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| Eric Abbott- Molokai Channel |
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| Joel Mason- 2010 Molokai Channel |
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| Joel Mason |
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| Joel |
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| Photo: www.standupworldtour.com |
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| Round 1 |
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| Round 3 |
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| Quarter Finals |
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| Semi Final |
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| Finals |
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| Eric Abbott 2010 Stock Molokai Champion 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! |
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Contact:
Keoni Watson
Vertra’s Paddlesports Marketing
Team Vertra takes 2 of 3 paddleboard divisions - Abbott, Duncan-Seraphin win “Molokai”
Honolulu, Hi (August, 4th 2010) Hawaiian paddlers Eric Abbott and Kanesa Duncan-Seraphin dominated their respective divisions at the Molokai 2 Oahu paddleboard race last weekend. The 32-mile course across the Kaiwi Channel is considered the World Championships of paddleboarding and two of Hawaii’s finest came up big against the international field.
After winning the Soljah-Primo Challenge, the 17 mile Cline Mann Memorial race, and the Maui International in the weeks leading up to Molokai, Eric was definitely the favorite to win the stock (12 foot, no rudder) division in Molokai. The field was definitely stacked with Shane Scoggins entered, who ran the table in California this year, but it just was tough to bet against Abbott. He came through despite all the pressure and not only smashed the next stock paddler by 9 minutes, turned in one of the best times in the race’s history. “It’s a great honor to keep the stock crown in Hawaii,” Eric commented after the race. “This race encompasses a lot of tradition, and to have my name next to guys like Cote, Watson, Pere and Monahan is truly an honor.”
The solo stock class is about as burly as it gets - ask a cross section of paddlers from all racing disciplines and you will hear this listed as the most demanding way to cross this channel. Although stockers don’t garner the fanfare, the paddlers know the Molokai Stock is one of the most coveted titles this sport has to offer.
Every year, the question surrounding Kanesa is not only if she will win the women’s division, but also how much of the men’s field she is going to take down in the process. This year was no different as she delivered her 8th title and finished in front of a good deal of the men and even 2 man teams. “We are so proud of Kanesa” – Vertra President Bobby Higa said at the finish, “every year we hear her name called as she paddles the final stretch and it is just unbelievable when you think of what big names haven’t come in yet. She is truly an inspiration to women in all aspects of water sports”.
In addition to the two paddleboard titles, Vertra athletes accounted for half of the top 8 in the unlimited paddleboard class including a 2nd place overall by Singapore’s Jackson English and 4th place by Mikey Cote. It was the Australia-born Jackson’s 2nd runner up finish in 3 years and Mikey shocked the field as the first Hawaiian finisher in the unlimited division after winning stock the previous 2 years. “I had an interesting year getting equipment dialed in and making the adjustment to the stroke on the longer board” Mikey admitted. “I left it all out in the channel today and I’m ecstatic It all came together in the most important race of the year”.
There were also some incredible performances by Vertra athletes in the Stand Up Paddle (SUP) division as well. Hawaii’s Scott Gamble finished with a podium spot at 3rd and turned in the 4th fastest time overall Sunday.
But probably the most inspirational performance of the day was from 12 year old Riggs Napoleon who earned the distinction of being the youngest person to ever paddle any craft across the Kaiwi channel. “What Riggs did today was truly shocking, but when you think about his grandfather Nappy’s 53 consecutive crossings in the Molokai 6 man canoe race, and his dad Aaron’s staggering body of work he has compiled on all types of watercraft, you realize that this kid has a unique set of genes and that we are going to be hearing his name for a long time” said Vertra’s Marketing Director Keoni Watson
For any additional information regarding Vertra Sunscreen, dealer locations or the Vertra Paddlesports team, Contact: Eric Abbot at: wailupeabbott@gmail.com. Or visit us on facebook at www.facebook.com/vertrapaddlesports
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Contact:
Keoni Watson
Eric Abbott
wailupeabbott@gmail.com
Vertra’s Paddlesports Marketing
Lauren Bartlett is back in the Kaiwi Channel…Again!
Honolulu Hi, May 13th, 2010- The 34th annual Molokai to Oahu surfski channel crossing is set for this Sunday, May 16th. The history of this channel dates back to one paddler crossing the channel in 1976, to over a hundred competitors in the 2009 EPIC championships. Vertra Sunscreen’s Lauren Bartlett one of the most decorated Hawaiian paddlers, is back in the channel again for this years crossing paddling on an EPIC V10L surfski.
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Contact:
Keoni Watson
Eric Abbott
(808) 551-9890
Vertra’s Paddlesports Marketing
Clean Sweep by Team Vertra Sunscreen
Danny Ching made outrigger canoe history, becoming the first non-Hawaii born paddler to win the prestigious Molokai to Oahu world championships in one-man outrigger canoes. “It’s a great feeling of accomplishment,” Ching added. Ching is the success story, which embodies hard work and paying you dues. Ching who placed 2nd in 2009 and 3rd in 2008 has been working his way up the leader board year after year. This year he broke though and captured his first world title. The battle across the channel was not easily won however. From the moment he took an early lead, Ching knew he had three of Hawaii's best bearing down on him. “I just put my head down, and paddled like I know how to,” Ching commented. Even with the best training, successfully navigating Sunday's wild channel conditions proved to be a separate battle in itself, making this a truly impressive victory.
Lauren Bartlett who is no stranger to the Kaiwi channel, had the paddling race of her life. She won in a decisive fashion finishing the race in just over 4 hours and 13 minutes, completely smashing her old world record she set two years ago by more than seven minutes, and which was a full 10 minutes ahead of the next female competitor. The strong winds made for a fun crossing, but as Bartlett noted, “even with wind, it is still tough out there.” This was Bartlett’s 4th World Championship in a row and brings her total now to an astounding seven just in OC1 competition. "There really never was a question of if she would win, Dolan says, the question was how many of the male competitors she would take out this year" She was paddling her new Kai Wa’a Pegasus one-man canoe Sunday, but will go for her 2nd title on a surfski later next month in the Epic World Surfski Championships.
Although the one-man world championships have taken place, the next few weekends hold major paddling events in the Hawaiian Islands. Vertra’s athletes will be represented in the Maui to Molokai Channel race on April 25th, the Kauai Challenge Relay on May 1, the Molokai to Oahu OC1 Relay on May 8th, and the EPIC Surfski Molokai to Oahu world challenge on May 22nd.
For any additional information regarding Vertra Sunscreen, dealer locations or the Vertra Paddlesports team, Contact: Eric Abbot at: wailupeabbott@gmail.com. Or visit us on facebook at www.facebook.com/vertrapaddlesports
::FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE::
Contact:
Keoni Watson
Eric Abbott
Vertra’s Paddlesports Marketing
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 18th. 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 2nd 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.
