This week at the annual Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City, Utah, Supconnect announced the 2017 Gear of the Year Awards winners from our 8th Annual Supconnect Editor's Choice Awards.

Get ready for the 4th Annual Quickblade Jr Pro & Youth SupFiesta presented by Infinity SUP. In its fourth year, the 2016 SUP Fiesta has outgrown a one-day event and the new format this year will allow competitors to focus on one discipline each day. With the events starting in the afternoon, there is plenty of time for athletes, spectators, and sponsors to attend the Standup for the Cure event in the morning, then make the short drive across the bay to the Newport Aquatic Center.

Earlier this year we introduced you to an incredible man from Brazil, Jonas Letieri. Jonas holds one of the most inspirational stories of overcoming obstacles and tragedies that are thrown at you in life and overcoming these obstacles against all odds. This short film from Quickblades about Jonas Letieri and his inspirational story is a must watch.

Performance Paddling is excited to announce the 4th Annual Quickblade Jr Pro & Youth SupFiesta presented by Infinity on May 7 - 8, 2016.  Once again the top youth sup athletes in the world will congregate for the largest youth only sup event in the world. This unique event is comprised of three components, a Junior Pro Invitational Sup Surfing competition, Age Group SUP Surfing contest (7 divisions), and an Age Group SUP Race (7 divisions).

You might have been introduced to or heard the story of 30-year-old Jonas Letieri during the 2015 Payette River Games where he stole the show and made headlines as an inspiration to the spectators and fellow competitors of the event when he displayed an incredible performance during competition. Since the PRG’s, Jonas has been keeping busy training and perfecting his paddle technique and he’s so good that unless you knew otherwise, you wouldn’t know he lives and paddles with a disability.

Team Quickblade step into high gear for the racing season with a bit of serious spring training. 

Tahoe SUP and Quickblade Paddles will be introducing a touring specific, true bamboo veneer paddle. Each paddle will feature a carbon fiber shaft and its own unique bamboo wood grain.