106 Paddlers Take On The Catalina Channel

There’s something special about someone willing to cross a large body of water.  You know what I’m talking about.  There are those 80 year OLD LADIES swimming across the ENGLISH CHANNEL in 30 degree water without any help.  If you’ve ever tried to swim two laps without stopping in a backyard pool, you’ll know that it’s quite difficult.  Unless you’re GREG LOUGANIS, taking on a task that large is very admirable.  It takes months of hard work, endless training, and strict dieting to accomplish such a remarkable feat. 

We here on the west coast don’t have an English Channel but we have a body of water between Long Beach and CATALINA ISLAND.  And there are sharks too!  On Sunday, August 30th, the 34th installment of the legendary Catalina Classic Paddleboard Championship will see the greatest number of paddlers yet take on the 32 mile crossing from Catalina Island to Manhattan Beach. An all-time record of 106 paddlers from France, Australia, Hawaii and the U.S.A.’s East and West coasts, will be competing against each other, the elements and the limits of their mental and physical abilities as they race across one of the Pacific’s deepest and busiest channels.

“Traditionally, the Classic is a ‘champion’s championship’,” says Catalina Classic Race Director Kyle Daniels. “This year is no different, and we are proud to have Honolua Surf Co. continuing as the event’s major sponsor.” The 2009 Classic features several winners from the sport’s most prestigious paddleboard competitions. Returning champions include two-time Classic winner Ryan Addison, Mike Carr and Hawaiian Keoni Watson.

They will face off against 2009 Molokai Champ and all-time record-holder, Mike Cote as well as 2009 Molokai runner-up Brian Rocheleau. 2008 Women’s Stock Champion Jo Ambrosi from Australia looks to defend her title against the 2007 winner Rebecca Gilman. Adding to the list of strong contenders and a record 26th Crossing is legendary shaper and waterman, Joe Bark. Joe won the Classic in 1988 and 1989 and has shaped more boards that have crossed the channel than any other shaper.