Chris Churilo
SUP Instructor and President of Ohana Paddle Club
Joined Mike’s Paddle: 2017
Paddling Since: 2016
Favorite Board: The current one - Infinity Downtown. I also have a race board that I only use once a year and I bet if you ask me again in a few months, there will be another in the quiver.
Favorite Paddle: The one in my hand! I just bought a new Quickblade V-Drive and have a QuickBlack Trifecta for travel.
Favorite Paddling Spot: Of course, the Bay Area! We are so lucky to have so many launch spots and lots of varied conditions. You can’t get bored here and you see lots of cool wildlife. I used to just drive over the Bay as quickly as I could and now when I do cross the water, my eyes are on the lookout for new spots to paddle on. I have paddled inland on the rivers and lakes of California, in the waters surrounding Hawaii, Croatia, and even the Thames in London, UK. The Thames required a lot more planning that I realized because it is tidal and there are “Rules of the Road” that I had to learn to accommodate the rowers during low tide!
Certifications:
- American Canoe Association (ACA) Level 1 & 2 SUP Instructor
- American Canoe Association (ACA) Level 3 SUP Instructor
- First Aid and CPR
Find her on the water: goofing off
Other Favs: Snowboarding, skiing, kayaking
Chris got her start in SUP in a rather unusual manner — by helping her sister-in-law, Shelly Alves-Churilo, kickstart the successful PaddleSplash festival. After organizing a few races, she thought that she better give it a go, and her 10 year old nephew gave her a few important pointers like standup, don’t squeeze your toes, oh, and look at the turtles! Never satisfied, Chris sought out professional instructions from the Master of SUP, Mike Wang, and has been on a journey of improvement ever since, joining Mike’s Paddle as one of the instructors. If you know Chris, it wouldn’t surprise you that she previously worked at Heavenly Ski Resort as a “Mountain Hostess” where she skied around conducting tours, handing out sunblock, trail maps, and lots of advice on how to have fun.
In 2021, Chris and a few other paddlers launched the non-profit paddleboard club in Alameda, CA, called the Ohana Paddle Club. This club was formed to help those with a slight obsession for paddling to share the “Stoke” and build a strong community of paddlers for fun, friendship, and responsible stewardship of our waterways.
