Jim Terrell Paddling Video

Watching this paddling video immediately improved my performance. It’s well worth a few minutes whether you’re a beginner or advanced. Beginners can start off doing it right and advanced paddlers can add a few little tricks to their bag.

Who better than Jim Terrell to teach us to paddle–Olympic paddler, winner of many. many SUP contests, paddle designer and owner of QuickBlade.

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New Paddle: Cheap, Good and Fast–take all three

Unlike most sports business categories, the SUP world is flush with people who paid their dues. And paddle makers are no exception. Literally everyone in the business has paddling records, Olympic history, technical qualifications, and years of artistry in their chosen medium. We’re very fortunate to have all this talent to choose from. Ernie Johnson of Johnson Big Stick Paddles is no exception, he’s still winning SUP distance paddling contests, testing and tuning his designs every day. The guy is a paddling machine. But Ernie has taken a very interesting tack with his latest offering. A value priced wood paddle series. Just in time for the Wall Street meltdown.

I’m a big fan of wood paddles. One look at all the surgery scars on my shoulders will tell you why. Wood paddles are easy on your shoulders, even if they’re not so easy on your wallet. If you’re doing a serious sprint race, you probably want carbon fiber to minimize the swing weight. But if you’re going long, or for your everyday stick for those daylong surf sessions, wood is a great answer that leaves you with some shoulders to lift that after-session beer.

Ernie has come out with a new, beautiful wood paddle series designed to be durable, easy on your body, and cheap. How cheap? $175. That’s less than you pay for one of those rough looking things that come out of Afghanistan, or wherever. And of course they look great. Not as much a piece of wall art as the standard Johnson Big Stick, but nice to look at, and you still get Ernie’s years of experience and woodworking skill in every paddle. Tough to beat, especially at this price.

You can contact Ernie at johnsonbigstick@mac.com or call 949-412-6980. Tell him PonoBill sent you.

Naish International supports Lake Tahoe Fundraiser

On Monday, August 11, 2008, a group of 20 world-class skiers, surfers, mountain climbers, and disabled athletes will cross Lake Tahoe on stand-up paddle boards provided by Naish International to raise awareness and funding for service members suffering from traumatic brain injury, combat stress, and other war-related injuries. Participants include big-wave surf and tow surf pioneer Dave Kalama, Olympic gold medalist and world-champion skier Jonny Moseley, Olympic and top-tier U.S. downhill skier Daron Rahlves, Olympic snowboarder and X Games gold medalist Nate Holland, big-mountain snowboarder Jeremy Jones, and Mark Wellman, the first paraplegic to climb El Capitan and Half Dome, and a recipient of a U.S. Senate Resolution Award. Most participants are novice paddlers, and the 22-mile paddle across Lake Tahoe will not be easy. These athletes recognize, however, that their effort pales in comparison to the challenges the victims of traumatic brain injury and other serious war-related injuries face every day.

Crossing leader Dave Kalama noted “What these veterans have to deal with makes surfing Jaws seem pretty tame. They’ve put their lives on the line for all of us and sacrificed so much. It’s time to step up and do whatever we can to help. This is not some publicity stunt or contrived event – it is the real deal, a rare opportunity to see action sports athletes humbled by what they’re having to do and for whom they are doing it. For me, it’s a great opportunity to give something back, and demonstrate that our commitment to the people and causes we are involved with is as intense as our commitment to our core sports.”

The Lake Tahoe Crossing will start at 7 a.m. on 11 August 2008 from a location to be determined on Lake Tahoe’s West shore area. The lead group is expected to complete the 22 mile trek roughly five hours later and end up at Lake Tahoe’s East or South Shore areas, depending on wind direction and water conditions. To learn more about the Tahoe Stand-Up Paddle Board Crossing 2008 and how you or your firm can support this worthy cause, please contact Dr. Robb Gaffney, 530-412-1325, robbgaffney@hotmail.com, or Rob Howard, 510-773-4701, rhoward@bikeskills.com.

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Noosa! Big Fun Down Under

Bonga ripping
Michi Schweiger From Naish International attended the Noosa Surf Festival which ran from March 2 to March 9, 2008. He sent us this photojournal story:

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