- Title: USA: Paddle board craze hits New York
- Date: 14th August 2011
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 12, 2011) (REUTERS) STAND UP PADDLE BOARDERS PREPARING FOR THE RACE BOARDS ON THE GROUND PADDLE BOARDERS WALKING OFF THE PEER PADDLE BOARDER GETTING IN WATER (SOUNDBITE) (English) DON MATTHEWSON, STAND UP PADDLE BOARDER COMPETING IN THE ELITE RACE, SAYING: "It's great to be able to have the opportunity to gather with a b
- Embargoed: 29th August 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa, Usa
- Country: USA
- Topics: Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA5VR0NTRRD2OE2WI3LC8KXFIDL
- Story Text: New York City was hit with a wave of national and international stand-up paddle boarders on Friday (August 12), when approximately 150 eager paddlers converged on the city's pier 40 dock to hit the Hudson River to compete in this year's O'Neill SEA Paddle NYC race.
Stand-up paddle boarding is as old as the surfing sport itself, but it only started to gain popularity in recent years.
Friday's race was hosted by the Surfers' Environmental Alliance for the fifth consecutive time, aiming to raise more than $500,000 (USD) for charities that include Autism Family Services of New Jersey, Autism New Jersey, Hawaii Autism Foundation and Parents of Autistic Children (POAC).
Boarders could either compete in the competitive "elite race" for a prize money of $1500 (USD), or in the non-competitive charity race. Each racer had to raise $1000 dollars for a good cause in order to enter either of the races.
Don Mattewson who competed in the elite race, said that the event was a good opportunity to meet fellow paddle boarders.
"It's great to be able to have the opportunity to gather with a bunch of other people who stand-up paddle board, not only from New York and New Jersey but from around the world and from around the country," Matthewson told Reuters before the start of the race.
Racers had to complete a 26.5 mile (43 km) long journey around Manhattan, which started at the Hudson River, flowing into the Harlem River to finish on the other side of the island on the East River.
The course would provide them scenic views of some of the Big Apple's most famous monuments such as the Intrepid, the George Washington Bridge, Yankee Stadium and the U.N. headquarters.
Competitive paddle boarder Neil Schunejta (pronounce shu-nay-da) said that he would rather not come in close contact with the water.
"I am not going to lie. I am definitely worried about falling in the Hudson river, the Harlem river or the East river," he laughed.
Paddle boarders started the race at Hudson River at 7:40 am. The first boarder to cross the finish line under the Brooklyn Bridge was Rob Rojas (pronounce Ro-has), a professional stand-up paddle boarder from California. He finished the race at 11:34 am, with a race time of 3 hours and 56 minutes.
"So glad I'm done," Rohas told Reuters.
"I saw the Statue of Liberty and you know, the Brooklyn Bridge and emotions started swelling up a little bit and I was just so stoked to be finished," he said.
Runner-up was Annabel Anderson, a competitive stand-up paddle boarder from New Zealand. She made the finish line in 3 hours and 56 minutes and was the first woman to finish. She said that the middle of the race was tough, but she held her own.
"When I got the opportunity to make a break about half way through I tried to read where the currents and the rivers were going and that's when I put the effort in and managed to hold it to the end and see some boys coming after me," she said.
Stand-up paddle boarding originated in Hawaii and is an ancient form of surfing. The sport has re-emerged as a way for surfing instructors to manage their large groups of students, as standing on the board gave them a higher viewpoint and is globally gaining in popularity. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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