Just a quick post of the results from the 5th Annual Easy Rider SUP Cup.
Full story and photos to follow.

Results from the 15.5 km River race.

Results from the Indoor SUP Surf contest.

Wow – What an awesome event.

Twelve Stand Up Paddlers were lucky enough to have Dave Kalama instruct them on Friday, August 10.
The Klinic was to run from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM – - but wanted to make sure that everyone got all the help they needed, so he extended it until almost 1:00 PM.

Personally, I learned more at the Kalama Klinic about SUP paddling than I had in the previous 6 years.

If you ever get a chance to be instructed by Dave . . . Take It!

Pre water talk.

Some “dock work”.

One on One – on the water work.

Video analysis.

More “dock work” – getting the rhythm down.

The happy paddlers.

Thanks Dave – see you next season.

WOW – What an AWESOME day of Stand Up Paddling.

The weather managed to be perfect (the only nice day in the last week) for the entire trek!

The river was moving nice and quickly – we covered 33.4 km in just over 3 hours and 20 minutes of paddling time.
A couple of pit stops along the way to re-hydrate and re-fuel and the entire day – including shuttling out to Devon was right around 6 hours.

Thanks to everyone that came out and paddled with us.
And a big THANK YOU to Weber Mercedes for helping us get boards to the start.

Thanks Weber Mercedes!

Just before Rabbit Hill

Fun in the Sun!

Pit stop number 1

Griffin using the Starboard Touring 12’6″ (the perfect board for this type of paddling)

A view of the river that very few people ever get.

Down the river.

The present and the past! Fort Edmonton Park.

I was once again lucky enough to be invited by Quiksilver out to Tofino for a few days of Stand Up Paddle Surfing.
I was also asked to be the guy that brought out enough boards for everyone to paddle (might be the reason I keep getting invited).

So I loaded up the Sprinter Van and headed out on what would end up being a 3185 km round trip.

First stop was Kalamalka Lake just outside Vernon, BC for the Kal Klassic race put on by Kalavida Surf Shop.
I managed to get in a few good paddles on Friday evening and early Sunday morning – and then the rain came.
I helped out at the event – and although the weather was not the nicest – the event went well.

After offering up my van for shuttle service for the distance race on Sunday, I made the trek out to Tofino.
There is something cool about taking the Ferry – especially when you get a “front row” spot.
After the Ferry ride it was back to driving.  I arrived in time on Sunday night for the Quiksilver movie night on a giant inflatable screen in the Live to Surf parking lot.

The next few days were a nice pattern – get up – eat – go surf – eat – surf – hot tub – adult beverages – eat – sleep . . . and repeat.

Then came the drive home – After an early morning surf session and another ferry ride – I decided to take a short cut and headed up through Whistler / Pemberton / Lillooet / Kamloops – and then home.  It was much shorter / less traffic / and more scenic.
Made it to Blue River before pulling over to sleep – which was done on an air mattress, on top of a Starboard inflatable sup, on top of 12 other sup boards.   The Sprinter van really does rule.
Made it home without any incidents (thanks to 4  deer whistles) – took a shower and headed to work.

Thanks again to Quisilver for a great time . . . they really do understand why we all do this . . . to have FUN!

Some photos from the trip:

Loaded up and ready to roll.

First stop – Jasper for the Bear’s Paw Bakery!

Starboard Touring 14′ in Carbon – sexy beast!

Arriving in Nanaimo, BC

Quiksilver movie night at Live to Surf in Tofino

View from the deck of the house!

Raph Bruhwiler’s Uni Mogg – our limo.

My other sexy beast – Starboard Widepoint 10’5″ also in Carbon (if you have not tried a carbon board. . . you should).

GoPro action shot.

Whistler / Blackcomb – still lots of snow for summer riding.

“Roughing it” in the Sprinter.

Stand Up Paddling is one of the most fun / beautiful / scenic / peaceful / exciting sports around.

To show how much fun it is – Easy Rider is going putting on a Sthan Up Paddling Photo Contest.

The contest will run from July 1, 2012 until August 1, 2012.
All images will be shown at the Film Festival night during the 5th Annual Easy Rider SUP Cup – August 11, 2012.
There will be some cool gear for the winners.

Categories are as follows:
- Flat Water
- Surf
- Self Portrait (shot with GoPro’s – etc)
- Group
- Scenic (does not have to have a person paddling)
- Humor / Funny location
ALL images must have something to do with SUP (I don’t need to see pictures of your cat – unless it’s on your board and in the water).

LEGAL STUFF:
- YOU must OWN the legal rights to all photos submitted (no taking photos off the web of someone else)
- ALL Photos become property of The Easy Rider Inc. once submitted.
- email photos to:  info@theeasyrider.com

Get Shooting!

Examples below:

Example – Flat Water

Example – Surf – photo by Tom Servais

Example – Self Portrait

Example – Group

Example – Scenic

Example – Humor / Location

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Saturday, August 11, 2012
River RACE Paddlers
Registration and Check in Starts at 8:00 AM at the boat launch area of Laurier Park.
Shuttle to RACE Start leaves at 9:00 AM (only for Pre registered competitors)
ALL Paddlers MUST have a LEASH and a WHISTLE – NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

River TOUR Paddlers
Registration and Check in Starts at 9:00 AM
TOUR will start at shortly after 10:00 AM – You MUST be ready to paddle by 9:45 AM
ALL Paddlers MUST have a LEASH and a WHISTLE – NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

 ALL Paddlers will finish at Rafters Landing (Edmonton Queen River Boat)
Those that registered in advance will be shuttled back to Laurier Park for the BBQ and Awards.

SUP Film Festival and Photo show.
7:00 PM at Overtime (right beside The Easy Rider Store)
4211-106 Street.
Raffle Prizes and the Canadian Premiere of H2IndO – With Dave Kalama in attendance.

Sunday, August 12, 2012
SUP Surf Contest

Meet in the Parking lot on the SOUTH side of the Water Park near Door “C” at 6:45 AM
Doors open at 7:00 AM
First Heat hits the Water at 7:30 AM.

RIVER MAP PDF HERE!

River Map

Starboard presents the
5th Annual Easy Rider SUP Cup
August 11 & 12, 2012

Saturday, August 11
Stand Up Paddleboard Race & Tour
on the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton.
Race will be approximately 16 km.
Touring class will be approximately 8 km.
BBQ will follow at end of race / tour.
Shuttle service provided to Pre-Registered  Race and Tour paddlers.

Saturday evening will be the first ever Easy RIder – SUP Film Festival.
(more details to follow) 

Sunday, August 12
World’s only indoor SUP Surf Contest
West Edmonton Mall Wave Pool
Men’s, Women’s and Juniors.  
Brunch to follow. 

Each paddle event is $25.
Tons of draw prizes.
All ability levels.
ENTRY FORM HERE:
(note – original form MUST be brought into the store prior to event)
DEADLINE FOR SHUTTLE SERVICE IS AUGUST 3!  
After August 3rd – you will be on your own for getting to the start, and back from the finish to Laurier Park.

5th Cup Entry

Saturday, June 16 was a land mark day for Stand Up Paddling in Edmonton.
It was the day the the City of Edmonton asked us to put on a demo in one of their swimming pools.

Trey was down at Mill Creek Pool for a few hours teaching people how to SUP.

Thanks to the City for looking to the future of sport!

Cool shot from the bridge.

Newbie paddlers having fun.

We got in the new GoPro WiFi combo pack – and as much as GoPro changed how easy it is to film and take photos of sports . . . the WiFi will again change how easy it is to use the GoPro.  The kit is a game changer.
All functions can be controlled from the remote that can be worn on the supplied wrist strap, put in a pocket, put on a lanyard, etc.
The screen on the remote is the exact same as the one on the HD2 Hero camera.
The BacPac the clips onto the camera and the remote set up their own little WiFi connection – with a range  stated at 600 feet!
I tested it out to about that distance and had no issues at all.
You can also control up to 50 cameras with one remote (great if you have multiple cameras).
When you get the Combo Pack – you will have to update the firmware on your camera, the remote, and the BacPac before you use it.  It took me a total of about 10 minutes to do all three.

My latest GoPro creation is the “Floaty” cam.   This is made from a chunck of a SUP paddle, some packing foam and a bolt with 72 washers on it in the base (below the water) to help keep it stable.   It worked well – but I think I want to add an old surf fin to the base for some directional stability.

Me on the Starboard Touring 12'6" Carbon

"Floaty" cam

One shot of Delmer taken during "Burst Mode" (10 frames in 1 second). Me in the background taking the photo with the remote.

I have had some customers in the store lately that have looked at the 50 or so SUP boards we have on display and asked if that is all we have?

First off – no other store in Canada (and very, very few in the USA) have more SUP’s on display than Easy Rider does.
If you find a store with more on display than we do – take a photo and send it to me and I will give you a prize.

Secondly – just like every sport we sell – of course we have more!   Easy Rider is all about selection after all.

So . . . here is a listing of all 121 DIFFERENT stand up paddleboards we have IN STOCK – RIGHT NOW.
If we don’t have it – you don’t need it.
Why “wait for your board to be ordered in” – when you can get it today.

This list is not a “click one and buy it” deal.
I still want to make sure you are getting the right board for you.

Call or email me and I will be more than happy to guide you through the decision making process.
Of the 121 boards in stock – I have paddled 111 of them, either our demos or at dealer launches / race events / etc.
Thanks

Warren

Yup - 121 different boards!

After some gentle persuasion – The City of Edmonton is now offering SUP courses out of the Rundle Park Paddling Center.
They have Starboard Whopper Slicks, Quickblade paddles, and On A Mission leashes and instructors that will teach you the basics of SUP in Rundle Park Lake.
They have also just taken delivery of Landyachtz longboard skateboards and will soon also be offering introductory Longboard clinics.
Way to think out side of the “stick and ball” box City!

Warren instructing the instructors.

Instructors in an impromtu race.