News & Events

2nd Annual Battle of the Paddle

Staged at Dana Point's historic Doheny State Beach, the Battle of the Paddle is more than an ordinary paddle race. For the sport's elite paddlers it presents the greatest championship styled SUP race featuring an offshore course that tests not only endurance but also the open-ocean and surfing skills of the world's best watermen and women. Not to mention a cash purse of over $25,000.

On Saturday October 3rd in the Elite Race, invited competitors on stock (12'6") SUP boards, will complete multiple laps on a circuit that will include paddling through the surf and beaching their equipment for a short sand run around a course flag. Also, on Saturday (Oct. 3) will be the hugely popular Open Age-Group Race open to everyone no matter what type of SUP craft you prefer to paddle. Last year's Open Age-Group Race had the largest SUP field ever assembled and this year's race is promising to be even bigger and will include a new festive costume division.

Sunday October 4th the SUP Distance Race will be open to all SUP craft categories (12'6" stock, 14 ft. and unlimited) and racers will paddle a scenic ten mile course from Doheny State Beach to San Clemente Pier and back. Additionally, there will also be an exciting SUP Surf Relay Race for prize money to close the Battle.

Starboard Team was on sight, fighting the battle. The new Szymanski/Starboard race program has once gain proved to be a winning concet. 14 year old Zane Shweitzer wins the stock division with Brian right on his tail for 2nd. Brian's partner, Matt Friedman, finishes 3rd overall stock and Nikki Gregg wins the women's division. New to Starboards team is also Brandi Baksic, firmly established herself as one of the top elite women standup paddlers in the world by taking 3rd in the Elite race and, 1st in the distance race...she only has a few months of SUP under her belt yet she smoked (and humbled) many so-called "top notch" racer dudes...quite amazing...even more amazing, is the fact that she beat 2nd place finisher, Candice Appleby, who was riding an unlimited SUP with rudder. In the distance race Ernie (EJ) Johnson guts out a win in the distance race stock division despite a shoulder injury.

Connor Baxter, John Hibbard, Dan Gavere, Scott Mckercher and Honora Kalama made also great efforts in the race, all using Szymanski/Starboard race boards. The large surf made the conditions extremely difficult and a lot of competitors lost thier boards during the race and had to swim in to the beach.


Zane Schweitzer:
It was an incredible event, over three hundred competitors and lots of fun (and a bit of carnage). With thousands of spectators on the beach, the SURF EXPO and the top SUP racers in the country here to compete it was a huge success.

I entered the race on a brand new Starboard Zysmanski board that I had never ridden before but really loved it. All paddling in the Holland Race proved to be great training.


Thank you Declan and Scott at Tridents Sport for all your great work and good laughs over the weekend!