The Ultimate SUP Challenge

By Elaine Campbell

What a great weekend we had on the Ottawa River in Canada competing at the Ultimate SUP Challenge. It’s a fundraising event to help raise money for Lupos.

It’s a flatwater race and whitewater race combined on the Ottawa River. The flatwater race was first and was 3 miles long. It started with a mass start running to the water and jumping on your board. It’s a fun way to start a race. I felt pretty good and since it was only 3 miles I paddled hard the entire way. I was racing my 12’6 Pau Hana Cadence and Jeff was also racing in the 12’6 class. I had a great start and was able to keep my position the entire race. Jeff was behind me and I was not going to let him pass me! That could be a reason why I paddled so hard. I came in 2nd place in the women’s class with a time of 27:04 coming in 1st was Jessica Rando who crushed me with a time of 23:06 and 3rd place was Rachelle Price 28:16. My mini victory was against Jeff his time was 27:38 he came in 3rd place in the 12’6 mens class.

It was time for the whitewater SUP race. I had one day paddling my SUP in whitewater this year so not really ideal coming into a race but I felt like I could hold my own. I was so busy with freestyle kayaking and racing this season that I just didn’t get out like I should have in whitewater on my SUP. I swam more than I would of liked to but had fun falling off! We had 3 rounds and each round was harder. The course took place around Push Button and was like a GS course. I was lucky enough to make it through to each round even though I shit showed every round. All the women paddled great during the whitewater race. Jessica took 1st place in every round and Christian came in 2nd and I took 3rd in every round. Jeff and I decided that next year we will SUP paddle a bit more in whitewater so we are not falling in all over the place.

The overall class was Jessica in 1st, Christian 2nd and I came in 3rd for the Ultimate SUP Challenge. In the overall mens class was Spencer Lacy 1st, Johno Foster 2nd, and Jeff was 3rd. It was such a fun weekend and I’m looking forward to next year.

Next up is the Jimi Cup!