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.

Red Paddle Co. is known for their quality inflatable stand up paddle boards and they continue to develop products that are not only beautiful but also well put together. Red Paddle Co has recently just announced a new technology and material they have started to use in their boards called MSL Technology.

The proven design/development team of Brian Szymanski and John Becker joined Lahui Kai in May of 2014 and have never looked back. Annabel Anderson, the #1 Pro woman paddler in the world, who worked closely with Brian and John in the past, came onboard in 2015. In the world of SUP design, there must be a strong passion for design, development, and testing to get to the next better shape.

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.

In just over a month's time, the Waterman League and World's best Stand Up Paddle racers will return to the beautiful Kanagawa Prefecture of Japan for the Opening event of the 2016 World Series, the Victoria Cup to be held at Zushi Beach, by Hayama Harbor.

So many people come see the Werner Paddles crew at stand up paddle races and ask, what's up with the Werner Paddles Grand Prix bent race paddle? But even with interest due to its strange look, you hardly ever see any on the water...so what's up with that? Here, Werner Paddles gives us a look at the story behind it.

News just broke that one of the most popular stand up paddle races of the year in North America, the Race the Lake of the Sky has been cancelled for 2016 and postponed until 2017 to run its 5th annual event. See the official press release from event organizers below.

Clean water is worth standing up for. On April 16, nearly 300 clean water supporters demonstrate their enthusiasm for one of our most important resources while enjoying a fun filled standup paddle board race and celebration — Stand Up for Clean Water. 2016 guests include Robert F. Kennedy, Anthony Vela, Aidan Gallagher, Erika Benitez and more!

After years of preparation and training, Frenchman Nicolas Jarossay was set to take to the water and attempt to be the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean, solo and unsupported, on a stand up paddle board. On April 10, 2016, Jarossay set off on his expedition in favorable weather and conditions but unfortunately, and for reasons still unknown, a broken rudder system caused Jarossay’s vessel to capsize forcing him to enable his distress beacon only 24 hours after launch.

"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.

For expert paddlers or those looking to dip their paddle in the water for the first time, the sixth annual Northwest Paddling Festival is THE place to be to get started for a summer on the water. Held at Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah, Friday May 6 and Saturday May 7, the festival is the largest event of its kind in the Pacific Northwest.

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: