Go Paddle Event Profile: Round the Rock, Bellevue, Washington
September 17, 2016
Location
Lake Washington
Can you describe the different races and courses?
13-mile around Mercer Island on Lake Washington in addition to a 3.5-mile and kids races.
What kind of paddling settings and conditions will racers face?
Flatwater (with occasional Puget Sound winds)
What makes your event great? What will paddlers love about coming to your event?
Organized by Northwest Paddle Surfers, Round the Rock is the longest standing Stand up Paddle (SUP) event in the Pacific Northwest: every year, athletes and passionate paddlers from all over the world join together and celebrate the joy of SUP in a safe, fun, and competitive environment.Round the Rock’s feature event is a 13-mile race around majestic Mercer Island on Lake Washington, located between Seattle and Bellevue. Test your speed against some of the top paddlers in the world or simply enjoy some time on the water to scratch this race off your bucket list! Participants in the 13-mile race will be competing for $10,000 in prize money in the unique “Sweep or Weep” format in which various board length classes try to steal the purse from those on longer boards. This makes for some exciting race finishes!Paddlers interested in racing closer to land can also enjoy a special multi-lap, 3.5-mile buoyed course just off the shores of Newcastle Beach Park. Spectators are welcome to catch all the action from the shoreline or dock. For younger paddlers aged seven to 14, Kids Races are always fun, and will include one division for the serious little chargers, and another for youths who are still learning the ins and outs of SUP.
Will there be any clinics and what are the details?
Dan Gavere Ocean Racing Clinic https://roundtherockoceanracingpaddleclinic.eventbrite.com Have you done flatwater racing and are interested in taking your skills to the ocean? Are you afraid of the waves and handling a large board in surf conditions? Well then, Dan Gavere’s Introduction to Ocean Racing will give you the basic skills and information necessary to try your first ocean race and to take your ocean racing skills to the next level with confidence.
Dan will focus on beach starts and getting out safely through the waves, as well as beach landings and safely controlling a race board in the surf zone. Dan will provide instruction and demonstrations for rough water racing methods including best practices for paddling technique, board control, and footwork needed in open and rough water situations. A quick review of your personal equipment and evaluation of technique with individual critiques tailored to each participant’s skill level.
Level: Minimum of 10 hrs flat water paddling experience for this course is recommended.
Equipment: Board, paddle, pfd, leash are the minimum required items. Displacement boards recommended for aspiring racers and surf style round nose boards for the less experienced. There may be boards available to borrow onsite.
***Dan will be donating 50% of the clinic ticket cost directly to the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research***
Where can people get paddle gear like PFDs and Hydration packs?
Northwest Paddle Surfers https://northwestpaddlesurfers.com/
Are there paddleboard rentals available and if yes, where? Contact info?
Northwest Paddle Surfers https://northwestpaddlesurfers.com/ 425.366.7699
Where can people buy groceries?
http://www.visitbellevuewashington.com/
Where can people stay? Do you have a hotel you can recommend and contact info?
Several recommended options can be found on the event website here: http://roundtherock.com/event-info-old/location/lodging-options/
What great local restaurants can you recommend?
http://www.visitbellevuewashington.com/
Where is the best coffee in town?
http://www.visitbellevuewashington.com/
Does your event benefit a charity and if so, can you tell us about them?
Round the Rock racers and participants have used this positive energy to help advocate charitable causes and raise funds for people in need. This year we are proud to raise money for the Hirshberg Pancreatic Foundation: an organization that hopes to help find a cure for pancreatic cancer and offer support for pancreatic cancer patients and their families. The foundation was created by Round the Rock friend Jon Hirshberg who lost his father, Ron, to this disease. Jon has raised millions of dollars toward pancreatic cancer research, and we are proud to assist his cause! This year, fundraisers can earn free race entry and spectacular prizes for reaching certain milestones on their path to helping our charity recipient – and now it’s even easier than ever! Participants can create their own fundraising page and set their own personal goals. They will then be provided a link, which can be used in conjunction with social media and email to get friends and family to pledge their support. Help us hit $50,000 this year!
Out of all your local paddlers, are there any who just overflow with aloha or are real characters—someone who would be a good Joe or Jane Paddler? Shoot us their name and email and we’ll ask them if they’re interested.
Troy Nebeker, Renick Woods, Spenzer Lazzar, Sarah Sandstrom, Lina Augaitis, Shannon Bell
Website
https://www.facebook.com/RTRSUP
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/roundtherocksuprace
Twitter
https://twitter.com/roundtherock
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