Kona Brewing Named Official Sponsor Of SUP Awards

Kona Brewing CoKailua-Kona, HI – Kona Brewing Company has been named the official beer sponsor of SUP magazine’s SUP Awards, to be held September 22, 2011 in San Clemente, CA. The awards will recognize the best paddlers, films, expeditions and philanthropic efforts in the Standup Paddling (SUP) industry.

Online votes have been pouring in to the SUP magazine awards site since July 2011 and will be counted and the results announced at the awards ceremony held at Casino San Clemente. The historic casino was once the stomping grounds of Hollywood entertainers and is located north of the famous Trestles surf break. Sister publication Surfer Magazine hosted early SURFER Poll awards shows at the casino as well.

This year’s SUP Awards show is the first of its kind and will be held two days before the Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle, a race Kona sponsors and also one of the most prestigious races in standup paddling. Kona Brewing also has a number of brand ambassadors nominated for awards, including high profile waterwomen Jenny Kalmbach and Candice Appleby. Kona has also supported SUP film Destination Three Degrees and the philanthropic endeavor Watermans Applied Science Paddle For Humanity at Deerfield Beach, FLA a benefit of SurfAid International, both of which are nominated for SUP awards.

“The inaugural SUP awards night is one event not to be missed,” said Kona Brewing Company president Mattson Davis. “Standup paddling is a way of life for many of us on the Big Island. Not only do races start and end at the marina below our Koko Marina pub on Oahu, but also many of us paddle in Kailua Bay, just a stone’s throw from our Kailua-Kona pub. We’re proud to take an active part in the SUP awards and be represented so well by many Kona ambassadors and great SUP projects.”