hours from Leone Beach. In the event of race cancellation, Friday and Saturday parties will go ahead as planned! We have to off-load those raffle prizes somehow!!!

SUP YACS race proves that SUP is catching on in Chicago

     As you know, I started Windy City Waterman last year because I just couldn't understand why SUP wasn't catching on faster here in Chicago.  Well, I am very excited to report that IT FINALLY IS!  Yesterday's SUP YACS race at Montrose beach was a tremendous success.  Over 60 participants got on the water, many of them first time racers, and the beach scene was buzzing with clinics, yoga and a non-stop dance party for the kids.  Here are a few pics...

We had a perfect day with wispy clouds and warm temps...

There were trophies and very nice prizes for the winners... I won a sweet Patagonia backpack!

Here's my buddy Christoph getting his trophy... look at all those kids... the future of SUP is looking bright!

Winners...

     Congratulations to everyone at True North Treks for putting on a fantastic event for a great cause!  

SUP YACS & a teaser

     Remember, tomorrow is the SUP YACS race at Montrose Beach... if you haven't registered you can still show up by 8:30 and get in on the fun.  If you don't want to race, there will be yoga on the beach, clinics, a band and fun throughout the day so get down there.  I'll be racing then hanging out, so come say hello if you can make it.

     This photo of Connor Baxter has been making the rounds on Facebook... here he's catching a big swell during a training session for the upcoming Molokai2Oahu race.  I had the pleasure of meeting Connor earlier this summer and we had a few things in common... well now we have one more.  Want to find out what it is?  Keep an eye on the blog... there's some news coming soon!

is this your SUP man of the year?

     If you don't know this guy, you should.  This smiling face belongs to Shane Perrin, one of the baddest-ass paddlers in the Midwest... and probably the world.  Almost everything Shane has done on a standup board in the past few years has been a 'first'.  First SUP to do the MR340, a multi stage race covering 340 miles of the Missouri river.  First SUP to race the 179-mile La Ruta Maya Belize Challenge.  And most recently, Shane completed The Texas Water Safari, considered the world's toughest canoe race... 260 miles non-stop.

I love this shot... check out the paddlers in the canoe looking at Shane like, "What the hell is this guy doing?"

     While there are other athletes out there doing ultra-endurance standup paddling, what's unique about Shane is that he's entering all these canoe and kayak races.  From the start, he's had to fight just to enter these races, organizers telling him there's no way a SUP could even finish their event.  Then, once he convinced them to let him enter, the real pressure was on.  If he'd failed to complete any of these events, the "I told you so's" would have been heard around the world.  Fortunately for all of us who love SUP, Shane is not a guy to give up on anything.  He not only finished but placed pretty well in all these events, and now Standup is definitely on the radars of all the top river race organizers.

     Shane has recently been recognized for his work through a SUP Connect nomination for SUP Man of the Year.  Here's why I think he should win:

     Besides the fact that these are some of the biggest paddles anyone has done on a SUP, Shane has done his paddles in rivers in the middle of America.  Shane's been bringing SUP culture to a part of the country that thus far has missed the sport completely, still happily plying the waters in canoes and kayaks.  Not that there's anything wrong with canoes or kayaks... I'm happy to see people get out on the water any way they can.  Unfortunately, to a lot of these conventional paddlers SUP has been seen as little more than a passing fad or an extension of surf culture only fit for coastal locales.  Shane has proved that SUP athletes can do anything our paddling brethren in canoes and kayaks can, which exposes and authenticates our sport to a huge number of people that love the water but most of whom never thought SUP was for them.

     For all these reasons, Shane has my vote for SUP Connect SUP Man of the Year.  You can vote for Shane, or any of the other nominated paddlers, by going to the SUP Connect Facebook Page.  I hope you will!

   
     On the local scene, we have a bit of wind in the forecast, so drop what you're doing and get to the beach!  I had two nice SUP surf sessions yesterday on the small waves that came in on the beginnings of this cold front.  Today and tomorrow look to be even better.  Windsurf, surf or SUP downwinder... these are the glory days of wind, waves and warm water that we'll all be remembering in January.  See you out there!

the midwest SUP festival in madison

     Great work by Gary Stone and the whole crew from Paddleboard Specialists in Madison for hosting an amazing event this past weekend.  I attended Friday night's clinic with Jimmy Terrell from Quickblade Paddles, then participated in the 6-mile race on Saturday.  Here's the photo album...

Every Wisconsin pine grove should have a quiver of SUP boards...

The event was held at the Bishop's Bay Country Club... a swank joint with beautiful grounds and great lake access complete with a pier for spectators.  Very nice.

The vendor booths were stocked with demo boards and paddles...

Numbered up and ready to race...

Race buoys by Starboard...

Somebody famous is going to be making this board go FAST in a minute...

At the skipper's meeting with my coach...

Heading down to the water...  

The shots below are of the start.  There was a camera setting malfunction after my daughter borrowed the camera for a minute, so these shots came out super hot.  I threw them up anyway cause they look kind of cool with all the paddlers disappearing into the ethereal mist.

And here's elite winner Jimmy Terrell coming across the finish line first.  This was a great weekend and a fantastically run event.  If you didn't make it, definitely put it on your calendar for next year.  Unfortunately this will be my last MidwestSUP race before our Chicago Event in August.  Good luck to everybody up in Holland next week... I'll be wishing I was there!