At 38 years of age Danny Ching has solidified himself as the greatest paddle sports athlete in Southern California, and is recognized worldwide as a skilled waterman.  Danny was practically born with a canoe paddle in his hand. He is the elder son of Al Ching, founder and head coach of the Lanakila Outrigger Canoe Club. He officially entered his first race at the age of 10.  By 15 he was racing with Lanakila Outrigger’s elite men's team, leading their six and nine-man teams to top finishes locally and in Hawaii. At 18 he entered his first distance OC-1 race. In less than a year he had climbed to the top of local the competition.  Since 2002 he has dominated one-man outrigger canoe racing in southern California, highlighted by multiple victories in State and National and World Championship competitions. In 2008 he capped off his run to the top with his first Outrigger World Championship and followed it up again in 2010 and 2013.  Since 2004 Danny has only finished outside the top 5 only once.

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Danny’s stand up (SUP) career started in 2009 with a 1st place in the Hennessey’s USA Championships.  He then backed that up with a 3rd place (elite) and 1st place (distance) in his second race ever (the Battle of the paddle California 2009).  In January 2010, with the help of partner Greg Jensen, he started his own board company and own line of paddles.  Since then Danny has been untouchable in 2010 winning all the major races including the Battle of the Paddle races in Hawaii and California.  Since that time Danny has been considered one of the bests paddlers in the world.

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During his Outrigger and SUP career, Danny has also participated in many other paddling sports.  Danny also has National Championships in Prone paddling, Surfski, Sprint Kayak, Sprint Canoe, Rudderless canoe, and Dragon boat competitions.  In 2007 alone he was a member of the USA Pan American Sprint Kayak team in Rio Brazil and helped carry the USA Dragon Boat Team to their 1st World Title ever.

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Danny’s prolific paddling accomplishments have followed him to his Coaching career.  Danny started coaching his local junior outrigger team at the age of 16. In 2005, at the age of 22, Danny became the youngest outrigger head coach in history.  In his 13 years as head coach, Danny has turned Lanakila Outrigger Canoe Club from a local team to world class contender and the largest canoe club in the world.  His outrigger coaching accomplishments include Winning Multiple California and USA National Championships and even a World Championship coaching Team Bradley in the Molokai World Championships.  During that time Danny also, took his skills to other sports. Danny coached and trained the Pan American USA Sprint Kayak team in 2007. He was also a consultant to the USA Dragon Boat coaching staff during their World Championship run in 2007, and 2011.  In his free time, Danny also coaches and teaches the junior lifeguard program for Los Angeles County. He is currently heading up their new Waterman development program designed for kids ages 14-17. Recently, Danny has taken his coaching talents into the SUP world.  He has been traveling the world, giving clinics and lessons in SUP since 2009. His client base includes everyone from beginners, to club and corporations, to elite professional racers, and more recently, professional athletes and celebrities. Some top notable sup racing athletes that have trained with and have been coached by Danny are, Connor Baxter, Annabel Anderson, Mo Freitas, Shae Foudy, Jade Howson, April Zilg, Slater Trout, Travis Grant, Ryan Funk, Giorgio and Izzy Gomez, and Zane Schweitzer.  

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PADDLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• 2007  IDBF Dragon Boat World Champion

• 2008 Kanaka Ikaika Molokai OC1 Solo World Champion

• 2010 PA'A Molokai OC1 Solo World Champion

• 2011  IDBF Dragon Boat World Champion

• 2013 PA'A Molokai OC1 Solo World Champion

• 2015 ISA SUP World Distance Champion

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COACHING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• 2008-2018 Outrigger State Champions - Lanakila OCC

• 2010 WOMEN'S MOLOKAI WORLD CHAMPIONS - Bradley Women

• 2015 19U MEN Molokai OC1 Solo World Champion - Ryland Hart

• 2010, 2011, 2012 MEN'S USA National Champions - Team Lanakila OCC