YOLO Board is excited to announce the signing of elite stand up paddleboarder Ernest ‘EJ’ Johnson to the YOLO Board Race Team. Johnson is the newest addition to the YOLO Board roster that also includes elite racers Darian Boyle, Ingo Rademacher, Michael ‘Westy’ Westenberger, Sue Cooper and Justin Cook.

“As a company, YOLO Board embodies the feeling and lifestyle of ‘You Only Live Once’ for which it was named,” said Johnson. “I’m stoked to be working with the incredible people of YOLO including Jeff Archer, Steve Brom and the many unique riders and rising stars on the race team. I’m looking forward to a year of touring the country and abroad racing, surfing and spreading the YOLO stoke and lifestyle.”

Between competing on the SUP race circuit and teaching advanced paddle training, Johnson will play an integral role in YOLO Board’s latest West Coast expansion, the company’s new California headquarters and distribution center slated to open December 2011 in Old Town San Diego. Additionally, Johnson will assist with future R&D of YOLO Board brand products. Johnson’s wife Andie, who signed on as YOLO Board’s first female West Coast racer nearly two years ago, will manage the new retail store.

“We are honored to have EJ join the YOLO Board family,” explains Jeff Archer, co-founder of YOLO Board. “As a true pioneer of our sport, EJ not only excels in racing but as a SUP ambassador spreading the stoke worldwide. He’s the perfect person to assist us in shaping the future of the West Coast race scene and we are excited to see what the upcoming year has in store.”

A familiar face on the elite racing circuit paddling the 14’ Division, Johnson has many SUP achievements under his belt including most recently eighth place in the 2011 Carolina Cup, seventh place in the 2011 Gulf Coast SUP Championship, sixth place in the Hennessy’s U.S. Championship, eleventh place in the 2011 Hennessy’s World Championship and ninth place in the 2011 Catalina SUP Festival. The Southern California native is also a master woodworking craftsman and founder of Johnson Big Stick Paddles (www.johnsonbigstick.com), a premier provider of custom wood stand up paddles that are artfully crafted—one paddle at a time.

“EJ truly embraces the lifestyle of a waterman from living on a sailboat to hand shaping beautiful, one-of-a-kind paddles,” says Archer. “He and Andie already represent the YOLO lifestyle in each and everything they do, and we believe they are a perfect fit for our company.”