Justin Riney set out from the western end of Florida’s panhandle on New Year’s Day with plans to take the scenic route to the northeast corner of the state— and that’s just half of Expedition Florida 500 (XF500).

For a second day in a row, Sunset delivered big powerful surf for the assembled contenders to battle it out for the event crown.

Standup on rivers takes a special breed, especially when its rocky. And winter. Like, snow-on-the-ground, drysuit-mandatory winter.

As the Standup World Tour’s pack of pros compete for the first win of the 2013 at the Sunset Beach Pro, Twiggy will be there, paddle in hand, for his first time competing on an SUP.

Zane Schweitzer hosts the Standup World Tour’s Morning Show from Turtle Bay Resort with some of North Shore’s finest, Makua Rothman and Robin Johnston.

The ladies battled it through trial heats at Kuilima Point, with a fierce final that included Candice Appleby, Vanina Walsh, Hannah Fenton, and Nicole Pacelli.

Words don’t explain the feeling of getting a good surf first thing in the a.m., so we’ll let this one speak for itself. This week on the Wednesday Voice no words were necessary.

Garrett McNamara has an insatiable thirst for moments that scare us computer-bound folk while just watching them on YouTube. He’s a modern-day Evil Knievel behind a jet-ski, on a surfboard or with a paddle in hand.

Alison Riddle has always felt at home in the water, whether playing water polo and swimming at USC, working as a lifeguard at Manhattan Beach, or chalking up wins as a prone paddleboarder. So, it was only natural that the 26-year-old would get into SUP.

The Aragas Magallanes Paddle Challenge, presented by Standup Latino and powered by Big Foot Adventures Patagonia, will provide the most spectacular opener imaginable for the 2013 Standup World Series.