Popularity Of Stand-Up Paddle Boarding Swells In Bend, Oregon
Bend, Oregon is rapidly becoming the nation's hub of flat-water stand-up paddle boarding.
- Bend, OR (1888PressRelease) July 12, 2010 - The popularity of stand-up paddling (SUP) in Bend, Oregon is on a swift rise. Dozens of paddlers can be seen almost every night on the Deschutes River, enjoying a leisurely cruise or evening workout. Races are being organized and social paddle groups are being formed. Three races took place locally last week alone.
SUP emerged in Hawaii in the 1960s, when Waikiki beach boys started standing on their long surfboards and paddling out with outrigger paddles to take pictures of tourists learning to surf. A renaissance of SUP occurred in the early 2000s, when Hawaiian surfers started utilizing SUP as an alternative way to train when the surf was flat.
The major difference between traditional surfing and SUP is that for the latter, no wave is required. This opens up a world of possibilities. SUP can be done on lakes, rivers, open ocean, in harbors, or any large body of water. With its many picturesque lakes and rivers, Bend is a natural center for the sport.
Bend's growing reputation as a stand up paddling hot spot can be credited to a trio of former surfers, including Gerry Lopez, who moved his surfboard-manufacturing business from Hawaii to Bend in 2001, and Dave Chun, whose company Kialoa Paddles is also based in Bend. Both were among the first stand-up paddlers on the Deschutes.
Most active in promoting stand-up paddling locally, however, has been Randall Barna, an Orthotics maker with a long history in board sports. In 2006, he began "spreading the stoke of stand up," as he puts it, by forming a social paddling group, organizing races and events, and selling SUP gear out of his Orthotics office. This year he began a careful search for someone to pass the torch to. Although he received several offers to buy the business, he reached out to local couple and SUP group members Chip and Lainey Booth. The Booths, Barna says, "have a genuine love and true understanding of the sport as well as the professional backgrounds to grow what I began."
The Booths took over Barna's business in June and have since opened a retail store at the Old Mill Marketplace. The shop, Stand Up Paddle Bend, sells boards, paddles, accessories, and apparel. They also provide information about races and events, have an online store (www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com), and offer rentals.
Two major appeals of stand up paddling are its adaptability to any skill level and the terrific full-body workout it provides. Local stand up paddler Judy Shasek says, "At 61, I have a few years of SUP under my belt and it's amazing the fitness it delivers. It's great fun and easy to learn." Stand Up Paddle Bend co-owner Lainey Booth says, "SUP is great. It's fun, social, and calming. It's as much of a workout as you want it to be, and you're outside, enjoying the beautiful landscape."
For everything necessary to experience the sensation of walking on water, visit Stand Up Paddle Bend at 550 SW Industrial Way, #115, or www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com, or call 541.639.2655.
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