The 2010 Clean Water Classic is just around the corner. Going into its ninth year, this one is sure to be the biggest and best yet! The event will take place May 14-16 and Global Surf Industries will once again be our title sponsor. Planning is fully underway and we are very excited to be partnering again this year with Chateau Westport for the contest headquarters and festivities.

This year’s Classic will bring back the Keiki and Stand Up Paddle heats, which were new on the schedule last year and met with resounding popularity. Also new last year was a complimentary shuttle service to the jetty at Westhaven from both the Islander and Chateau Westport. Look for the shuttle again this year and save yourself the hassle of trying to park in the over-crowded lot. The Shuttle will be running every 20 or 30 minutes.

We are thrilled to announce Portland band TapWater as the entertainment for the Saturday night party. TapWater has created a sound they call “world twang,” and their unique mix of instrumentation and melding of genres definitely sets them in a class almost wholly their own. Blending bluegrass, roots, merengue, reggae, samba, and funk, TapWater offers an exceptional hybrid sound. Often mixing multiple genres in the same song, the instrumental mix includes guitar, banjo, keys, accordion, steel drums, stand-up bass, and a host of percussion.

The Clean Water Classic is 100 percent volunteer driven. The volunteer support comes from Surfrider Foundation chapters in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia; twelve in total. We could not put on such a great event, year after year, if it weren’t for all the hard work and support of the area chapters. Likewise, those chapters would not have adequate funding for programs like Rise Above Plastics, Respect the Beach and Blue Water Task Force if it weren’t for the proceeds raised from the Clean Water Classic each year.

This surf contest has become an annual highlight for the community of Westport, Surfrider Foundation chapters and members and the Pacific Northwest surfing community at large. We cannot wait to share another spectacular year with all of you beautiful people! If you would like to volunteer for the Clean Water Classic please contact Jean Olson at orcajean(at)gmail.com or to learn more visit the Clean Water Classic Web site at surfrider.org/cleanwaterclassic.

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