ABOUT MAUI PADDLEBOARD

HISTORY/BACKGROUND

Since the days of the legendary Waikiki Beach Boys, paddleboarding has been the ultimate way for surfers and watermen to stay fit and ready for the big day. Whether it was Duke Kahanamoku, Tom Blake, Tom Zahn, Rabbit Kekai or George Downing paddleboarding around the Diamond Head buoy on a flat summer afternoon, a pod of 50s Southern California lifeguards making the 32-mile trek from Catalina Island to Manhattan Beach, or modern-day watermen racing across the Kaiwi Channel from Molokai to Oahu, the arm, shoulder- and neck-wrenching endurance test has always been the same ‹a true survival of the fittest- man versus man, and man versus sea.

While impromptu paddleboard races are as old as surfing itself, the sport of organized paddleboard racing has been growing steadily over the last four decades. Today, there are races in every corner of the globe, with racing seasons following the summer both above and below the equator. Here in the Islands, Oahu hosts some seven paddleboard races each summer, each boasting more than 100 contestants. California also hosts dozens of races, culminating with the Catalina Classic, marking its 33rd running this summer. And, after last years successful Inaugural Maui International Paddleboard Race, the Valley Isle has become a must on the race circuit.

The World Championship of paddleboard racing, however, takes place right here in Hawaii, with the annual Molokai-to-Oahu paddleboard race, held on the last weekend of July. Now in its 12th year, the Molokai race highlights Hawaii¹s summer racing season, attracting paddlers from around the world. More importantly, however, is these competitors like to arrive in Hawaii early, allowing themselves time to acclimate themselves to Hawaiian waters, making the Maui event all the more popular. THE EVENT The genesis of the Maui International Paddleboard Race can be traced to many sources. For decades, Maui¹s watermen and women have been paddleboarding but, short of traveling to Oahu (or farther), racing has not been an option. And, for several years, paddlers on Maui had been talking about organizing a race, while paddlers from off-island had long wanted to come to Maui to compete.

So, after recognizing the groundswell of community support, race co-directors John Gangini and Blair Thorndike ‹ champion paddleboarders in their own right ‹ got together and held what was a truly memorable, second international event on July 23, 2007. A true ³community² event, the race not only featured 180 world-class competitors racing on a world-class course, but a Hawaiian-style atmosphere throughout, complete with a post-race luau and awards banquet held at the Hawaiian Canoe Club finish line, a seaside venue steeped in aloha spirit. This year¹s event promises to be bigger, and better!

THE COURSE
The nine-mile stretch of coastline between Maliko Gulch and Kahului Harbor is completely exposed to the same blistering tradewinds that make Ho¹okipa Beach one of the world¹s best windsurfing venues. So, since paddleboarders also enjoy the downwind rides that ensue from every whitecap caught, these same winds create a world-renowned course known as the ³Maliko Run.² If the Summer tradewinds are blowing ‹ which they usually are ‹ Maui paddleboarders can be found out battling each other and the elements on the Maliko run every day. The time is once again approaching for the rest of the world to join them and compete for prestige ... and prize money.

PADDLEBOARDS USED
The Third Annual Maui International Paddleboard Race will feature three types of paddleboards. First are the 12-foot boards, also known as ³stock² boards. They can be of any weight, but can have no rudders. ³Unlimited² boards are next and, as the name implies, have no design restrictions. They features rudders and can be as long as 19 feet. The third board type ‹ and a recent addition to the paddleboard racing scene ‹ is the stand-up board. Very popular on Maui, this discipline can also be traced back to the Waikiki Beachboy days, with paddlers standing on the deck of a very large surfboard and using a modified canoe paddle for propulsion.

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS
While there is already a "Title Sponsor" (Naish International), there are four additional sponsorship levels: ³Presenting Sponsor² for $2,500, ³Supporting Sponsor² for $1,500, ³Contributing Sponsor² for $1,000, and ³Kokua Sponsor² for $500. In exchange, event sponsors will receive promotional exposure ‹ or ³impressions² ‹ from a variety of sources, including banners, T-shirts, flyers, posters and the internet.