La Jolla paddleboard races pay tribute to surf legend

Paddlers of all ages turned out Saturday morning for WindanSea Surf Club’s Fourth Annual Butch Van Artsdalen Paddle Competition.

The first racers took off at 7:30 a.m., with courses ranging from a 9-mile jaunt to the Mission Bay Channel jetty and back, a 5.5-mile race for paddleboards and standup paddlers and a 2-mile SUP fun race to Bird Rock and Back. An awards and lunch were set to follow the races.

The event honors the legendary surfer who called La Jolla home for a time and is an integral part of the WindanSea surf legacy. He was among surfing icons featured in the film “Endless Summer.”