This page is a summary of our most recent posts about Anthony Vela

OG Anthony Vela announced as “Strategic Advisor” for ISA as surfing defends against canoeing’s Olympic advances

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

One of the living legends of stand up paddling, Anthony “AV” Vela, has been announced as SUP manager for the ISA as the surfing crew begin to wake from their covid slumber and start getting shit done again now that the canoe boys have made their presence felt.

AV brings his incredible knowledge of paddling to the ISA as its official ‘Strategic SUP Advisor’ in a role that will see him even more involved with the World Championships (where he was already race director) as well as the Association’s overall SUP strategy.    → READ MORE

The sport lives on in SoCal: ‘Dana Point Harbor Hoot’ is carrying the torch for the original home of SUP

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

While many of us got misty-eyed and nostalgic over the BOP anniversary last week, some might have been left wondering whether or not the SUP scene was still alive in Southern California. While there are still a string of local events, we haven’t heard much out of Dana Point — the “spiritual home” of the sport since 2008 — after the BOP’s successor the Pacific Paddle Games was put on ice earlier this year.

But Dana Point ain’t done yet, and neither are many of the original paddlers that helped light the flame over a decade ago.   → READ MORE

“Train Hard. Go Fast. Have Fun.” Quickblade’s Motivational Trip Down Memory Lane (2008-2016)

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

Quickblade Train Hard Go Fast Have FunIn case you need some mid-week motivation, or if you just want an entertaining trip down memory lane, watch this four and a half minute montage from Quickblade, which features some of the biggest names and events in stand up paddling accompanied by a couple of iconic speeches from the wider sporting world.

Simply titled “Train Hard. Go Fast. Have Fun.” – the official mantra of QB Paddles – the clip is an interesting look back at the past eight years of not only one of the sport’s most iconic brands, but of the sport itself   → READ MORE

Danny Ching, Krisztina Zur Win the Lanakila Classic

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

Danny Ching stand up paddleIn brief: Danny Ching has just taken out his local race, the Lanakila Classic in Redondo Beach, California, ahead of a couple of his 404 team mates.

Danny took the 5 mile win (on a 12’6 no less) shortly after he’d saluted in the 9 mile OC-1 race. Danny’s 404 protégé Noa Hopper finished runner-up, half a minute behind his team boss but almost a minute ahead of third-place Anthony Vela. Another fluro green rider, Ryland Hart, came home 4th.   → READ MORE

Chase Kosterlitz, Danny Ching, and Shae Foudy Win at the Hal Rosoff Classic (Updated)

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

Hal Rosoff ClassicIn brief: Chase Kosterlitz and Danny Ching have earned victories at the Hal Rosoff Classic in Newport Beach, California, as over 150 paddlers came out for the 20th annual edition of this SoCal stalwart event. Other standout performers included Danny’s 404 team mate Ryland Hart, Chuck Glynn and Anthony Vela.

In the women’s, Shae Foudy made it a double win, taking out both the ‘Board Race’ and ‘Short Course’ events, with her SoCal sparring partner and definite name to watch, Erika Benitez, picking up a pair of silvers.   → READ MORE

WATCH: Team Quickblade Previews the Pacific Paddle Games

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

Quickblade Paddles Pacific Paddle GamesLess than 72 hours til the biggest race of the year, the Pacific Paddle Games. I get the feeling this event is going to elevate the stand up paddling world to a new level, and while this is the inaugural edition of the PPGs, the race is happening at the “spiritual home” of SUP racing, Doheny State Beach in Dana Point California, the place it all began way back in 2008.

Speaking of taking it back to the beginning: Quickblade. The QB team have been around since day one of the sport. Literally. Jimmy Terrell made one of Laird Hamilton’s first paddles over 10 years ago, while the Mad Scientist was himself part of the very early SUP races back in 2006 and 2007.   → READ MORE

Quickblade Pays Tribute To The Awesome Payette River Games

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

Payette River Games SUP videoThe Payette River Games may have been put on ice for now, but the memories will last a lifetime. The 2015 event was a classic, and now you can relive the event with this great recap from Quickblade Paddles.

The clip, courtesy of Pat Myers, has plenty of insights from the QB athletes, including Shakira Westdorp, Kelly Margetts, Anthony Vela, Chase Kosterlitz and Candice Appleby, plus a very special mention for Jonas Leteiri, a double amputee from Brazil who inspired everyone in Idaho with his skill, spirit and determination.   → READ MORE

Kids Take Centre Stage As Hobie Hennessey’s Waterman’s Challenge Returns SUP Racing To Doheny

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

Hobie Hennessey's raceEarlier today a small but classy field of paddlers descended on one of SUP racing’s traditional homes, Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, California. The 2014 Hobie Hennessey’s Waterman’s Challenge was a two-race event, combining a 5 miler with an elite surf race to crown the overall winners. Conditions were picture perfect for a SUP race, with sunny skies, dead calm wind and small but fun waves peeling into Doheny.

After combining results from the two disciplines, Anthony Vela and Candice Appleby came out on top. There were also solid performances from the likes of Brandi Baksic, Team USA star Shae Foudy, Sean Pangelinan and Ryan Murphy (edit: and Brennan Rose/Javier Jimenez). However from all reports the highlight was the kids’ racing, where a bunch of very enthusiastic groms blazed around the course in a showcase of SUP racing’s future…   → READ MORE

Junior SUP Fiesta Returns To Huntington With Big Little Names And A New Board Class

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

Performance Paddling Junior SUP FiestaOne of the pint-sized highlights of the racing calendar is Performance Paddling’s Junior Pro & Youth SUP Fiesta, a stand up paddle event dedicated entirely to the stars of the future. The 2014 edition is just a couple of weeks away, with the showcase set for May 4th at Bolsa Chica State Beach (Huntington) in California.

The Junior SUP Fiesta is run by Candice Appleby and Anthony Vela and features both a SUP race and SUP surf contest. Most kids’ races get tacked onto bigger events, so it’s cool to see Candice and AV giving the grommies a chance to shine on their own.

Just some of the charging groms who’ll be racing/surfing are Riggs Napoleon, Mo Freitas, Vanina Walsh, Fiona Wylde, Izzi Gomez, Yuri Daberkow, Ridge Lenny, Kai McPhillips, Felipe Gaspar, Berndt Roediger, Noa Hopper. That list include paddlers who’ve won adult surf comps and races, so you know the competition is gonna be high level.   → READ MORE

Lunch With Jimmy: Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds …And Funky Gym Moves

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

Lunch with Jimmy - Candice Appleby & Anthony VelaGo behind the scenes at Team Quickblade HQ with the Candice Appleby, Anthony Vela, Riggs Napoleon and the Mad Scientist himself, Jim Terrell.

There’s not a single scene where they’re actually paddling, but it’s always interesting to see what the stars of SUP racing get up to behind the scenes. This was actually supposed to be a technical chat with Candice and Anthony about the sport, but it quickly turned into a random discussion of healthy bodies, minds, and funky gym moves…   → READ MORE

The Kids Are Taking Over: Appleby & Vela Announce “Junior Pro & Youth SUP Fiesta”

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

Junior SUP Fiesta Huntington BeachCandice Appleby and Anthony Vela’s Performance Paddling have just announced what looks set to be a great new SUP event. The Junior Pro & Youth SUP Fiesta will be happening May 5th @ Huntington Beach, and as the name suggests is going to be exclusively for the kids.

The event will feature a youth-only SUP Race in and out through the waves as well as a pro junior SUP surf contest. Several of the world’s best groms have been invited to compete, from as far away as Australia and Hawaii, while there will be some big name paddlers on the beach lending their support.

Click through for all the details…   → READ MORE

Appleby & Vela’s Performance Paddling Competition Team Revealed

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

Performance Paddling Competition Team Candice Appleby & Anthony Vela’s Performance Paddling Competition Team has just been revealed, featuring a stack of young SUP talent aged between 7 and 16 years. The Team, now in its 2nd year, aims to develop the next generation of elite paddlers while also giving them some valuable life lessons along the way.

The 2013 Performance Paddling Competition Team contains 23 super charged young SUP groms, many of which are probably already beating you and I at the races (and will be winning them pretty soon). The group features names you’d already be familiar with – Tucker Ingalls, Travis Baptiste, Bailey Rosen, Riggs Napoleon, Vanina Walsh – as well as plenty of up and coming youngsters, so click through to meet the whole team…   → READ MORE

Coming To A SUP Race Near You Soon: Anthony Vela & Candice Appleby’s Army Of Elite Juniors

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

Performance Paddling Competition TeamCandice Appleby and Anthony Vela are two of the most recognisable faces in the world of Stand Up Paddling. Sure, it helps when you’ve won the Battle of the Paddle more than anyone else (Candice has taken out the Elite Race 4x), but it’s not just the racing that makes these two so well loved.

More and more the two are putting back into the sport, especially through their coaching. Just over twelve months ago the pair stepped up that commitment when they created Performance Paddling. The initial focus was on hosting SUP coaching clinics at the big races they travel to, though right from the start Candice & AV also included something called the “Performance Paddling Competition Team“, which is basically an elite junior squad of Stand Up Paddlers…   → READ MORE

[VIDEO] The 2012 Battle Of The Paddle Comes Full Circle…

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

Chris Aguilar from Soul Surf Media came out with the very first video of the 2012 Battle of the Paddle. Just a few hours after the Elite Race wrapped up, Chris had released an awesome clip of the action that went on to collect 5,000 plays.

Now he’s back with the full-length version, featuring plenty of SUP racing action from the Bop, as well as interviews with Candice Appleby, Jamie Mitchell, Morgan Hoesterey, Daniele Guidi, Alison Riddle, Joe Bark, Sofia DeWolfe, Kimberly James, and Anthony Vela (and some random guy in a blue hat…).

[RESULTS] Battle Of The Bay (UPDATED)

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

The Battle of the Bay SUP race has just wrapped up for another year. Aussie Beau O’Brian was the big winner this weekend, taking out a double victory by winning both Saturday’s Course Race and Sunday’s Distance Race. Paul Jackson scooped two second places, while Jim Terrell put in a strong performance in Sunday’s Distance Race to claim third in the overall combined results.

Meanwhile in the women’s it was Krisztina Zur with the double, taking out the overall title ahead of Angie Jackson and Julianne Brackett. Click through for full results from the Battle of the Bay…   → READ MORE

[PHOTOS] Surf Race To Victory

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

There was plenty of carnage during yesterday’s Surf Race To Victory at Huntington Beach.

Solid 4-5ft waves were rolling through all day, turning most of the races into a battle for survival. Anthony Vela won the “hero of the day” award for his fearless, Superman-inspired attack on the set of the day. Check out Vela’s heroics plus plenty of other great pics   → READ MORE

[RESULTS] Eric Terrien Dodges The Carnage To Claim The Cash @ The Surf Race To Victory

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

The awesome Surf Race To Victory series wrapped up today at Huntington Beach. Plenty of pros have arrived in town ahead of the Battle of the Paddle, so there was a very solid level of competition. Plus with a decent swell pulsing along the coast, there was also a LOT of carnage…

Several of the world’s best lined up for the knockout sprint format and were looking uber-stylish the event’s signature blue crash helmets. Kody Kerbox, Connor Baxter, Byron Kurt and Brennan Rose took out the first round heats, with Kerbox looking in very good form. On the women’s side it seemed to be a battle between Candice Appleby and Morgan Hoesterey, with the pair trading victories in the first couple of rounds.   → READ MORE

[PHOTOS] Check Out The Intense Action From Day 1 @ The Gorge Paddle Challenge

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

The Naish Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge is happening all this weekend at Hood River, Oregon. Yesterday was the Course Race and today is the Downwinder.

As we’ve been saying all week this is one of the most competitive SUP races of the year, with a good chunk of the world’s top paddlers in town. Yesterday didn’t disappoint, with young gun Kai Lenny taking victory in the Course Race ahead of Jamie Mitchell, while Candice Appleby was too strong in the women’s (>>> full race results).

But if you weren’t lucky enough to be in Oregon to witness the action then don’t worry. Local SUP store Gorge Perforance was on hand and took some awesome shots of the action. Click through for the highlights…   → READ MORE

[VIDEO] Team Quickblade’s V02 Test Training Session

posted by Christopher Parker, former Boss Man

If you ever wondered why Quickblade Paddles are considered the strongest/lightest/fastest SUP paddles in the world, this video sums it all up.

Jim Terrell and the QB crew never stop testing and are always pushing the limits of stand up paddle race training.

Watch Jamie Mitchell, Candice Appleby and Anthony Vela go through some intense V02 testing on the Quickblade Flume, under the watchful eye of Coach Jim.   → READ MORE