10/18/2025
Off Da Couch
The Sam Couch Memorial Race
The fall racing season starts here. Join us for the very first small craft race of the season — honoring the life and legacy of Sam Couch, a passionate paddler and proud supporter of youth paddling in Southern California.
Sam believed in showing up, paddling hard, and lifting others along the way — especially the next generation. It’s something we’re proud to carry forward through this event.
Race Options:
🌊 Short Course – Shake off the rust
🌊 Long Course – Test the engine
🌊 Grom Race – For the future of our sport
Come race, connect, and help us kick off the season with purpose, community, and some serious off-the-couch energy.
All small craft welcome — OC1, V1, surfski, SUP, and prone.
Who was Sam Couch III?
Sam was born in Newport Beach, CA in the back of a Volkswagen bus. It was an adventurous start to a life filled with one adventure after another.
Sam was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 2. when it came to CF, Sam was stubborn as a mule. He simply would not let it stop him.
Sam grew to love ocean sports at a young age, first with simple beach days with his family, then swim team. Ultimately he pursued rowing, flat-water canoe paddling and finally outrigger paddling. Sam was one of the first coxswains at NAC, and he is one of the only athletes that competed in every NAC sport at a national level.
Sam taught young athletes to love and respect the ocean. Sam went out of his way to make sure anyone that wanted to paddle could have the opportunity. He taught them that winning wasn’t everything, and that if you weren’t having fun you weren’t doing it right. He taught that NAC was stronger as a team than individuals. Sam was a teacher, and a leader. He was also the only grown man that could get away at throwing grapes at the junior paddlers and hosting sling races across the wash deck.
Sam could fix anything that floated. He was also a talented woodworker. He recently launched what was sure to be a successful business in custom wood sculpture.
We will always remember – – and hopefully pay forward – – the positive impact that he had on everyone in his world
41 years and a day with Cystic Fibrosis. A son. A brother. A boyfriend. A coach. A friend. A fighter. An innovator. A master craftsman. A waterman. A jack of all trades.