New Jersey State Stand Up Paddle boarding Championships

 This was the MOST fun event I ever had the pleasure to be involved with. The camaraderie was great and the competition was exciting! I want to  thank the competitors, sponsors (Dakine, Hyperflex, Starboards) the city of Ocean City and my friends and family that made this event happen.

On August 15^th was the date of the first annual NEW JERSEY STATE STAND UP PADDLE BOARDING CHAMPIONSHIPS. Held in the “blessed” (local Catholic church blessed the waters while we had our first event) waters (Feast of the Assumption… Anne Marie that is why your back didn’t hurt when you paddled! Like my Irish Grandmother would say, “A dip in the ocean on this day was good for what ails you”) off 7^th streetbeach in Ocean City NJ . Although we had sunny (if not down right HOT) day, the blessing of the waters didn’t help the surf conditions. “Ankle snappers”

So our enthusiastic competitors started out on a long distance race…wasn’t that long only 3.3 miles on a calm morning no wind or chop. The competitors hit the water hard and they stayed together to the first mark rounding. As they started up the long run to the “northern mark” the field started to spread out and were joined on this leg by a HUGE POD OF ATLANTIC BOTTLE NOSE DOLPHIN which is very appropriate of them since ALL the event Registration fees were donated to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center (in Brigantine NJ) www.marinemammalstrandingcenter.org it made for a beautiful photo opportunity and a neat experience for the competitors, with wild dolphin so close you were afraid they WOULD touch you! The event was won by Josh Miller fresh back from a month in Hawaii (winning on the second shortest board in the race) Followed by one OC finest Charlie Bowman and third place came to the hard charging Greg Hanson from Brigantine. Full results to follow.

After an even shorter break (These guys were JAZZED to get out there) we set up a totally NEW EVENT called SURF SLALOM this was inspired by the old windsurfing event by the same name. It took lots of turning, speed and wave knowledge to win this event. The winner of the first heat was a “nip & tuck” affair between the winner of the distance race Josh Miller & the winner of the wave event Charlie Bowman. Joining them in the finals was the winner of the second heat Steve Janakowski and Greg Hanson. The finals were set the four best pitted against the course, conditions, luck and of course each other. The waters edge by this time was lined 2 & 3 deep to watch the final heat. The competitors charged off the beach and were very tight at the first mark the field separated after a few untimely falls with Josh & Charlie in another neck & neck dual. It was impossible to tell who would win until they entered the surf zone to the finish Josh fell in the waves, Charlie picked up a wave and looked like he would pass Josh in the end but Josh muscled his way in to just hold off the hard charging Bowman and win the Surf Slalom event.

Every competitor left with fun memories, new friends and neat prizes from our sponsors. I hope everyone had as much fun at the NJ State Stand Up Paddle Surfing Championships as I did running them, and I look forward to seeing everyone next year!

Long Distance Results

1)      Josh Miller

2)      Charlie Bowman

3)      Greg Hanson

4)      Ben Schnaible/Terry Junker

6)  Mark Hawks

7)  John Phillips/Matt Lestina

8)  Steve Janakowski

Wave Ridding Results (cumulative)

1)      Charlie Bowman

2)      Ben Schnaibel

3)      Josh Miller

4)      Terry Junker

5)      Greg Hanson

6)      Steve Janakowski

7)      John Phillips

8)      Matt Lestina

Surf Slalom (Finals)

1)      Josh Miller

2)      Charlie Bowman

3)      Steve Janakowski