Manhattan Beach City Council
February 21, 2023

Catalina Classic Established 1955
The Authentic 32 Mile Open Ocean Paddleboard Race P.O. Box 3556 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 January 30, 2023 To Whom It May Concern: The purpose of this letter is to formally request legacy status with the City of Manhattan Beach for the historic, annually held, Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race. The event is organized and conducted each year by the Catalina Classic Paddleboard Association, Inc., an all-volunteer 501c4 non-profit organization. The Association promotes a traditional and original paddleboard race, with safety as our primary focus, from Catalina Island to the pier of Manhattan Beach, California. The Race was originally established in 1955 by legendary Los Angeles County Lifeguard and Manhattan Beach resident Bob Hogan. He partnered with the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce at the time to create, what is today, the oldest and most celebrated endurance paddleboard race in the world. This historic 32-mile marathon, which starts at Catalina’s Isthmus Cove and ends at the Manhattan Beach Pier, attracts the fastest endurance paddlers from all over the world and is known as the “Grand-Daddy of all paddleboard races”. Although competitors numbered in the teens in the early years, the race has grown substantially over the years and now boasts up to 100 competitors each year. The Catalina Classic Paddleboard Association makes donations to local non-profit organizations that work with youth groups, education, and water safety. Recipients include the L.A. County Jr. Lifeguard Scholarship Fund, The Manhattan Beach Round House Aquarium, Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, and 1% for the planet. Many paddlers also utilize the race to raise money and awareness for their favorite charities, including: • The Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation, with the US Marine Corps relay team from Wounded Warriors Battalion-West • The Ocean of Hope Campaign for the Sarcoma Alliance • The Desatnick Foundation • The ALS Association Golden West Chapter Catalina Classic Established 1955
The Authentic 32 Mile Open Ocean Paddleboard Race P.O. Box 3556 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 The Catalina Classic Paddleboard Association seeks to continue the tradition of this historic event and promote healthy competition and comradery among competitors from all over the world. This is a race that was born in Manhattan Beach right alongside the sport of beach volleyball. We understand that the City of Manhattan Beach is currently partnering with local resident groups to erect a life size bronze paddleboard sculpture at the base of Manhattan Beach Pier. The amazing bronze sculpture is meant to memorialize the women and men that have competed in the Catalina Classic for more than seven decades. It would be a fitting time to grant legacy status to this historic event to help preserve the race for generations to come. The race is organized by volunteers and as a result there would no significant cost to the City of Manhattan Beach. We are simply requesting a full or partial waiver of permit fees and street banner hanging fees. We hope this is not too large a request for a historic event of this caliber. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Respectfully, The Catalina Classic Paddleboard Association, Inc. Karl ‘Buddy” Bohn CEO, Founding Director, 501c4 (310) 270-8957 [email protected] Directors: Steve Fairbrother Francziska Steagal Gene Rink Tim Gair Mike Murphy