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HOME  SUP NEWS Major Stand Up Paddle Event to Take Place in Bend, Oregon on Father's Day Weekend
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Major Stand Up Paddle Event to Take Place in Bend, Oregon on Father's Day Weekend |
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By: Stand Up Paddle Bend
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Saturday, 28 May 2011 |
 May 18, 2011- Bend OR: On June 18th, 2011, Bend, Oregon will host a World Paddle Association (WPA) sanctioned stand up paddle (SUP) event. The first annual Northwest Community Credit Union Bend Paddleboard Challenge will include three competitive events: a six-mile long course, a two-mile short course, and a judged "Expression Session." Contestants and spectators will also have the opportunity to try out the latest gear from popular SUP manufacturers like KIALOA and Surftech.
The Northwest Community Credit Union Bend Paddleboard Challenge will take place on the Deschutes River which runs through the center of town and is a vital part of the community. The spectator-friendly course will run from Riverbend Park, just past Bill Healy Memorial Bridge, through the "Old Mill stretch" of the Deschutes River, and back (three times for the six-mile event and once for the two-mile event). Spectators will be able watch from parks, bridges, and the popular Old Mill District, Bend's unique outdoor shopping and dining development.A gorgeous town known for its world-class outdoor recreation opportunities, Bend is an ideal spot for an inland SUP race. Although Bend is located roughly 180 miles from the ocean, the former mill town turned adventure playground has deep ties to SUP. Legendary surfer and SUP pioneer Gerry Lopez is based in Bend, as is top stand up paddle manufacturing company, KIALOA. All proceeds of the 2011 Northwest Community Credit Union Bend Paddleboard Challenge will be divided equally between the Bend Paddle Trail Alliance (BPTA) and the Bend Recreation Foundation Scholarship Fund. "It's very important to us to give back to our wonderful community," says Lainey Booth, one of the organizers of the Challenge and co-owner of local SUP shop, Stand Up Paddle Bend. "We're excited to raise awareness about the BPTA's efforts to improve the Colorado Dam and build a whitewater park at Miller Landing. That project will have a terrific effect on Bend's economy," she says. Because the 2011 Northwest Community Credit Union Bend Paddleboard Challenge will be one of the first races to count toward the championship of the WPA's recently announced Pacific Northwest championship, many high-profile SUP athletes are expected to compete. Matt Purvis, Marketing Vice President of title sponsor Northwest Community Credit Union, says it was a natural decision to support the Challenge. "We celebrate everything 'northwest.' The Northwest Community Credit Union Bend Paddleboard Challenge is the perfect place to meet our current and future members and support a great community event," he says. All contestants will be invited to attend a VIP pre-party, hosted by Northwest Community Credit Union, on Friday, June 17th. Well-known Portland paddler, Karen Wrenn, who has finished impressively in SUP events all around the world and recently made history by becoming the first person to paddle consecutively between all eight Channel Islands, will teach a paddling clinic at Riverbend Park on Friday, June 17th so that athletes can learn new skills to utilize in the Challenge. The 2011 Northwest Community Credit Union Bend Paddleboard Challenge is proudly supported by Stand Up Paddle Magazine, Robberson Ford Lincoln Mercury Mazda, Cascade Lakes Brewing Company, Clear 101.7, KTVZ, Fox Central Oregon, and Stand Up Paddle Bend.
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