This is my second year attending (this year I actually participated! yay!) the Carolina Cup Stand Up Paddleboard Race in Wrightsville Beach, NC. The Blockade Runner is the host hotel & resort. I LOVED staying here! I wasn't the only one. Every morning at breakfast I overheard people commenting on how much they were enjoying their stay at the Blockade.
One of the winners of the Harbor Island Race, Ernie Eller, couldn't say enough about the resort. Ernie is a Stand Up Paddleboard Instructor for My Aloha Paddle Sports & Fitness in the Charlotte, NC area and a water fanatic! He turned the race weekend into a family event so that his wife and kids could enjoy this great spot. He said “The Blockade Runner is the perfect destination for a vacation or quick get away.....with a staff that provides over the top customer service....to the oceanfront location - seated between the Atlantic and sound...it's truly a vacation paradise. Surfing, Stand Up Paddleboarding, fishing or whatever your interest may be on vacation...the Blockade Runner can provide it all”.
Ernie Eller Stand Up Paddleboard Instructor My Aloha Paddle Sports & Fitness
If you decide to attend the Carolina Cup in 2014 you'll most likely get the opportunity to meet some of the top Stand Up Paddleboarders in the world. This year I got the opportunity to meet Danny Ching, Candice Appleby, Anthony Vela, Travis Babtiste and many of the other "stars" in the SUP race community.
Danny Ching Winner - 2013 Carolina Cup
I definitely agree with Ernie about the staff. They were extremely friendly and helpful…I was impressed that they were up to date on the multiple events taking places at different times and places in and around the resort. I was chatting with Maria Tafalo who has been in guest services at the Blockade for about a year and a half. Maria had nothing but great things to say about the work environment at the resort. I asked her what she enjoys most about working at the Blockade and she said the “laid back” environment which appeals to young professionals looking for a career in hospitality. She was excited about some of the upcoming events including “Surfer Healing” and “Flotilla”.
The grounds are GORGEOUS! All rooms have an ocean view and the "back yard" is lush and green one of my favorite parts of the weekend is the awards ceremony on the back lawn greens. The lobby is so modern.....South Beach meets Key West...best of both worlds. I have to mention the continental breakfast too. I travel all over the country for work and this is by far the BEST complimentary breakfast that I've come across. Every morning we had a full buffet of fruit, eggs, bacon, yogurt, potatoes and my favorite the French Toast.
The Blockade is host to many top events including:
5 annual SUP events
The Carolina Cup (May)
Sunset SUP Series (Every Thursday in the June-Aug)
NC Surf to Sound Challenge (Nov. 23)
Cold Stroke Classic (January)
Wrightsville Beach Biathlon (March—the first and only SUP and Run in the area).
*special rates for participants
Exciting Happenings
Launch of the Blockade Runner Surf to Sound Academy
The resort is now a hub for SUP, Surf, Kayak, Kayak Fishing, Birding and Sailing lessons through partnerships with only THE BEST instructors in the area
The grounds are GORGEOUS! All rooms have an ocean view and the "back yard" is lush and green one of my favorite parts of the weekend is the awards ceremony on the back lawn greens. The lobby is so modern.....South Beach meets Key West...best of both worlds. I have to mention the continental breakfast too. I travel all over the country for work and this is by far the BEST complimentary breakfast that I've come across. Every morning we had a full buffet of fruit, eggs, bacon, yogurt, potatoes and my favorite the French Toast.
The Blockade is host to many top events including:
5 annual SUP events
The Carolina Cup (May)
Sunset SUP Series (Every Thursday in the June-Aug)
NC Surf to Sound Challenge (Nov. 23)
Cold Stroke Classic (January)
Wrightsville Beach Biathlon (March—the first and only SUP and Run in the area).
*special rates for participants
Exciting Happenings
Launch of the Blockade Runner Surf to Sound Academy
The resort is now a hub for SUP, Surf, Kayak, Kayak Fishing, Birding and Sailing lessons through partnerships with only THE BEST instructors in the area
Jarrod Covington, defending champ of the Wrightsville Beach Biathlon, will be teaching SUP lessons on an on-going basis for the Blockade. He is a PaddleFit Level 2 Certified Coach. Very exciting to have him on board at the Blockade!
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