The countdown to the biggest race of the year is in full swing.

[notdevice]As that ominous-looking timer over there on the right suggests, we’ve got less than three days ’til Show Time.[/notdevice][device]Less than three days ’til Show Time.[/device] Three days til we find out who takes the glory and bragging rights for the next 12 months. Three days til we find out if 12’6 race boards can physically handle the waves at Salt Creek. Three days til the stand up paddling world stops for 48 hours…

There’s nothing quite like the Battle of the Paddle.

And now, thanks to Starboard Battle Week, SUPracer.com is your home for the BOP. All this week we’ll be previewing the big dance, leading up to our headline act: The Battle of the Paddle LIVE BLOG all day Saturday and Sunday.

Our live blog will include real-time, play-by-play commentary of all the racing and everything that’s happening behind the scenes at Salt Creek. If you can’t make it to the beach, this is the next best thing. Actually, given the organisers’ head-scratching decision to have no Battle of the Paddle webcast this year, our live blog may be the only way to follow the action as it happens.

Be the first to know how it all goes down: Be the first to know if Kai and Annabel can defend their crowns. Be the first to know who hits the Golden Buoy in the lead. Be the first to know who’s flying and who’s falling. Be the first to know who breaks their board in the Salt Creek shorey… Be the first to know who wins the biggest race of the year.

But before the world’s best hit the water on the weekend, we’ve got plenty of warm up acts to enjoy first.

One of the cool things about the BOP is how it gravitates virtually the entire community to the same place at the same time. So with that in mind, here’s a sneak peak at everything that’s happening in SoCal the next few days.

Tuesday 30th
Morning – Help find a name for the giant new Starboard inflatable
All day – SUPIA Industry Summit Day 1, Dana Point (discuss the business of SUP)
All day – Last minute training

Wednesday 1st October
Morning – Find out who’s fighting who in our Battle of the Paddle: Civil War race preview
All day – SUPIA Industry Summit Day 2, Dana Point Yacht Club (more businessey industry stuff)
7:00pm – The re-premiere of the Ultimate SUP Showdown @ Watermans Restaurant, Hermosa Beach
All day – Really last minute training

Thursday 2nd October
Morning – The first ever SUP RACER WORLD RANKINGS revealed
3:00pm – SUPAA Athletes Summit, Dana Point Marina Inn (discuss the future of professional SUP)
Evening – The San Clemente High School Popularity Contest SUP Awards
All day – It’s-probably-too-late training

Friday 3rd October
Morning – Boss Man’s Bold Predictions: Who will win the biggest race of the year?
Afternoon – Starboard’s Crazy Giant Inflatable SUP touches down in California (and we take it for a spin)
5:00pm – Battle of the Paddle official welcoming party @ the Hobie Surf Shop in Dana Point
All day – Hail-Mary training

Saturday 4th October: Battle of the Paddle RACE DAY!

All day – SUPracer.com’s Battle of the Paddle LIVE BLOG presented by Starboard

10:00am – Men’s Elite Race Qualifying Heat #1
11:00am – Men’s Elite Race Qualifying Heat #2
12:00pm – Open Race
2:00pm – Prone Race
3:00pm – Women’s Elite Race Final
4:00pm – Men’s Elite Race Final

6:00pm – Premiere of “The SUP Movie” (featuring Kai Lenny, Connor Baxter, Noa Ginella, Sean Poynter and more) @ Dana Hills High School

When should you follow our Live Blog?

All weekend, obviously. Though if you only wanna tune in for our commentary of the Elite Race Finals, here are the time conversions:

3pm Saturday California time (start of the Elite Race Finals)
= 12pm Saturday in Hawaii and Tahiti
= 6pm Saturday on the East Coast USA
= 11pm Saturday in the U.K.
= Midnight Saturday night France, Spain, Germany, Denmark, etc (Central European Time)
= 6am Sunday in Western Australia
= 7am Sunday in Japan
= 8am Sunday in Eastern Australia
= 11am Sunday in New Zealand

Sunday 5th October: Battle of the Paddle RACE DAY!

All day – SUPracer.com’s Battle of the Paddle LIVE BLOG presented by Starboard

9:00am – Distance Race
12:00pm – Kids Races (conditions permitting… if it’s macking surf these events will probably be cancelled)
1:45pm – Open Team Relays
2:30pm – Elite Team Relays
4:00pm – Awards Ceremony

Monday 6th October: The Hangover…

All day – Facebook gets flooded with Battle of the Paddle pics and clips
Afternoon – We announce the winner of the “Name That Crazy Ass Starboard Inflatable” contest

Tuesday 7th October: The New Countdown…

The countdown to the 2015 Battle of the Paddle begins. Because there’s nothing quite like the BOP…

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