By SNEWS

TAIPEI, TAIWAN May 29, 2019 - Award-winning design company Gearlab, a coveted high-performance open water expedition paddle company, will participate as a supporting brand for fundraising in the upcoming non-profit SSTIKS symposium June 14-16, 2019.

SSTIKS is the Northwest’s premier event devoted to traditional kayaking skills and culture. The Symposium is held in June every year in Twanoh State Park on the beautiful Hood Canal in Washington. SSTIKS is a family-friendly event featuring some of the best mentors in Greenland-style kayaking. SSTIKS is a volunteer-run event.

Jake Corrington, a Gearlab athlete, will be a mentor teaching rolling and other Greenland paddling skills. “SSTIKS is an unique, laid-back experience. Kids, teens, and adult paddlers come together to share their skills. I’m happy to be going back for my fourth year, and to be able to share my experience with some new Greenland paddlers.”

The South Sound Traditional Inuit Kayak Symposium, or SSTIKS, came to be in 2002, when 75 traditional paddle users gathered on the Puget Sound. The first traditional kayaking skills event in the Northwest, SSTIKS continues to attract paddlers from B.C., Washington, Oregon, and beyond 16 years later.

Corrington explains the value of the event: “Many paddlers learn their first roll at the event. Some come with a roll, and leave having learned four new ways to come back up. But SSTIKS isn’t just about rolling – there are traditional paddling strokes and maneuvering, as well as paddle carving classes and other on-land activities."

An additional Gealab supporter will be attending and teaching at the weekend event. Make sure to see Mentor: Eiichi Ito. Eiichi Ito is the current President of Qajaq, Japan in the 4th generation. It is his second time in this role; he was also President from 2010 – 2013. He was first invited to SSTIKS in 2011 and 11 year later he still looks forward to this event. He has prepared some roll animations for the presentation.

Pioneered by the Inuit for long expeditions across open water, Greenland Paddles are known for their high performance and low swing weight, which creates a smooth and efficient paddling experience. Designed by a team of experts in industrial design, Gearlab’s carbon-fiber Greenland paddles are remarkably strong and lightweight. While wider blades are designed for rivers and whitewater, long and streamlined Greenland blades are innovated for the ocean.

- The original article is released on SNEWS.