Stand Up Paddle Surfing - Fraser Island Paddlers Welcomed Home

Sponsor the Paddlers

Chris and Woogie will be paddling a total distance of 300km.
Donations can be made on a per-kilometer basis. For example, a donation of 10 cents per kilometer will raise $30 for the Disabled Surfers Association of Australia.

Individual donors of over $200 will receive a free stand up paddle lesson with chris between now and next years Noosa Festival of Surfing. Corporate donors of over $1000 will receive a private group lesson for up to six people.

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Fraser Island Paddlers Welcomed Home

An enthusiastic crowd of well-wishers and media greeted Fraser Island stand up paddlers Chris De Aboitiz and Eugene “Woogie” Te Manu Marsh at Main Beach, Noosa on Tuesday

Having abandoned the John Madill Toyota Fraser Island Challenge on Sunday after being battered by headwinds and rising seas, Chris and Woogie vowed to complete the first paddle circumnavigation of Fraser at their next attempt. They completed more than 220 kilometres of the journey in the allotted seven days, but over the final three days they made only 20 kilometres progress and one day were actually blown backwards.

After being welcomed home to Noosa by tennis legend and local surfer Pat Rafter, the paddlers and major sponsor John Madill announced plans for an expanded Challenge in 2008, possibly pitting stand up paddle teams from around the world against each other in a race around the world’s largest sand island. Said Chris De Aboitiz: “Getting around Fraser can be done and Woogie and I want to be the first to do it, but it would be great to compete for that honour, so we welcome all challengers. And apart from the physical challenge, it’s a great way to see one of the most beautiful and wild coasts in the world.”

The John Madill Toyota Fraser Island Stand Up Paddle Challenge, presented by Golden Breed, raised more than $4000 for the Disabled Surfers Association’s new Sunshine Coast branch.