WPA Championship Elite race - Qualifying not required to enter

by World Paddle Association on 23 Aug 2014 The World Paddle Association (WPA), in conjunction with the St. Petersburg-Clearwater Florida Sports Commission and WPA sponsors Naked Turtle Rum, Salt Life Apparel and Hennessey’s Tavern Inc., are proud to announce that the 2014 WPA Championship Elite race will not require qualifying to enter. The WPA Championships, to be held at the Sirata Beach Resort in St. Petersburg, Florida on October 24, 25 and 26, 2014, will have open entry for all competitors in all races, however each competitor should decide which race with best suit their ability.

In past years the WPA has required competitors that wanted to enter in the stand up paddle elite race of the championship to qualify with points from the Salt Life National Race series and selected events.

'Most of the top competitors compete in the Salt Life National races,' Byron Kurt, President and Co-founder of the World Paddle Association, said. 'With bonus money awarded to the top male and female combined point's leaders of the Salt Life National races and the WPA Championship, this gives more incentive to compete in Salt Life National races and to build participation.'

Salt Life will be giving a $5000 bonus to the top Men's point's leader and $3000 to the top Female point's leader. The Salt Life Cup (announced April 4, 2014) is an accumulation of points from all Salt Life National Races (WPA) in the long course and the WPA Championships. All WPA National races carry double points (2,000 to first) from regional WPA races and the WPA Championships is double of the National races (4,000 to first). The total points breakdown is listed in the WPA SUP Racing Rulebook.

The WPA Championships will include the following races and board divisions, 3-4 mile Open race, (Saturday), one and two mile Kids SUP races (Saturday), 5-6 mile SUP/Paddleboard Championship technical race (Saturday), 8-9 mile Distance race (Sunday), Six-Person Outrigger race (Sunday) and Open/Pro Relay races (Sunday). All races except for the Kids race and Technical race will be open to SUP, Paddleboard, OC1/OC2 and Surf Ski. A full race schedule with travel and hotel discounts will be announced along with registration by the end of August. All race distances, times and days are tentative and subject to change given weather and conditions. Registration will be available through PaddleGuru.

Clinics with the top athletes and sponsors will be run on Friday, October 24, 2014 and then championship races on Saturday, October 25th and Sunday, October 26th. Demos will be available all three days of the championship from 9am to 4pm.

For more information on Exhibitor Space, Sponsorship Opportunities and Media Relations please contact Kristin Artz, WPA Public Relations: WPA website