It’s a beach bash to celebrate the California coastal lifestyle.
Pier 360 at the Santa Monica Pier brought a buffet of beach fun under the sun over the weekend, a summer kickoff festival that put a spotlight on the sand and sea.
New this year was the first stop for the Association of Paddlesurf Professionals tour, the U.S. Open of SUP that drew some of the best stand-up paddlers from around the world to compete.
Stand-up paddleboarding got its start about two decades ago and for years, the big major competitions took place at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point and Huntington Beach before moving to New York, said Tristan Boxford, CEO of the APP World Tour.
John Clark, right, president of Tandm Surf, videos contestants in the Tandm surf contest at the Santa Monica Pier, Sunday, June 26, 2022. Stand up paddlers competed in the APP World Championship Tour. The beach festival included SUP yoga and lessons on how to do the growing sport. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Robert Howson and his daughter Jade Howson strike a pose on their way to winning the Tandm surf contest at the Santa Monica Pier, Sunday, June 26, 2022. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Second-place finisher Bodie von Allmen, 15, of Oregon, runs to the finish line in the stand up paddlers contest at the Santa Monica Pier, Sunday, June 26, 2022. Contestants started in Malibu and finished at the Santa Monica Pier in the APP World Championship Tour. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Cruz Tester, left, of Silverado, and Rosanne McConnell, of Delaware get ready to compete in the Tandm surf contest at the Santa Monica Pier, Sunday, June 26, 2022. Stand up paddlers competed in the APP World Championship Tour. The beach festival included SUP yoga and lessons on how to do the growing sport. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Itzel Delgado, of Peru, rides a wave while winning the stand up paddlers contest at the Santa Monica Pier, Sunday, June 26, 2022. Contestants started in Malibu and finished at the Santa Monica Pier in the APP World Championship Tour. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Steven Sinkus paddles into the surf while winning the Outrigger contest at the Santa Monica Pier, Sunday, June 26, 2022. Contestants started in Malibu and finished at the Santa Monica Pier in the APP World Championship Tour. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Cristina Chan and Timothy Murphy compete in the Tandm surf contest at the Santa Monica Pier, Sunday, June 26, 2022. Stand up paddlers competed in the APP World Championship Tour. The beach festival included SUP yoga and lessons on how to do the growing sport. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Ari Oberman high fives his son Elias Oberman after competing in the Tandm surf contest at the Santa Monica Pier, Sunday, June 26, 2022. Stand up paddlers competed in the APP World Championship Tour. The beach festival included SUP yoga and lessons on how to do the growing sport. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Itzel Delgado, of Peru, runs to the finish line to win the stand up paddlers contest at the Santa Monica Pier, Sunday, June 26, 2022. Contestants started in Malibu and finished at the Santa Monica Pier in the APP World Championship Tour. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Stand up paddlers approach the finish of the APP World Championship Tour at the Santa Monica Pier after starting in Malibu, Sunday, June 26, 2022. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Itzel Delgado, of Peru, paddles while winning the stand up paddlers contest at the Santa Monica Pier, Sunday, June 26, 2022. Contestants started in Malibu and finished at the Santa Monica Pier in the APP World Championship Tour. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
People practice stand up paddling at the Santa Monica Pier, Sunday, June 26, 2022. Stand up paddlers competed in the APP World Championship Tour. The beach festival included SUP yoga and lessons on how to do the growing sport. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
But after a two-year break from competitions due to the pandemic, they decided to bring the competition back to California, this time to the Santa Monica Pier. And with the Olympics coming to Los Angeles in 2028, and hopes that SUP will be included in the games, Boxford said it was a chance to showcase the sport for spectators.
“We also want to reignite the passion around the sport in California,” he said. “There’s kind of a void at the moment and we wanted to fill that void. We upgraded what we were doing, creating the full festival and opportunity for everyone to participate.”
The SUP showcase not only brought the top serious competitors to battle for $25,000 in prize money and valuable points in ratings that to go toward the world championships later this year, but there were also ways for novices to get involved.
A makeshift pool was built on the pier, a place beginners could get their feet wet trying the sport. It is also where SUP Yoga clinics were held through the weekend.
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“The best thing about this sport is there truly is something for everyone,” Boxford said. “It’s really such an inclusive sport. There’s really an access point for anyone. This weekend is a great demonstration of that.”
Paddleboarding surged during the pandemic like many outdoor activities, with people taking the boards to rivers, lakes and oceans around the world. There’s an estimated 64 million paddlers around the globe, especially as new innovations like inflatable boards have become more available, Boxford said.
A series of sprints were held through the weekend, but the big race was a pier-to-pier distance race from Malibu to Santa Monica, a 10-mile ocean trek.
There were several other offerings throughout the festival, everything from a Ninja Nation Obstacle Course to a pop-up roller rink and a beer garden. There were also several lifeguard races through the event.
“The origin of this event is celebrating ocean culture here in Santa Monica and for the lifeguards and water people to come together,” Boxford said.
