Ultra Marathon Paddling: Bellingham ROCKS OUT @ Round the Rock SUP race!

Monday, September 28, 2009

Bellingham ROCKS OUT @ Round the Rock SUP race!

After a first place finish in the mixed tandem OC2 class at the Lake Samish Salmon Row, we spent Sunday down on Mercer Island for the 1st Annual Round the Rock SUP Race. There were two races, a 13-mile long course and a 2.5-mile short course. It was PACKED!!! 71 racers competed in the long course, and there had to be 50 or 60 paddlers in the short course. I honestly didn't know there were that many people into the sport in the PNW.

Sunny blue skies and warm air temps were ideal (for those of us on "support duty" especially), but on the water it was challenging: tail wind for the first 5 miles, stiff headwind for the next 5 miles, then 3 miles of refraction with "waist high" slop that had some of the top guns swimming -- and repeatedly!

Bellingham Paddle Surfers

Nonetheless, Bellingham represented in a HUGE way!!! Our man Beau Whitehead just KILLED IT! He finished the 13-mile course in 2hr 35min and change -- more than 20 MINUTES AHEAD of 2nd place. And amongst the women, Heather KILLED IT! She finished 6th overall and first woman by an unknown amount, in a time of 3hr 12min and change. Then... bored with the beach scene after KILLING IT once, Beau entered the 2.5-mile race and just KILLED IT, taking first in that one too!!! On the beach, there were more people hanging out than there were racers on the water, and a ton of exhibitors. Board and paddle demos were going on all day, Surfrider Foundation (who sponsored the event) were there en force doing their typical world class job of making friends and proponents for cleaner waters and beaches, BBQ pulled pork sammies were keeping everybody fueled up. It was all epic, and we'll definitely put in on the calendar for next year with hopefully a bigger B'ham contingent!