Favorite F-One Gear:
- Madeiro 8’3 + Peak paddle
- Race 12.6 + Peak paddle
- Pro race 12’6 x 26″ + Battle paddle
Ideal SUP Conditions:
Sunny blue skies, glassy water, 6 foot waves and being on a SUP board and wearing just board shorts. Also, I really enjoy going on epic rides with stormy weather conditions. I don’t care about the wind, the rain and crazy swell. I use the 12.6 Race and usually go with my friend Tony for 3 hours. We surf the waves that break on the outside of Steamer Lane. It’s a guaranteed adrenaline rush, believe me. 🙂
Favorite Riding Spots
I’m so lucky to live in Santa Cruz. There are tons of good spots and they are all my favorite.
Future Spots to Visit: Bali, Indonesia
Favorite Move
-Fast bottom turn on the 12.6 Race
Goals: A smooth 360 degree on the Anakao with perfect control.
Riding Tip: Always smile when you go out for a paddle ride.
Favorite SUP Moment:
Last fall I had an amazing session. I was out paddling by myself about a half mile from the harbor and a couple whales showed up right next to me. They were between 30 to 50 feet away from my board. While the whales were hunting and chasing sardines, all of a sudden pelicans, dolphins and sea lions showed up…it was intense. The other wildlife were going crazy over tons of sardines in the area while I was simply paddling and being out there on my board in the middle of this unique wild life moment that will stay forever in my memory…
How did you get into SUP?
The first time was with my girlfriend who took me on a SUP. It was at Coeur d’Alene Idaho on a big lake that we wanted to explore. We rented boards and had lots of fun. When we came back from the trip, we went to watch an SUP race in Santa Cruz called the Cold Water Classic. Watching them race reminded me a lot of when I started racing mountain bikes and that weekend made me want to get a board. A couple weeks later I was getting my first board then one month later a shorter board for surfing… I was hooked right away.
How do you give back? This month I went to Morro Bay with F-One for an SUP demo day. I spent time introducing and teaching beginners how to SUP for the first time.
Other hobbies: Mountain and road biking, going on trips on my motorcycle, Bikram yoga and cooking
