During the first weekend in November, Wrightsville Beach will once again host many of the world’s elite paddleboarders.
The 2014 North Carolina Surf to Sound Challenge, presented for the first time by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club, includes three days of competition and camaraderie. Katie Elzer-Peters, one of the event organizers, said paddleboarders come from across the country with their families to compete, so the weekend will provide a variety of activities for all abilities and ages.
“It’s pretty much a whole-weekend festival,” Elzer-Peters said during an Oct. 17 phone interview.
The event features two flatwater races Saturday, Nov. 1 and one Sunday, Nov. 2. For the Surf to Sound Challenge, competitors perform a beach start, paddle south through the Atlantic Ocean, navigate through Masonboro Inlet straits and finish the 6.5-mile course sound side of the Blockade Runner Beach Resort.
For those not comfortable paddling in the ocean, the 2014 event will introduce a 9-mile flatwater course for endurance competitors.
An intermediate 4-mile course around the Harbor Island outer loop is also offered.
In addition to the U.S. competitors, Elzer-Peters said a contingent of at least 20 paddlers is coming from Canada, including Olympic gold-medalist Larry Cain and last year’s elite 12-foot-6-inch division winner Jessica Rando. Many local paddlers, like Barry Blackburn, will be eager to test themselves against the high level of talent.
Some of Blackburn’s stiffest competition might come from within his own family, however. He will race alongside his 15-year-old daughter, Anna, in the Surf to Sound Challenge. Despite being a talented competitor in his own right, Blackburn said his daughter is beginning to make a name for herself in the paddling community.
“It’s funny, because most people don’t know who I am, but then they go, ‘Oh, you’re Anna’s dad!’” Blackburn said during an Oct. 20 phone interview.
Blackburn’s other daughter, 12-year-old Jenna, will compete in the Harbor Island outer loop race. All three family members also plan to enter Sunday’s paddle surf contest.
Elzer-Peters said they were able to recruit professional paddler surfer Girard Middleton to serve as head judge for the contest.
“It basically just elevates the level of professionalism and the judging,” she said. “We wanted to have really qualified, talented SUP surf judges, because it’s new for this area.”
For those desiring to learn paddle surfing but not interested in entering the contest, a clinic will be held Friday, taught by 2013 Men’s and Women’s East Coast Paddle Surf Champions April Zilg and Jarrod Covington.
“That’s going to be a really fun, unique opportunity, because I think a lot of people out there want to learn how to SUP surf,” Elzer-Peters said. “It’s so much safer to do it with an instructor that knows what they’re doing.”
Two more clinics will also be offered Friday: Jessica Rando will teach racecourse strategy and Larry Cain will cover advanced paddling techniques.
Besides competition, the event offers plenty of fun and socializing.
“This is kind of the end of paddle season, so people are a little bit tired,” Elzer-Peters said. “It’s going to be competitive and we have world-class people coming, but it’s also just going to be about kicking back, hanging out with friends and talking about the fun things you did since you were here last time.”
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