Werner Blog

Werner SUP TEAM update. Welcome aboard Kristin Thomas!

Werner Paddles is proud to announce that Laguna Beach CA local, and amazing SUP ambassador, Kristin Thomas will be joining our TEAM for 2012 and many years to come!  Although posting plenty of very impressive race results in both local and major events, it was her infectous attitude about being on the water that attracted us to her, along with a glowing endorsement from fellow team paddlers Dave Boehne, CD Kinley and Chance Fielder.  Here is a short piece from her bio.  Read it all at her web site www.supmamakt.com "If you are a lover of water, stand up paddling offers unlimited opportunites. The sport is experiencing phenominal growth worldwide as is one of the most versitile and accesible water sports ever.  I am so grateful to find a sport where I can be on the water, meet incredible people and be competitive in my late 40's. My goal is to be competitive as long as possible and to play a role in helping this sport continue to grow in a positive direction ... with Aloha." 

Welcome aboard Kristin!  Stop by and see her and the entire Werner So Cal team at this weekend's Hobie/Hennesseys US Champs Race, Dana Point CA. as they take their new Grand Prix to the start line and if all goes well...the podium. 

 

 

Slippery When Wet Trailer: Ben Stookesberry

Check out the goods from Shasta Boyz...

 

"SUP Pirates" A Film by Werner Team Paddler Dave Bohene.

Fast guy, funny guy and arguably one the most talented SUP surfers in the world, Werner Team paddler Dave Boehne is producing a feature length film with his crew from Infinity, "SUP Pirates."

Check the Trailer out here on the Werner Paddle blog and Facebook page.

NE SUP race report-Werner TEAM Will Rich goes Gold-Gold this past weekend!

"Where do you find these guys, I think Will is BIGGER than Iain!"  Just 3 months into his new position as the South East Werner Paddle rep we got this question from our own Justin Sams.  He is quickly seeing the flock of super talented paddlers coming out to paddle the new Grand Prix race paddle and work with a company with 65 of years of paddling and paddle experience.  Last weekend the Iain of this questions, McFarland that is, took 3rd at the Water Monkey Challenge in Florida.  At the same time, a bit North, Will Rich was taking first on his Speed Board USA unlimited board at the Mystic RIver Herring Run. 

Then...just to have some more fun, he took GOLD again at the Essex River SUP Race in the Elite 14' class.

Congrats Will, you are a BEAST and we are really proud of you.  If Will's race results are not enough to impress you check this out.  At the Key West Paddle Board Classic Will won the raffle, a brand new Werner Paddle.  He declined and passed the paddle onto a super stoked new SUP racer Sandra Leigh! 

Upcoming Northeast SUP events-mark your calendars!

In the coming weeks Werner Paddles will be attending some great Stand Up Paddle events in the Northeast US.  We have races, forward stroke clinics, Intro clinics and SUP festivals.  Check out some the dates and mark that calendar!

June 2nd-the first annual "Buzzards Bay Classic" presented by Osprey Sea Kayak Adventures.

-Look for Werner Paddles teaching clinics, demoing paddles (incuding the hot new Grand Prix) and on the race course.

June 3rd-Collinsville Canoe and Kayak hosts SUPapalooza.

-Free SUP classes all day long with Werner Paddles.  Plus vendor demos and of course Werner Paddle demos.

June 16th-17th "Boston Tea Paddle" presented by SUP Surfari.

-Look for Werner Paddles teaching clinics, demoing paddles (incuding the hot new Grand Prix) and on the race course.

June 17th-Lake George Kayak Company presents an SUP day with Werner's Danny Mongno

-Sign up for an Intro lesson or a SUP Race conditioning class.

June 23rd- Adirondack lakes and Trails hosts the Adirondack SUP Festival.

-Get a real taste of the Adirondacks as this race includes some portaging!  There will be a Friday evening Forward Stroke seminar with Werner Paddle's Danny Mongno.  Race day has a ton of options including, race with a kid, race with a dog, recreational and Elite races.  Plus vendor demos all day long.

Now that is a lot of SUP fun, go get some and we can't wait to see you on the water.

New England white water report with Team paddler Ryan Mooney.

Thanks Ryan for some killer photos and a great report from the New England white water scene.

"New England has had a tough spring, this due to the fact that we had a very light snowpack this winter and warm temps in the end of March. The warm weather melted all of the snow before we knew it! With that said after all of the snowmelt was gone and the creeks were low, it seemed like it just wouldn't rain!

Big changes this season on my home run, The Deerfield river. The Fife Brook section is much different after Hurricane Irene, most changes were for the best luckily. One major addition to the river was made, Hurricane Hole! Hurricane Hole is in the first rapid of the Fife Brook section, it is a wide hole and in the middle there is a great, retentive, deep, very fun spot, great for loops, cartwheels and just about every other move you can think of at the right level. Check out this pick of me and my new Pyranha Jed!

Texas Falls has been my latest conquest.  It is a set of 3 drops in a very tight, walled in, undercut gorge. The first drop is a double drop, a 6 foot drop into a 4 foot boof, then you are in a calm pool above the last 2. The Second drop is a bit funky, a 7-8 foot drop, with a funky entrance, into a tight, very undercut walled hallway. At the end of the hallway is a perfect 10 foot boof. The perfect 10 has a teacup-pothole on either side of it, so you want to try and boof straight off of it. below the big 3 there are a couple other small drops, which were low at this level and another big drop that definitely needs a lot of water to run. Great shot getting my boof on below and be sure to check out the Video to."

 

 

Pat Keller; The Sword and the Stone

Here is a post from Werner Team Athlete, Pat Keller...

I remember making the decision to use Werner Paddles when as I was 13 or 14. I went with Werner because I knew you guys made the strongest paddles. I love getting the chance to prove that over and over. Thanks to all of you that build our "swords."

My current ShoGun has quite a story...

There was a waterfall I ran last year with this paddle - which was when I started calling it Excalibur.  The second of the three tiers falls violently into a wall and wraps into a bad pocket. Just past the pocket the river turns right and falls off, bouncing 40 feet.  As I landed against the wall, I slammed my elbow against the wall so hard that my paddle just left my hands in a flash. The river pushed me past the bad pocket and gave me the perfect backferry angle so I could make it to the side by clawing at the water with my hands.  The paddle went in the pocket.  Billy, who was holding rope at the pocket, was watching it as it was kinda set 50/50 on the rim of the pocket. I was thinking about how long it would take for my buddy Mike to run the mile back to the cars and grab another paddle, when Billy started shouting "Here it comes!"  Hanging wide along the wall, Excalibur comes floating down directly to my hand. I pull myself forward on the wall only 6 inches and pluck Excalibur out of the water.  I smiled a mouthguard toothy grin at my rescue homies and boof off the final 40 footer.

This is the same paddle at notch on the Green. :) THE SWORD AND THE STONE! Check out these pictures...

And come to think of it, same paddle that I ran Koosah falls with in 2010, where I threw it before impact, landed, rolled up and floated right over to Excalibur, rotating to catch the eddy. Crazy good juju with this one.

SE SUP race report. Team Werner podiums at Water Monkey Challenge

Congratulations to Team Werner Paddler Iain McFarland  for taking 3rd place in the 14' Elite class at this past weekend's Water Monkey Challenge in Florida.

Iain training.

Taking the top spot on the podium in the 12'6" class was a new comer to the Werner Team, Jason Meehan.

Read Iain's report below.

"This weekend was beautiful in St. Petersburg, Fl. Temperatures in the 80's with abundant sunshine. What a perfect day for a paddle board race at the Water Monkey Challenge being put on by Chase Kosterlitz. The elite race was an 8 mile course with 2 laps starting at Spa Beach, up a small creek and back to the start. Lined up for the elite race were over 80 paddlers ready to get going. The first leg of the race was into the wind with a cross chop refracting off a sea wall all the way down to the small creek where it was hot and glassy. Turned the buoy at the end and headed back into the open water of the bay and back to the start to begin the second lap. There was a tight group of paddlers in the front staying together and pushing each other from start to finish. I paddled hard and came in 4th over all and 3rd in the 14ft division paddling my Werner Grand Prix. Great ceremony and comradery after the race. This race is a must in the Florida race scene. For now keep paddling and enjoy the water!"

Congrats guys!  Keep an eye out for both of these 2 all season long on the SUP tour!

Last SUP'r Standing Event: June 2nd

Seattle is getting swept up in Stand Up Paddle fever with another SUP event on the horizon.  On June 2nd check out Last SUP'r Standing, a enduance SUP event. Get details and registration ($10) info here.

New Film Explores Waterfall Kayaking

Andy Maser's new film, Huck, features Evan Garcia as he explores what it takes to run big drops.  This is a great edit with beautiful camera work.  Check it out!