Sayulita, Mexico - The Punta Sayulita resort community and presenting sponsor, the Tourism Board of Nayarit, are pleased to announce the dates for the 5th Annual Punta Sayulita SUP Classic. On March 7th – 9th, the top surfers and stand-up paddlers (SUP) in the world are set to return to Sayulita to compete in surfing contests as well as in an array exciting offshore SUP races.

With miles of pristine coastline, Sayulita is widely regarded as one of Mexico’s top surfing destinations, and the Punta Sayulita SUP Classic is regarded as one of the premier international surfing and stand-up paddle events in North America. The event attracts thousands of spectators and one of the deepest international fields of professional athletes and amateurs competing in longboard and stand-up paddle surfing contests as well as SUP distance races.

Unique to the Punta Sayulita Classic event is that, unlike other international competitions, competitors are not competing for prize money - typically the primary draw for international events. The primary consideration is the raising of awareness for environmental protection and respect for the world’s oceans and wildlife and to raise funds for the Reef Check Foundation’s area Eco-Diver Program and the Punta Sayulita Foundation’s children’s educational and sports development programs.

Founded and organized by the Punta Sayulita resort community, the event is made possible by the generous support of the event’s sponsors, professional athletes, the Sayulita community, and the event volunteers.

This year’s field for the 5th Annual Punta Sayulita Classic is filled with some of the biggest names in the sport of longboard and SUP surfing and racing including: Zane Schweitzer, Candice Appleby, Jenny Kalmbach, Darren Eudaly, Kai Lenny, Chuck Patterson, Slater Trout, Sean Poynter, Mary Osborne, Patricio Gonzalez, Vanina Walsh, Jen Smith, Mo Freitas, Ryan Helm, Fernando Stalla, and surfing legend Gerry Lopez.

According to Event Director Kevin Roberts, "this will be the deepest and most talented field at the Punta Sayulita Classic by far. Every year the field grows with talent and we are so appreciative of the pros carving out time from their competition schedules to come compete in the event and help raise awareness and money for the Reef Check and Punta Sayulita Foundations."

Activities

In addition to the surfing and SUP race competitions held over the weekend, on Friday, March 7th, the festivities kick-off with a surfing clinic for special needs and underprivileged children under the supervision of participating professionals and instructors from local Sayulita surf schools.

A community-wide beach cleanup event is also scheduled on Friday in conjunction with an interactive-educational program given by honorary ambassador, James Pribram of the ECO-Warrior Foundation and members from "Project Save Our Surf." Interactive children’s ECO-Art Classes will follow thereafter and participating surfers will also be on-hand for a "meet the pros" autograph sessions.

For a complete schedule of activities, check the event website.

Entertainment

We are pleased to announce that Brushfire Records recording artist G. Love & Special Sauce will be performing the Punta Sayulita Classic Benefit Concert on Saturday, March 8th at 8 pm. The enigmatically smooth Garrett "G. Love" Dutton is one of Philadelphia’s funkiest performers of laid back, alternative hip-hop blues - a genre he helped define. The benefit concert is free and with G. Love releasing his newest album "Sugar" in April, attendees will be the first to hear some of the new tracks."

Sponsors

The Punta Sayulita Classic is pleased to welcome back the generous of support Alaska Airlines as the official airlines of the 5th Annual Punta Sayulita Classic. Alaska Airlines is offering a special airfare discount code ECMU839 to anyone travelling to Sayulita to compete or to simply take part in the weekend festivities. For years Alaska Airlines has been one of the most active airlines flying to Mexico offering nonstop flights to Puerto Vallarta from numerous west coast cities including Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. Alaska Airlines is also expanding their surfboard length dimensions so competitors can travel with a SUP stock race board up to 12’6" in length.

Media inquiries and general event information regarding the 5th Annual Punta Sayulita Classic can be obtained by visiting puntasayulitasurfclassic.com or by contacting Kevin Roberts or Jose Luis Caselin. Or call US Toll Free (866) 947-6017 or +52 (329) 291-3957. For more information about the Punta Sayulita resort community visit puntasayulita.com. For information regarding the Reef Check Foundation visit reefcheck.org.

About Punta Sayulita

Punta Sayulita is a private oceanfront club and residential community that rests on an extraordinary 33-acre private peninsula adjacent to the quaint seaside village of Sayulita located approximately 40 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta. Punta Sayulita has been carefully designed to be an intimate, low-density community that will embrace only 62 detached homes whereby residents will have access to a full-service private Beach & Surf Club. The tropical design for the beach club and the custom homes at Punta Sayulita is by the boutique architecture firm of de Reus Architects of Hawaii. The developer of Punta Sayulita is Contact Development Company, LLC (CDC) of Sausalito, CA.

About Reef Check & Punta Sayulita Foundations

Reef Check

The Reef Check Foundation is an international non-profit organization dedicated to conservation of two ecosystems: tropical coral reefs and California rocky reefs. With headquarters in Pacific Palisades, California and volunteer teams in more than 90 countries, Reef Check works to create partnerships among community volunteers, government agencies, businesses, universities, and other non-profits.

Reef Check goals are to: educate the public about the value of reef ecosystems and the current crisis affecting marine life; to create a global network of volunteer teams trained in Reef Check's scientific methods who regularly monitor and report on reef health; to facilitate collaboration that produces ecologically sound and economically sustainable solutions; and to stimulate local community action to protect remaining pristine reefs and rehabilitate damaged reefs worldwide.

Punta Sayulita Foundation

The Punta Sayulita Foundation is a non-profit organization focused on supporting various community initiatives for the community of Sayulita and the Bay of Banderas area. Initiatives include educational programs for environmental awareness and protection, community organized beach cleanup events, as well as supporting programs for underprivileged children to allow them the opportunity to enjoy various water sports such as surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, and fishing.

The proceeds raised from the 5th Annual Punta Sayulita will go to directly fund Reef Check’s Adopt the Reef Program for the Sayulita and Bay of Banderas areas as well as to support the PSF’s programs.