Sanya to hold 1st Stand Up Paddleboard & Run Biathlon on May 15

May 15th will seea unique event in China's tropical island province of Hainan, when Surfing Hainan holds their first Stand Up Paddleboard & Run Biathlon. Competitors will use Stand Up Paddleboards (SUP) to paddle for five kilometers along theshore in Sanya Bay, and then run five kilometers on the sandy beach.

Stand Up Paddleboarding isan offshoot of surfing, in which riders use very large surfboards, around threemeters long, and stand on the board the entire time, using a single-bladedpaddle to propel themselves through the water. SUPs can be used to ride waves,like traditional surfboards, or for flat water paddling. Flat water paddling onSUPs has seen an incredible emergence in Western countries, as riders have takento lakes, rivers, and the ocean for the excellent core workout that the sportprovides.

Surfing Hainan, which billsitself as 'China's Surf Shop', has been in operation on the island since 2007.Owner Brendan Sheridan said "Our whole team has been really enjoying ridingSUPs in Hainan over the last few years. We decided to hold the competition tocelebrate this great sport, and to encourage the members of our community toget into shape and join in the fun." Sheridan has been tracking his trainingwith his SUP Diary, on Surfing Hainan's website at www.surfinghainan.com/staff-blogs/sup-diary-.

The event will take place inSanya Bay in front of the Palm Beach Resort and Spa, and use an out-and-backroute for both the SUP and Run legs of the event. See accompanying image 'RaceCourse' for details. Surfing and endurance sport enthusiasts of manydifferent nationalities are expected to compete, with competitors from the US,Australia, China, Germany, and Canada already registered.

"We are constantly lookingfor new ways to bring the eyes of the international sporting and surfingcommunity to Hainan. We are looking forward to a really unique and fun event"said Sheridan.