by Jack Flynn, SouthCentral Region Member

USASUP National Championships 2026 was truly an unforgettable experience. Set against the backdrop of beautiful Gig Harbor, this collection of race events was the perfect blend of competition and enchantment. The people of the town were welcoming and enthusiastic about the national event that had descended on their home waters.

For my first National Championships, I decided to take part in the brand-new Inflatable category for all of my races over the weekend: Sprints, 5K, and Technical. Hydrus Board Tech, a premium Idaho-based manufacturer of inflatable SUPs, generously provided 10 brand-new Elysium Air 14x26 inflatable race boards for use during the National Championships. With a new loaner board in hand, I headed out to the events.

 

My first event was the 100m sprints. This was my first time racing sprints beyond a handful of practice meetups, and there was one complication: For the previous three months, the daily high in my native training grounds of Austin, Texas, had rarely dipped below 90 degrees. Consequently, our water temperatures had been in the 80s. Gig Harbor, however, is connected to the cold Pacific waters of Puget Sound, and on race day the water was a whopping 53 degrees. On a new board, embarking on a chaotic race with more experienced racers, I had one thought: Don’t fall in. How did I do in sprints? Well, I didn’t fall in…

 

By Day 2, I had worked through some of my cold-water fear and embraced the 5K distance event with much more enthusiasm. Having made friends with my fellow inflatable competitors, I positioned myself behind them at the start. I reasoned that I would conserve some energy early through the chaos, then work my way toward the front of my heat. The plan worked! To my rejoicing, I finished first among those registered for the inflatable 5K race, earning the top spot on the podium. Not bad for a first USASUP Nationals experience! Huge thanks again to Hydrus for providing the fastest inflatable I have ever ridden.

 

While winning in this brand-new category was fun, it was only the icing on the cake of the overall experience. I found the USASUP community—and our Gig Harbor hosts as well—to be overwhelmingly warm and supportive. Beyond the many conversations on the water, off the water, and while hanging out at the Hydrus tent, we also found time to get together for dinner each night. It was a great experience getting to know the other participants and spending time together.

 

Each day of racing became increasingly enjoyable because of that growing camaraderie. I came to Gig Harbor hoping to race well. I left grateful for the people I met, the friendships I made, and a SUP community I’m sincerely looking forward to seeing again.