Santa Barbara-based surf school iSurf is teaming up with local partners to bring back its Run to Surf Adventure Challenge for the second consecutive year. The event, benefitting the Surf Like A Girl Foundation, will be Saturday, July 8, at Leadbetter Beach.
“We’ve designed the course to take advantage of the natural highlights of the Santa Barbara coastline and to include some of the iconic sports that define much of the central coast,” said Alelia Parenteau, founder of Run to Surf.
“As we strive to tap into the vibrancy of Santa Barbara with this event, Killer B Fitness is a great partner, putting together a beach challenge course that is fun and flexible for different fitness levels,” Parenteau said.
On the run course, participants follow a scenic 5k route from Leadbetter Beach and along Shoreline Park.
The Ocean Paddle takes participants out on a half-mile ocean loop, starting and ending at Leadbetter Beach. This portion of the event stays close to the beach and is well-monitored by city lifeguards.
The final challenge is a surprise beach obstacle course designed by Killer B Fitness.
Participants and spectators will close out the day with a beach fiesta, sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing. Challenge participants receive their first beer free, iSurf said.
Laura Michaum, a 2016 participant, said, “This was just such an awesome day of movement, friends, community, music, and fresh ocean air, and it is truly one of the most unique races I have ever been in.”
Participants can take part in the event as individuals or as part of a team of three. Corporate teams also are encouraged, with a special page dedicated to them on the Run to Surf website. Participants can bring their own surfboards or boards will be available for rent if reserved prior to the event.
Among the event sponsors are iSurf, Crossfit Santa Barbara, Killer B Fitness, and Logic Monitor. Full sponsors list is at www.runtosurf.com/sponsors.
Registration is open at www.RuntoSurf.com.
iSurf School is the Central Coast’s only surf school dedicated to empowering women of all ages through surfing. iSurf is making strides in providing access to surf lessons to anyone interested, regardless of their financial situation. For more information, visit www.iSurfSchool.com.
The Surf Like a Girl Foundation is a community surf program that gets girls, ages 5-15, surfing. The foundation provides scholarships to girls in the local community to participate in summer surf camps, after-school programs and surf trips through local area partners.
To learn more, visit www.SurfLikeaGirl.org.
— Alelia Parenteau for iSurf.