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NEW RIVER GORGE SUP RACE

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NEW RIVER GORGE SUP RACE

The New River Gorge SUP Race has become the epicenter of whitewater paddleboard racing in the Eastern US, but not because of a cash purse (there isn’t one!) or fantastical prizes. Instead, this race has ingrained itself in the hearts of a community that it has helped to grow since its inception in 2011. The setting itself could be attributed to the race’s popularity. The New River Gorge and Fayetteville, the adjoining mountain town, is a quintessential hub for adventure and natural beauty. Still, the underlying values and genuine love that race founder, Melanie Hames, puts into this event is the defining ingredient. The West Virginia SUP scene is filled with passionate people like her, and this event has drawn competitors from around the world that all want a piece of it.

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Paddleboarding for Visually Impaired Youth

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Paddleboarding for Visually Impaired Youth

At SurfSUP Adventures, we have been dealt the opportunity to work with amazing partners and volunteers. The latest project in conjunction with VIP Sports was one of the most memorable.  By working with Slippery Rock University volunteers and VIP Sports instructors, we were able to provide a standup paddleboarding experience to more than 60 youth participants that were blind or semi-blind. Here's a short film documenting the training process and the event itself! Enjoy!

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A "MONSTER" ADDITION TO FIRST WAVES PROGRAM

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A "MONSTER" ADDITION TO FIRST WAVES PROGRAM

The river wave at Greenhouse Park is little more than a pile of foam during the hot month of July in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.  The Stonycreek River is the tamest version of itself and instead of whitewater enthusiasts, the park attracts sunbathers, tubers, and swimmers to its shores.  What most have overlooked, however, is this wave’s potential as a training ground for the area’s youth to become river enthusiasts.  When presented in the right way, the wave can capture the attention of teenagers better than the latest X-box and carve a path for outdoor recreation and education that is widely available but pervasively ignored.  This is exactly what the First Waves Johnstown Program is able to provide to underserved youth in the area.

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OFFICIALLY OPEN

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OFFICIALLY OPEN

The first eco-tour of every year is always a special one.  I am excited to see the changes in the landscape carved by winter’s touch, the emerging spring flowers, and the return of the Ospreys from their pilgrimage to South America.

AN UNEXPECTED MATCH PARTNER OF THE YEAR

AN UNEXPECTED MATCH PARTNER OF THE YEAR

“IT’S SAFE, THE KIDS WILL BE FINE!” I yelled into my cell phone, trying to overcome a howling wind off the Gulf of Mexico.  In spite of the ambient roar, I could hear doubt on the other end spinning like a turbine.  Intuition, however, has a way of prevailing under duress, when communication is done on an instinctual level rather than through the confusion of words and reason.

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An Unconventional Mother's Day

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An Unconventional Mother's Day

Mother’s Day for most means fresh-cut flowers and sharing a meal with family.  SurfSUP Adventures took a different approach, swapping the bouquets for streamside wildflowers and healthy serving of whitewater SUP adventure.

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Top 3 locations in Pittsburgh to try SUP for the first time!

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Top 3 locations in Pittsburgh to try SUP for the first time!

The city of three-rivers is paddleboard paradise, but a first-time paddler standing at Point State Park, the junction of the three major rivers, might feel differently. In the downtown areas, the rivers are wide with concrete borders that create turbulence that is uncomfortable for beginners. Additionally, commercial and recreational boating is a formidable challenge for peaceful, non-motorized water travel. So where can you go for a  safe,  friendly, and memorable first SUP session? Here are three options for you!

Contact

T: 724.989.7259

E: info@surfsupadventures.com

 

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