Werner Blog

Photo of the Day-Caiman says hello on the Rio Negro.

John Meyer, of North West Outdoor Center one of Werner Paddle's oldest dealers, captured this shot of a native caiman on the a recent trip to the Rio Negro.  They were about 500 miles from Manaus, Brazil.

Thanks for the shot John!

Key West Paddle Board Classic-the Werner Paddle's Team finishes STRONG.

Team Werner Paddles (L to R) Ethan Luppert, Kristin Thomas, Jason Meehan and Jessica Cichra.

(Not shown but having a great weekend is Charlie Howden, Jeremy Whitted and Ian McFarland.) 

This past weekend was the 16th annual Key West Paddle Board Classic, in Key West Florida.  We want to thank our Team for all their support and congratulate them, and all racers using Werner Paddles, on their success in the SUPER TOUGH 12 mile race around the Island. 

In the shorter 4 mile race, but make no mistake it is always blowing hard on shore so for both down beach legs you are stroking only on one side...BRUTAL, Jessica Cichra had a great shwoing taking first in the 12'6" class. 

Also in the ladies class, all the way from California, Kristin Thomas took 4th place in the 12 mile race on her "SUP LOVE" 12'6".  (Great to have you out there Kristin, your energy and smile is SO good for the sport and our Team.) 

On the men's side of things, in the 12'6" class, Ethan Lupper took a solid 4th place with Jason Meehan squeaking into the top 20.  LONG race on a 12'6", way to go guys.

Ethan with the mad dash to solidify 4th place.  Look out to sea behind him, this race NEVER has calm conditions.

In the Elite 14' class we had 2 amazing results.  For the 2nd time in 3 years, Ian McFarland put his finish time aside to aid a struggling, heat stroked, paddler on the course.  A professional lifeguard and all around great person, he really showed the meaning of waterman and being part of a community.  Well done Ian, really proud of you.  (Oh, not to mention the guy still posts a top 15 place!)  Making the drive down from South Carolina was Jeremy Whitted, taking a SOLID 6th place finish.  Well done Jeremy.

This course is famous for strong winds but also really strong current.  It makes it a touch 12 mile go.  Jeremy having a tough go at the finish line, but proud of his 6th place finish.

Lastly, saying that several times towards the end of the race he was battling physical and mental pressure to stop racing from crushing fatigue, first year Werner Team paddler Charlie Howden won the Key West Paddle Board Classic for the Elite 14' class.  WOW!  Killer job Charlie, a huge congrats.

Charie Howden.

Thanks again to you all and a well deserved congratulations from everyone at Werner Paddles.

Downwind SUP race report. From Maui to Malibu, Team Werner making their mark.

The past weekend saw Team Werner Paddles standing proud in both the Olukai Ho'Olaule'a in Maui and at the 10th annual Malibu Downwinder. 

Beth and Sandy Deeley, just prior to the Olukai with the SIC downwind boards and Grand Prix paddles. 

On Maui, top finisher for Team Werner in the Elite mens division was Slater Trout, in a super tight race for the top spot with the world's best Dave Kalama, Kai Lenny and Connor Baxter.  Just 19 seconds behind Kai, Slater took an impressive fourth place finish on the tough 8 mile course.  Seattle's Art Aquino had an impressive 35th place, showing that his passion for going hard downwind and all his hard training is paying off.  Tough to tansition from the bays of the Pac NW to the open ocean Pacific, well done Art!  Beth and Sandy Deeley of Ocean City Maryland's "Walk on Water" took 224th and 164th.  These guys will be teaming up to take on the Molakai Challenge as well. 

Art Aquino, training run.

Meanwhile on the mainland at the 10th annual Malibu Downwinder, Chance Fielder and Dave Boehne were dominating for Team Werner and Infinity SUP.  Chance took top spot in the 14' class and Dave first as well but in the 12'6" class.  Nice job boys!

Chance left and Dave right.

Congrats to you all and thank you SO much for all your support!

Photo of the Day-Gordon Dalton finds a bit of luck on Va's North Fork of the Tye.

Thanks to our friend Gordon Dalton for this cool shot of his carbon Power House and nature's good luck charm the 4-Leaf Clover. 

Werner Team paddler Sage Donnelly wins the Reno River Festival.

Sage Donnelly, looping her a way to a win in at the Reno River Fest with her Double Diamond.

Fellow Werner Paddle white water Team paddler, Devon Barker-Hicks, sent me an awesome email yesterday about Sage's success at the Reno River Fest.   I think is is great to see this kind of support, check it out.

"I just finished up a great weekend training and competing with fellow Werner team paddler, Sage Donnelly. It is amazing to see how hard this 13 year old is working!  It seems like yesterday when she paddled down through the park for her first time. This weekend, she looped and cartwheeled herself to the top sport in the Pro Women's division. Well done!"

Final results, and check out her score!

1. Sage Donelly 400
2. Jessica Yurtinus 280
3. Courtney Kerin 260
4. Jessie Stone 240
5. Elaine Cambell

Congrats to Sage and her family who were there to support her.  Thanks to Devon for the words and photo and Sage's Mom Stephanie, who sent in the results and the photo above. 

Photo of the Day-Sprint to the finish! An SUP win for Alex and Brazil's Rocket Sports.

Alex, rounding the buoy.

Thanks to Alexandre Levorin, owner of Werner Paddle's Brazilian distributor Rock Sports, for his win in last weekend's VAA SUP Cup. 

He won the 14 foot Open class with his Grand Prix M1000.  Thanks for all the support and congratulations to you!

Want to see your pic on the "Photo of the Day?"  Send it!

Werner SUP Team, Art, Evan and Fiona finish strong.

Check out below as the Werner Paddle's SUP Team hit it hard in California and Hawaii last weekend.  Great news from the Juniors as well!

 

Fiona Wylde

This past weekend I was at the Junior Pro Sup Fiesta in Huntington Beach, Ca. I competed in both the sup surf contest as well as the sprint surf race. Unfortunately I did not so as well as I would have liked in the sup surf contest, getting knocked out in the second round. But that is part of competing; sometimes you win, sometimes you don't.   However, there was some excitement when I participated in the sprint surf race. It was a super short course where we had to punch out of the surf twice as well as ride the waves back in. I managed to do really well, and stayed on my board the entire time. I am stoked to say that I won the race and won it by about twenty seconds.   It was fun to be able to participate in an event that was only for kids. The other participants have inspired me to improve my paddling and surfing skills to get to the next level.  Now I am heading back to the gorge, where I will be for two weeks paddling and getting ready for a race in Lake Tahoe at the end of May!

 

Evan Hibbard

Also down in Huntington with Fiona.  “Last weekend I competed in the Junior Pro Sup Fiesta, in Huntington Beach, Ca. I finished 5th for my division. My group was very stacked with most of them being international junior pros from Hawaii and Australia. Looking ahead to build on this strong, next up will be the Santa Monica Paddle festival in which I will be racing in the elite division.”

 Art Aquino

“I had a great time at the Imua race on Maui last weekend.  I was proud to have finished 6th of 27 for my division (male unltd) or 35th of 132 including all water crafts. OC's etc.  The winning time for male SUP unltd was 1:15:50 I came in at 1:30:15.”

Congrats to everyone and be sure to keep in touch as more race results and Team news will be going up all the time!

Photo of the Day. "Stinger" wounds on the face of the Champlain wave in Ottawa.

Team paddler and Eastern Canadian rep, Johno Foster, showing how far the sport of SUP river surfing has come.  A great view of good form while cutting back on the Champlain Wave in Ottawa.  Nice look at our new white water SUP paddle, the Stinger.  Thanks to Harry Foster for the shot.

Photo of the Day. Girl POWER! The "Dynamic Duet" drop it in the Pac NW.

Friends and new steep creek partners, Katrina Van Wijk (Back) and Nicole Mansfield (Front) dropping some serious gradient in last months Northwest Creeking Championships. 

Want to see your pic in the Photo of the Day?  SEND it!

Congrats to our WW Team. Mills, Levknecht and Patterson make Team USA.

Werner Paddles is proud to announce 3 of our friends and Team members will be representing the USA at the 2013 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships this coming September.  For the Ladies Haley Mills, who just joined the team less than a month ago, won the Team trials to get her spot and Adriene Levknecht took second to earn her spot, proving fast girls can rodeo too.

Haley Mills, USA boat number 1!

Adriene Levknecht, takes down second and proves she can go big on the wave.

For the Gentleman we are so stoked for Mike Patterson who made the Team for his first time ever.

(Although not actually Mike Patterson many firends do joke that he is built like a Spartan warrior.  Shows what happens when I don't get photos! I get creative freedom.)

Although super bummed that a few of our Team worked super hard, but barely missed the cut at last weekend's NOC Spring Splash which was designated at the USA Team Trials, we are all really proud and excited for these 3.

Hours and hours of hard work, in super cold water and weather, went into all of these guys training.  Congrats to you all and take a deserved break.