Staff photo by Allison Breiner Potter  Paddlers in the open division work their way through the breakers at the start of the Mullet Run.

Every morning, John Beausang wakes up and sends out chum.

What he sends is actually called the Daily Chum, a Wrightsville Beach surf report that packages useful information for stand-up paddleboarders, surfers and other watermen into a categorical list on Beausang’s website,
www.DistressedMullet.com

A 2-year-old website that Beausang, of Wilmington, said is dedicated to the growing popularity of stand-up paddleboarding, www.DistressedMullet.com on July 24 held its first fundraiser to benefit Surfers Healing, a foundation supporting children with autism, and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.

It was dubbed the Mullet Run, a combination run-paddleboard race and raffle that attracted 41 competitors—including Beausang—and many more spectators to Wrightsville’s beach access No. 4, near the north end.

Paddlers lapped a pair of buoys in the surf and then returning to land, ran a length of beach before jumping back on their boards to do more laps at sea. There was also a relay. The event functioned to raise money for local nonprofit organizations and to spread awareness of www.DistressedMullet.com, which Beausang said he created to serve the paddleboarding community.

"I wanted to pull everyone together," he said, standing in Wrightsville Beach Park, where people gathered after the race for prizes and a raffle.

John Pike, director of the Surfers Healing North Carolina chapter, was grateful the event focused attention on the organization. "The more we raise, the more kids we can take surfing," he said.

Each surfer that takes part in the annual Surfers Healing event costs $75. With 150-200 kids, that can add up. "We need to raise a pretty penny to make this thing happen," Pike said.

This year’s Surfers Healing event, in which autistic children are taken surfing, is scheduled for Aug. 19 at the Stone Street beach access, Pike said.

The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, located in Topsail, also needs funding. The center does not receive state or federal dollars, and takes in dozens of injured sea turtles annually, according to the center’s website.

Staff photo by Allison Breiner Potter Mac Barnhardt catches a wave to shore after completing a lap in the ocean during the inaugural Mullet Run Saturday, July 24.

From raising money and marketing events to Daily Chum reports, photos and used gear for sale, Beausang is posting it all on www.DistressedMullet.com. It’s been successful, attracting thousands of hits per week, in what Beausang and others at the event Saturday said evidenced the growth of stand-up paddleboarding.

"It’s given us a way to get back in the water when there’s no surf," Beausang said.

Brian Hill, a 15-year-old from Holly Ridge, won the event for the surf recreational men’s division. "I got out in the surf faster and took the lead," said the Dixon High student when asked to explain how he did it—beating out men twice his age.

Hill was awarded with a luchador wrestling mask. Some other competitors were given roughly six-inch tall plastic luchador wrestling men glued atop mason jars filled with red Swedish fish, as makeshift trophies.

Next year, in the second annual Mullet Run, Beausang said he hoped to attract national and internationally recognized paddleboard surfers, and cultivate the event into something larger every year.

Surf Recreational Womens
1. Heather Downs

Surf Recreational Mens
1. Brian Hill
2. Keith Jensen
3. Greg Lew
4. Mack Bernhart
5. Dr. Ed
6. William Pope
7. Phil Luther
8. Todd Yancey
9. Miles Abernathy
10. Zo Tipton
11. Mike Rodden
12. B Smith
13. Jason Hand
14. Jo Pierce
15. Clark Shay
16. Mike Abernathy
17. Jason Gaskill
18. John Fox
19. Larry Bergman
20. John Klutz
21. Nick Cosmat

Open 14 Mens
1. Chris Hill
2. Bill Gassett
3. Haywood Newkirk
4. Kevin Vangritis
5. John Beausang

Open Stock Womens
1. Ann Gasssett
2. Katie Moore
3. Jenna Schmidt

Open Stock Mens
1. Chris Curry
2. Craig Stephens
3. Kevin Rhodes
4. Jason Colclough
5. Benjamin Surrazin
6. Greg Roach
7. James Molean
8. Mark Schmidt
9. Matt Casmat
10. Tyler Hustrulid

Relay:
1. Bryan Hill, Chris Hill, Jason Colclough
2. Bill Gassett, Mike Abernathy, Miles Abernathy
3. Katie Moore, Kevin and Keith Jensen
4. Craig Stephens, Sonny Stephens, and Chris Curry