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The Santa Cruz Paddlefest 2026, held at Steamer Lane, once again brought together SUP surf, ocean racing and prone paddling across a packed weekend of competition. Now sitting within the USA Surfing SUP Surf Race Series, the event carries added relevance in the U.S. calendar, with athletes competing not just for podiums, but also for national ranking points.
Held from March 27–29, 2026, at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz, California, the Santa Cruz Paddlefest remains one of the sport’s longest-running events, combining SUP surf, ocean racing and prone disciplines in a single weekend format.
SUP Surfing
In the Open Men’s SUP Surf, Dave Boehne claimed the top spot, using his experience at Steamer Lane to navigate the conditions and secure the win.
He finished ahead of Anthony Maltese in second, with Jack Conner taking third.
In the Open Women’s division, Mel Wygal took the victory, with Rachel Cantore finishing second and Mariecarmen Rivera in third.
Ocean Race
The ocean race added another layer to the weekend, testing endurance and water knowledge along the Santa Cruz coastline.
In the Open Men’s race, Christian Andersen took the win, followed by Cameron Carney in second and Campbell Carter in third.
The Open Women’s race saw Mariecarmen Rivera step up to take the victory, adding to her third-place finish in the surf — one of the standout performances of the event. Lindsay Weidner and Brenda Jin completed the podium.
Multidiscipline depth
Paddlefest continues to stand out for its mix of craft and disciplines.
In the Stock Prone Men, Aaron Aguilera took the win ahead of Elai Dankner and Aidan Miele.
The Stock Prone Women’s division was won by Jessica Rodgers, with Jane Kuhn in second.
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With surf heats running at Steamer Lane and racing along the coastline, the Santa Cruz Paddlefest remains one of the few events bringing multiple paddle disciplines together in a single weekend format.
With its inclusion in the USA Surfing series and the continued mix of surf and race, Paddlefest holds its place as a key stop on the U.S. SUP calendar.