Saturday, July 27, 2013

Race the Lake of the Sky Stand Up Paddle Race on Lake Tahoe.

See my full gallery of still photos of Race the Lake of the Sky on Google+

On June 28-29, 2013 Lakeview Commons and the adjacent El Dorado beach hosted the 2nd annual Race the Lake of the Sky stand up paddle races organized by South Tahoe Stand Up Paddle, On Course Events, and Riviera Paddleboards among others.  Described by participant Anthony Vela as "The best stand up paddle race in all the world" in his top 10 article on SUPconnect, this two day series of races featured over 300 paddlers racing in 5 mile, 14 mile, and SUPcross categories featuring some of the world's best stand-up paddlers and brought people not just from South Lake Tahoe but all around the world to the excelent venue at Lakeview Commons.

The El Dorado "5mi" Race



Given the extreme diversity of events going on at the races, I had to focus my own efforts on covering one race, so I chose the El Dorado 5 miler.  The course of the event was a highly technical course with eight left and right turns zig-zagging across the space in front of El Dorado beach.  (The course, in fact, was so complex and technical that even the race organizers couldn't say for sure whether the course was 4.8 or 5.2 miles long).  This race provided a lot of excitement close to the beach where the entire race was in direct view of the spectators, and the many turns and straightaways make a good introduction to the world of the paddle racing for the non-fan.



Race Description



The participants lined up waist-deep in the water along the mile-long beach waiting for the starting horn.  As explained by safety officer Rob Guistina of On Course Events the starting horn was timed such that "we're gonna give you a 30 second warning, and the horn could go off at any time from 30 seconds to zero, that way no one can anticipate the start and cheat."  At the starting horn everyone piled on to their paddleboards and began a mad dash to the first bouy where the race began to sort itself out.


At and after the first bouy turn the race began to sort itself out into the shape it would take for pretty much the entire race with Thomas Maximus (T-Maxx) on a 20ft Riviera paddleboard taking an early lead in the unlimited class followed by Lance and Jeff Ericson leading in the tandem paddling class.  Though the longer boards are notoriously difficult to manage in the turns, both sets of leaders displayed impressive skill in handling the turns, allowing the intrinsic speed advantage of a longer paddleboard in the straightaways to keep them in the lead throughout the race, with their advantage over the other classes of boards showing in their growing lead as the race progressed.



The real competition in the race was in the elite 14ft and 12.6ft board classes, where Anthony Vela and Jay Wild battled it out for first place through the entire race.  Jay Wild, in particular, showed his emmense paddling prowess by maintaining a lead through most of the race while in the difficult position of breaking water for the entire elite class draft train, while Anthony Vela fought valiently for any advantage in the turns, always trying to get an inside or outside position while turning, sometimes turning so close as to almost knock the leader off his paddleboard in a few of the turns.


Results:



Unlimited Class: Thomas Maximus
Tandem Class: Lance and Jeff Ericsson
Elite Class: Jay Wild, Anthony Vela, Jeremy
Women's Class: Candice Appleby

Interviews:


To hear from paritcipants Taylor Rambo, Anthony Vela, Candice Appleby, and sponsor Maui Jim check out this video from Wake Up Tahoe from the day before the race:



Let the video play on or click this link to see the full SUP Playlist from Wake Up Tahoe.


4th of July Fireworks in Lake Tahoe

Check out my gallery of the 4th of July Fireworks on Google+

Monday, July 1, 2013

July 2013 Concerts in Tahoe: Phish, The B52s, Moby, Tim McGraw,

July 1 Battlecross, Otis, Huntress, Gary busey Amber Alert @ Whisky Dick's
July 02 Soul rebels @ Crystal Bay Club
Chris Cain @ Squaw Valley
July 03-07 Kivi Rodgers / Frances DiLorinzino @ Improv at Harvey's
July 03-10 Artist in residence John Holland @ Tallac Historic Site
July 03 Bennet Jackson @ Cottonwood Bar and Grill
July 04  Annual 4th of July Parade and Fireworks display
Ike and Martin @ The Beacon
Progress, People Movers, Export Theory, Maizon Tech, Infinite Luv, Rebel Theory, 5tar Command, Konnected
@ Electric Mushroom at Horizon
Mr. Ruckus feat. Aaron Howell, Tay Hamilton, Tony Lee Wilburn, Jerry Cass, Logan O'Connor,
and Ty Blosser @ Rojos
Waiting for T.I.M @ Teps Villa Roma
Jason King Band @ Northstar
Vore 4 Funk fest hosted by DJ Nu-Mark @ Hacienda del Lago
Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds @ Crystal Bay Club

July 05-07 The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) @ Valhalla Boathouse Theatre
Unkle Funkle @ Bar of America
July 05 DJ Pauly D Birthday party @ PEEK Tahoe
Red White and BOOM feat. DJs Donald Glaude & Eric Lobe, Star Command, Conspiracy Theory  @ Montbleu
Joe Mamma @ The Beacon
Connor Brothers, Groovebox @ Heavenly Village
Lucas and Kendall @ Northstar
Pyle of Zen @ Cottonwood Bar and Grill
Peter Joseph Burtt and the King Tide @ Kings Beach
Les Miserables @ Incline Village green
Tainted Love / Subtropixx, Micah J @ Crystal Bay Club
July 06 Shawn and Marlon Wayans (of In Living Color) @ Montbleu
The Fab Four beatles Tribute @ Harrah's South Shore Room
Bat Country, Farewell belladonna, Larry Cooper @ Classic Cue
BionicZee, Dope Star @ Whisky Dick's
Deep Fried Mojo @ The Beacon
The Rat Pack @ Cal Neva
Beer & Bluegrass feat. Melody Walker and No Lonesome, Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line @ Northstar
Elvin Bishop / Pablo Cruise @ Incline Village green
The Whisky Sisters / Boggan, NineFeetOfSmoke @ Crystal Bay Club
July 07 Pool Party @ Montbleu
Fabrizio @ Valhalla
Big Red Blues Band @ The Beacon
Toccatta @ St. Patrick's episcopal in Incline Village
The Blues Monsters @ Northstar
Leche de Tigre @ Commons Beach
July 08 Z.O.O.M (Zydeco On Our Minds) @ Valhalla
July 09 Tahoe Improv Players @ Valhalla Boathouse Theatre
J-Boog, Katchafire, Aradhana & Siaosi / Hot Rain @ Crystal Bay Club
Mark Hummel and the Blues Survivors feat. Little Charlie Baty @ Squaw Valley
July 10-14 John Caponera / Carrie Snow @ Improv at Harvey's
July 10 Vaudeville tease road show @ RAW bar
Afro-Cuban funk band @ Valhalla
Jester's Attic feat. Jesse Kalin @ The Beacon
July 11-13 The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) @ Valhalla Boathouse Theatre
July 11 Native Melodies / Ashley Kepler @ Live at Lakeview
Ike and Martin @ The Beacon
Tocatta @ St. Theresa's in SLT
The Northstar Session @ Cottonwood Bar and Grill
Jeff Jones and the Bank @ Truckee Thursdays
The Hackensaw Boys @ Crystal Bay Club
A-Skillz @ Tahoe Biltmore
July 12-13 Lucky Dog @ Bar of America
July 12 Pimp n Ho costume party feat. Too $hort, Dennis Hof of HBO's Cathouse @ Blu nightclub in Montbleu
Street Urchinz @ Heavenly Village
Johnny O Band @ The Beacon
Battleborn, Surrounded by Thieves, Ninja Slaughterhouse, Dirt Starship @ Whisky Dick's
After 8s @ Rubicon Pizza at Northstar
Danny Sturtevant @ Cottonwood Bar and Grill
Sneaky Creatures @ Kings Beach  
The Giraffe Dogers @ Crystal Bay Club
Etc!Etc!, Vibesquad, Zebuel, Lo G  @ Lakeside at Night
July 13-14 Art, Wine and Music fest @ Squaw Valley
July 13 Abbacadabra (ABBA tribute) @ Harrah's
Priscilla Ford, Infecto Skeletons, Brainer, Noxcrutch, @ Classic Cue
Jeff Jones & The Bank @ The Beacon
Jason king Band @ Northstar
Chuck Mead (of BR549) and the Grassy Knoll Boys / The OriGinALz feat. Freshtouch @ Crystal Bay Club
Summer House 2013 feat. The Scumfrog, Rick Preston, Chango  @ Lakeside at Night
July 14 B-52's w/ K.C. and the Sunshine Band @ Montbleu Outdoor ampetheatre
The Blues Monsters @ The Beacon
Hellbound, Blistered Earth, Mobile Death Camp @ Whisky Dick's
The California Honeydrops @ Commons Beach
TOCCATTA @ Squaw Valley
Silent Disco in King's Beach
The Northstar Session @ Northstar
July 16-21 American Century Celebrity Golf Championship @ Edgewood
July 16 Tim McGraw / Kip Moore @ Harvey's Outdoor ampetheatre
Ischence, Abja, Lions of Kush @ Crystal Bay Club
David Jacobs Strain / The Crunk Mountain Boys @ Squaw Valley
July 17-21 Mike Pace / David Gee @ Improv at Harvey's
July 17 Armed for Apocalypse, The Road Will End  @ RAW bar
Jesse Kalin @ The Beacon
Alex Reymundo @ Crystal Bay Club
July 18-20 Motherhood Out Loud @ Valhalla Boathouse Theatre
July 18-21 Wanderlust feat. Moby, Gramatik, MC Yogi, Quixotic, Alia, Caravan palace, East Forest, Garth Stevenson, GSOL, Hamnnah Thiem, Milton Merlos, Mohamed Assani, Random Rab, the Makepeace Brothers, Tyler Stafford
July 18 Slightly Stoopid, Atmosphere, Tribal Seeds, The Grouch and Eligh @ Montbleu outdoors
MURS, Bukue One, and Logic One @ Montbleu
Achilles Wheel / Lonesome Locomotive @ Live at Lakeview
Left of Center @ The Beacon
Adam Traum @ Cottonwood Bar and Grill
Easy Leaves @ Truckee Thursdays
Native Melodies (Talking Heads Tribute) @ Crystal Bay Club
July 19-20 Jon Bovi - Rock of Ages @ Heavenly Village
July 19 Rascall Flats, The Band Perry @ Harvey's Outdoor Ampetheatre - SOLD OUT
Fortissimo Friday Trance @ Electric Mushroom at Horizon
Cash Only Band @ The Beacon
Inferno of Joy, Sit Kitty Sit, La Fin Absolute du Monde @ Whisky Dick's
Danny Sturtevant @ Rubicon Pizza @ Northstar
Tracorum @ Kings Beach
Harry and the Hitmen @ Bar of America
Soft White 60s @ Crystal Bay Club
Tracorum @ Squaw Valley

July 20 Bass Camp feat. Seven Lions, The M Machine, AndDrop!, Fiasko Daniels, Dead Robot, Beat Karma @ Montbleu outdoor
Full Moon Tallac Hike
Big Bad Wolf @ The Beacon
Anne Marie / Tim Snider @ Northstar
Supremo @ Bar of America
Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Jellybread / Klozd Sirkut feat. Chris Littlefeld of KDTU @ Crystal Bay CLub
July 21 Ike and Martin @ Valhalla
Dane Rienhart @ The Beacon
The Monophonics @ Commons Beach
July 22 Nit Grit / Kraddy @ Blu Nightclub in Montbleu
Joni Morris "Ladies of Country Music" impersonation show  @ Valhalla
July 23 Tahoe Improv Players @ Valhalla
Janvia Magnes @ Squaw Valley
Chris Murray and the Slackers @ Crystal bay Club
July 24-28 Rondell Sheridan / Nick Hoff @ Improv at Harvey's
July 24 Moonalice @ Truckee regional park
July 25 Vokab Kompany @ Live at Lakeview
Ike and Martin @ The Beacon
Jellybread @ Truckee Thursdays
July 26-27 South Tahoe wooden boat show @ Tahoe Keys Marina
July 26 Christopher Lawrence, Mercedes Jaya, The Mener, Chango, Gjester @ Electric Mushroom
A Spirit Hustler @ The Beacon
Matt Axton @ Rubicon Pizza at Northstar
Mojo Green @ Kings Beach
The Blues Monsters @ Bar of America
July 27 Russel Brand @ Montbleu
Rock Sugar @ Harrah's
Felix and the Soul Cats @ The Beacon
July 26-28 Better Late @ Valhalla Boathouse Theatre
July 27-28 WA SHE SHU IT’DEH Washoe Summer Festival 2013 @ Camp Richardson
Natalie Gelman @ Northstar
July 27 Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers @ Tahoe Donnerb concerts on the green
July 28 Jeff Jones and the Bank @ The Beacon
13 Scars, Klondike Kate @ Whisky Dick's
Vinyl @ Commons Beach
July 29 Agent Orange, The Marones, The Business End, Melvin Makes Machine Guns @ Whisky Dick's
Solid Air @ Valhalla
Tinsley Ellis @ Crystal Bay Club
July 30-31 Phish @ Harvey's Outdoor arena - SOLD OUT
July 30 The Meter Men feat. George Porter, Jr, Zigaboo Modeliste, and Leo Nocentelli  @ Harrah's
edit (of the glitch mob), SubTropixx, Irieyes, Coop da Loop, s1nth3sys @ Blu at Montbleu
SAM BUSH BLUEGRASS BAND, ALO, Polecat, and Magic Gravy @ Horizon  
Big Tree Fall Down @ Crystal Bay Club
Tinsley Ellis @ Squaw Valley
July 31 moksha ft Jen Hartswick and Skerik, naive melodies and tracorum / Emancipator, Tor, Bim Tim
and Sub Liquid  @ Blu at Montbleu
Pour Horse, The Rugs, Molly Taylor @ Whisky Dick's
KARL DENSON'S TINY UNIVERSE, HOT BUTTERED RUM ft. Allie Kral of Cornmeal, The Pimps of Joytime,
and Poor Man’s Whiskey @ Horizon
Johnathan Smart @ Valhalla
July 31-Aug 4 Eddie Ifft / Alysha Wood @ Improv at Harvey's


If your browser dosn't support embedded playlists click here for the July 2013 Tahoe Concert Playlist

August 1 Polyrythmics w/ Holy Ghost Tent Revival @ Live at Lakeview
Keyser Sose @ Truckee Thursdays
Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics @ Crystal Bay Club
August 2 Zepparella @ Crystal Bay Club
Flannel Fish @ Kings Beach
Julie Brisbin @ Rubicon Pizza @ Northstar
August 3 The Village People @ Montbleu