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Wind Surfing news via the Ventana View

     FYI, This will be occurring in La Ventana Nov. 7-15 for any athletes that want to participate. We will be shooting a lot of photos and pictures:
     WHERE: A small group of Seattle athletes, with help from water athletes around the world, will be making, initially, 3 "rounds" of SUP down winding "surveys." The first round, plane tickets booked, takes us to La Ventana, Baja CA, Puerto Soley and Lake Arenal, Costa Rica and Cape Town, South Africa. These trips occur, each about 7-14 days, in November, December and January respectively. The subsequent two round include the Maliko Run, Maui, Hood River, San Fransico, Wellington New Zealand, Tarifa, Spain and probably 2-4 other locales we are considering with the goal of finding the top 10.
     HOW: The sites have been researched using science, empirical data and social networks. Having done the Maliko and Hood River courses dozens of times, we looked for similar geographical, climatic and social settings using, believe it or not, the best kite boarding shops in the world. These seemed to be where the true "watermen," with concern for the wind and water, were congregating. Runs had to be in season (windy > a steady 15 knots per hour), consistent, logistically doable, safe and yet still challenging and adventurous. In most cases, either kitesurfers or SUP enthusiasts have tried or completed the courses we are suggesting. Weather pattern research was a big part of the search, but, obviously, we have trusted athletes more than the Internet!
     On the trips, we will collect route information, start/stop locations, board logistics, safety logistics (if a safety boat is needed) and, very importantly, lodging and social information. Our "list" will be very adventurous, but, like Hood River and Maliko, also very socially warm and entertaining. We are not interested in locations that have no community or water "scene."
     WHAT: The information will be collected and used for distribution on a website, 3 sources of social media, magazine stories and potentially a graphical, as opposed to literal, book. We expect a book to be the least relevant of the 4 mentioned here, as we will update our website and social media 5-8 times per week with photo, video and informational content. The idea is to become THE source for downwind (and to some extent SUP adventure) information. Coming from a mountaineering background, our goal is to create the "7 SUMMITS" for downinding, the way Everest, Aconcagua and Kilamanjaro are now all amongst the largest adventure travel locales in the world.
    MAGAZINES: Yes, their will be magazine stories. I am/was a professional writer while working in the MLB and NBA early in my professional career.
     MEDIA: Yes, the website has been purchased. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, RSS and any social media that become highly relevant soon will be used in conjunction with the site. We expect Facebook to be a primary source of reader traffic. We have hired a creative director (logo and colors), web designer and programmer. As we travel the world, I wanted a safe reliable group of state-side teammates to keep the public side of the trip going; this will not be "several surfers" blogging when we aren't surfing. This is a dedicated and educated marketing campaign to popularize the trip.
     PHOTOS/VIDEO: The other key traveller committed to the trip, Dustin Sousley, is a novice photographer and videographer. He is unarguably one of the top 3 SUP athletes in the Pacific Northwest, including Canada, having just picked up SUP this may after spring boarding as a Jr. Olympian and internationally ranked sprint canoeist.
      TEAM: There are 2 people committed to every trip, with 4 others that will make the legs they can. There is a graphic designer, and web programmer/developer, as mentioned, as a part of the team in Seattle. Local professionals, kite surfers and SUP athletes, will be used the way we have used specialist in Maliko and Hood River to find the best, safest and most consistent routes.
     WHY: Both primary athletes, myself and Dustin, are dedicated SUP athletes who have been planning this trip for this "break" in our normal lives; Dustin from school, me from a very dedicated real estate career and CrossFit Gym ownership. We will (in this order), inspire fun, smiling and adventure, add to the growth of SUP in a tangible way and continue to train with the best in the world. The trip will have a benevolent/charity arm, at this point undecided. The trip is primarily sponsored by us with local businesses and associates helping out; we are putting a lot of skin in the game!
     At the end of the day, we want to inspire the way our heroes have inspired us to adventure, play and train. Matt Parker 206.226.8323