Urban Surf 4 Kids has set Sunday, Oct. 12 for its 2014 Paddle Fest, an annual stand-up paddleboard (SUP) race and expo. Proceeds from the event will go to Urban Surf 4 Kids’ Dreaming of Aloha Achievement Program, which will take participating foster youths to Hawaii this December.
Paddle Fest features three different courses for all skill levels around Mission Bay’s Bonita Cove: the Elite Long Course, a six-mile race (three laps) for experienced paddlers; the Short Course, a two-mile race (one lap) for experienced paddlers; and the new Chaka Paddle, a one-mile non-competitive paddle for new and beginning paddlers. Urban Surf 4 Kids is also inviting hundreds of deserving San Diego County children to learn stand-up paddleboarding with a free SUP 4 Kids lesson. Throughout the day, participants and spectators can visit the SUP expo, receive autographs from industry veterans and enjoy live music, food and drinks. Free massages will be offered, and children can play in the Kids’ Zone. Visitors may also enter a raffle for prizes that will include a new SUP board, an elite island Caribbean vacation and new carbon-fiber paddles.
Registration is open online for all SUP courses. The fee for participating in The Elite Long Course is $50, the Short Course is $45 and the Chaka Paddle registration is $50, which includes a free SUP board rental. Registration is available online at www.paddleguru.-com/urbansurf4kids. All participants will receive a Paddle Fest medal at the completion of their paddle and a Paddle Fest swag bag that includes a T-shirt, Nature’s Bakery bar and a ticket to the Surf Museum.
Paddle Fest 2014 begins at 8 a.m. on Oct. 12. Registration on the day of the event begins at 7 a.m. The race briefing is set for 8:30 a.m. with Elite Long participants starting at 8:45 a.m. and Short Course paddle boarders following at 9 a.m. The Chaka Paddle is set for 10 a.m. Free SUP 4 Kids lessons will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will conclude with race results and raffle winners. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/X8I8p7.