Congratulations to 11th-grader Jade Howson, who took home the gold in China at the 2018 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championships!

Recent News:

• Paddle League Women’s World Rank: 14
• International Race Champion
• Course Length: 5 kilometers  
• Course Time: 35. 3 minutes
• Jade: “Paddling for our country and winning for the pride of our country motivated me to win the race.”

Q&A:

1. Q) Jade, how did you first get into stand up paddling?

“My dad was an outrigger canoe

paddler,   and then he switched to

stand up paddling, and I just fol-

lowed him.”

1. Q) Mrs. Hawkins, What do you admire about Jade beyond her athletic achievements?

“Jade Howson is an undercover superstar!  She

doesn’t like attention brought to her and is very

understated about her accomplishments… She is

kind, bright, and beautiful on the inside and out,

one of the best people I know!”

1. Q) Robert & Kris Howson, Jade’s parents, what are your earliest memories of Jade in water sports?

Robert (Dad): “I had Jade on a surfboard

• when she was four in Hawaii.”

1. Q) Was it ever hard to support Jade in her endeavors?

Robert (Dad): “Was it hard? Never. It was a

blessing— it was amazing. It always has

been the best thing ever.”

Kris (Mom): “I disagree. It was hard some-

times because the conditions were very

sketchy, and I was afraid. When she did

the Maui to Molokai crossing in twelve

to fifteen-foot swells, they attached this

long flag to the end of her board. I asked

the people: ‘Oh, what is that for?’ and

they said, ‘Oh, that’s if you’re lost at sea,

the airplanes can spot you.’”