Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Covewater Classic, July 16th... Santa Cruz's Premier Stand Up Paddle Event

Wow- just got the press release on this event and I'm pretty blown away- tons of stuff happening in Santa Cruz. Check out what the good people at Covewater Paddle Surf have put together:


Covewater Paddle Surf Hosts Weekend of Stand Up Paddleboard Event Firsts
Premiere SUP Race, Race Clinic, and Movie Screening Offer a Variety of Fun Opportunities

Santa Cruz, CA – June 30, 2011 - Covewater Paddle Surf, Northern California’s first dedicated stand up paddleboard shop, announced a weekend of first-time stand up paddleboard (SUP) related activities taking place July 15-16th geared toward both enthusiasts and newcomers to the fast-growing sport.  The Northern California premiere screening of two inspirational SUP movies Friday night at the Rio Theater will set the stage for the First Annual Covewater Classic SUP Race on Saturday the 16th in Capitola.  The weekend’s events will also include a race clinic, free SUP demos and a raffle of sponsors’ SUP products.
While countless surf movies have made their Northern California debut at Santa Cruz’s Rio Theatre over the decades, the SUP Movie Screening event July 15th represents the first stand up paddling movie premiere night. The film Destination 3 Degrees chronicles two women’s adventure paddling each of the nine Hawaiian Islands’ treacherous channels while raising awareness of the oceans’ plastics pollution. Morgan Hoesterey, one of the world’s elite female paddleboarders featured in the film, will be on hand to provide an introduction.  The second film, Lake Tahoe Circumnavigation, captures the journey of elite paddlers Jay and Anik Wild as they attempt to paddle the entire 72-mile length of Lake Tahoe shoreline – non-stop.
The SUP Movie screenings will benefit non-profit organization Save our Shores to further their ocean conservation efforts in the Monterey Bay.  "Save Our Shores is excited to be included in a fun community event like the Covewater SUP Film Screening,” said Colleen Bednarz, Communications and Outreach Coordinator for Save Our Shores.  “We hope these films inspire people to think outside the box, try new things, and take action for the ocean right here in our own backyard - the beautiful Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary."
The main event on July 16th, the Covewater Classic Stand Up Paddleboard Race presented by Surftech, features a 7.5-mile elite race, a 7-mile open race, and a 2.5-mile recreational race.  The unique course will attract paddlers from all parts of the state, as well as elite paddlers from as far away as Hawaii and Florida.  There will also be free SUP demos available from Surftech and Paddle Surf Hawaii, and a raffle with great prizes from our sponsors, including a Surftech 12’6 Bark Competitor valued at $2175.
To kick off the weekend, Covewater is also offering a SUP Race Clinic on Friday, July 15th, 3:30pm at Cowell’s Beach.  Led by elite competitive paddlers Jay Wild (subject of Lake Tahoe Circumnavigation) and Morgan Hoesterey (Destination 3 Degrees), this is a great opportunity for experienced racers to hone their technique and for newcomers to the race scene to learn the basics.  Morgan recently won the women’s title in the Surftech Jay Moriarity Memorial Paddleboard Race on June 25th in Capitola.
“Stand up paddleboard races have really exploded the last couple summers”, says Covewater owner and race director Scott Ruble.  “There are really fun and welcoming short races for beginners, and longer, highly challenging races for the more experienced paddlers.  Participants and spectators alike leave the event stoked and looking forward to the next one.”

Covewater Classic Film Screening: Friday, July 15th 6:30 PM, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA
Admission $10 / Advance tickets $8 / Students (w/ID) $8 / Ages 16 & under free
Sponsors raffle giveaways at intermission
Advance tickets available at Covewater Paddle Surf, 726 Water St., Santa Cruz
Covewater Classic Stand Up Paddle Race: Saturday, July 16th, 7:00 AM, Capitola Beach, Capitola, CA
Race Registration is open now at Active.com.  Race entry is $40 - $48.  Post-race lunch in Capitola Village included.
Covewater SUP Race Clinic:  Friday, July 15th, 3:30 PM, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA
Registration available now at CovewaterClassic.com/race-clinic and at Covewater Surf Shop.  $30.
To learn more, visit www.CovewaterClassic.com
About Covewater Paddle Surf
Opened in April 2010, Covewater has quickly become Northern California’s stand up paddling headquarters.  The first fully dedicated stand up paddling shop on the west coast north of Santa Barbara, Covewater stocks more than one hundred paddleboards and demo boards, dozens of paddles and provides a variety of stand up paddling lessons and rentals.  Covewater was voted “Best Stand Up Paddle Business” by readers of the Santa Cruz Weekly and Good Times Santa Cruz in 2011.  www.Covewater.com
Media Contact:
Scott Ruble, Co-Owner/Race Director
(831) 227-6611
Info@CovewaterSUP.com
www.Covewater.com

1 comment:

Andy Gere said...

Covewater is the legit deal, we are all looking forward to this event. Scott and his crew have done a lot to get SUP racing organized up here in Santa Cruz, and the shop is well stocked with boards, paddles and other SUP goodies.