On July 9-10th, 2011, people from all over the midwest converged on Madison, WI at Maple Bluff Beach to enjoy some SUP festivities. There was clinics for all skill levels, a kids SUP instruction, SUP fitness, races and much more!
For the first time, local retailer Paddleboard Specialists gathered top brands, world-class athletes and avid enthusiasts to share their love of standup paddling: “What has made the event successful is a lot of people coming down to it check out, having smiles on their faces and having a good time enjoying the range of clinics we were able to offer with some of the top designers and top racers,” said event organizer Gary Stone. In addition to a new product demo and clinics on paddling techniques, the event sponsored two open-water races of 3 and 6 miles in length. Pros Chuck Patterson and Karen Wrenn took 1st place in the races, we were stoked to have them in our shop last week for the Windy City Waterman Fundraiser.
Overall it was a success as dozens of people came out for this new event, it’s already pretty clear that SUP has already taken hold in the Midwest. Look out for it next year! This festival hit the mid point for the Midwest SUP Championship Series, check out the next post for more info on the next event in Lake Geneva!
