Twenty seven Epic Way Sports and guest athletes started. Twenty seven finished and finished together. We started at dawn.  Some seven hours and 22 miles later, we made landfall on Lake Tahoe’s North Shore. The Good Doctor himself, Dr. Robb Gaffney gives a pep talk at Camp Richardson, South Lake Tahoe. Want to see TV news coverage? Then click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLNQbJnz-2A

 

 

Out of the gate, the group heads towards a distant, very distant shore.  It didn’t take long, maybe an hour, for it to sink in: paddling 22 miles would take a long, long time… and what about bathrooms?

                                                                 

There were times when solitude reminded of us why we there, and for whom we were doing this for. There were also times when the value of friends, and the power of team were equally clear.

 

 

 

                                                                  

It was amazing how long it seemed to take to padde that last mile!  Credit equal parts crystal clear views,  thirst, and fatigue for that.  But there it was, Kings Beach, North Lake Tahoe!

 

 

 

 

Then there was the media swarm! But that was also the time that the group was able to talk about what was most important: the reason we were there, doing this: to raise awareness and funding for injured war veterans.

Check out this great article and spectacular audio-visual slide show at the end:

 http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20080812/SPORTS/167393114&parentprofile=searchWant

Want to check out the TV New coverage of the event?  We have that for you too! Click on Robb:                                        

                                         

Just Two Days Before the First Ever Lake Tahoe Crossing on Stand Up Paddle Boards.

Tomorrow, Sunday the 10th of August 2008, some of action sports greatest athletes including Jonny Moseley, Daron Rhalves, JT Holmes, Dr. Robb Gaffney – and we hope Greg Minnaar – will take a “SUP” clinic from 3rd generation Hawaiin surfing legend, and Jaws pioneer, Dave Kalama. Many of these athletes will be stepping on their boards for the first time. A few, like Robb and Daron will have had all of a month or so to train and become the first to have ever paddled across Lake Tahoe, a distance of 22 miles. We set out at dawn on Monday the 11th of August.

As mentioned before, while this may sound like a combination of pleasure and pain, it’s a very serious endeavor. The training and The Lake Tahoe Crossing are about raising awareness and funding for veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries, also called TBI. Epic Way Sports, Bikeskills, Skiskills, and Surfskillls parent organization has combined its efforts and resources with the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation (www.bobwoodrufffamilyfund.org) to help in any way we can.

In addition to the clinic and event, two-time Emmy Award winning film maker, David L Brown will be making a documentary on the event, the people, and the cause. We will post more information, photos, and video as they become available.

In the meantime, wish us all luck and please visit the Woodruff Family Foundation’s site and give what you can to help those who so badly need our help.

 

For Immediate Release

Location:  Tahoe City California, CA, 11 August 2008

Contacts: Rob Howard 510-773-4701, Dr. Robb Gaffney MD  530-412-1325 

World-Class Athletes to Cross Lake Tahoe on Stand-Up Paddle Boards to Raise Awareness and Funding for U.S. Service Members Injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Epic Way Sports’ Skiskills.com joins forces with the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation to raise awareness and funding for service members suffering from traumatic brain injury, combat stress, and other war-related injuries.

Skiskills.com, a division of Epic Way Sports, is bringing together a group of world-class skiers, surfers, mountain climbers, and disabled athletes to cross Lake Tahoe on stand-up paddle boards on Monday, August 11, 2008. Among the 20 participants are Olympic gold medalist and world-champion skier Jonny Moseley; Olympian and top-tier U.S. downhill skier Daron Rahlves; Olympic snowboarder and X Games gold medalist Nate Holland; big-mountain snowboarder Jeremy Jones; legendary big-wave surfer and Jaws tow-in surfing pioneer Dave Kalama; and Mark Wellman, the first paraplegic to climb El Capitan and Half Dome, and a recipient of a U.S. Senate Resolution Award.

Most participants had never stepped onto a stand-up paddle board before this summer. Now they are committed to paddling 22 miles across Lake Tahoe. And while it will be difficult for them, these world-class athletes recognize their challenge is nothing compared to what the victims of traumatic brain injury and other serious war-related injuries have to deal with each and every day—even to do the most basic and mundane tasks. “As a medical doctor who has treated traumatic brain injuries, I know firsthand the difficult journey these men and women must endure,” says Dr. Robb Gaffney, MD, Skiskills cofounder, event co-organizer, and practicing physician. “I hope our symbolic journey will help by making people more aware and convincing them to give generously to the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation (www.bobwoodrufffamilyfund.org).” Adds Crossing leader Dave Kalama, “What these veterans have to deal with makes surfing Jaws seem pretty tame. They’ve put their lives on the line for all of us and sacrificed so much. It’s time to step up and do whatever we can to help them. “

Dr. Gaffney and his posse of world-class action-sports athletes are teaming up with the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation in this awareness- and fund-raising event. Bob Woodruff was an ABC News anchorman who himself suffered a near-fatal traumatic brain injury in January 2006 when a roadside bomb struck his vehicle while he was on assignment in Iraq. While recovering from his injuries, Woodruff and family members founded the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation to assist others by funding advances in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, support, and resources for injured service people.

The Lake Tahoe Crossing will start at 7 a.m. on 11 August 2008 from a location to be determined on Lake Tahoe’s West shore area. The lead group is expected to complete the 22 mile trek roughly five hours later and end up at Lake Tahoe’s East or South Shore areas, depending on wind direction and water conditions. 

To learn more about the Tahoe Stand-Up Paddle Board Crossing 2008 and how you or your firm can support this worthy cause, please contact Dr. Robb Gaffney, 530-412-1325, robbgaffney@hotmail.com, or Rob Howard, 510-773-4701, rhoward@bikeskills.com.

Skiskills.com, a division of Epic Way Sports, is a private startup company founded in 2007 that connects world-class athletes with skiers around the world through no-cost downloadable instructional and inspiration video content, as well as conducting clinics and special events. Skiskills.com is dedicated to establishing an inclusive community that promotes learning, health, and active lifestyles.