Santa Cruz Paddlefest

16 High Performance (HP) surfkayak competitors showed up and carved up the waves at Steamer Lane during the 2026 SCPF. Your 2026 HP Kayak Open podium, presented by Monarch Flyway, is:

1- Chris Hobson
2- Dave Johnston
3- Shawn Hartje
4- Zack Boyd

(Photo: action shots Mark Boyd, podium shot Alisha Bube)

SAVE THE DATE: March 27, 2027

The Santa Cruz Paddlefest Ocean Race is coming back once again in 2027!

Keep an eye out for competitor registration to open in early January.

SAVE THE DATES: March 26-28, 2027

The Santa Cruz Paddlefest is coming back for its 36th year to the iconic Steamer Lane and the surrounding Monterey Bay waters.

Keep an eye out for competitor registration to open in early January.

Photos: Mark Boyd & Toby Roessingh

2026 was the 35th annual Santa Cruz Paddlefest. It was a truly great year, especially because of the return of the race. Thanks Candice Appleby! It also offered up beautiful weather and contestable waves.

We want to extend a massive thank you to each and every person and organization that made the event happen; competitors, sponsors, volunteers, water safety, the City of Santa Cruz, photographers, videographers, spectators, fans, and so many others.

This fun group shot was taken Chris Bracamonte at the very end of the weekend. Thanks Chris!

We're already getting excited for 2027! Stay tuned for an announcement on that front later this week.

Here's some action, through the lens of Mark Boyd, of the HP Kayak Women, category presented by Monarch Flyway. In order: Devon Barker-Hicks, Amber Champion, and Melinda Moree.

The 2026 SCPF Steamer Lane HP Kayak Women podium, presented by Monarch Flyway, is:

1- Devon Barker-Hicks
2- Amber Champion
3- Melinda Moree

(Photos: Alisha Bube, Cait Dorr)

The SUP competition at the 35th annual SCPF was fiercely competitive. No matter the size and/or shape of the waves Mother Nature presented each day of the competition, the SUP surfers carved them up and showed impressive skills.

(Photos: Mark Boyd)

The Cowell Classic SUP Open and Women divisions, presented by Common Energy, top-performers at the 2026 Santa Cruz Paddlefest were:

SUP Open-
1- Sean Fender
2- Mike Hill
3- Dan Miller
4- Bryant Grigsby

SUP Women-
1- Brenda Jin
2- Kristin Thomas

(Photo: Alisha Bube)

For the first time ever, we had a SUP Longboard division at the Santa Cruz Paddlefest. The 2026 Cowell Classic SUP Longboard division was presented by Common Energy, and the top performing competitors were:

1- Jason Latham
2- Tim Larkin
3- Chuck Hendsch
4- Dane Howard

(Photos: Alisha Bube)

We had an awesome field of waveski adaptive athletes enter the 2026 SCPF Cowell Classic surf event. And here are your podiums:

Waveski Adaptive Open
1- Daniel Lombardo
2- Roy Tuscany
3- Chris Oberle

Waveski Adaptive Women
1- Alana Nichols
2- Lisa Franks
3- Alina Garbuzov
4- Hailey Kinter

(Photos: Alisha Bube and Cait Dorr)