Santa Monica — The world famous Santa Monica Pier and Honolua Surf Co. will kick off the summer
of 2012 with the 3rd annual Santa Monica Pier Paddleboard Race & Ocean Festival, featuring ocean
swim events, paddleboard races, hula dancing troupes, Woody’s, live music and a one-of-a-kind
surfing and paddling history museum.
First launched as a stand-up and prone paddleboard race event in 2010, the event has grown every
year to include new events and activities. The waterman’s history museum and exhibition space,
which attracted thousands of visitors last year has more than doubled in size. The paddling and swim
races are expected to have a significant increase in participants, too.
A number of new sponsors have joined the founding sponsor Honolua Surf, Co. in supporting the
event. Pacifico beer, Samsung, Clif Bar and Patrick’s Sunscreen all signed on in 2012 as new
sponsors.
The family-friendly, all day event takes place Saturday, June 9, 2012 and is a benefit for Santa
Monica-based Heal the Bay and its public marine education facility, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium.
In honor of World Oceans Day, Heal the Bay will present awards to local school children who entered
their “My Perfect Ocean” art and writing contest. Heal the Bay will receive a portion of net proceeds
from the event.
The centerpiece of the competition continues to be the 1.5-mile fun paddle and the 5.5-mile long
course race. Participants will compete for awards in both age divisions and board-class categories.
The top 3 in each age group for the SUP and Swim events receive unique Koa Bowls. New this year,
will be the Pacifico Waterman Paddle Award, which will be awarded to the top male and female who
place highest in 3 out of 4 events. The winners will receive a full size wood paddle with the event logo
burned into the paddle blade.
New events for 2012 are the One-Mile open ocean swim, and the Aquathon, which consists of 3
components: a 400 meter sand run, followed by a 400 ocean swim and then another 400 meter sand
run.
Historic exhibits at the museum will feature antique surfboards, paddleboards, lifeguard equipment
and vintage automobiles tied to local beach culture. Paddleboard racing was a popular Santa Monica
sport in the 1930s and 40s with two paddleboard clubs headquartered on the pier, including a women
only club.
On the pier deck, manufacturers will show off the latest in paddleboards and equipment, including
demonstrations by former Olympian Jim Terrell from Quickblade Paddles. Hula dancers will perform
throughout the day. Live music and an awards ceremony will follow the completion of the races for the
top finishers in each of the divisions.
For more information, visit www.pierpaddle.com.
Note to assignment editors: Please contact [email protected] in advance for B-roll, still
photos or if you want to set up live shots on the day of the event.
Event partners and sponsors include: Honolua Surf Co., Quickblade Paddles, Subaru of Santa
Monica, Pacifico Beer, Heal the Bay, ZJ Boarding House, Samsung, Clif Bar, Patrick’s Sunscreen,
Mariasol’s Restaurant, Santa Monica Daily Press, Suplove, Rogue Stand Up Paddleboards, Revo
Sunglasses, Santa Monica Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, World Paddle Association and the
National Doryman’s Association.
