Team Vertra gears up for the Kaiwi Channel World Championships.

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Contact:

Keoni Watson

Eric Abbott

Vertra’s Paddlesports Marketing

www.vertra.com

Team Vertra gears up for the Kaiwi Channel World Championships.

Honolulu, Hawaii (April 14, 2010) The 2010 PA’A Steinlager Molokai to Oahu Kaiwi channel race is set for this Sunday, April 18^th. This race is considered the World Championships of single (OC1) and double (OC2) outrigger paddling. Athletes will navigate the thirty-two mile open-ocean course starting at Kaluakoi on Molokai, and ending in Moanalua Bay on Oahu. The top paddlers from around the globe will be represented in this year’s championship. Among these elite athletes are Vertra Sunscreen’s own Lauren Bartlett and Danny Ching.

The reigning Molokai to Oahu women’s champion Lauren Bartlett, will be back again this year to challenge herself in the channel as well as defend her title, paddling her Kai Wa’a Pegasus OC1. Bartlett is the current record holder and is no stranger to the unpredictable nature of the Kaiwi Channel. Bartlett mentioned, “It’s the channel, just have fun!.” Whether the channel pushes six to eight-foot swells like back in 2006, or is flat like in 2009, Lauren is seemingly unbeatable in any condition. “Surf is always better, it is why we paddle” Bartlett added.Bartlett’s resume speaks for itself, as she has crossed and won, paddling almost every type of watercraft possible in the Kaiwi Channel. From paddleboards to outrigger canoes, Barlett is truly an amazing waterwomen.

California’s Danny Ching will be back again this year looking for his first PA’A win. After winning the EPIC Solo in 2008, and placing 2^nd in the PA’A solo in 2009, Ching is anxious to get back into the channel this year. Ching commented, “surprisingly I feel much faster this year. I am hopeful that my years of base training will help me sustain the kind of effort needed for 32 miles.” He spent most of the winter paddling season in California training and racing on the unlimited Standup Paddleboards, winning the distance race at the 2009 Battle of the Paddle in Doheny, California. “My training has been a little different than usual this year,” Ching explained. In past years Ching has commuted back and forth from California to the islands in order to race and prepare out in Hawaii. The Kaiwi channel pushes athletes to the breaking point; for Ching, he is anxious to get out there and test himself on his new Kamanu Composites Pueo OC1.

The conditions are looking favorable for this year’s channel crossing, with predicted fifteen to twenty mile an hour northeast winds. After last years glassy race, both Lauren and Danny are looking forward to getting back into a good downwind channel. The top athletes will be rounding China walls and heading into Moanalua Bay in less than four hours.

For any additional information regarding Vertra Sunscreen, dealer locations or the Vertra Paddlesports team, Contact: Keoni Watson or Eric Abbot at: wailupeabbott@gmail.com. Or visit us on facebook at www.facebook.com/vertrapaddlesports

Vertra Sunscreen embodies the characteristics of being a quality, innovative and stylish product. Our superior line of sun resistant products carries the full endorsement of the Hawaii Lifeguard Association in addition to all our products bare the Skin Caner Foundation Official Seal of Recommendation. We have developed, formulated, and manufactured a product with superior ingredients in a designer quality fashion…we would not settle for anything less!