As the racers make the first turn in the PA SUP Championships at Moraine State Park, they are met with the sound of live music from the main stage of the Regatta at Lake Arthur. Thousands of people are sprawled out listening to the music, sifting through food trucks, and watching the sailboats, paddleboards and windsurfers jetting by. A backdrop of thick conifers gives way to blue skies above the horizon of the lake and this is only the beginning.
The whole family can get out on this JUMBO SIZE standup paddleboard!!!
The Regatta is all-ages, eco-friendly event with an incredible array of activities and entertainment. On the evening of the SUP race on Saturday, the headlining Pink Floyd Tribute band played on the stage just feet from the lake shore as a dramatic laser show danced across the water and fields of the park. Butler County is certainly known for its festivals and the Regatta delivers.
The Regatta is also the setting for the SurfSUP Adventures PA SUP Championship Race. The race is in its 3rd year and benefits the First Waves program for underserved youth mentorship and watershed conservation. This year’s race saw some returning podium finishers along with plenty of new faces. The most exciting heat of the 2016 race was undeniably the grom division (grom = youth surfer or paddler!). A nail-biting finish and last-second lead change had the crowd cheering loud as they came through the final turn.
In the midst of such an iconic event, the PA SUP Championship is growing to become a premiere gathering spot for Pennsylvania standup paddleboarders. Put on by Ian Smith of SurfSUP Adventures and Micalla Mikus of Freeport Paddleboard Co., the event’s mission is to bring together the SUP community, engage youth in the sport, and bring awareness to the First Waves Program which uses paddleboarding and adventure as a catalyst to inspire mentorship for underserved youth and conservation for local waterways. You can learn more about First Waves at: www.firstwaves.org.
2016 Results:
Men's: 1. Randy Rair 2. Scott Osterrieder 3. Nick Munk
Women: 1. Sara Rair 2. Tina Fisher 3. Heather Munk
Grom: 1. Ethan Martin 2. John Jackline 3. Kurt Jackline
Grom Girls: 1. Elly Hallmartin
Congratulations to this year’s winners and a huge thanks to all those that participated and volunteered at the PA SUP Championships at the Regatta at Lake Arthur!!
