Standup Paddle Magazine by Reid Inouye Media

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Photo Sean Murphy

EVA GRIP

17 OZ

CARBON FIBER

Born of the sea

Photo: Scott Shannon

Riviera BUMP - PERFORMANCE SUP Paddle The BUMP paddle features a raised carbon fiber weave around its shaft, giving it a textured feel for increased grip, ABS edging around the blade for durability, and comes standard with our Chokehold Handle for comfort and added torque in your stroke. The BUMP paddle has a wet sand finish to add even more grip, save weight, and give it a stealth look. Available in 7.5”, 8.0” & 8.5” blade widths.

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Brennan Rose on his way to winning the Santa Cruz SUP Surf Event riding the Riviera “El Tigre” SUP Surfboard and paddling with a 8.0 BUMP Paddle.

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D E ST I N AT I O N UNKNO WN REMO TE BAY

:: I CELAND: : Franz Orsi drawing his lines in front of some remote beach in East Iceland. Probably he was the first stand up paddler to ride this wave.

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Photo: Stefano Fiorito

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M A ST H E A D VOLUME 7 Nº3

PUBLISHER Reid Inouye EDITOR Paul Ensyde MANAGING EDITOR Lucy Lucille COPY EDITOR Kersten Wehde DESIGN First in Flight Creative

OIP TEAM RIDER: EJ

ADVISORS NUTRITION COACH Scott Estrada YOGA INSTRUCTOR Jeramie Vaine TRAINERS Thomas “Maximus” Shahinian Tom Jones

STAFF WRITERS Jim Freeman, Eric Haka STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Jim Freeman, Eric Haka

NEW! ■ ■ ■

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CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Franz Orsi, Stefano Fiorito, Sean Murphy, Denis Rey SALES sales@standuppaddlemagazine.com EDITORIAL AND CONTRIBUTION CONTACT info@standuppaddlemagazine.com SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

$59.95 includes shipping in the United States of America. Printed bimonthly February, April, June, August, October and December. subscriptions@standuppaddlemagazine.com

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15Naish

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A STROKE OF GENIUS Treat yourself to the effortless convenience of intelligent design with quality-engineered Naish paddles. Constructed with top-of-the-line materials—including featherlight Prepreg Carbon and Kevlar, CNC HD Core and Biax Glass—Naish paddles are thoughtfully developed to ensure you get the most of every session. Thoughtfully designed features such as our patent-pending Anti-twist Vario Adjustment System allow for quick and easy, “on-the-fly” paddle adjustment, while the Anti-twist interface ensures perfect blade and handle alignment—freeing you up to focus on the movement instead of adjusting your gear. Don’t let your gear slow you down. Get the most out of your ride with the paddles that are built to perform.

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SPORT NaishStandUpPaddling

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P UB N OT E

CAROLINA WATERMEN

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While at the recent Wrightsville SUP Surf Pro-Am and Carolina Cup, I had the opportunity to really feel the vibe of the beach town there, as well as the culture of the city of Wilmington, North Carolina. If you are a waterman or waterwoman, and you enjoy the slower pace and cooler air temps of winter as well as the warmer summers, this place is a slice of heaven on earth. I learned that those who surf and play in the Atlantic Ocean live a similar lifestyle to Hawaii’s water community. The hardcore guys follow the wave maps and wind conditions and plan out their days weeks in advance, knowing how hard to work and when to connect with the waters. Being in tune with conditions is key. When there are no waves, take advantage of the flat water and do unlimited board training. Watch swells and, if you’re lucky enough to control your destiny, take off from work and get your glide on. Being a waterman or waterwoman can be as simple as knowing when the mackerel are running, and knowing which direction to head out to sea. But I guess in any waterman town, whether it’s on the East Coast, West Coast or in the Hawaiian Islands, once you understand the ocean and waterways, you have that unique ability to be tuned in and connected to the Earth.

Reid Inouye Publisher Standup Paddle Magazine

Photo: Freeman

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C ON T EN TS V O L U M E

7 N º 3

: : 2015: : 22 PUBLISHER’S NOTE 26 HOW TO

Scott Estrada: Eat Your Seeds

Thomas Maximus: Paddling With A Crosswind

Jeramie Vaine: Stability and Balance

Tom Jones: Hindu Squat Variation for Endurance

36 TOM JONES 44 BOARD BUILDER COREY COOPER

Standing Apart, The BOTE DarkRoom

52 ICELAND

Endless Winter

74 QUIVERS & WHEELS

On this page: Franz Orsi and Stephano Fiorito. Two different sports. Two different backgrounds Still some great fun together. At the end of the day it’s all about the friendship. Photo: Franz Orsi

ON TH E COVE R: Julia Forkel and Franz Orsi return from Iceland’s freezing waters as the sun sets, giving the illusion that it is warmer than it actually is. The sun in Iceland knows no rest; this shot was taken after midnight, with temperatures just above zero degrees Celsius. . Photo: St ef an o Fiorit o

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H OW TO H EA LT H w ith Scott Estrada

EAT YOUR SEEDS :: for Good Health

From the most nutrient-dense foods file that most people don’t eat or know much about, I bring you one of my favorites: hemp seeds. Seeds often contain all the DNA data and life-giving elements to grow into a mature plant. By including the right ones in your snacks and meals, you increase your longevity and improve your performance by training your system to run more on fatty acids rather than sugar, reducing inflammation in the process.

HEMP SEEDS One of the toughest plants in the world, Cannabis sativa, can be grown in just about any ecosystem on the planet. It requires zero pesticides or herbicides. The industrial value and many uses of this plant have a long history, making its mark on several societies, including ancient China some 10,000 years ago; great civilizations in Europe, India, Persia, Egypt and Central America; native North American cultures; and 18th-century USA—Washington, Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were involved in the hemp trade of their day. This is one rock-star plant whose edible seeds pack a huge nutritional punch! Hemp seed is a complete protein source containing all essential amino acids. The oil from hemp seeds has the highest percentage of essential fatty acids of almost any seed on earth. The polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega 6 (linoleic acid and GLA) and omega 3 (ALA), have the ideal ratio of about 4:1, perfect for the human diet. Hemp and chia seeds are the only known food source to contain this ratio. These days, most consumption is too high in omega 6, due to refined vegetable oils and mass produced, contaminated or corrupted animal sources that lack any omega 3 sources, resulting in inflammation. Even overconsumption of healthy nuts like almonds or pecans can throw off levels as they are void of vital omega 3 oils but contain omega 6. Only walnuts and macadamias contain omega 3. Shelled hemp seeds are 35 percent protein, 47 percent fat and 12 percent carbohydrate. No other known plant has all the essential amino acids in such an easily digestible form or contains the perfect ratio of essential fatty acids to match human nutritional demands for optimal performance. Only water-based algae and plankton like spirulina, chlorella and AFA blue-green algae contain more complete protein per weight than hemp. Since hemp is in its raw, natural state and doesn’t require cooking, the rich enzymes stay intact, making it very easy to digest and absorb. The jewel protein in hemp is edestin, which occurs more in hemp than in any other plant. It is considered to be the most easily digestible form of protein in our food supply. That and albumin make up the protein in hemp and are two of the least allergy-forming proteins known to science. Edestin is a plant globulin that shines at making the components that repair and protect our cells. Gamma globulins act as the first line of defense against infection. If you lack this protein, your immune system is weakened, making you are more susceptible to disease. Since hemp contains the highest amount of this protein, eating these seeds regularly boosts immunity and strengthens vitality, essential for athletes that push their limits.

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Along with the richness of healthy fats contained in hemp seeds are lecithin for brain building and liver support; chlorophyll; a high amount of vitamin E; omega 9 monounsaturated fatty acids for energy and skin protection; and high amounts of fiber for colon health and blood sugar balance. Hemp also excels at absorbing minerals from the soil, rich in trace minerals:

• Phosphorous • Potassium • Magnesium • Sulfur • Calcium • Iron • Manganese

• Sodium • Silicon • Copper • Platinum • Boron • Nickel • Germanium

HOW TO SOURCE HEMP SEEDS: Our friends in Canada produce most of the world supply of hemp. These products can be found online and at leading health food stores.

• Shelled hemp seed • Hemp seed protein • Hemp cold-pressed oil • Hemp seed butter • Hemp seed beer • Hemp seed bread • Raw hemp seed bars, salad

• Tin • Iodine • Chromium • Silver • Lithium

HOMEMADE HEMP MILK • • • • •

1 cup hemp seeds 4 cups filtered water Pinch of sea salt Vanilla to taste Raw honey to taste (optional)

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour through a mesh strainer or filter if you want to remove the bulk of fiber. Use for a smoothie base or drink straight; store in the fridge for up to five days.

dressing and ice cream • Hemp seed topical personal care products

This is a must-have protein source for all vegans and vegetarians, delivering vital amino acids and immunity-building elements. It’s a great snack eaten by itself or delicious when added to salads, soups, smoothies, fresh juices and desserts, and it’s a great way to add nutrients to kids’ diets since the proteins are rich in growth factors and brain-balancing effects. Beginners and kids should take 1-2 tablespoons daily; while athletes or adults looking for high performance should take up to 15 tablespoons daily.

For more information on this or any health/nutrition topic, contact Scott Estrada at scott@risesup.com.

SHAPER, RACER, SURFER. Every Riviera board begins as a concept by Taylor Rambo. Taylor takes his concepts and shapes prototype boards in San Clemente, CA. These prototypes are vigorously tested by our development team, then refined and re-tested before they are approved for production. Our Riviera Raceboards, the RP-12’6” and RP-14’, were years in the making and with every new board small refinements are made. We live the SUP lifestyle and are constantly refining to develop new and better products for the SUP market. Order your custom Riviera boards at: custom@rivierapaddlesurf.com

WHAT IS YOUR BOARDS PEDIGREE?

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HO W TO TRAINING with Thomas “Maximus” Shahinian

PADDLING WITH A CROSSWIND:: After a quick lesson, stand-up paddling is relatively easy to learn, a benefit that has contributed to the explosive growth of the sport. In our pursuit to perfect the paddling stroke, we need to practice a few different techniques that vary depending on the conditions (i.e., flat water, headwind, crosswind, downwind, rough water, etc.). In this installment we’ll be discussing techniques for paddling into a crosswind. [These techniques have been abbreviated and are further explained in individual and group paddling clinics with Thomas Maximus.]

Bend your knees while lowering and widening your stance to improve your stability in crosswind/ cross-swell conditions. Some board designs allow more advanced paddlers to improve their heading and steer the board by slightly leaning it on its rail. Practice paddling straight in flat water while slightly leaning the board on its rail to determine whether your board steers or counter steers.

Pull through the stroke as the paddle blade exits to the side of the board. Shorten the recovery phase of your paddle stroke to minimize the loss of forward momentum between strokes. Practice both “long” and “short” power strokes to determine which is most effective for you and the conditions. Rotate your top hand and paddle forward as the blade exits the water to slice through the wind on the recovery phase.

Modify your stroke while paddling on the leeward/ downwind side of your board. Move your top hand toward the center of the board as you pull to create more of a side-sweeping stroke to maintain your heading. Set the blade at the catch (front) along the side of the board with the blade slightly angled away from the board as you begin the pull (power) phase of the stroke.

Set the paddle away from the board at the catch (front) on the windward/ upwind side with the blade slightly angled in toward the board and begin the pull (power) phase of the stroke with your top hand over your bottom hand, while quickly drawing the board toward the paddle and continuing to pull straight back and exit normally. Perfecting this stroke technique will offer a paddler a longer reprieve from paddling on one side while minimizing a negative impact on their heading.

Riviera team rider Thomas Maximus has more than 150 SUP races under his belt since 2008 and actively does individual and group paddle clinics.

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H OW TO YOG A w i t h Je ramie Vain e

STABILITY AND BALANCE:: Triangle Pose Stability and balance are two key pieces of efficient paddle technique. If these elements are out of sorts in any way, glide and speed are lost. By building stability and balance off the water, every paddler will benefit.

From a standing position, take a big step forward and extend your hands away from your body, with your feet under your wrists. Rotate your back foot to a 45-degree angle and align the heel of the front foot with the arch of the back foot, as if standing on a balance beam.

Gain balance by grounding down through your feet, spreading your toes wide. Focus on the equal weight distribution through both feet and shift your hips over your back foot. Extend up through the crown of the head and away from the back foot, maintaining equal weight distribution.

3 While maintaining extension through the spine, slowly bring your front hand down to your shin or the ground. Use your core to keep your upper body from resting on your front leg. Extend your hands away from each other, pointing at 12 and 6 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock. Slowly bring your gaze toward your top arm and look over your fingertips. Stay in this pose for up to one minute or add it to your existing sequence and stay there for three to five breaths. To come out of the pose, ground down through the feet and rise back up by utilizing the core. Switch legs and repeat. One side may have more flexibility than the other; this is natural.

Jeramie Vaine is a BOGA team racer and yoga instructor. He shares his knowledge and the benefits of yoga at clinics, demos and races around the country. Contact him at jvaine1@gmail.com.

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H OW TO T R A I N I N G with Tom Jones

HINDU SQUAT VARIATION:: Without question, Hindu squats are one of the best leg workouts you can possibly do. This exercise originated in ancient India and was used to build explosive lower body strength, power, speed and endurance, all needed in stand-up paddling. Unlike barbell squats and some weight training exercises for the legs—which can cause severe trauma and injury to knee joints and the lower back if not done properly—this exercise can actually rehabilitate the knees while strengthening leg muscles. Remember, the key is to work into them slowly. Don’t force your progress in this exercise. It may seem easy, but you will be surprised at the difficulty. Please note that this exercise requires proper breathing. Another benefit of this exercise is that it will give you tremendous lung power. If you think your cardio is pretty decent because you can hit the Stairmaster for half an hour or run a few miles without thinking about it, try and do 500 Hindu squats. I guarantee that your lungs get the workout of their lives before you hit 100.

Keeping your back as straight as possible, lower your body by bending your knees. Be sure and keep your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. As you lower your body, you should extend your arms to chest level, parallel to the floor. Start to exhale.

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms at your sides.

Toward the bottom of the movement, you should come up on your toes, keeping as straight a spine as possible.

Breathe deeply, filling your lungs.

Straighten your legs by pushing off your toes and bringing your arms back to your sides. Repeat and continue till failure.

Tom Jones is a passionate paddleboarder, Sun Protection Zone Ambassador, two-time Muay Thai MMA world champion and ultramarathon runner. His personal workout routine involves cross-training all three for lifestyle and health.

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TOM 36 /SPMagazine / VOL 7Nยบ3 2O15

JONES It’s By Paul Ensyde

funny how life crosses paths. It’s through SUP that I met Tom Jones. No, not the singer—this Tom Jones has endured a lot through life. Surviving a difficult childhood in an orphanage and foster care, as well as dealing with neglect and abuse, helped shape his future. He developed the ability to survive and now channels that survival mode into extreme endurance missions that help make the world a better place. His first major mission took him from the West to the East Coast entirely on foot as he completed 121 consecutive marathons to raise awareness for abused and neglected children. He then segued from turf to surf, paddling from Oregon to Mexico. Our roads crossed at the Surf Expo trade show in Orlando, Florida, where he told me his quest to bring awareness to the unacceptable amount of trash in the world’s oceans and waterways and his world recordbreaking journey from Florida to New York. I knew he would do it, no matter what it took, and he did. His next mission, from San Francisco to Oahu, will be even longer, and I know he will do that too. Tom Jones sets the bar high for endurance of the body, mind and spirit.

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“WHAT I’VE LEARNED THROUGH ALL THAT I’VE DONE IS THAT IT MATTERS, AND MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WORLD WE LIVE IN IS VERY WORTHWHILE AND NECESSARY.”

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Tom, what drives your ambitions, which most people find unrealistic, but which guide your goals—from surviving childhood to becoming a martial arts champion, running across America, and paddling for months on end? Which causes have you built awareness about? I had a very tough childhood in the foster care system. Because of circumstances far beyond my control, I was only afforded a sixth-grade-level education and did not socialize much with others. Therefore, I’ve never been introduced to the “box” and am not confined by what society does or does not think is humanly possible (aka peer pressure). What others may feel is “unrealistic” has absolutely no bearing on the process I use to push myself to do the so-called “impossible.” My whole life, since I was about 6 years old, has been about learning how to survive. Surviving mentally abusive parents and then a bad scene in an orphanage, I learned how to fight and become mentally tough. I have said many times, “I’m custom-built for hardship, mentally, physically and spiritually, because of what I’ve endured over a lifetime.” I’ve been seriously studying martial arts since the age of 6 as well and have had a long and successful fighting career. Martial arts training (barefoot) allowed my feet to become very strong. That physical strength combined with the mental and spiritual training I learned from surviving horrible conditions growing up helped me run the length of California twice at a pace of 15 miles a day the first time, and 26.2 miles a day the second time, before I took on 121 consecutive marathons across North America. My point is, it’s been a long, arduous process to get to where I am now. Fast-forward to paddling: I paddled from Oregon to Mexico (1,250 miles) in 2007 before I took on Florida to NYC (1,507 miles). Those two paddles taught me a lot. I am now ready to take on the paddle from San Francisco to Oahu. Causes so far have included abused and neglected children, battered women and the environment. Who are some of the people who have inspired you? Where does the drive come from? The orphanage where I spent several

years inspired me to be a survivor because I saw the kids that I didn’t want to end up like. The U.S. Marine Corps was very inspirational to me. It taught me great leadership, good values, straightforward communication and, again, survival. After USMC, I worked for Chuck Norris as a training partner and ran some of his business interests. That was huge for me. Chuck was one of the best role models for me ever! He made a major impact in my being a giving person, a high achiever and a good human being. Obviously at 25 years old, I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. He was very good to me! After that I bodyguarded for Glenn McCusker, who owned one of the world’s biggest companies in the computer industry. Glenn was also an influential individual in making me a giver. He was an overachiever and a very good man and husband. He had a family foundation and did very good work in the community. He also brought speakers into his company to motivate employees. After several years of listening to these folks, I decided to do something good in life myself. And so it began in1998: The Tom Jones Child Abuse Awareness Run: Oregon to Mexico. So now the drive comes from being almost addicted to survival because I’ve done it my entire life, being around guys like Chuck Norris and Glenn McCusker. After being motivated by speakers including Lou Holtz, Joe Montana and Pat Riley, I was ready to go! Describe a day in the life of Tom Jones. Wake up at 4:30 a.m. Go through morning routine: power shake, espresso, emails, etc. Start training by 6 or 7 a.m. and finish by 10 or 11 a.m. Fuel up. Business meetings, phone calls and emails for several different companies and projects I’m involved in, like the Paddle from San Francisco to Oahu, Fitness Equipment, and SPZ Clothing line, to name a few. Pick up my kids after school around 3:30 or 4 p.m., then it’s all about

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them: homework, after-school activities, dinner, shower, movie, bed. One last cruise through emails, phone messages, etc. Make list for next day’s adventure! As kids, we had to learn from the school of hard knocks. How do you apply that with your boys and teach the next generation to live a better life? Yep, I came from the school of hard knocks for sure. As I pointed out earlier, I had minimal education and dealt with very mean kids; I know all too well how tough society is and what being on your own from an early age can be like. That’s why I’m a big stickler on things like stability for my kids, having them know they are loved and safe, as I wasn’t. I make sure they do their homework and get a good education! Having only a sixth-grade education meant I got made fun of for being “stupid,” which made me feel very insecure around the highly educated—not knowing what many words meant when people were using them in conversation, having to sweep the floor at jobs, and other very low-level things. Being honest is big for me. Growing up in the orphanage didn’t teach me honesty. But now, I say what I mean and mean what I say, because so many of the kids and adults who supervised me didn’t, and I didn’t want to end up like them. My boys are involved with the philanthropy that I have and do. They work with me in all areas of nonprofit. I try and lead by example. I’m teaching the next generation to be better stewards of the planet and each other. All of the nonprofit things I’ve done and extreme athletic events are to bring awareness to social and environmental issues. Currently my focus is on the environment. We’re doing it through SUP and the ReSUP

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Campaign, which is trying to get people to rethink single-use plastics like straws, cups and bottles. What’s the most brutal challenge you’ve faced? The internal struggles have been the most brutal. Surviving the orphanage wasn’t easy. And since we’re all our own worst enemy, I’ve faced and overcome physical, mental and spiritual breakdowns. Always pushing myself far beyond what most individuals do; I have been able to create an actual system that can make virtually anyone “quit-proof”! After I became a parent, being separated from my boys due to work travel months at a time and not being with them day in and due to my separation from their mother, is one of the toughest challenges I’ve encountered. What have you learned through your marathon runs and coastal paddles? What I’ve learned through all that I’ve done is that it matters, and making a positive difference in the community and world we live in is very worthwhile and necessary. Nothing is impossible! What’s your next big challenge? What are the plans, preparations, training and equipment needed for your quest to paddle from California to Hawaii? My next big challenge is SUP paddle from San Francisco to Oahu and ReSUP Campaign awareness. I want to make the ReSUP Campaign live and launch it before the paddle, and promote it afterward. Preparation is this: crosstrain like hell. It’s a logistical nightmare, so I’m busy getting the right boat, captain, crew, provision preparation, route preparation, public

relations campaign, strategic partnerships, fund development, major television network partner, education and nonprofit strategic partners, and tons more! Tell us about Sun Protection Zone apparel, which is some of the coolest, most comfortable stuff around. Do you help design the pieces based on your endurance training and lifestyle? What are the company’s goals? Over the time that I’ve trained for and actually done both SUP World Record paddles, I’ve had to retrofit a zillion pairs of gloves, rash guards, booties, hats, etc. So when Sun Protection Zone approached me to create a line of soft goods and accessories for SUP, I had very specific ideas on what was needed. SPZ was a perfect opportunity to do such a project. The company was already a leader in sun protection clothing and gear. They already had a very large distribution partner in Costco. All they needed was my experience and expertise with what was needed in the sport. The SUP collection we’ve created includes rash guards, gloves, booties and headgear. I’m going to put my money where my mouth is and SUP paddle more than 2,300 miles from San Francisco to Oahu using all SPZ gear that I designed. And I’m confident it’ll be the best gear I’ve ever had on a long-distance paddle mission. SPZ’s goal remains the same as it did before I came along: to provide quality sun protection clothing and accessories to help protect families. How did you get into it stand-up paddling? Snap back to 2000 when I ran 121 marathons in a row across North America. I had already had an extensive fighting career and ran the length of California twice (and now North America once). My wife at the time demanded that I STANDUPpaddlemagazine.COM /

do something “fun”—something “instant gratification.” I decided that I wanted to learn to surf. I live in Huntington Beach, and many of my friends over the years and during my fighting career were pro surfers. I basically sucked at it, so I hired a local guy, Mike Downey, to teach me. He told me that part of the program was being able to “match the speed of the wave” paddling. So he suggested we go to the home of his friend Jericho Poppler, a former women’s surfing champion, to prone paddleboard train. It sounded reasonable to me, so we did just that. Jericho was a very nice, classy lady. She let us use her boards to go paddle right out back of her home in Long Beach. After about a week or two of paddling in the waterways behind her home, it was painfully obvious to me that it was kind of “liquid landfill.” We paddled by and through tons of trash, most of which was plastic. After complaining about this several times, Jericho told me about a scientist friend of hers that just discovered a large trash patch in the Pacific Ocean. She told me he was her neighbor and she would be happy to introduce me if I wanted to know more about debris in the ocean and waterways. In late 2005 I met Captain Charles Moore from the Algalita Marine Research Foundation. After spending time with Charles and discussing how devastating the problem was, I wanted to do something about it. Although I had little to no waterman experience, that did not stop me. I decided that I was going to prone paddle from Oregon to Mexico to bring awareness to this virtually unknown issue at the time. So I started training a lot on prone boards and met cool dudes like Joe Bark. Not long after that I met Mickey Muñoz in Dana Point. He introduced me to SUP along with Jericho and Mike. I thought it would be a much better way to try my paddle expedition, so I started SUPing. About two months later, I was looking through a very early mag and a photo of a guy who was supposed to be “the best Waterman

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in the World.” I asked Mickey who this guy was. He laughed and said, “That’s Laird Hamilton, and he is indeed the best waterman in the world and a beast.” I immediately wanted to meet and learn from him if he was the best. So I set up a meeting with Laird and Dave Kalama in Maui. We hit it off big time. No surprise there, birds of a feather. I asked Laird and Dave to teach me to SUP. Laird asked me only one question: “Why”? After listening to why I wanted to do this, he and Dave were all in!! How has that changed your life or added to your crosstraining? SUP has changed my life in so many positive ways. I’ve met so many nice and quality people. I have another professional career. I get to do some really cool nonprofit stuff, different than endurance running and prize fighting. It’s allowed me to grow as a person, inventor and giver. Oh yeah, and I love it! Seems you have a real passion for the waves. What draws you to your spot in Huntington Beach? Yes, indeed. I love SUP surfing. It’s like riding a magic carpet—it’s physically, mentally and spiritually demanding. It scares the holy hell out of you sometimes. It’s instant gratification. You catch a good one and want to go get another. There’s no downside: It’s great exercise, a social activity … I could go on and on. When you look back and reflect on all that you’ve done, do you think about how you could have changed some of your life? I don’t look back. FULL STEAM AHEAD.

“I LOVE SUP SURFING. IT’S LIKE RIDING A MAGIC CARPET— IT’S PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY AND SPIRITUALLY DEMANDING.”

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B OAR D BUI L DER C O RE Y COOP E R

Photos by Sean Murphy

STANDING APART IN THE BOTE DARKROOM Technological advances in SUP design have the BOTE Boards team working hard and at a rapid pace with their in-house computerized cutting machine, creating more functional craft for the water. BOTE is giving customers a board that not only floats and moves on the water, but one you can fine-tune based on rocker, bottoms, outlines, widths and volumes for more speed and better glide and performance. Corey Cooper enlightens us on the concept of the DarkRoom. Why the move to get a machine? In the past, all of our prototypes or masters have been shaped by hand... my hands. As the business has grown, it has been more and more challenging for me to allocate my time to physically shaping boards due to the fact that 99 percent of my time is already spoken for. The machine removes the “chains” from this development and allows much quicker time to market from computer to product. I (or our other designers) can design a board on the computer and be able to see the physical board in less than an hour. It also allows for much more complex and accurate designs that can’t traditionally be achieved by hand on the first pass. Whose idea was it to make more progressive custom boards? It was a collective decision that essentially blossomed over a two-year period. We wanted to take our product refinement and development to the next level. You can only “learn” so much in production—the real learning and developing is achieved through working with the people who use these boards every day. The custom

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B OAR D BUI L DER C O RE Y COOP E R

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board market is only a fraction of the size of the production market, but the knowledge of those customers is exponential compared to the first-time buyer. As a brand, we can gain so much knowledge from feedback via custom boards and the consumers. Tell us about the machine, its precision and the DarkRoom. The machine is a 4-Axis CNC Mill with a 17’ capacity. We needed a custom machine to cut our boards with all the radical deck cutouts, nose shapes and bottom contours. It was built in collaboration with Precision Shapers over a six-month period and tons of phone time to determine exactly what we wanted this thing to do. With a 1mm accuracy it really limits the amount of hands-on time needed to prepare the blank for lamination. We chose the name “DarkRoom” for the program as an ode to the photographers of the past, who had to physically “develop” their work. We felt it was an apt title in the sense that we are doing exactly the same development, only our craft is SUP. The DarkRoom program is going to expand beyond our walls and into the customers’ hands through Competition Rewards programs, special collaborations and small-batch developmental boards. With the DarkRoom we will be connecting the dots between the end user and product development to speed up time to market with killer new designs. The DarkRoom will also serve as an educational training facility for our wholesale accounts and sales reps. The more they can learn about how we make our boards, the better they can educate their customers, which in turn will lead to a better experience with their boards. The big questions: How big a board can you cut with the machine and how big is the cutting room? Currently the machine can cut a 17’ board. With some small modifications we could cut a 24’ blank—we will cross that bridge later! The cutting room occupies about 1,000 square feet of our 15,000-square-foot manufacturing facility.

“We chose the name ‘DarkRoom’ for the program as an ode to the photographers of the past, who had to physically ‘develop’ their work.” STANDUPpaddlemagazine.COM /

B OAR D BUI L DER C O RE Y COOP E R

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Where are these boards being glassed and finished? Our employees will be doing all the glassing, plugging, finishing, etc., in our facility. Now that you have the machine in place, is the plan to build more custom boards, race boards and fishing boards? We have a multilayered plan that involves sharing the machine time with R&D and Custom Shop production. Currently we our running at full speed, fine-tuning our current production lineup and finalizing the new models for the 2016 production cycle. Once that’s completed, we will move into more custom race and surfboards tailored to the buyer. In our DarkRoom facility we have an interview room where the buyer can come and see their board being designed on a TV. They can give live feedback until the board is to the point of cutting. The goal is to understand what the customer wants so that we can give them the board that meets their needs. Is the plan to fine-tune all your boards right here in this factory then send CADs overseas? Do you plan to one day create everything in the U.S.? Progression is the key. The DarkRoom will serve as the “beta” test for all the products we integrate into production. We will continually be fine-tuning our most popular models in the DarkRoom in the attempt to stay on the cutting edge of the industry. How many boards have you built with the machine, and how has the learning curve gone in both building and testing on the water? We have cut 100-plus boards on the machine and by print it’ll probably be close to 250. The learning curve has been incredibly short. Outside of developing the machine, it’s really been much easier than doing it manually. One major benefit of the machine is it provides another job (machine operator) for someone that doesn’t have to have “shaping” skills. Don’t get me wrong, they have to be educated and know what they are doing and looking at. We have a more diverse talent pool to draw employees from machining to fiberglass work.

“We will continually be fine-tuning our most popular models in the DarkRoom in the attempt to stay on the cutting edge of the industry.”

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B OAR D BUI L DER C O RE Y COOP E R

“The end goal is to always be learning from it and in turn making a better product for the consumer.” Will you turn this into a bigger facility to do your complete manufacturing? The initial plans for the DarkRoom program call for an annual capacity of 1,700-2,000 boards. The plans are to keep it high-end and have the flexibility to learn from it. One thing I have noticed in the SUP industry is that most companies are “forcing” product through production to meet demand. We don’t want that pressure with the DarkRoom. Imposing a capacity and integrating full-scale production would strip some of the intangible value of completing a project when it’s done, not when the scheduled deadline arrives. The end goal is to always be learning from it and in turn making a better product for the consumer. Will this machine help to do all your future designs: recreation, race, fishing and fitness/ yoga boards? Definitely! From computer to reality in less than one hour! Coupled with our 3-D plastic printing machine, we can develop completely new boards and accompanying parts in less than two days. With the help of your own facility and computer development for product design, do you already see a change in developing better boards? To be honest, we designed this machine around some concepts I already had for boards. As soon as we were able to get it up and running we started cranking away with new development. The principle of the DarkRoom program is for us to develop, hone and refine our products at a much quicker pace... we can run through three design iterations or changes in less than a week and have actual data to support our reasoning. Now, we have positioned the bottleneck on the testing side, which means we get to paddle more! In the past, we would already have our feedback changes ready before we could get the next prototype into development. Now, we are pushing people out the door with boards to help give quicker feedback to dial in the boards! Can anyone order a custom board based on their own specs? Anyone can order a DarkRoom board. Over the next few months we will be developing an online portal to allow the customer to “build” their board. What will a DarkRoom board cost? $3,000-$4,000. We are selling more than just the physical board. It’s the opportunity for the consumer to dial in their board and experience it being built. With all the new glassing material, improved resin, graphite, x-cloth and ultralight durable boards, where is BOTE headed? We want to stay on the cutting edge. We have several materials partners who are always coming to us with new products. We have become their sounding board. The DarkRoom is our medium for using these materials and pushing the envelope. As we did with our proprietary Chainmail Cloth, consumers will see new materials and construction techniques roll out of the DarkRoom.

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S R

S W BY

F RAN Z

O RS I

I 4:30 a.m.

The alarm sounds. It’s only been four hours since we went to bed. The night never really arrived. It’s kind of bright outside the window, but the sky is gray. I do not see a living soul outside the window, just an Icelandic flag waving toward the sea. I wear my 6mm wetsuit while sitting on the couch; it’s too cold to put it on at the beach. This is Iceland, baby. Yes, Iceland. How many times have I thought that I would one day visit

Jökulsárlón lagoon and its ghostly procession of luminous blue icebergs drift to the ocean.

Photo: Stefano Fiorito

Surfboard and SUP board: two different water styles but one path through the icebergs. Photo: Stefano Fiorito

and surf the waves of this remote land lost in the waters of the North Atlantic in solitude, surrounded by its untouched nature? This is the story of a Starboard photo shoot and a journey to the edge of the surf world, which I decided to take with some friends and my girlfriend. Our trip to these distant shores would be the perfect opportunity to bring home the shots that were still missing for the Starboard 2015 catalogue. But we had to rush if we wanted to make it in time. Deadlines were really tight and the available timeframe for travel to Iceland was shrinking every day. The snow was largely gone and with it went the aurora borealis. I did not like that. I was looking for the big cold, the snow and the winter storms. What I did not know is that in reality, everything was going to be perfect, beyond my wildest expectations, even without snow—and we would spend the most exciting week of the season surfing, exploring the coast and enjoying stand-up paddle sessions around Iceland’s lakes and glacial lagoons. My girlfriend and I wanted to leave at the end of March. We planned to spend some time exploring Iceland’s wave and flatwater spots—me on a SUP, my girlfriend with a kiteboard. The boards, however, were

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not ready yet, and the weather wasn’t looking so good; our contacts told us to wait. Meanwhile, the weeks passed and our anxiety rose. By the end of spring, we decided to go no matter what, with two traveling companions: Filippo Orso and Stefano Fiorito. They are old friends and both surfers—one a shortboarder, the other a longboarder. They were the perfect companions, friends you can count on in every situation. We integrated them into our plan in a heartbeat. In a few days all of us had tickets for Reykjavík and our eyes on the swell and weather patterns of the North Atlantic, ready to go and hoping for beautiful light and perfect waves. However, we would immediately realize that things were not so simple. The forecasts were difficult to interpret—they seemed to change every hour. Even our local contacts did not know what to say about it. We would have to chase the swell. We began to understand why so few people had ventured to Iceland to do stand-up surfing: The climate and landscape are not at all welcoming or easy to read. But what could be more intriguing than an ice-cold stand-up paddle paradise to explore? And that’s how we got to this corner of the world, the southeast of Iceland. It must be 5 degrees outside—the idea of getting in the

Calling it a day, Julia and Franz come back to shore well after midnight. Photo: Stefano Fiorito

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Camping vibes somewhere close to Hรถfn. Photo: Stefano Fiorito

Iceland has fun beachbreaks at every corner. Photo: Franz Orsi

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Filippo made the most of the conditions on a small beachbreak sheltered by the magnificent cliffs of Dyrhólaey cape. Photo: Franz Orsi

water now, after four hours of sleep, didn’t sound so attractive. However, we said we would jump into the water as soon as we saw the flag waving in the right direction. We had already been in this small town for two days, waiting for a break of decent weather. I opened the door and put one foot out on the wet ground. Thank goodness it stopped raining and the wind was not onshore. The time had come: I knew it was going to be a great day for shooting. As we headed out with our 4x4, I watched the mountains out the window. Winter was far away but it left some mountaintops with a glimpse of snow. It was strange to know that in a few minutes we would be in the water, alone, immersed in this frigid sea. We parked at the foot of the mountain, with the car heating up. In front of us is a long bay of black sand. The waves come in regularly. The

wind is perfect offshore. The dark sand and the lack of any living being prevented us from understanding the real distance between us and the sea. We ran to the shore on a seemingly endless stretch of sand and launched the boards. The impact of the freezing water brought me back to reality. I’m finally at the destination, I tell myself. It was definitely the coldest water I’ve ever experienced: the first wave, however, was enough to make me forget cold, fatigue and fear of the unknown. A seal emerged in the lineup and looked at me curiously, just between Filippo and me. I wondered if these seals had ever seen a surfer. We stayed in the water for almost two hours that morning: I was stand-up paddling and Filippo was surfing. When we left, euphoria was enough to keep us warm until we got to the car. We were supposed to STANDUPpaddlemagazine.COM /

â&#x20AC;&#x153;P

ING I L D N D CE E I

-C

Alone in the middle of nowhere: exploring new spots. Photo: Stefano Fiorito

R E

-C

OLD W ORING

T A

A GLACIAL LAGOON WITH OUR B OA R D S WA S U N F O R G E T TA B L E . FEW OTHER TOURISTS WOULD HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE A N Y T H I N G L I K E T H AT.”

check out of our room in the evening, but instinctively, we decided to stay. We f--ked up all our plans in order to stay and explore this area that had started to show its rare beauty. It was an inspired decision. In the evening, freed from the burden of yet another shift in accommodations, we opted for a paddling session in the glacial lagoon. The day before, we saw a large glacier that ended in a large lagoon near the sea. For us Mediterraneans, it was definitely a surreal sight. We decided that it would be the set of a stand-up photo shoot at sunset. On the way to the lagoon, the sky turned totally gray again. We thought about going back, since the light was too poor for shooting, but suddenly the sky began to open and the low sunbeams started to

leak through the clouds. The view of the glacial lagoon seemed unreal. We quickly inflated our stand-up boards and jumped into the cold of the glacial lagoon. In front of us, a body of water and ice had been sculpted by the warm light of the sunset, which left colorful shadows on the surface of the huge icebergs crowding the lagoon. I was impressed by the icebergs; they seem static, but they are home to continuous motion. The sound they make when they collide with one another—the thud of the ice crumbling—freezes the blood. I had to be careful not to get run over by one of these huge pieces of floating ice. Paddling in the ice-cold water and exploring the glacial lagoon with our boards was unforgettable—few other tourists would have had the chance

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It takes a special kind of sense of adventure to explore the wild waters of Iceland. Photo: Stefano Fiorito

to experience anything like that. That’s the beauty of being an athlete, a photographer and a traveler: Sometimes you can really live the life of the explorer and experience something that would otherwise be impossible to experience. In this sense, stand-up paddle is definitely a unique sport. For me, it is the best way to escape from the daily routine and immerse myself in a world of infinites, all to explore. There’s no need to go up to the Arctic Circle to do this, though. The time had come to put an end to this endless day. It was midnight, and we woke up at four in the morning. We went back to the ground, where we deflated and packed our boards in the car. But we couldn’t resist the lure of the waves breaking at the mouth of the lagoon—a perfectly shaped sandbank where the icebergs meet the seawater in an ever-changing landscape. And so we went in for the last surf session of the day, with the sunlight almost entirely gone, surfing a small A-frame and slaloming between countless pieces of icebergs of all sizes. Maybe

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Franz does a bottom turn. Höfn gives the word “solitary” an entirely new meaning. Photo: Stefano Fiorito

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Filippo checks the lineup from the frozen shore somewhere close to Jรถkulsรกrlรณn around midnight. Photo: Franz Orsi

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Airtime in front of a remote military base in East Iceland. Photo: Franz Orsi

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“

W A T V S E A

T EA

Even on one of the most remote beaches on earth, we were sadly reminded of the pollution of our ocean.

Photo: Franz Orsi

Midnight session near to Jökulsárlón. Black sand and ice make for a great background. Photo: Stefano Fiorito

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it wasn’t the safest thing to do, but it was certainly a memorable experience. By now, our decisions were officially being influenced by our collective euphoria and the unusual rhythms of the days in Iceland, for better or for worse. Maybe we risked a bit too much in the surf, but everything was fine in the end. We just learned to love the long sunsets in Iceland and we couldn’t help but try and take advantage of them. It was like a few days earlier, when we really made the most of those golden hours by scheduling a flatwater photo session around midnight. We were still in Reykjavík when we decided between a beer in town or a four-hour expedition to explore the lakes formed by tectonic plates in the interior of the island. That day we paddled past midnight, enjoying a breathtaking sunset on our inflatables. The summer solstice in Iceland was getting closer: I can’t say how much we enjoyed those additional golden hours on the water! The days seemed to never end. The light was unreal; the breathtaking landscapes and the complete absence of any form of civilization did the rest.

D AY, I N

”

OF THE M

N R O

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“I

IT TH M D E A

E IS

M E

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GOOD

AND

Photo: Stefano Fiorito

UNLESS YOU ARE DRIVEN BY AN UNCONTROLLABLE CURIOSITY TO KNOW THE UNKNOWN.” STANDUPpaddlemagazine.COM /

T E

“T

MMER S U S OL E S H

Filippo found it very cool to play the hipster with my old Nikon film camera. Photo: Franz Orsi

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G E T T I N G C LO S E R : I C A N ’ T S AY H O W MUCH WE ENJOYED THOSE ADDITIONAL G O L D E N H O U R S O N T H E WAT E R ! ”

ELA

D N

Everything is possible in Iceland: paddling on an old U.S. Navy airplane reduced to a wreck by the years. Photo: Stefano Fiorito

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We wondered a lot about the life of those Icelandic fishermen when we stopped at places like this. Braving harsh conditions out at sea in the wintertime must be a tough job.

Filippo poses in front of the next great mountain background after a fun surf session.

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Camping and waiting for the right tide in Vík. Photo: Franz Orsi

Beyond all our expectations, the Icelandic nature is the element that will leave the most indelible trace in our memory. Never in my life had I seen nature so pristine and desolate. It was like being in the Wild West—or perhaps the far north. How Wild West was the village where we stopped on the last day of our trip? It had wooden houses painted in bright colors of red, yellow and blue, with small fields in front of them. And there was a Clint Eastwood Icelandic type with a large white handlebar mustache, wearing a pink fleece. He addressed us in his own language, muttering words that we could not understand. At some point, however, the man turned his gaze to our car loaded with stand-up boards and surfboards. Perhaps he never expected a group of

surfers from a distant country to surf in front of his garden. He looked straight into my eyes and a single sentence came out of his mouth, in English, summing up all that he had tried to tell us in his own language: “Are you crazy, man?” Maybe he was right. You need to be a bit mad to come up here to paddle in freezing lakes between icebergs and surf between the seals instead of just staying home to enjoy the summers (or better yet, to travel to warmer waters, searching for the endless summer). Like any good surfer would do. I admit there is no good reason to come to Iceland unless you are driven by an uncontrollable curiosity to know the unknown. Unless you feel the urge for adventure pulsing so strong in

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your veins that you cannot resist, unless you look for your own personal endless winter, made â&#x20AC;&#x2039;â&#x20AC;&#x2039;of travel, discoveries and incidents. After all, that was what we were looking for when we embarked on this journey: an adventure that would go beyond what we were used to, something that could be unique, different and worth remembering. For those who want neither the comfort nor the security of an all-inclusive resort holiday, but rather want to feel alive, this is Iceland: a well-deserved endless winter after a life of endless summers.

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Stretches of black basalt sands lead to the search of waters unknown. Photo: Franz Orsi

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QUIVERS & W H E E L S MINI, MAB & B U MP S

By Jim Freeman

THE MINI VAN WITH MINI, MAB & BUMPS Mini, MAB & BUMPS FT LAUDERDALE, FL

If you see this cool black van with tinted windows and a couple of nice brush carbon race boards on the roof rack, chances are Floridians Mini Cunha Margareth Lagace and Mary Ann Boyer Willis (MAB) are inside, heading to the next race. If that doesn’t confirm it, the most popular dog on the SUPing planet, Bumps, will give them away. This 2006 Ford E-350 Super Duty Diesel (sorry to disappoint but it’s not a 4x4—at least not yet) has been reconstructed to fit the SUP lifestyle. Here’s the Ford skinny by Mini: “When I got her she was already lifted and with the giant tires. I took all the rightside seats out and put the passenger front seat behind the driver seat, leaving an extra seat behind it for Bumps. Then I had it painted matte black at Maaco, tinted my windows at Meineke and took her to a shop called California Custom Trucks, which usually customizes trucks and jeeps. They freaked out when they saw the van lifted. Linex painted all the metal parts including the front grille, the front and

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QUIVERS & W H E E L S MINI, MAB & B U MP S

back bumpers, and the side step bars; and added an Aluminess Side ladder, Aluminess tire brackets and the spare tire. I also added a pair of Thule racks on the roof and put on four Rigid Industries spotlights on the top front, and four Rigid Industries green rock lights on top of all four tires. My Pioneer radio is equipped with satellite, Bluetooth and HD, and has a Pandora connection, a phone connection and backup camera. The system also has six new speakers and a 12” subwoofer. As for boards, the last time I gave a clinic at the Coral Reef Yacht Club, I fit 10 boards: eight 11-footer boards inside and two race boards on top. I usually have two training race boards inside at all times: two 12’6”s or one 12’6” and a 14’. I got the van last year after the main race season. So far she has

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been to races in Florida from Pensacola to Key West and this April she went to the Carolina Cup in North Carolina. MAB took the van to one of the Lazy Dawgs races in Key West and she slept in the van with Bumps in front of Sea Dragon, Tania and Michael Metzger’s Bali furniture store in Islamorada. She spent the night listening to snoring Bumps and drag racing out on the street. MAB always gets a kick out of watching the faces turn when I get out of the van at every gas stop because I guess people expect a big guy and it’s just me, little old Mini. I wouldn’t call it my worst adventure, but once I filled the tank with gasoline rather than diesel. Yeah, not cheap to fix it. CORPORATE LOOK: Well, I really appreciate the support of my

sponsors and never take it for granted so I make sure to use my van as a billboard for them. My main sponsor is BLKBOX. I have only been riding for them for a few months but we connect so well. They have unbelievable custom boards and the production ones just came out. Check my Facebook and you’ll see some of the prettiest and fastest boards ever made. Matt Campbell (the owner and shaper), Adrienne Shifflet and Matt Lennert (also owners) are so amazing. I love the whole family and team. It was the perfect fit for MAB and me. Also getting a piece of the real estate on the van is Larry Allison Fins, my oldest sponsor and uncle; Bomber eyewear; Hook Tribe; and one of the best shops in South Florida, TKS MIAMI; and EELSNOT slick polish for boards.

“THEY FREAKED OUT WHEN THEY SAW THE VAN WAS LIFTED.”

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QUIVERS & W H E E L S CHRIS HIL L

By Jim Freeman

CHRIS “CHILL” HILL’S MAN TOYS Chris Hill SURF CITY, NORTH CAROLINA

At 6 feet 2 inches, big man Chris Hill likes to surf, prone, stand-up going downwind, and take out his OC-1, as well as his Jet Ski, to look for waves on the outer banks of the Carolina coastline. He is a consummate waterman in every sense and it shows in his quiver on everything from ripples to tripleoverhead waves. Living away from the “big city” of Wilmington, the outskirts is Hill’s place to chill with his family when not on the water or running his crew of men, doing masonry work for custom homes and laying brick fireplaces and chimneys. Instead of breaking down his quiver, we’ll just list the endless Man Toys.

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SUPS 10’ Poly Longboard Noserider Eavey, 8’11” TL Infinity, 8’ PHOENIX V2, 7’6” PHOENIX V4 asymmetrical, 7’11” PHOENIX V3, 7’9” RNB asymmetrical Infinity, 8’11” Lopez, 9’7” Mark Johnson Colin model, Prone 14’ Eaton, Race 18’ Bark SUP. SURFBOARDS 51-50 Anderson Longboard 10’6”, 5’10” tombstone Infinity, 5’3” Bobsled Eavey, 6’3” Bobsled Eavey, 6’4” Bing Mini Simmons, 6’4” Larry Mabile Mini Simmons, 7’11” Chemistry step-up quad. CANOES OC1 Owens Ocean Sports (used for surf and downwind only), OC2 Outrigger Connection Stingray, Ski Honda 1200 4-Stroke Turbo.

QUIVERS & W H E E L S CHRIS HIL L

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“Outside of that, my favorite SUPs are the PHOENIX and the Infinity RNB asymmetrical board, and my favorite surfboard is the magical 6’4” Larry Mabile,” he says. “Why do I have so many twins? It fits my style and how I approach a wave. I’m not a ripper by any means and I like to go fast, draw a high line with long swoops and use my rail. I love the speed of twins and how the big side fin holds it when you put it on the rail. It suits me. Plus they are loose when you want them to be. I’m a front-foot surfer; I never liked thrusters. Quads are fun but I would still rather be on a twin, even in bigger surf. Just have to find the right fin for bigger waves; the same goes for medium and smaller surf.” Man Toys for the man of the house.

“WHY DO I HAVE SO MANY TWINS? IT FITS MY STYLE AND HOW I APPROACH A WAVE.”

QUIVERS & W H E E L S AP RIL Z IL G

By Jim Freeman

SOME COOL APRIL SHOWERS April Zilg WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

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April Zilg is always moving forward to the next mission, the next workout or a paddle on the water; she moves fast and doesn’t skip a beat—sometimes so fast that the light rains of spring have to cool her down a bit. Her persona is like watching a series of QuickTime videos and can be compared to the fastmoving April showers of North Carolina. We see a bike in your quiver and we know you live close to the Intracoastal. Where do you take your bike and what board do you rack when you put the pedal to the metal? I ride my bike down to the Intracoastal Waterway, where my community has a small water access. It’s right across from the 9-mile-

QUIVERS & W H E E L S AP RIL Z IL G

long, uninhabited Masonboro Island. Depending on the day I take either the 7’6” SUP Surf or the 12’6” Apex race. If it’s a flatwater day, you’ll see the 12’6” hanging off the back of my SUP trailer as I pedal to the point. If the surf is thumping, then my 7’6” gets racked for the quick paddle over to the island. I hop off on the marsh side, walk over the dunes and hit the waves.

working on getting that faster, but it’s the engine, not the board.

What’s your favorite board? This is a hard question right now. I really do love my 7’6” Hobie CM Raw. Surfing is my happy place, and I know that when I load up the 7’6”, I’m going out to have a good time. However, the new 12’6” race and I have been bonding. I’m loving this board more and more each day. I surf it in Mason’s Inlet when the waves are small. When it is windy, I’m out doing downwinders. Every other day, it’s out for a paddle through the marshes or around the island. For all-around enjoyment, I’m going to have to say my 12’6” is my favorite board!

Tell us about your wheels. My car is a 2006 Mazda 3. It gets about 32 mpg. It just hit 122,000 miles and shows no signs of stopping. This is my SUP vehicle and I’m going to run it into the ground. Just replaced the struts so I could drive to Key West. Last year I drove from Syracuse, New York, to Key West, Florida, and it’s been up and down the East Coast each race season numerous times.

Give us some specs and details on your race board. How fast is it? The 12’6” is 24” wide with a pulled-in tail and a slight v toward the fin. We’ve added some rocker and rounded out the nose to really create an amazing board that handles all of the insane conditions that the Carolinas have to offer. The reason this board really stands out to me is that it’s the first board on which I’ve been able to consistently maintain 4-5 mph into the wind and tide. I’m

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And your SUP Surf Raw? The 7’6” is 28” wide and 83 liters. I dig this board because I can catch the smaller North Carolina waves, as well as the larger hurricane swell when it comes through. I’m really growing into this board, and love the way it responds on the wave.

Finally, give us some insight on the prone board up front and center. The prone board is 12’ x 21”. It’s Hobie’s surf comp prone. The shape is more of a traditional prone, not a flatwater shape like the Cloud or Cloud Pro. I use this board for cross-training. It just gives me another way to get out and enjoy the water when I’m supposed to be letting my stand-up paddling muscles take a break. What I really like about prone is the connection to the water; using your hands to paddle around. I always take this board to Mason’s Inlet and paddle in and out of the surf.

“SURFING IS MY HAPPY PLACE, AND I KNOW THAT WHEN I LOAD UP THE 7’6”, I’M GOING OUT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME.”

Get Your Super On

Photo by Heather Jackson

This is Brittany Parker. Brittany is our hero.

She’s so cool that sometimes we find ourselves staring off into the water, wondering to ourselves, “why can’t we be more like Brittany?” We’ll work on that. In the meantime, at least we can help her get her super on with our powdered superfood blends. Maybe you eat organic veggies like it’s going out of style. Maybe the closest you’ve come to eating something green recently was the last time you fell off your board and swallowed some seaweed. We don’t judge. Either way, everyone can benefit from a Skoop of turbo-charged phytonutrients and adaptogenic herbs. We even have plantbased protein to turn you into a lean, mean, river-wavecrushing machine.

Intrigued? Go to healthyskoop.com and get yourself a

super sample box for just ten bucks. Or go all in with a big bag and take 25% off with code SUP25. And if you’re ever in the Boulder area, stop by the Skoop intergalactic headquarters and meet our team—8 humans, 3 dogs and counting.

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QUIVERS & W H E E L S SVE IN RAS MU SS E N

By Paul Ensyde

MY QUIVER IS MY WHEELS STARBOARD’s Svein Rasmussen BANGKOK, THAILAND

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Svein Rasmussen has a quiver that works for him. It also happens to be his favorite mode of transportation. The days he paddles to work he admits he feels more settled and in tune. It’s a unique feeling. Some days he uses a car when he’s feeling rushed for time, but he believes he really should stop that as the benefits far outweigh the cons. He began paddling to work in 2007 and before that his father started paddleboarding at Taco Lake in 1999, which was before the lifestyle of SUP was much known in the Western world. His favorite glide to work is the fastest board available in the garden right now that is 017 model 12’6 All Star (Version 4). Svein travels with his computer and phone without waterproofing, which makes for more excitement. Rainy days in Thailand are nice and cool, but the car is always a good backup for bad weather. In Svein’s neck of the woods, there is no traffic, but at the 20-lane highway next to him, there is plenty. It used to be two lanes 20 years ago; development moves quickly in this part of the world. When Svein looks at fuel efficiency and environmental issues, he acknowledges that there is a need to improve, and that includes his company, Starboard. Svein is taking Starboard’s office to the next level in environmental conservation; their office, workshop and parking area, will be solar cell-covered. They have also taken the initiative and planted enough green to cover carbon dioxide emission for Starboard, and all their supply and sales partners. They took their first step by planting 71,000

STANDUPpaddlemagazine.COM /

QUIVERS & W H E E L S SVE IN RAS MU SS E N

mangroves;, accounting for 71,000,000,000 kg CO2 over the next 20 years. Starboard is collaborating with Entropy in transferring over to a bio resin. Currently Entropy is making thermoset epoxy systems for a new generation of products. Products that not only perform but also take a crucial step towards lowering our impact on the environment and Starboard is jumping on board. Add in that Starboard’s packaging is moving away from plastic and fossil fuel-based products, and they’re

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consciously working with suppliers on packaging they are raising the bar in production. Svein says, “We still have a long way to go, but my personal highest priority lies in creating a sense of urgency in our organization toward sustainability. We will help create a movement on climate change and fast track an understanding of what we can do to change the future. It’s a large task, and together we can be useful in accelerating a better trend.”

QUIVERS & W H E E L S FROM A2B VIA P 2P

By Freeman

FROM A2B VIA P2P Cliff Ray WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

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WHEELS Make: International Harvester Model: Scout II Year: 1978 Gas Mileage: Unknown Miles: Unknown Was it reconditioned: Barely

My wife and I went looking for the Scout after realizing, nearly 10 years after meeting, that we shared the dream to one day own the same beach truck... eerily similar to that of the couple in Rupert Holmes’ “Escape (The Piña Coladas Song).” We named her “Blue Ray.” The legal registered year is 1978 but the fellow I purchased her from was reconditioning her to be a 1976 because of his desire to recreate his grandfather’s

“MY WIFE AND I WENT LOOKING FOR THE SCOUT AFTER REALIZING, NEARLY 10 YEARS AFTER MEETING, THAT WE SHARED THE DREAM TO ONE DAY OWN THE SAME BEACH TRUCK.”

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truck. Gas mileage is unknown because we have a strict house policy of staying within a 5-mile radius… which is, conveniently, the distance to Wrightsville Beach and back. The only exception is going to Britt’s Donuts in Carolina Beach (and she heats up pretty good by the time we turn around). On the dash an old-school spinning odometer reads 97,289 but no longer turns over—like she’ll never tell us her real age. The only reconditioning (other than retrofitting a ’78 to be a ’76) are some removable wood-grain indoor speakers, perfect for camping. Our Scout takes us to coffee and donuts on a Saturday, a paddle when it’s flat and a surf when there’s swell.

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QUIVER DESIGNED BY IAN BALDING The P2P board comes in 12’6” and 14’ for a combination of both prone and standup paddling. One board does it all. Designed by Ian Balding, it has a patent-pending design to stash your paddle on the deck and utilize your arms for workout from the knee or prone position.

The concept makes having a quiver really simple and easy. Prone2Paddle Racing combines the endurance of prone-style paddling with the skills of stand-up paddleboarding. The patentpending Prone2Paddle board, currently in the final stages of prototype development and production, will challenge even the most competitive

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athletes in new and exciting ways. With its cutting-edge shape and innovative design, the Prone2Paddle board allows athletes to transition from a prone position to an SUP position anywhere, at any time.

QUIVERS & W H E E L S STARBOARD

By Paul Ensyde Photos: Tanavut Wattanasomwong

“SUP POLO, ANYONE?” Starboard BANGKOK, THAILAND

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Leave it to Starboard and the crew in Thailand to combine SUP and water polo. Thailand’s favorite national pastime can now be played on stand-up paddleboards—even the field and nets are regulation size. Launched earlier this year, Starboard’s SUP Polo is predicted to steer the future of SUP as a team sport. The game has evolved and developed to offer the full polo package, including the Astro 9’5” SUP Polo Board, SUP Polo Paddle and the SUP Polo Field. With approved

“SUP POLO IS TRULY A GAME FOR ALL TO ENJOY. IT IS A FUN, ACTION-FUELED GAME THAT IS FAST-PACED AND EXCITING TO WATCH.”

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QUIVERS & W H E E L S STARBOARD

rules and regulations, SUP polo is ready to be enjoyed by all. Starboard’s Astro SUP Polo 9’5” is short enough to offer great control in the pool and long enough to accelerate quickly. The 36” width provides plenty of stability to focus on the game without thinking too much about balance. With SUP polo, the situation can change instantly, thus the board is designed with a twin tip to be able to reverse quickly without making risky snap turns. A set of two whitewater fins are added to the nose and tail to give enough tracking in both directions, while still maintaining great control of the board. A 6 3/4”center fin provides additional tracking, making it a more versatile board for when you’re not playing SUP polo. The SUP polo board maximizes stability and maneuverability in a compact shape. A SUP polo blade has been designed in collaboration with Wholly Paddle to offer optimum functional performance, combining a blade that perfectly clasps the SUP polo ball while still being able to paddle effectively. The distinct large concave shape and steep sidewalls in the face of the blade allow the paddler to easily scoop the ball out of the water. This is helped by the unique polo pocket, measured exactly to hold the ball securely at all times, allowing the paddler to swing around when aiming without the ball falling out. The throat of the blade is specifically angled so that the ball rolls into the polo pocket, maximizing the swing release. The blade is actually transferable, so the paddler can paddle on both sides. It’s great for quick acceleration without changing sides.

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The blade is built using Tufskin ABS technology, providing the highest strength and durability so the paddler can make contact without the risk of breakage. World Race Champion Connor Baxter and Chris Parker from SUPracer.com could not break the blades in a strength test, despite their best efforts. The polo blade uses a two-piece adjustable shaft so the paddler can adjust the height of the paddle to match their playing style. It also allows paddles to be shared throughout the whole team, making substitutions quick without being constrained by having the wrong height shaft. The glass shaft has the highest impact resistance. The polo field is the perfect arena to contain all the action. The inflatable field area is 20m x 25m and can be used in swimming pools or anchored down at beaches or lakes. The low-level goals are 90 cm high and deep and 300 cm wide, making the accuracy of the paddlers’ shots critical to winning the game. The field and goals have a 20 cm diameter and are made of a heavy duty PVC laminate material with multiple valve options to reduce inflation time and maximize playing time on the water. The field can be sold as a set or separately. SUP polo is truly a game for all to enjoy. It is a fun, action-fueled game that is fast-paced and exciting to watch. It is a test of any paddler’s skills, requiring balance, coordination, quick reaction time, stamina and agility. The future scope of the sport is wide: elite competitions, schools teaching youth to learn core skills, team building and corporate networking, and weekend competitions with friends. Addictive, healthy and sociable, SUP polo is a team sport for all!

QUIVERS & W H E E L S W IL L IAM P OP E

By Freeman

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PADDLING WITH THE POPE William Pope WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

William Pope is one of the Wrightsville Beach old-school originals. He’s been living here for more than two decades and has surfed, prone paddled and SUP’d the entire region.

THE POPE HAS RECENTLY SIMPLIFIED HIS QUIVER TO SEVEN BOARDS: 8’0” Hobie Fun Shape by Mark Johnson 10’6” Henry Ford shaped by Terry Martin 11’0” International Flyer Classic shaped by The Fly 10’6” MHL bamboo Nugget SUP surf 12’0” Marc Andreini Glider 16’0” MHL downwind 16’10” Bark custom traditional paddleboard

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Says the Pope, “These days I prefer traditional paddling. My short answer for all this paddling is simple: ‘Blame it on Brad,’ as in Brad Howard, a longtime paddle associate.” “We paddle most every day. Switching up paddle disciplines helps to keep things fresh. Each discipline builds on a specific skill set and strengthens our connection to the water.” His method for mixing it up? “Masonboro Island back loop on short days and Medward loop on long days.”

“SWITCHING UP PADDLE DISCIPLINES HELPS TO KEEP THINGS FRESH.”

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