Paddleboard competition back on lake
MUDDY CREEK TWP — The second annual Pennsylvania SUP Championship will bring stand-up paddleboarding to the Lake Arthur Regatta.
The event will take place at 3 p.m. Saturday on the South Shore of Moraine State Park.
“It’s a really fun event,” said Ian Smith, founder of SurfSUP Adventures, which sponsors the event.
The race will be a time trial format, with only one racer on the course at a time. Smith said buoys will mark the course, which will be one mile or less. The boarder with the fastest time will be declared the winner.
Last year, there were about 25 people who raced. Smith hopes there will be more this year, and said he would like to see as many as 100 in a few years.
“I’m hoping. That’s the goal,” Smith said.
He said that many people who participated in the race last year were having their first paddleboard experience.
“So it’s a very lighthearted race,” Smith said.
A paddleboard is larger than a surf board. Boarders use a paddle — which is longer than a canoe paddle — to move the board.
He said people both young and old can paddleboard.
“It’s really cross-generational,” Smith said.
He also said it provides a thorough full-body workout that is low-impact. It also is helpful for people who are trying to rehabilitate injuries, he said.
“It’s very good for the body,” Smith said.
Smith said he likes the freedom of paddleboarding, saying the board is light.
“You don’t need a lot of gear,” Smith said.
Participants in the race must have a Coast Guard approved PFD and a board that is 12-foot-6-inches or shorter. Smith said these can be provided if racers do not have them.
“If anyone wants to participate, we’ll make it happen,” Smith said.
It costs $20 to participate in the race. People can register at www.surfsupadventures.com/new-products-1/suprace, but Smith said some people can register at the race.
Proceeds from the race will go to First Waves, an initiative for at-risk teens that teaches them about whitewater adventure sports, filmmaking and conservation.
