O’Neill, the original surf, snow and youth lifestyle brand, is poised to make a big impact this summer in the stand up paddle community by bringing SUP to New York City for the O’Neill SEA Paddle NYC; hosting all three stops of the Tahoe Cup Series; adding SUP champion Rob Rojas to its team of high-profile athletes; and offering a number of products, including O’Zone, 24-7, skins lycra and neoprene jackets, that have been officially endorsed by The Skin Cancer Foundation.

Throughout the summer, SUP competitors will gather in one of the country’s most scenic natural settings for the O’Neill Tahoe Cup, an open series for men and women in three board classifications.

Three Tahoe Cup events kick off starting May 28 in Donner Lake, followed by Jam from the Dam in Tahoe City on July 9 and the Fall Classic at South Lake Tahoe on Sept. 18. Top three finishers for all races will be awarded in the three classes, which include youth (18 and under) and Masters (55-plus), along with one overall winner.

The first SUP athlete on O’Neill’s roster, Rob Rojas was overall winner of the 2010 Hennessey’s International Paddleboard Championships in San Diego, and has taken wins at the Hennessey’s U.S. Championships, Hobie Hennessey’s Waterman Challenge, Waterman’s Sunscreen Paddle for Humanity, Catalina Challenge relay and Tahoe-Nalu Distance Race.