While the focus is on Hawaii throughout July thanks to SIC’s Downwind Month, the spotlight will continue to shine on the Islands deep into next month courtesy of one major event. From the 16th to 18th August we’re going to see one of the most competitive (not to mention most interesting) races of the year: Honolua Surf Co’s Ultimate SUP Showdown in Waikiki.

As we revealed a couple of weeks back, the Showdown is aiming to go next level in 2014: The prize money is top tier ($25k), the lineup of talent runs deep, the after party is expected to be something else and most paddlers I’ve spoken to were stoked on the novelty of Draft Day. However it seems the real story behind this event is a major TV deal that Showdown organisers signed last Friday with CBS Sports Network.   → READ MORE

As we revealed last week, Honolua Surf Co’s Ultimate SUP Showdown is set to go next level in 2014, with a prize purse that rivals the Battle of the Paddle and an elite invitation list that’ll make it one of the single most competitive races we’ve ever seen. Danny, Travis, Connor, Kai and five dozen others from the top echelons of stand up paddling. For the first time outside the BOP, we’re going to see all the big guns go head to head.

The Showdown is an elite, invite-only event and one of its coolest features are the personal invitations that each athlete will receive from the chief organiser, Boyd Jeffery. Let’s call it Showdown: Draft Day.   → READ MORE

Honolua Surf Co’s Ultimate SUP Showdown is one of the few events that’s been on everyone’s radar this year, however up until now it’s also been a little mysterious and secretive. Well this week I got a peek behind the scenes at Showdown 2014 including the prize money, format and a preview of some other very interesting developments. And I gotta say the whole thing is looking rather impressive…

The 2014 Ultimate SUP Showdown is happening from August 16-18 in Waikiki, Hawaii. The weekend combines SUP surfing and SUP racing into one event. First up there’s a standard SUP surf contest, then there’s a regular SUP race, before the top finishers from each will meet up in the Showdown, a grand finale that aims to combine surfing and racing (think: Battle of the Paddle on steroids).

This year the Showdown will have a super elite field and a big prize purse, while a few other very interesting things are happening behind the scenes. So click through for all the info…   → READ MORE

One week ago we saw the unveiling of the Ultimate SUP Showdown, a brand new stand up paddling event that has a lot of potential but up until now has been pretty mysterious. I’ve had a week to reflect on how the event was run, where it’s going and what it could mean for the sport. Here’s what I came up with…

The first ever Showdown was held in Waikiki last Tuesday August 20th, as part of Duke’s OceanFest. In case you’ve been living under a rock (on Mars), the Ultimate SUP Showdown combines both SUP surfing and SUP racing in the one event, with the top finishers from a separate surf contest and sprint race coming together in the main event – the ‘Showdown’ finale, which is a race through the surf. The goal of the organisers is to create a stand up paddling athlete that’s equal parts surfer and racer.

That’s the theory anyway, but how did it stack up in reality? The short version: The first ever SUP Showdown was a success. Not perfect and still plenty of work to do, but a very solid start. The long version…   → READ MORE

A few names you may just be familiar with are heading down to the beach in Waikiki this morning for a brand new event that’s still shrouded in mystery but could deliver a lot to the sport of Stand Up Paddling.

The Ultimate SUP Showdown debuts at Duke’s OceanFest here in Hawaii today and features a pretty stellar roster. Just a few of the paddlers that’ll be competing include Jamie Mitchell, Connor Baxter, Travis Grant, Zane Schweitzer, Matt Becker, Chuck Patterson, Noa Ginella, Riggs Napoleon, Aaron Napoleon, Mo Freitas, Vanina Walsh, Travis Baptiste, Candice Appleby and a whole bunch more. Meanwhile doing the roaming beach interviews is the man himself, Dave Kalama.

Not a bad score for the Showdown’s first ever event…   → READ MORE

Something big is brewing in the world of Stand Up Paddling, with a new event in the early stages of development that could deliver a lot for the sport and the athletes.

Combining both SUP racing and SUP surfing, it’s called the “Ultimate SUP Showdown” and is set to debut at Duke’s OceanFest next month. Many of the sport’s biggest names are already backing the project, which will showcase its unique new format at Waikiki on August 20th.

While the Duke’s event will be the initial public unveiling of the Showdown, organisers are already planning a multi-stop tour for next year that may feature some of the most significant prize money the sport has ever seen. The Ultimate SUP Showdown, and the subsequent “Tour” that it will eventually form, has already received strong support, with paddlers at the inaugural event set to include:   → READ MORE