The 2016 OluKai Hoʻolauleʻa broke records at its 8th annual event with more than 515 paddlers competing and representing over 18 countries in front of a crowd close to 1,500 people.

Maui did not disappoint for day two of the 8th annual OluKai Hoʻolauleʻa three-day ocean festival with local Connor Baxter and new women’s champion Sonni Hönscheid taking home the gender equal prize purse of $15,000. The prestigious eight-mile Stand Up Paddle (SUP) race saw over 325 of the world’s elite paddlers battle it out on the famous Maliko Downwind Run on Maui’s North Shore, the highest amount of contenders in this race to date.

The 8th annual OluKai Ho’olaule’a three-day ocean festival kicks off today, Friday, April 29th, on Maui’s North Shore with the second annual ‘Demo Day,’ offering locals and visitors the opportunity to meet with the pros, gain valuable last minute race tips and an opportunity to test out the latest boards and equipment. The 2016 OluKai Ho’olaule’a is set to be the biggest yet in the event’s history bringing together around 600 of the world’s elite paddlers to race the famous Maliko Downwind Run for the largest gender equal prize purse of $15,000.

It’s been awhile since we’ve had the chance to chat with the choke stroke man himself, Mr. Connor Baxter. Connor is one of the best in the biz having won some of the biggest and most brutal races and has done so numerous times. We called up Connor just as he was arriving in North Carolina for the Carolina Cup and had a few words. Check it out…

Today kicked off the first big race of the 2016 stand up paddle race season and it was more exciting than ever. With an incredible start and lead changes throughout the majority of the race the action was intense from start to finish. In the end Tituoan Puyo and Annabel Anderson both claimed the victory for the 2016 Carolina Cup.

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina has been on everyone’s radar for some time now because of the world renowned Carolina Cup. After this year’s Hobie Salt Life Pro Am, the world’s paddle boarding community now has a legitimate reason to come a week early and watch the world’s best in the surf.

The time has come for the best stand up paddlers in the world to come together and face off yet again at the first major stand up paddle race of 2016, the Carolina Cup. Top athletes in the sport will be there including 3x women’s winner Annabel Anderson, Travis Grant, Candice Appleby, Danny Ching, Connor Baxter, Fiona Wylde and many, many more all going head-to-head aiming to conquer the grueling Graveyard Course.

For Summer 2016, Starboard Apparel continues to push Innovation Quality, producing Premium Technical Waterwear specifically for SUP, Windsurf and Surf. In doing so, they have created a collection of waterwear and lifestyle apparel to cater to your every need.

"Yes, I can confirm that I will be back in Wrightsville Beach to have another crack at the Carolina Cup," said Annabel Anderson, three-time champion in the Cup's elite and grueling 13.5-mile Graveyard Race and top woman in the world in standup paddle board.

Hailing from El Cerrito, California, Haakon Hoyer-Nielsen is rising the ranks in the stand up paddle (SUP) world in both SUP surfing and racing having become a podium regular in practically every event he attends. Haakon trains in the San Francisco Bay, has already finished his first Molokai 2 Oahu race, is a puppy raiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind, works year round as a lifeguard and consistently makes high honors as a sophomore at Saint Mary's College High School. Get to know this rising SUP star here:

Ever wonder what makes up Starboard’s carbon sandwich? Here, Starboard plays off the popular TV show Iron Chef to demonstrate how their Carbon Sandwich construction is uniquely designed and created with more high quality materials compared to other boards on the market.

When anyone hears KTA (Kiteboard Tour Asia), they think kiteboarding, which is fair enough as that is what they have been spearheading in the Asia region and sometimes further since they were founded back in 2009. But, you could never accuse the KTA of becoming routine or following the norm and it seems they have done it again with their inclusion of stand up paddle racing.