Race recaps

by Ellison Smith

My first trip to the USA SUP NorthCentral Region was one of the best I've ever had anywhere! I wasn't quite set on attending until the week leading up to it. I'm subject to change as the wind blows sometimes and I blazed a trail 10.5 hours west to the Windy Cityfor the 5K, 10K technical, and sprint races.

I arrived on Friday to enjoy the sunniest and warmest of the three-day weekend at Ohio Street Beach with the resident city sun revelers. The Columbia Yacht Club, a converted former Canadian rail ferry, hosted the competition the next day.

Race day was changed from a forecasted calm Sunday to a very windy Saturday due to a conflicting event, but what else would you expect on the Illinois coast? The 10K was not your typical out and back, instead, it consisted of a roundabout around the starting pier, then transitioned into four laps around a triangle and finishing with another turnaround before the finish line. Fortunately, most of the course was somewhat protected from the 30mph gusts. The buoy furthest out in Lake Michigan proved to be the most challenging, especially the last two laps. I was very happy with a 5th place finish amongst the very friendly and fast competition. The sprint race that followed proved to be a somewhat chaotic and frantic dash. In the out and back with one close-quarters turn, somehow I escaped the fray with 2nd place showing. The club hosted us for the awards where I got to know some of the Midwest fam and engage with some familiar faces.

  

Sunday began with a downtown tour led by our newest USA SUP NorthCentral Regional Rep, Kirsten Lefeldt. Her love for paddling led her to start Chicago SUP, a paddle and racing group headquarterednear Goose Island. Being amongst the spectacular views on the North Branch Chicago River was a fantastic experience.

During the trip, I got in some quality beach time with another NorthCentral USA SUP Rep, Troy Hendricks. We also had quite the adventure in search of some deep dish  It's hard to summarize the trip in a few paragraphs but I hope the pics will tell the rest of the story.

    

 *Photos by Joe Karp

Treasure Coast Paddle Battle by Ellison Smith - USA SUP Board Member

The spring race season got its start on March 15th and 16th in Fort Pierce, FL. Victoria Burgess of Tactical Athlete Nutrition + Performance directed the event held at Jaycee Park and is part of the Southeastern Regional Race Series. The aptly named Battle began with an ocean start amongst the breakers for the 10K. 

Paddlers took a course out and then along the coastline, around Ft. Pierce Jetty and into the inlet to the Indian River Lagoon. 5K racers faced a challenge as well, with three laps in the lagoon, including several buoy turns as the wind speed increased. The fun continued on the second day with short but exciting sprints along the shore at the Park.

Jake Portwood edged out Campbell Carter in a photo finish and Stephanie Shideler took first in the 10K. Katniss Paris and Mason Kober were the 5K fastest finishers. Carter and Paris placed again in the sprints in lightning quick fashion. The race is also open to most other paddlecraft and is exciting for participants and spectators alike.  Make a visit to the Sunshine state in this beautiful destination a part of your race calendar.

Photos  Lisa Bee (FloridaGirl Lisa) and Jim Ferro

The 2024 Goat Boater Race Series is once again complete. After hosting 25 races over the years, each season continues to raise the bar and the stakes!

Goat Boater has always aimed to bring the highest-class experience.  Balancing top-level competition with a grassroots vibe and never forgetting to celebrate our local hometown heroes.

*2024 Overall Season Podium Winners*

Female: 1st: April Zilg 2nd: Caroline Cook 3rd: Nea Lee

Male: 1st: John Batson 2nd: Mike Hill 3rd: Nathan Champion

VIEW COMPLETE SEASON STANDINGS HERE

https://canadianpaddleleague.ca/club-races/2024-goat-boater-race-series/

With Professional guest appearances over the years by Michael Booth, Candice Appleby, Campbell Carter, April Zilg, Dave Boehne, Itzel Delgado, Kim Barnes, Steve Miller, Goat Boater is the place to be. 

In 2024, paddlers were awarded over $6,000 in cash prizes plus incredible gear from Infinity, Starboard & Black Project SUP.  Next year, we plan to raise the stakes even higher. 2025 promises to bring bigger prizes, faster paddling, and above all, more fun. 

Come be part of this incredible experience and 'Lose Faster!'

As anticipation for 2025 continues to build here are a few paddlers who we expect could make big waves next year at Goat Boater:

April Zilg: April dominated the 2024 season, scoring a perfect 300 points in her top 3 races. She consistently outpaced the competition and looks poised to defend her title next season. As she gets back into her full training schedule, she will again be the paddler to beat in 2025. Caroline Cook: With 284.9 points, Caroline finished strong in 2024. She’s a versatile competitor who consistently placed high in every race she entered. An understudy of Candice Appleby and A well-rounded paddler like her could challenge April and others for the top spot next season. Nea Lee: Nea, who accumulated 268.9 points, was a force all season. She was the season champion in 2023 and showed her speed again this year. Her ability to race at a high level across multiple events shows she has the stamina and skill to improve further. Expect her to be in contention for podium finishes in 2025. Bara Skoumalova: Bara closed the 2024 season with 260.6 points, and her performances were steady across the board. With a few strategic improvements, she could be a dangerous contender next season, especially if she focuses on maximizing her top finishes. Kim Barnes: Although Kim only raced twice in 2024, she earned 200 points with perfect scores in those races. If she commits to a full season in 2025, she could become a major threat to the established competitors.

John Batson: John was the top male paddler in 2024, with 293.8 points, consistently finishing near the top. His ability to perform under pressure makes him the favorite to win again next season. Mike Hill: Mike’s strong performances in 2024 earned him 271.8 points. If he can maintain his momentum and race in more events next season, he has the potential to overtake the competition. Nathan Champion: With 261.9 points in 2024, Nathan showed that he’s a consistent podium finisher. Nathan an OG of the Goat Boater race series has always found himself on the podium. If he increases his race participation and maintains his form, he could be a key challenger for the top spot in 2025. Brent Ackland: Brent’s 259.8 points across 5 races showed he’s a competitive paddler, but he may need to focus on fine-tuning his races to push further up the leaderboard next season. Rob Moran: Rob accumulated 259.2 points & proved to be a reliable competitor. He’ll be looking to sharpen his strategy in 2025 and break into the top 3.

Emerging Talent Gordon Pennebaker: Gordon finished with 251.3 points and had some standout performances in 2024. With a full season, he could make a significant leap and challenge the top contenders. Steve Miller: With 197.2 points from just two races, Steve showed that he has the potential to break into the top ranks if he races more consistently in 2025. Amanda Portwood: Amanda’s 176.4 points from two races mark her as a rising star in the female division. With more participation next season, she could be a serious contender for top 5 finishes. Corey Curtis: Corey earned 174.5 points from two races. If he can build on his experience, he could be one of the surprise paddlers to watch next season.

Paddlers Looking to Break Through Caroline Grandis & Andrea Robb: These two female paddlers had steady showings in 2024, finishing with 179.4 and 228.4 points, respectively. A more focused approach in 2025 could see them rise in the rankings. Martin Houston & Eric Carter: Both competitors had impressive point totals (173.0 and 170.6), and with more races under their belts next season, they could break into the top 10.

“The Goat Boater is your regional dealer for Starboard, Infinity & Black Project SUP. Contact Megan@GoatBoater.com to schedule a demo. All boards on sale. Not all inventory is shown online. Visit online & Schedule to come out.”

THE 5 YEAR BELT BUCKLE
Each year a beautiful, custom, handcrafted belt buckle is awarded to any racer who successfully completes their 5th consecutive Chattajack*. This is a way of thanking them for your deep level of commitment, not only to the race, but also, to the racers personal goals, fitness and love of their sport. 

*An athlete is awarded this once every 5 years. Not each additional year that they race. So, for example: if you earned one for racing from 2012-2016, and you keep coming back each year, then you'll receive another one for 2017-2021.
*To be eligible you must finish 5 consecutive Chattajacks, within the allotted time, and following all other race rules. (ie. you received an official finishing time)

Congratulations to these Chattajack Bucklers!

Bubba Sloan, Katniss Paris, Emily McNeill, Candi Hill, Paul Weich, Grace Metzgar, James Tomes, Nancy Packard, Lyn Harris, Daniel Gamsky, Morgan Williams, Bobby Quigley, Shawn Evans, Tommy Cost, Kevin McFarland, Danielle Pointon, Olivia Durrence, John Wellens, Robin Lashway, Chuck Sisunik, Seth Foshee, Troy Gossard, Gander Tawaststjerna, Melissa Beck, Angel Subdiaz, Kim Barnes, JoJo Davidson, Tony Galang, Dave Merkli, Devin Sampson, Mindy Tavares, Monica Monteon, Ben Roth, Linda McCoy, Scott Watson-Brown, Robert Norman, Susan Jordan, Neil Baker, Julieanne White, Adrian Angell, Stella Gan, Dan Michaluk

Wouldn't it be fun to have a 10 year buckle like this one?

by Travis Prewitt – NorthWest Region member

Mix spectacular red canyon walls with the Colorado River that carved them and a few dozen paddlers and you have the ingredients for the Back of Beyond Paddle race, held near Moab, Utah September 21^st and 22^nd 2024.

The ninth Back of Beyond featured the 7-mile “Postcard Alley” flatwater race on Saturday and a whitewater technical sprint on Sunday. The Postcard Alley name comes from the scenic views of canyon walls and the Fisher Towers. There are two national parks, Canyonlands and Arches a few miles away from the race. However, the geologic forces that created these parks didn’t have a map to stop at park boundaries so paddlers and spectators can skip the crowds and see similar epic views along the racecourse.

The Postcard Alley section of the Colorado River has modest current and only occasional riffles but look at the scenery too much and you will go swimming as I did. As the river winds past vertical canyon walls, there are lots of eddies and confusing currents to keep you on your toes and bracing at times. The Whitewater Showdown on Sunday took place at the well named Rocky Rapids.

The Postcard Alley race had open and elite SUP divisions for men and women as well as a kayaks. Trent Hickman, owner of Park City SUP, repeated winning the men’s elite. Heidi Miller was the top elite woman. Both also won the Rocky Rapids race on Sunday.

Like many races, Back of Beyond still suffers from “long Covid.” A couple year hiatus for the virus cut into participation that organizer and sponsor, Paddle Moab, hopes to reverse. With famous mountain biking, four-wheeling, and two national parks in the vicinity, as well as a unique race course, there is potential for Back of Beyond to become a bucket list SUP destination with broader awareness. Plans are to keep the races on the third weekend of September.

For a paddler’s eye view of this year’s Back of Beyond there is a well-done video by InflatableBoarder.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFUddjGLaQk

   

by Keith Conway

The Midwest Paddle League held its last race of the season, the Rubber Ducky Regatta. Sadly this will be the last time this event will be held. Elizabeth ran the most organized races I have been a part of. 

The conditions were amazing, bluebird skies, warm 80 degrees and glassy water. The 10k race was decided very early as Dan Novak took an early lead that he never relinquished. 2nd place was Alex Sandler who was solidly in 2nd place with no real threat to reel him in. 3rd place was a battle between Grand Masters national champ Joe Bechtold and Vladimir Vetrov that saw Vladimir come out on top. The women's race saw Julie Miller as the clear victor who has not lost a race all season. Kathy Macrae and Betsy Duke battled it out for 2nd and 3rd and Kathy came out on top in that battle.

The 5k race had its battles as well, the men's race was heated as there were 4 lead changes. Harrison Withers took the hole shot out front first, then Keith Conway over took the lead and was out front for nearly half the race when Jeff Aiken took the lead then lost the lead to the eventual winner Todd Averest. Jeff settled for 2nd followed by Tom Wernette who came out of nowhere to snag the 3rd podium spot. On the woman's side Lauren Dorsey came out of retirement to dominate the women's side followed by Jill Bloemendaal and Natalya Shoror.

12'6" Men
1. Carl Solms
2. Aaron Luogo
3. Greg Rizzolo

12'6" Women

1. Lauren Dorsey 
2. Laura Kinne
3. Cheryl Kemp

Well done everyone.

2024 National Championships results and recaps are LIVE:
DAY 1 Sprints

DAY 2 Distance

DAY 3 Tech

by Julia Smith - SouthCentral Region 

The Sup El Camino Real is a 6.2 mile Sup Race in Bastrop, TX. I had only been paddleboarding for I did my first race. I raced the Sup El Camino 2023 for my first ever race. I won second place in 2023 on my IRocker inflatable. I said I would never do a race again on my inflatable. Linda could see my determination that I wanted to do better. October 2023 Linda offered to sell me her Naish racing board. I said yes! I brought home the new to me Naish racing board, and stared at it for many months scared to learn to paddle this board because of the fear of failing

Thanks to the encouragement of many good friends, I finally got out on the water with this board and really started to train. Let me say, growing up I was never in sports or clubs at school. I am the middle child, so I did have to fight for what I wanted growing up, which has stuck with me as an adult. I have an autoimmune disorder that is supposed to keep me from doing many things, but I have always said this autoimmune disorder is not going to keep me from doing all the things I want to do. When I decide there is something I want to do and be good at it, I put my all into it.

About seven weeks before the race I started weekly training paddle nights with Kenny Munn in New Braunfels, TX. Each week I came home sore and exhausted. Kenny pushed me each week with his encouraging words and bringing me different paddles to try so I could find a lighter paddle other than my SOL or iRocker paddle.
I have so many people in my life that have been encouraging and supporting me while I doubt myself that I would even place in the upcoming race. Saturday August 10, 2024 I showed up to Fisherman's park nervous about the race, had a panic attack, but had a few friends there to calm me down and cheer me on. I had set a goal to complete this race in one hour and twenty minutes. Once I got my Naish on the water Saturday morning I was ready. I just wanted to GO! I started the race and knew I could do it, but my legs were shaking and of course doubt filled my head.

So, after kicking the doubt out of my head and I focused on where I was and what I was doing I just paddled with all I had. I was able to keep up with one of the men that was out front of me who is an awesome paddler. At some point during the race I passed him, I was really focused and didn't realize I had passed him.

As I crossed the finish line, I heard Linda McCoy yell one hour twenty minutes! I was so excited to hear that. I was thrilled I completed the race in the time I had set for myself . Everyone finished the race and it was award time. When Linda called my name for 1st. place I couldn't believe it. Still brings me to tears thinking about it. All the women in the elite 18-49 group are very experienced race paddlers and here I am just doing my second SUP race on a racing board.

Hard work, determination and a great group of very supportive friends helped me to keep pushing myself when I was full of doubt and wanted to give up. My SUP family keeps growing!! Everyone I raced with Saturday have been very encouraging and positive. Never stop going after what you want. Never stop setting goals for yourself. Get that racing board, register for a race and get out there and do your best. Never give up on yourself. This past weekend has showed me so many things about myself that I did not know.

Thank you to everybody that believed in me when I didn't, that pushed me when I wanted to quit, and Thank you Linda for selling me one of your racing boards.

by Troy Hendricks, North Central Regional Rep

Once a year for the last 23 years, in early August, the shipping Highway of the Ohio River is shut down to commercial traffic for six hours. This is done so that over 2,000 paddlers can participate in The Ohio River Paddlefest. The paddlers downriver with stand-up paddleboards (SUP), iSUP, kayaks, canoes, ocean canoes (OCs), and surf skis paddle nine miles downriver passing under seven bridges near Cincinnati.

This event is unique! To begin the day, there is a race for almost any craft. This year 30 racers were riding a SUP!  While paddling there are at least three boats with bands that play a variety of recognizable music. This is a great way to ease a racer's mind, distract them from the monotony of nine miles, and put a smile on your face as you paddle on by. My favorite song this year was "If I Had a Million $" by the Barenaked Ladies. The festival also has shuttle buses that move passengers between the start and end of their paddle.

With so many paddlers, Friday night is used to stage the watercraft for a smooth start to the paddle in the morning. To make the process more enjoyable, the Paddlefest organizes an Exposition. Paddlers can pick up their race number and Paddlefest hat, learn about water conservation, check out some of the latest paddling gear, and swap used gear. Other exhibitors are conservation-based and educate others about improving our environment. For entertainment, the festival has a playground, food and drink trucks, and a small concert area where a bandplays for several hours during the exhibition. 

The race always starts on time at 7 am every year after a word from the wonderful race director and fellow North Central Regional Rep, Adrian Angell. The race begins heading upriver for 0.1 miles to assist in creating an even starting line. This also allows spectators to see their favorite paddler twice before the finish line. Many photographers are at the event and share their pictures online later for paddlers to see. Videos of most of the race finishers are shared on Facebook as well.

This year, the Men's 14 ft SUP category was tight. The top 9 paddlers finished only 10 minutes apart. There was literally a gut-wrenching finish for third as Randall Winer (OH) beat out Michael Weidman (KY) and Randy Rair (OH) by less than 20 seconds, then emptied his stomach on the river. Kirk Bumgarner (from TN) placed first and Alex Sandler (MI) placed second. Betsy Duke (IL) took first for the women's 14 ft SUP category followed by Rebecca Striet (WI) and, first-time racer, Elizabeth Glotfelty (OH).

At the finish line, racers received free water or a recovery drink. After stowing your craft, food trucks, and tens for beverages, ice cream, and memorabilia were available for everyone. The oak canopy offered plenty of shade and a live band was playing, which made it enjoyable to sit and recover while chatting with old and new friends. The awards happened in front of the Southern Most Point Bouy. It is fun to see the winners receive their awards. Another unique piece of this event is the constant stream of recreational paddlers coming off the Ohio River highway while racers sit and enjoy the after-race time of the Ohio River Paddlefest.

The First Annual RIVER RUMBLE!!

Flathead River, Montana ~ USA SUP NorthWest Region

by Linda McCoy- USA SUP VP and SouthCentral Regional Rep

What a great inaugural race! This was a totally grassroots effort to fill the gap left by the Windermere SUP CUP and it turned out so great! Big thanks to Jess Bouchee, Dan Miller, and Tricia Lyons for banding together and pulling off such a fun, challenging, and community focused event! I was so excited to have my Texas SUP Sista, Kiri Mevin, join me in Montana for the race! She has family in Montana and I really enjoyed introducing her to the awesome Montana SUP crew!

The race was held on Saturday, July 21 with a start time of 9:00am. We gathered at Riverside Park in Polson, Montana for the morning race. It was held on the Flathead River, just as it flows into Polson Bay and Flathead Lake. The sky was nice and clear, but the wind kicked up and gave us some challenging conditions! Mother Nature was putting some RUMBLE in the RIVER for sure! 

We had a great group of racers from all skill levels and a good mix of board types. Brooke and Ed were doing their first race! Dan was the Master of the Megaphone and gave everyone a great description of the racecourse and what to expect for the day. He made sure that everyone knew that safety was the priority and to stop and help any racer in distress. Kiri’s husband, Josh, took start line duty until Dan could take over (on the megaphone, of course).

We lined up at the pier and Josh hit the siren – we were off! The wind was blowing at our backs and the chop got into my head a little, so I didn’t have the most confident start. I had jelly fish legs - BAD! But I gave myself a stern talking to (out loud!) and I dug deep. The whole field was out in front of me. I had some work to do! A few paddlers opted to take a bit of the course on their knees due to the conditions. I was determined to stay upright even though I was struggling! Once I passed a newer paddler on an inflatable, I had my work cut out for me! I caught up to Kiri about a quarter of the way through the course and set my sights on halfway island. I was able to catch up to two amazing women paddlers from Montana just past the island. They both cheered me on in true SUP love spirit! I could see Kat Shaw's bright-pink shirt in the distance - she was almost at the finish line already! I set my sights on Tricia Lyons, who was currently in second, but she was way too far ahead to make that a possibility. Tricia, Arnold Lucero and Mike Bouchee were battling it out to the finish line with Travis Prewitt between us. I wasn’t out of the woods just yet! I could hear Jess behind me when the waves would catch her board! I tried to catch Travis, to no avail. We were paddling straight into the gusting wind ! It would have been easy to let up, but it was my 58^th birthday and I was going for the podium!

I was out in the middle of the lake pondering whether to go straight (and hope they could see my finish) or paddle the longer route closer to the pier. I stuck it out in the middle. I could hear Dan on the Megaphone calling out names – I could hear mine - and Jess’s, too - she was close! I didn't dare look behind me and risk falling. I kept my resolve and kept paddling as hard as I could. The voice in my head was going a mile a minute! Am I past the pier? Should I keep paddling? Yes! Keep paddling! Then, I heard Dan call my name for third place!! Jess was a close fourth with Sue Miks taking fifth for the women’s field! Kiri had a strong finish with sixth place. Onno and Ed had great races, too!

We weren’t all in, yet. Brooke was out on the lake battling the wind! We could see her off rounding the halfway point. She wasn’t giving up. In true SUP Ohana fashion, Kat grabbed her board and paddle and went out to support Brooke to the finish line. We all gathered on the shore to give a giant cheer as she crossed the finish line of her first race!

Dan was the MC for the awards ceremony on his trusty megaphone! As he called the placements, Tricia gave us all a Flathead Lake tote with goodies from local businesses! The awards were wonderful painted rocks – each one unique!

After the race we all gathered and enjoyed the food the organizers provided. We dug into the wonderfully delicious huckleberry pie that my sweet friend, Arnold, brought for my birthday! What a perfect way to celebrate – in a beautiful place, with beautiful friends, doing the thing I love most! Thanks again to the truly phenomenal Montana SUP family for a race I’ll never forget!

~Put THE RIVER RUMBLE on your summer plans for 2025 – this race is not to be missed! ~