Aloha,
The Round the Rock Alcatraz Challenge, hosted by He’e Nalu Marin-Sonoma Outrigger Canoe Club, is a growing event in its 12th year of competition. In 2007, 414 paddlers in 69 long outrigger canoes started at Crissy Field and paddled from the Golden Gate Bridge, around Alcatraz Island, then up to the Bay Bridge and returning along the shoreline of the San Francisco waterfront to a beach finish back at Crissy Field. This year, with the World Sprints immediately following our weekend of racing, we are expecting a tremendous turnout with paddlers coming from Canada, Southern California, Hawaii, Australia, Tahiti, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, New Zealand and many other countries.
The Round the Rock Alcatraz Challenge coincides with the Pacific Islanders’ Cultural Association “Aloha Festivalâ€, the largest of its kind on the mainland U.S. The festival is held in Presidio which is immediately cross the street from Crissy Field. There will be a good mingling of Aloha Festival participants and the paddling participants. With the race spectators and the Aloha Festival attendees, we are anticipating additional 2,000 people throughout the day.
He’e Nalu Marin-Sonoma Outrigger Canoe Club is a non-profit organization committed to teaching and perpetuating the ancient Polynesian sport and culture of outrigger canoeing. We have been involved in children’s paddling programs as well as outreach programs benefiting teens at Sunny Hills School. He’e Nalu’s source of funds comes directly from small membership fees as well as donations and sponsorships from community-minded businesses, such as yours.
Please visit our website www.AlcatrazChallenge.com to see for yourself why Round the Rock Alcatraz Challenge is considered one of the premiere outrigger canoe races in the country. If we receive your donation before July 4, 2008, we will list your business as an official sponsor on our website. Should you have any questions, please call Tracy Barreau at (707) 776-4876 or email at:
[email protected].
Mahalo!
He’e Nalu Outrigger Canoe Club
14 East Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Box 13
Larkspur, California 94939
State non-profit number CA1916979
Fed non-profit number 943222076.