SUP11 Islands , Thailand , 2019 . Photo : Wissanu Wisetputtasat
Australia interests me because its location ( Australia is home to so many good paddlers ) and format make it a mini-Tour de France . Australia is famous for being an ocean paddling mecca , but we have so many crazy-long rivers that ultramarathon paddling could become a big thing down here .
I ’ m also really excited about a new event called ‘ Last Paddler Standing ’ that will debut in Florida at the end of 2022 . Paddlers have to complete a 6km loop within the hour every hour until they give up ( I can see a few stubborn paddlers going 24 hours plus ). This is a different format from anything I ’ ve ever seen in paddling , and for that reason alone , it ’ s worth paying attention to this event – we
Hands after finishing the 11 City Tour in 2015 without proper training need more innovation in our sport . The Last Paddler was inspired by an ultra-marathon running race , highlighting that we have so much to learn from other sports if we simply open our minds to what a SUP race can be . Our sport is young , we ’ ve only just scratched the surface , and I think there ’ s a bright future if we keep going deeper !
WELL , if that doesn ’ t get your juices flowing for endurance racing , what will ! BIG THANKS to Chris for his time , knowledge and enthusiasm , and we look forward to seeing and hearing his coverage for many years to come – thank you for all that you have done for SUP racing Chris over the years !
Christopher Parker Yukon River Quest , 2019 finish line . Photo : Kelli Surritte (@ perfectnegatives ) s t a n d u p p a d d l e m a g u k 56