What's Next for 2011?

Aloha Everyone,

Well 2010 is gone, but what a great year it was! An epic trip to Australia, plenty of new friends, Big Wave SUPin, a beautiful new Niece and Nephew, two BOP victories, Woman of the Year and Miss SUP...what more could a girl ask for. 2010 was truly a blast and I am so thankful for every moment of it. It's time to get ready for 2011. Here we go...

Product Development:

I am excited to announce that I have two signature SUP's in the works with Surftech. These high-performance SUP's will be produced in Surftech's new Ultraflx technology. The 8'4'' Swallow tail and 8'11 Squash tail should be available at Surftech dealers in, or around May of this year. Also in the works, are a signature fin set by FCS. This 2+1 fin set-up is designed for high-performance, fluid, loose, but controlled surfing. Look for these at authorized FCS dealers near you in May as well.

Events/Competition:

My competitive year will begin with the Buffalo Big Board Classic at Makaha. This event is one of the most exciting of the year. This two weekend long event with more than 16 disciplines is a marathon of wave riding. From Canoe surfing, to team SUP, Tandem, Bodysurfing, Bullyboarding, Alaia surfing and 250lb plus, this is truly a celebration of the Ocean lifestyle that Buffalo Keaulana has shared with family, friends and the rest of the surfing world. The 35th annual BBBSC will be held at Makaha Beach during the last two weekends of February.

After the "Buffalo", its off to Sayulitas Mexico, for a week of Longboarding, SUP surfing and Racing. Thanks to Maui Jim and the Punta Sayulitas Surf/SUP Classic, I will be enjoying a week of Mexican waves and fun with several of my Maui Jim team mates. Then it's straight from Mexico to Santa Cruz, California to check out the crew at Surftech for the SUP Shootout at The Lane. This is going to be an action packed weekend of High-Performance SUP Surfing followed by a Duel-Athalon SUP/Running race.....Then is back to Hawaii for.....

"Stand Up for the Children"

For 3-4 consecutive days between April 2nd-12th I will be Solo Paddling around the Island of Oahu. This 112+ mile circumnavigation, is the launch to my Anti-Bullying campaign "Stand Up for the Children". Being a victim of bullying myself, this topic is very close to my heart. My goal is to bring a continued awareness to the topic of bullying and also let other victims know that I care about them and believe that they are capable of accomplishing anything their heart desires. This is also a personal triumph for myself, to show the bullies of my life that they have not defeated me and that I can and will achieve great things despite their attempts to bring me down. From this I plan to reach out to children by speaking in Elementary and Junior High Schools about the overcoming bullying and perseverance. A link to my campaign website will be posted in one of my upcoming blogs. I would love for you to support my cause and follow my journey. For those of you who live on Oahu, I would love for you to finish the journey with me, by meeting me outside of Kaimana Beach and finishing the paddle with me as I end my journey at Kuhio Beach. More information on this journey will be available soon.

Thank you everyone for tuning in. I look forward to sharing this years adventures with you.

Until next time.

Aloha & God Bless,

Candice

Australia The Conclusion: Gold Coast, Malfunction, Explorations and A New Toy

Upon returning home from Oz, Ive been experiencing what I assume to be called "Bloggers Block". The problem that I am facing, is summing up an endless amount of fun and adventure into a few short paragraphs. There is no literary description that can truly capture the essence of an experience, however I will do my best.

After my stay on the Sunshine Coast, with the kind and welcoming Marsoun family, I met up with fellow Waterwoman and friend Sondra Purser. Sondra and I met last year, when she came to Hawaii to compete in the SUP division of Duke's Ocean Festival in Waikiki. From Noosa, we packed up our things and headed off to the Gold Coast, or as many locals refer to it, The Goldy. First stop was Surfers Paradise to watch the Australian Lifeguarding Championships, also known as 'Aussies'. More than 7,000 lifeguards come to Surfers Paradise each year to compete in multiple disciplines of this event. In Oz, Surf Life Saving Clubs (S.L.S.C.) are a huge part of the beach culture. There is a S.L.S.C. for just about every beach. Unfortunately, during this years Aussies, a young, up and coming Ironman competitor was accidentally hit in the head with a boat oar, knocking him unconscious. He was swept under by currents and later found by fellow lifeguards. This tragedy put a halt to all ocean events for the remainder of the competition. My heart goes out to the family and friends of this young 17 year old athlete. It is tragedies like this, that force me to step back and appreciate the life that I have been given and to respect the power of the ocean.


From Surfer's Paradise, Sondra and I continued on our Adventure through the Goldy and headed to Kingscliff for the Malfunction event. On our way we scored some epic sessions at Snapper Rock and Greenmount. It was then that I fell in love with Australia. Perfect right handers that go forever and barrel at the end...what more can a girl ask for. Oh yeah, and I almost forgot to mention the most amazing juice bar that we found in Cooly. Fresh Garden Cafe, is a very special place and they pile up the fruits. Yummy



We arrived in Kingscliff and set up camp. And what a luxurious camp site it was...not. Well, in actuality, the camp site was very nice; clean bathrooms, free warm showers and beach front. The only problem was that we forgot chairs, lights, coolers......basically we had only the essentials, a tent, an air mattress and a car full of boards. It was an adventure to say the least. The Malfunction was a blast. I competed in the Pro Longboard, SUP Surf and the SUP Race. Although I was not victorious in the Longboard or SUP surfing event, I went a few rounds and had a blast. The race went very well. I rode Shakira Westdrop's 12'6' Lahui kai, the same board that I used in the Noosa race. The race was a 5k sprint followed by a 500m run on the beach. I'm happy to report a top ten overall finish (including unlimited), 3rd Place Overall in the Open men's 12'6'' division and 1st overall for the Women's . It was a great race. Shortly after the race I joined Peter Sainsbury of Surftech Australia, a legend in his own right, to commentate the finals of the SUP surf division. I must say that the Australian Stand Up Paddle contingent is very talented. First place went to Noosa's Keahi De Aboitz, followed by Billy Watson and a few others.


A new adventure began shortly after Malfunction. For the remaining three days of the trip, Sondra and I set off to explore perfect empty line ups with World Renown surf photographer Neil Armstrong, aka Moonwalker. As I sat out in the empty line up waiting for the perfect set wave, I flashed back to my childhood dreams of being a Professional Surfer and everything I imagined it would be; surfing perfect empty waves with your friends and no one on the beach but a lone photographer to capture every moment. It was in this moment that I found myself living my greatest dream. And just to top it off, we were escorted on this exploration by current World Longboard Champion Harley Ingelby, 2006 US Open Longboard Champ Dodger Kremel, and fellow Oxbow team rider and local Oz stand out Ruben Roxburgh. It was epic to say the least.

As my Aussie adventure came to an end, Sondra and I had one more stop to make. After observing a new form of surf culture that I had never before experienced, I was inspired. As a result of this, I was propelled to immerse myself in this ocean culture by trading in my Stand Up board for an Aussie Surf Lifesaving rescue board. My first try was quite humbling, but so much fun. I can't wait to catch a Hawaiian Bomb on my new toy. Next year, when I return to Oz, I plan to compete in the Aussie Lifeguard Championships as an international competitor. I can't wait. Life is blessed.

Big Mahalo to all of the amazing people I met in Australia and to Maui Jim & Oceanminded for making this trip a great one.

Thanks again for tuning in to my adventure.

Until next time....

Aloha & God Bless,

Candice


p.s. Stay tuned for some exciting News...coming soon.

Australia So Far: The Marsoun Ohana, Noosa Race, Alaias and Cappucino

So I arrived safely to Australia after a long travel. Honolulu to LA and LA to Brisbane made it a total of 20 hours in the air.

I was picked up by Mike Marsoun, a Father of six children originally from the Big Island of Hawaii. He brought me back to the family farm in Cootharaba, about 15 minute outside of Noosa, where I am spending the first half of my stay in Oz.

The property has fruit trees, Brazilian Aserola Cherries, a horse and their very own dam which is their water source. I had a blast playing in the dam with all the Marsoun kids. Even Evangeline, the youngest of the six Marsoun children stand up paddles.

The 5K SUP sprint race was on the second day of my stay at it was a blast. Shakira Westrop, a power paddler from the Gold Coast, let me borrow her 12'6'' Lehui Kai race board. The race started out rough, as I got pounded by a couple set waves which set me back quite a bit. It would have probably helped to try the board out before the race, but I had to learn the hard way. By the time I got outside the surf line, the first and second place paddlers were already rounding the second buoy. There were about five other gals ahead of me too, but I didn't come this far to lose because of a bad start. So i put my head down, started to pray and just paddled! By the time I rounded the last buoy, about half a mile from the finish, I had caught up to the 2nd place paddler. As I came closer to the finish line and right outside the surf line, the 1st place paddler was getting closer and closer, so i turned around to time the set just right. Wouldn't you know that I was blessed with a perfect wave that I rode all the way to shore, beached my race board and sprinted to the finished line to take first place. This was my best comeback race yet. Thank you Jesus. Maui's own Zane Schweitzer also took first in the youth division.

After the race the Noosa boys went out for an Alaia expression session. Zane borrowed a board from the infamous Tom Wegener to join the boys in the line up. It was fun to watch.

The points of Noosa are beautiful and the waves go forever. I'm having the time of my life and I've only been here three days. I'm surfing my brains out, making new friends and enjoying being aunty to six really awesome Christian children. Oh, and I have to mention that the coffee her is the bomb. Best Cappuccino ever!

Thanks for checking in. Until next time.

G'day and God Bless.

Packing for Australia: Bikinis, Shades and Slippers!

I'm so excited...one more day until I depart for Australia. Since this is my first time leaving the country (except Mexico), you can understand why I am so ecstatic. During my 20 day adventure 'down under', I will be exploring the Gold Coast, from Noosa Heads to Byron bay. While in Noosa, I will be staying with the Marsoun family, who is originally from the Big Island of Hawaii. They have so graciously opened their home to me and I am grateful. In Noosa I will be competing at the Noosa Festival of Surfing in the Pro SUP surf, ASP Longboard, and SUP race divisions. After the Noosa festival I will be heading down to Kingscliff with my Aussie friend Sondra to compete in the Malfunction event. I'll make sure to document my adventures and share them with along the way.

I also want to give a special thanks to my sponsors who made it all happen; Maui Jim Polarized Sunglasses, Oceanminded Sandals, Pualani Hawaii swimwear and Chicago Surf Shop. The images shown are a few of my favorite items that I have packed for my trip.

Oceanminded Gear Featured:
The new Image Meilani Sandal (left), is the Bethany Hamilton signature sandal from Oceanminded that is made out of mostly recycled Croslite material and plastic bottles. The Cheyna sandal(right), is a stylish low-profile design, with recycled foam outsole, premium leather straps and a printed bamboo logo badge.

Maui Jim Gear Featured:
Right: Banyans with Rose signature lenses. I love these for training because they are light weight, don't fog up, and the lenses are amazing. Left: Peahi in black with mirrored lenses. These are my everyday shades that I wear at the beach and around the town. They have great coverage and the mirrored lenses are great for checking out hot guys on the beach...haha. Center: Black Rock in bronze. These are the stunna shades. Light weight metal frames with beautiful colored lenses adds fashion to any ensemble.

Pualani Swimear Featured:
Left: Solid Fuscia Fitness Top with Paloma Pink Fitness Shorty. This is the ultimate stand up paddle fitness outfit. Weither you're paddling across the Molokai Channel, cruising in flat water or heading of to yoga, this outfit can do it all! This hot number is made with 4-way stretch European fabric, which it FABULOUS! Right: The new "Pez" print Slide-Tri Top with Skimpy-Double Tie Bottom. This bikini screams Fun!!!...and it stays on great in the water; bodysurf, canoe surf, stand up paddle, shortboard you name it, this suit won't bunge!

Thanks for checking in....until next time.

G'day Mates.

Stand Up World Tour Event #1

The first event of the Stand Up World Tour, by the Waterman League, was a big success at Sunset beach. The Sunset Beach Pro presented by Red Nose, saw a variety of conditions. Day one was pretty close to perfect with an 8-10ft (Hawaiian) WNW swell and light/variable winds. Day two, or "Big Wednesday" as everyone called it, was just that, BIG!!! The conditions were so extreme, that some of Hawaii's most elite watermen had to take oxygen. After three heats, officials decided to call the event for the day to allow the athletes better conditions to perform their skill. Day three, the final day of the event, was 6-8ft with occasional 10ft sets and slightly bumpy. At the end of the day, it was 17 year old Kai Lenny from Maui who would be crowned the victor. It was an honor to be a part of this event; competing, commentating and cheering my friends on was so much fun. The next event of the Stand Up World Tour will be Anglet, France followed by Teahupoo and then Ocean Beach, California. I hope you guys enjoy these videos of the event. Click on the links:
Day 1: Trials
http://watermanleague.com/index.php?option=com_seyret&task=videodirectlink&Itemid=4&id=56
Day 2: Main Event
http://watermanleague.com/index.php?option=com_seyret&task=videodirectlink&Itemid=4&id=57
Day 3: Final Day
http://watermanleague.com/index.php?option=com_seyret&task=videodirectlink&Itemid=4&id=58

MRSA/Staph Infection: Don't let it happen to you!

As I mentioned in my previous blog, I was out of the water for several weeks due to a nasty staph infection in the form or MRSA. You may be thinking I got this from a reef cut of some sort, but I think I was exposed to this bacteria in the gym. What started out as a small ingrown hair, turned into a gaping hole on my arm. The pain from this infection was so excruciating that I was had to take strong pain medication just to get through the day and night. I was also prescribed a series of heavy antibiotics to treat the infection itself.



The Mayo Clinic defines MRSA:

"MRSA infection is caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria — often called "staph." MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It's a strain of staph that's resistant to the broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat it. MRSA can be fatal."
for more information on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and provention of MRSA click the link below: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mrsa/DS00735

Back in the Water

So I was out of the water for about three weeks due to a gnarly staph infection on my arm. Last week I was finally able to get back in the water just a few days before the first official event of Stand Up World Tour. The waves weren't great, but it felt so good to get my gills wet. Check out this quick clip to see what happened. Also, stay tuned for my next blog "Staph/MRSA Infection, Don't Let it Happen to You".