Cocktails and Canoes

We were able to get Joseph Gapuz and Huy Do on the podcast together, and they did not disappoint! Both were Cal Berkeley graduates, and their paddling careers took off during college. It started with Dragonboat paddling as we've heard so many times before, but now has also dabbled in the V1 game. And by dabbled - we mean jumped in ama first doing downwind runs up and down the coast and competing in the NAC Va'a California V1 Series for the past two years. We were stoked to have them! Support the show

First off - NAC Va'a California Race #3 is on SATURDAY. Second - we had the great opportunity to hang out and get to know Jay Wild on a totally new level. He's a professional athlete, professional businessman, and professional DAD! Learn more about the Lake Tahoe Waterman Lifestyle and what has been evolving from the Mecca of Flatwater Standup Paddling to a very competitive outrigger canoe paddling community. If you've been dragging kelp thinking about coming to the Puakea Designs Wild Buffalo Relay in April - come out for the short course! Race and then stay for the Cocktails and Canoes Short Course afterparty on Saturday and play along with Buffalo Bingo! To Learn more about Tahoe Waterman visit: https://watermanslanding.com/ Support the show

I mean WHO KNEW we'd back it this far. In a new studio with some new vibes and some new sound effects. We promise we'll lose the sound effects. Support the show

The last of the Puakea Designs Wild Buffalo Relay 2023 Live Panel! Support the show

NAC Va'a California hit the jackpot with a storm intermission, allowing them to surf through their second race in Marina Del Rey this weekend! We're catching up with Angie Dolan, a born and raised Hawaii paddler, to see if her toes had finally defrosted from last weekend's colder waters. Support the show

It's 2024. We've had a month off, and we're ready to jump back in. Here. We. GO. Support the show

NAC Va'a California Race #1 was just finished and what a killer turnout! A whole gaggle of Canadians came down to put their V1 paddling to the test in SoCal and we get to hear from Tony Hodanic on how his race went! He fills us in on Judsons not-so-awesome start and his own photo finish. We also hear a little bit of his background in paddling and how we got started with his highschool Dragon Boat Team. We look forward to seeing this crew and more at the next V1 race! Support the show

Chef Isaac Bancaco in THE HOUSE! This guest does it all. Paddler. Fisherman. Artist. Hustler. From reality TV shows to 5+ star restaurants all over the country - Isaac has cooked up a lot of success in the culinary industry, and just wait to hear what he wants to nail next! Don't stress - he also paddles, a downwind junkie if you will, and just got back from the highly coveted ADR race. Where Will ditched him in a restaurant. Rookie. Isaac Bancaco Support the show

Hawaiki Nui is Will's favorite topic. Ever. In the history of ever. Tupu King joins us on this episode to go into the day-by-day recap of the three-day Hawaiki Nui Race. Tupu raced with our brothers from Ka Lahui Kai, and once again, they had a solid performance down in Tahiti. We extend our heartfelt condolences, love, and support to the family, friends, and community of Kevin Kouider. A true legend in the sport of outrigger canoe paddling, we feel blessed to have had the opportunity to meet him during his visits to California for Va'a California and Catalina, even if it was only a few times. Ride in Peace. Kevin Kouider Tribute Stage 1 Video ReCap Stage 2 Video ReCap Stage 3 Video ReCap Support the show

We FINALLY got the man behind CALI PADDLER on the microphone! It was great to catch up with a longtime friend and learn more about his journey and how he ended up with Cali Paddler! Clarke Graves has done a lot for the paddling community, and we were stoked to chat with him! Float Plan: https://www.calipaddler.com/pages/paddler-resources Support the show

The episode you've all been waiting for. Hopefully...There's a lot to unpack here. Another collaboration with the BROADCAST BRADDAHS! Just know that by the time you finish listening to this, Jane Crayton will already have completed a half marathon. We dive into the Catalina Crossing, starting by picking one word we thought described our experiences. Listen. It tracks. Five callers on the episode? That's a full house! It was quite a lively discussion. Every good podcast needs a little humor, even if it's at Judson's expense. We confront Miles on his poor paddling choices. Sometimes, we all make questionable decisions, right? Johnny dives into the technique of shell va'a with Will. We listened to Kala'i and Justin's bromance grow - it was like listening to a rom-com on air. And then we hang up on Kekoa because Kelly wants to go to sleep. Like we said, a lot to unpack. Warning: Explicit Language. Support the show

WE ARE STILL HERE. After a few weeks off after living life fast and hard - we're here to bring back that cocktails and canoes excitement and kick off the So Cal Ocean Racing. Will gets down to the nitty-gritty and asks the hard-hitting questions, and we talk about the upcoming races in 2023. Support the show

This episode goes out to Jane Crayton. The story of Pirate Bruce on Avalon, Catalina during the Catalina Crossing. The full Catalina Recap is still in the cutting room. Support the show

OH CANADA. It's clear that Leanne Stanley and Cheryl Skribe's journey to winning the Masters Women's 40s division for Team Canada at the IVF World Distance Championships in Samoa is an inspiring one. Their success stems from a combination of dedication, hard work, and strategic decision-making The stories that they share are stories of champions. From start to finish - how they went through the selection process, how they trained, and the intense race decisions they made on the course! Will could talk about overlap for hours...apparently. We were stoked to have them on! Support the show

We are not over Samoa yet! World Distance Championships Open Women winners Grace and Mo join us for a fun episode. They were the power duo in seats 1 & 2 for Team USA! We were stoked to hear about their road to victory and all the training that led up to that race. In this episode, we explore the ups and downs of race day, as the team tackled challenging conditions and had to keep a sharp mental focus throughout the course. But for real, nothing beats that finish line feeling! This episode was brought to you with support from ALOHA Collection Support the show

The Hawaii Open Men's team had an impressive victory at the IVF World Distance Championships! Winning a race after overcoming multiple hurdles and challenges is definitely an accomplishment worth celebrating. Avan Becerra played a crucial role in their success, and it's great to hear his side of the race. He recaps the race and dives into the behind-the-scenes details that we had no idea about. The World Distance Championships in the International Va'a Federation (IVF) is a prestigious event in the world of outrigger canoe racing. Congratulations to the Hawaii Open Men's team on their outstanding achievement, and kudos to Avan Beccerra for steering them to victory. Their success inspires athletes and fans alike, highlighting the rewards that come from hard work and a shared goal. Support the show

Our on-the-ground correspondence, Taylor Mar, joins us to check in on how all the sprint racing has been going at the 2023 IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Thailand. They're on Day 2...or was it Day 3? We can't keep track because these dragon boats are doing circles around us. Shout out to the USA U18 team for being World Champions in the 1000m! Confirmed: not on a track. Live Streams: https://www.facebook.com/dragonboat2019TH This episode is supported by HEALTH-ADE Transport your tastebuds to the tropics with the sunshine-in-a-bottle kombucha flavor -Guava Dragon Fruit Support the show

*explicit language* because we interviewed cheance Adair and learned "what the f*ckity f*ck was (she) thinking" while doing the Yukon River Quest. It is an annual marathon paddling race - 444 miles!! Paddlers come from around the world to test their endurance, racing day and night to the Klondike on one of North America’s great rivers. It's crazy. It's wild. cheance and her team came in THIRD overall and FIRST in the Voyager division with a final time of 47 hours and 36 minutes. We talk about everything...and we mean everything... We're honored to have cheance on the podcast, and she's someone we've ALWAYS looked up to and admired here in Southern California paddling. She's done amazing work in her community and the paddling community worldwide. Also, yes - it's cheance with a lower case "c". This episode was brought to you with support from ALOHA Collection Support the show

The first panel of the Wild Buffalo Relay Panel was guest speakers from Open Water, Danny Nichols and Kyle Kelly, and We Are Ocean Paddler Claire Kennedy. Due to a late start in recording, the first part of We Are Ocean was cut short. You can learn more about We Are Ocean on our Episode with Jack Shimko, The We Are Ocean Episode. Open Water is a community of surfers, adventurers, and advocates who have joined together to support those who protect us. Operation Open Water’s efforts started with surfing. With each wave, the transformative experience of the ocean can challenge the body, liberate the soul and unite our hearts. It’s an experience that bonds and even heals. The primary mission of the NAC / We Are Ocean Cancer Program is to provide ocean-based, transformational adventures for teens and young adults (15-39) fighting and surviving cancer. The NAC / We Are Ocean Cancer Program focuses on bringing intimate groups of cancer fighters and survivors together in coastal wilderness environments while providing opportunities for connection, self-discovery, empowerment, support, and adventure. This episode, and the panel, was brought to you with support from ALOHA Collection Support the show

After Will learns how to post on Instagram, we dive into a deep conversation about history and culture with Kauai Native Stephenie Brown. She has paddled in every channel in the Hawaiian Island chain and shares facts and stories about each channel. She tells us stories of her ancestors and about her involvement with the Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Voyaging Society. Stephenie has been paddling since she was a kid, and she has no plans on stopping anytime soon! Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Voyaging Society Mission Statement: The purpose of the Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Voyaging Society is to perpetuate through education and experience the Hawaiian culture of traditional long-distance outrigger canoe voyaging throughout all the Hawaiian islands; to uphold the unique and fragile beauty and power of the ocean; to practice an obligation of responsible stewardship and harmony between man and nature; to strengthen cultural and spiritual connections to the Hawaiian islands; and to experience the harmony, strength, and respect that arises when men and women of all ages paddle a canoe towards a common goal. Support the show