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As the final relay team rosters were submitted this week, a thrilling figure appeared: after the Thames 200 Ultra started with 97 paddlers in 2024, its set to more than triple that in 2026. In just the third edition of the race, the number of competitors has already tripled to over 300.The newest, fastest-growing, and perhaps the most accessible ultra paddling race in the world: the Thames 200 Ultra is set for another action-packed 200km this weekend. Starting in Lechlade-on-Thames and finishing in Teddington, the race includes non-stop solo racers in kayaks and SUPs, non-stop doubles racers, and relay teams featuring everyone from first-time racers to European and World medallists in marathon kayak racing.The Chelmsford (& friends) vs. Richmond (& friends) rivalry returns, with both teams stacked full of elite K2s. In 2025, these teams finished just 5 minutes apart after more than 15 hours of racing. Fighting for 3rd, and maybe challenging the two leaders, Bradford-on-Avon is back again with top team "Bradford Bin Juice & Greg" leading the way. While all three of their K2s have the speed, their smaller team size means they'll have to double up and each cover about 60km rather than just about 30km. Follow live updates all weekend at https://paddledaily.com/thames-200-ultra-2026-live and on the Paddle Daily and Thames 200 Ultra social media accounts.

In temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Farenheit), the best marathon canoe paddlers in Europe battled for the titles of European Champion. Ivan Lawler spent the weekend watching every race and commentating for the Paddle Europe live stream. Betsy joined in commentary for three of those days. But there was still more to talk about off-air. The two most exciting races of the weekend, the K1 Senior Men's marathon and K2 Senior Men's marathon, showed that Mads Pedersen is not unbeatable. While he successfully reclaimed his title as K1 European Champion after missing last year's event, Mads faced a very serious challenge from Jon Amund Vold in a race that came down to the final portage and last few hundred metres. In K2, perhaps the effort from the prior day racing in such high temperatures played a role in Pedersen's race with Philip Knudsen, and the pair finished in 6th after looking a bit worse for wear on the water and making questionable decisions on their final portage. It was Adrian Boros / Tamas Erdelyi who won that K2 race in a sprint finish where they exceeded speeds of 20 km/h. All three podium crews (Hungary, Spain, Portugal) ran tactically superb races. The absence of Melina Andersson from the Senior Women's races opened things up for dominant performances by Anna Sletsjoe in both the short and long course. She kept fans guessing until the last moments of the short course, but ultimately proved that careful tactics combined with top end speed is her perfect recipe for gold medals. Looking ahead to the Marathon World Championships in Argentina in October, an immense question hangs over both the Senior Men's and Senior Women's races: how long will this age of "The On and On'ers", The Grinders, Mads and Melina -- last? And who will be the first to successfully defeat them? October will bring more nations (South Africa) and more top competitors (Melina Andersson, Fernando Pimenta). Even if the Age of On and On'ers continues with the expected victories for Mads and Melina, this year's European Championships proved that the sprinters are coming for them sooner or later. Re-watch all the live streaming from Pitesti on the Paddle Europe YouTube Channel  ⁨@PaddleEurope⁩  and watch interviews and race highlights via Paddle Daily on Instagram or Facebook.#ipaddleforeurope #marathoncanoe #sprintkayak #sprintcanoe #pitesti

Reigning European Champions Anna Sletsjøe and James “Jimbo” Russell have just a few short days before they have to face the best in Europe to defend their 2025 titles. The 2026 European Marathon Championships start on Wednesday 24th June and continue until Sunday 28th June in Pitesti, Romania on the Pitesti-Bascov course. Anna and James revisit the races they won this time last year to earn their titles, career bests in marathon racing for both paddlers, and share their strategies for how they’ll plan to defend their titles in Romania. In the women’s K1 race, Anna will have tough competition but with the last minute realisation that Melina Andersson is not racing, Anna has a great shot at potentially winning her second title. In the men’s K1 race, Mads Pedersen is racing and based on the form he’s shown in the 5k at recent sprint World Cups and European Sprint Championships, the crown may be his for the taking. But with the course being on a flat lake typically used for sprints, a strong group could make it hard for Mads to pull away as early and clearly as he did at Worlds in Gyor, Hungary last year. Jon Amund Vold’s performance in the 5k at European Sprint Championships the other day showed that it is possible to stick with Mads for at least 5k… The event will begin with the exciting short course format and paracanoe races (men’s KL3 will be very hotly contested), and will also feature some great high kneel canoeing and age group racing. The Senior Women’s and Men’s K2 races will wrap things up on Sunday afternoon, and the men’s race in particular promises fierce competition and a re-match between the Danish crew of Mads Pedersen / Philip Knudsen versus the experienced Hungarian pair of Adrian Boros / Tamas Erdelyi. Betsy will be in Romania covering the racing in-person, so be sure to follow along on the Paddle Daily social media accounts (Instagram and Facebook). #marathoncanoe #sprintcanoe #olympian #europeanchampionships #pitesti

70 miles from Cooperstown to Bainbridge in upstate New York, the General Clinton Canoe Regatta is the first race in the annual Triple Crown of Canoe Racing. On this special episode of Paddlecast, Rebecca Davis joins Betsy to talk about marathon canoe racing versus marathon canoe racing, and who are the top contenders to win this year’s Clinton on Sunday May 24th.Betsy will be live streaming the General Clinton Canoe Regatta on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtzgFtwJ4sE On Paddlecast, hosts Billy and Betsy usually talk about the marathon canoe racing discipline that’s most popular in Europe: mostly kayakers, mostly flat water, the type that you’d watch at the ICF Marathon World Championships. Not to say that’s an exclusive definition of this type of marathon canoe racing: there’s high kneel canoeists, sit-and-switch canoeists, ultra distance races, weirs in the UK and Ireland, rapids and dams in South Africa… And that type of marathon canoe racing exists in North America too, albeit at a much smaller scale. Although the US hosted the Marathon World Championships in 2014 in Oklahoma, the last time the US sent more than one paddler to race at Worlds was in 2018.But the General Clinton and the Triple Crown of Canoe Racing represent the elite, world-class side of another discipline of marathon canoe racing. “Sit-and-switch” is an accurate description because paddlers are seated in the canoe and switch sides (unlike high kneel canoeing, where paddlers are kneeling and do not switch sides). The pro class racers use carbon fibre canoes with a sort of diamond shape: narrow at the bow and stern for efficiency, but wide at the centre, creating “secondary stability” and drag that’s used to steer efficiently around tight corners in fast-flowing water. As Rebecca explains in the episode, the discipline is perfectly suited to the venue (the type of water in North America), and the section of the Susquehanna River that the 70 miler covers may be the best example of that.There’s no one better than Rebecca Davis to dive into the strengths of each of these crews, and what this year’s Clinton may hold for them. Rebecca is one of the most accomplished marathon canoe racers ever, and has consistently been the fastest woman (or at least one of the fastest) for more than 15 years. She holds the women’s record for the Ausable River Canoe Marathon (15:15:36 in 2019 with Edith MacHattie) and constantly pushes the limits of how highly women’s and mixed crews are expected to finish in the overall standings.Rebecca holds some of the most in-depth technical knowledge of marathon canoeing of any paddler. She shares some of that knowledge regularly as a host of the Canoe Race World Podcast (linked below), and on this episode of Paddlecast.00:10 What is the General Clinton Canoe Regatta00:49 Introducing Rebecca Barton Davis03:53 Marathon Canoe Racing versus Marathon Canoe Racing08:32 What makes the Clinton a great race10:06 Where does the Clinton fit in the context of the Triple Crown of Canoe Racing14:54 Race Preview: Women’s Race29:30 Race Preview: Mixed Race35:45 Race Preview: Men’s Race (Overall)50:01 A big change in the sport of marathon canoe racing - the introduction of drug testing and USADA compliance at the Ausable River Canoe MarathonListen to the Canoe Race World podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3sFReuwVE5aCzRunfyvW9a

The world’s biggest marathon race is in Estonia, and it’s only been around for 20 years. The Võhandu Marathon starts on Lake Tamula in the city of Võru, and follows the Võhandu River for 100 kilometres to the Võõpsu boat harbor in Põlvamaa. 1,341 boats started the race in 2025, the largest participation yet. The types of paddlers tackling the Võhandu run the gamut from those who’ve never held a paddle before to elite international marathon medallists. The event welcomes inflatable rafts, SUPs, canoes, kayaks… Any human-powered craft that can handle both the lake and the rapids. At the invitation of Team Tetsmann-Baum, Paddlecast co-host Billy Butler flew out to Estonia to race his first Võhandu just two weeks after winning DW. Billy and partner Tom Dawson finished 4th place overall, behind the Czech crews of Petr Mojzisek / Jakub Zavrel and Lukas Horak / Oldrich Dasek and South African Tom Lovemore (K1). The fastest mixed crew was Gautier Rotman / Sabine Rotman from France, while Team Tetsmann-Baum won the women’s race despite an early stroke of bad luck. Linda Tetsmann and Anette Baum teamed up a few years ago after a conversation in the sauna made them realise they both had the same ambition to race the Yukon. In 2023, they won the Yukon 1000 outright, becoming the first women’s crew to do so. Their race was documented as part of Craig Sawyer’s film about the 2023 Yukon 1000, “Push Past Impossible”. That’s just one of many wins and top results they’ve racked up since 2019 across many (most?) of the world’s biggest marathon and ultra marathon paddling races. They’ve raced the Český Krumlov River Marathon, the Yukon River Quest, the Devizes to Westminster, Dordogne Intégrale, Descenso Internacional del Sella, Ardèche Marathon, Loire 725, and more. This year, their main goal is to win the Alabama 650. With their title sponsor, HUUM Sauna, by their side – Linda and Anette are pioneering a new way to race. 00:23 Introduction to the Vohandu Marathon, Billy’s race, and race results 14:39 Interview with Linda Tetsmann & Anette Baum Learn more about Team Tetsmann-Baum: https://www.tetsmannbaumteam.ee/ Watch “Push Past Impossible”, the documentary about the Yukon 1000: https://www.yukon1000.org/yukon-1000-documentary/ Learn more about the Alabama 650, one of the longest paddling races in the world: https://www.alabamascenicrivertrail.com/great-alabama-650/race/ And look for “Team Tetsmann Baum” on social media to follow all of Linda and Anette’s upcoming adventures. #ultrapaddling #teamtetsmannbaum #huumsauna #estonia #vohandumaraton #kayaking #adventureracing

"The canoeist's Everest." "The hardest thing I've ever done." "I can do anything now". There's a million ways to describe the feeling of walking up the steps at Westminster Bridge having completed 125 miles of paddling. But every paddler who's done it knows the same feeling. On Easter Sunday, more than 80 intrepid paddlers experienced the feeling of finishing the 125 mile, non-stop Devizes to Westminster canoe race. Billy Butler and Jon O'Grady took the overall win in their third attempt together as a crew: they finished 2nd in 2024 and 3rd in 2025, so this win has been a long time coming. "It's about time we pulled something out the bag," said Jon. "I think it proves to people that if you work hard at it, you can get it," said Billy. The win was hard-fought against the second place crew of Alex Lane / Magnus Gregory, who led the race from Pewsey to Marlow after gaining 5 minutes on Billy / Jon during the portage-heavy stretch of canal. It was Magnus' first DW attempt and first finish. Asked how he felt at Westminster, he emphatically replied: "Awful!" Alex and Magnus are one of several top mixed crews to finish Top 3 in the last few years, and rumour has it that Alex is already considering another run at DW in 2027 -- or at least she'll think about it after she completes the running ultra race she has planned later this year. George Durden / James Walkinton of Elmbridge Canoe Club and Chelmsford Canoe Club finished in 3rd place following a stunning performance on the Tideway that was quick enough to overtake 4th place, Luke Escott / James Webster of Bradford on Avon Canoe Club. George and James started the race relatively slow, just focused on getting to the finish in their first non-stop DW attempt. But when they got to Teddington, they found enough energy in reserve that they paddled an exceptional time of 1 hour 50 minutes from Teddington to Westminster. All three crews join this double episode (triple?) of Paddlecast to talk about what was going on behind the scenes: Alex was recovering from a torn hamstring, Magnus used his 221 sprint blades to race, Jon thought briefly at Elmbridge that his shoulder might stop them from finishing the race, and George / James almost decided not to enter because the lean in their boat was so bad. 0:00:24 DW Race Recap & Results vs Predictions 0:22:26 - Billy Butler / Jon O’Grady Interview (1st Place) 0:56:06 - Alex Lane / Magnus Gregory Interview (2nd Place, 1st Mixed) 1:37:24 - George Durden / James Walkinton Interview (3rd Place) Devizes to Westminster 2026: Notable Results 1st: Billy Butler / Jon O’Grady, 16:46:17 *1st Veteran 2nd: Alex Lane / Magnus Gregory, 17:08:41 *1st Mixed 3rd: George Durden / James Walkinton, 17:28:38 4th: Luke Escott / James Webster, 17:44:14 5th: Tom Dawson / Aritz Martiartu, 18:41:56 6th: Jouke Witteveen / Floor Zegers, 18:55:45 *Dutch Record 7th: Mike Thornton / Shirine Voller, 19:08:20 *1st Canoe *2nd Mixed 8th: Laurence Plant / Cath Drummond, 19:50:38 *3rd Mixed Alex Bowyer / Elle Bowyer, 21:33:09 *Mixed Services Record Anja Whelan / Rebecca Bird, 22:15:00 *1st Women’s/Ladies

125 miles (200 km) from a small town in the countryside to the centre of one of the biggest cities in the world. DW 2026 is finally here! The competition will be fierce, with returners and newly formed crews fighting hard for the win. In the race for the overall win, a Top 5 crews have become clear in recent weeks, with an outside chance for a 6th crew. Billy Butler / Jon O'Grady finished 2nd in 2024, and 3rd in 2025, and they're betting on third time lucky to finally take their first win together this year (Billy has a previous win with Jim King from 2017). Their biggest rivals will be Alex Lane / Magnus Gregory, both former international marathon paddlers who've shown that they're the crew to beat based on their results at this year's Newbury Canoe Club Waterside Series. Alex was the second woman to win DW outright when she finished first with Dan Seaford in 2019, and she also holds the overall women's race record since 2017 with Kat Burbeck (Wilson). George Durden and James Walkinton finished 1st and 2nd in K1 at the 2025 DW Stages race last year, and decided to hop into the same boat this year to make their bid at a podium finish. It will be the first non-stop DW for both of them, but they've consistently finished as one of the quickest crews on the Waterside Series, and have a great shot at the podium and maybe even the overall win. Luke Escott / James Webster have shown top results at the Watersides and are looking to get their first Westminster finish, and the Dutch crew of Jouke Witteveen and Floor Zegers are back for their third year in a row to see if they can capture the International win again. Jouke is already in the 1,000 mile club at DW, but wants to make it 1,000 miles specifically winning the international trophy. There's an outside chance for Tom Dawson with partner Aritz from Spain, who haven't raced together in the UK this year, but could be surprise top contenders if everything goes there way. The women's race has been heating up over the Waterside Series with a rivalry developing between Shuna Neave / Sarah Vernau and Anja Whelan / Rebecca Bird. Shuna and Sarah have been clearly leading the Waterside races and Shuna has plenty of DW experience, but Anja and Rebecca jumped in speed at Waterside C to finish only 2 minutes behind Shuna and Sarah, so it could be very tight. The mixed race this year seems to be filled with couples, making it the "love boat" race. Alex and Magnus are far and ahead the favourites to win, but the race for 2nd and 3rd is shaping up to be very close. Overall winner for the last two years, Anoushka Freeman has opted for a different type of race this year teaming up with her partner, Rob Perry who has taken up paddling just to race DW. They've been training hard for months, and recently won the mixed crew Waterside Series crown.Right behind them have been Simon Tilbury-Clarke / Jessica Long and Alex Bowyer / Elle Bowyer, who were separated by just seconds at Waterside C. Both are strong, experienced DW crews who should have a good battle to the finish. It's too tight to call between these crews! How to watch Devizes to Westminster (DW) 2026: Paddler Media's live stream will be live at the start in Devizes on Saturday afternoon, and live again on Sunday morning following the crews until they finish at Westminster. Watch on YouTube by going to the "Live" section of the Paddler Media channel. The tide window at Teddington this year is 5 am - 7:30 am, with high tide at 5:30. 00:24 - About the Devizes to Westminster & this year’s conditions 9:29 - Predictions for the Top 5 Crews: Alex Lane / Magnus Gregory, Billy Butler / Jon O’Grady, George Durden / James Walkinton, Luke Escott / James Webster, Jouke Witteveen / Floor Zegers, and with an outside chance: Tom Dawson / Aritz Martiartu 42:10 - Women’s Race Preview 46:44 - Mixed Race (“The Love Boat Race”) Preview #devizestowestminster #devizestowestminster2026 #marathoncanoe

*Note - there are a few moments of small audio issues in this episode due to technical/internet issues while recording, but it should still be listenable. Please bear with us and thanks for your patience. It's the most famous canoe race in Africa, and one of the most famous races in the world -- so much so that there's a whole film about it, "Beyond the River."The Dusi River Canoe Marathon is legendary for dangerous rapids, brutally long portages, hot temperatures, and top paddling talent. In 2026, the Dusi is celebrating its 75th edition. Christie Mackenzie and Saskia Hockly have teamed up to go for the win in the women's race, and joined us on Paddlecast to talk through the race itself, their preparation and training approach, and who the top crews will be in 2026. Christie has raced the Dusi 10 times, and won 4 gold medals in K1 with another 3 silver medals in K2 (and 1 silver in K1). She's hoping that racing with Saskia will be the key to finally winning in K2. Saskia currently holds the surfski doubles (SS2) World Championship title with Matt Fenn from last October's racing in Durban, and she won a K2 silver medal with Christie at the Marathon Canoe World Championships in 2024. Their plan to win? Christie brings the Dusi experience, driving all the right lines through the rapids, and Saskia brings the flat water speed and endurance. Their biggest competition will be Abby Solms / Robyn Groenink. Abby is one of the most decorated women in Dusi history with three K2 wins and one K1 win. She has gotten the better of Christie before, but Christie is determined to take the win this year.In the men's race, Andy Birkett and Matt Fenn are back after their 2024 win together to try and repeat for another win. If they succeed, Andy Birkett will break the record for the most Dusi wins ever held by one person: 16. Two crews will also be challenging for the win though. The experienced crew of Sbonelo Khwela and Msawenkosi Mtolo finished 2nd to Andy / Matt in 2024, and this could be the year they take the top spot. Sandile Mtolo and Bongani Ntinga are also top competitors: they're a younger crew who showed their strength at the recent Bishopstowe to Dusi Bridge, a Dusi pre-race, where they particularly shined in their running speed. Starting in Pietermaritzburg and finishing in the Blue Lagoon in Durban, the Dusi covers 120 kilometres over 3 days. Each day brings different obstacles and challenges, from 2 - 4 kilometre portages where paddlers must run with the boat on their shoulders, to rapids where a small mistake can easily wrap a boat, to long stretches of flat water where fatigue and pain become impossible to ignore. 00:11 Episode preview & introductions 04:57 Race walkthrough, day 1 to day 3 22:51 Christie / Saskia’s partnership and “secret sauce” 26:56 - How do you train & prepare for the Dusi? 30:57 - Race preview, top contenders to win the women’s race 36:42 - Race preview, top contenders to win the men’s race Follow the Dusi via the race’s website and social media: Dusi Race Website: https://dusi.co.za/ Dusi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dusicanoemarathon/ Dusi Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DusiCanoeMarathon Dusi YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDusiCanoe And follow Christie and Saskia here: https://www.instagram.com/cjmac_kenzie/ https://www.instagram.com/saskia._hockly/ #dusirivercanoemarathon #southafrica #marathoncanoe

2024 brought some of the highest highs and lowest lows for Britain’s international sprint kayak racing programme. The high: it was Team GB’s most successful Paralympics ever with a record 8 medals. The low: for the first time ever, not a single GB athlete qualified to race canoe sprint at the Paris Olympics. So in January 2025, Paddle UK brought on Ekaitz Saies. Ekaitz raced internationally for Spain for 15 years, won world titles in 2009 and 2011, earned a PhD in Sport Psychology, and coached Spanish Olympic athletes to unprecedented success before moving to the UK. In August, he officially stepped into his new role as Paddle UK Performance Director for Paracanoe and Canoe Sprint. In other words: he’s the person in charge of making sure GB is well represented in Los Angeles in 2028. There’s a lot of pressure on Ekaitz to turn things around for non-para sprint in the UK, but with his background in sport psychology and culture-first approach to performance, he seems well-equipped to rise to the challenge. When he first started at Paddle UK, the cultural differences (paddling culture – going from paella to beans on toast is a whole other thing) were the first thing that stood out. “One of the first things was to try and create a better connection between the world class programme and the community… I didn’t feel there was a healthy environment to really strive for excellence.” Ekaitz delves into differences in everything from how the calendar is managed (how many people are involved, having different committees for different disciplines), to the typical length of races, how many people are usually in a training group, professionalisation of coaching, and why the best paddlers in the world change their technique when the go from sprint to marathon and vice versa. What can fans expect from Team GB in 2026? Keep your eyes on that women’s K4, because Ekaitz thinks they have that magical chemistry and more potential than GB has ever had on the women’s side. But 2026 will also bring new challenges, and not just for Team GB. The Olympic qualification system for LA is changing to be based on the ICF’s World Rankings. It means that World Cups have suddenly just become much more important, and there’s a third World Cup this year in Canada. The team is moving to a periodised approach with multiple peaks, and will feel more pressure to perform earlier in the season. For some less well-funded teams or teams with longer flights needed to travel to Europe/Canada, the higher costs might also mean bringing a smaller squad of only the top athletes. The level of competition at the World Cups will be higher, but participation rates may be lower. To hear more from Ekaitz, you can follow him on Instagram at @ekaitzsaies, and order his new book The Champions Mindset from foxperformance.co.uk. Check out The Paddle Games at https://www.instagram.com/paddle_games. #olympics #canoesprint #teamgb #performancepaddling  https://foxperformance.co.uk/product/the-champions-mindset-book 00:23 Introduction of Ekaitz 02:01 What is the Performance Director role? 03:40 Paddling culture differences moving from Spain to the UK 24:57 GB potential, success & achieving stretch goals in 2025 29:27 2026 goals & new challenges with the Olympic qualification system 36:08 100% Physical, 100% Mental: The role of sport psychology in winning 45:20 The Champions Mindset 49:09 The Paddle Games 56:08 Billy & Betsy debrief on the conversation with Ekaitz

NOTE: This was recorded in July 2024 before certain equipment upgrades and the audio quality isn’t great, thanks for bearing with us. "The toughest canoe race in the world". That's how the Texas Water Safari bills itself. So if it’s the toughest race in a canoe, how much harder is it on a stand up paddleboard? SUP ultra paddler John Knippers decided to find out for himself. And in doing so, he broke the record for the fastest SUP to complete the Texas Water Safari. His record from July 2024 still stands: 81 hours and 57 minutes. That’s just under 3.5 days with heat, mud, alligators, log jams, hardly any sleep, lost equipment, broken equipment, and too many near-death experiences to count. The only story crazier than John’s TWS safari? The story of how he got into ultra paddling. It starts in March 2001, when John survived a shooting. While standing in his front yard, John was shot five times in the face and hands. Miraculously, he survived. And while the road to recovery was painful, he came through it with his eyesight and hands intact, and it gave him a new perspective on life. After he recovered from the shooting, John moved to Colorado, then Hawaii, and back to Oklahoma. Through a winding road including a homemade salsa business. boat cleaning, a chance meeting at his local convenience store, and urologist, John found stand up paddleboard racing. His first race was a 10 miler, later Chattajack, MR340, a life changing trip with Scott Baste through the Boundary Waters, and he’s been hooked on the ultras ever since. The Texas Water Safari record (2024) isn’t John’s only SUP ultra record. He also holds the record for being the first and fastest person to complete the Alabama 650 on a SUP. That’s 650 miles paddling the length of Alabama, in the southeastern US, and his record for that race is 8 days, 9 hours, 16 minutes. And he’s a frequent 48’er at Last Paddler Standing. John was the “assist” to Paolo Marconi’s win at the first ever edition of LPS in 2022, the backyard ultra where paddleboarders have to complete a 3.3 mile loop every hour on the hour until they can’t anymore. He’s raced every year since then, including in the most recent edition which was streamed on the Paddler Media (SUP Racer) YouTube channel. John is one of those characters where as soon as you get to chatting, it feels like you’ve been transported to the woods, and you’re talking story over a campfire. It’s best to settle in for the journey. Because this was recorded back in July 2024 (before the relaunch of Paddlecast and notable equipment upgrades), the audio quality isn’t great. But it’s well worth a listen to hear John’s stories in his own words. To John – thanks again for making the time, and sorry it’s taken so long to publish this conversation. Paddlecast has taken a little hiatus over the holidays (winter in Europe), but Billy and Betsy are already working on Season 2: 2026. Be sure to subscribe if you aren’t already subscribed, and keep an eye on your feed for new episodes coming soon. #standuppaddle #supracer #texaswatersafari #ultrapaddling 00:00:10 Introduction & context 00:03:41 John’s paddling journey 00:40:00 The Texas Water Safari 01:26:33 Is TWS actually the hardest race? 01:30:53 Why should someone do TWS on a SUP?

It's time to look back on 2025 in paddling. Across disciplines, paddlers from around the world have stepped up to make huge gains on the water, hit new personal bests, shock the world by demolishing their competitors, and accomplish feats that seemed impossible. On Season 1 of Paddlecast, Betsy and Billy have been blown away by what paddlers have achieved this year, often exceeding all expectations. To wrap up the year and first season of the podcast, they look back and consider the best candidates for the new Paddlecast Paddler of the Year awards across Surfski, Marathon, and Sprint. Plus the Paddle of the Year Award for the most outstanding single paddle of the year (a race, adventure, or record). Categories: Surfski Paddler of the YearMarathon Paddler of the YearSprint Paddler of the YearPaddle of the YearConsiderations: For “Paddler of the Year” for Surfski, Marathon, & Sprint racing – PERFORMANCE: How did this paddler perform at key races in their respective discipline? PROGRESS: Has this paddler made a notable step up in 2025 compared to previous years? POTENTIAL: Does this paddler have untapped potential? Is this someone whose paddling career you can't wait to follow next season and beyond? For “Paddle of the Year” – From any discipline or disciplines, this goes to the paddler or paddlers who completed the most outstanding single paddle of the year. A performance that seemed impossible until they did it. On this adventure, record, or race, the paddler or team pushed their own limits and the limits of paddlesports. Competition: Two components will determine how the awards are decided – Fan input. Paddling fans from around the world submitted nominations via social media with the paddlers they think should win the awards for 2025. A Paddlecast debate. On this special episode of Paddlecast, co-hosts Billy and Betsy look at the nominations, results, and debate who should win the awards. Nominations for Surfski Paddler of the Year: Kira Bester, Rosie Edwards, Cory Hill, Nick Notten, Brynde Kreft, Jon White, Nix Birkett Nominations for Marathon Paddler of the Year: Will Short, Melina Andersson, Mads Pedersen, Jose Ramalho, Tania Fernandez / Tania Alvarez (“The Two Tanias”) Nominations for Sprint Paddler of the Year: Hamish Lovemore, Josef Dostal, Martin Fuksa, Natalia Drobot, Victoria Yarchevska, Anna Pulawska, Zsoka Csikos, Hope Gordon Nominations for Paddle of the Year: Sebastian Szubski’s Record-Breaking Circumnavigation of Britain, Danielle Richards’ Molokai Record, Mads Pedersen’s Early Breakaway & Win at Marathon World Championships in Gyor, Toby Brook’s Record on the Paddling Leg at Coast 2 Coast NZ, Tanja Ecker’s SUP Record at Loire 725 (*CORRECTION - Tanja’s record was completed in 2024, not 2025; her video account of the record was published in 2025) 00:00:22 Paddler of the Year Categories & “Rules” 00:02:44 Surfski Paddler of the Year 00:17:41 Marathon Paddler of the Year 00:34:00 Sprint Paddler of the Year 54:33 Paddle of the Year 1:05:24 What’s going to be the most exciting paddling in 2026? 01:10:30 The Warm Down: First Women to Complete the Wilson’s Challenge of 10 Millers Runs in a DayUseful Links: Joakim Lindberg’s Reel: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRxfA34iEmQ/ *CORRECTION - Eivind Vold raced a 2:39 marathon, not Jon Amund Vold as stated in the episode. Check it out here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DR-Nr9PiOPQ/?img_index=1

For many paddlers in the northern hemisphere, it’s that time of the season to put your head down, hats and pogies on, and just focus on strength and mileage. But in warmer climes, the racing is heating up. Today, Paddlecast heads to Hong Kong, Australia, and Reunion to catch up on 20 Beaches, Mox the Dragon Run, and the ICF World Cup in Reunion. Jon White joins Billy and Betsy to talk about his current surfski tour as well as answer a few questions about how he approaches races, goals, and kit as a para paddler. Jon is a triple amputee, but with a healthy dose of creativity and determination, he’s pushing the limits of what’s possible for para paddlesport. Jon has completed the 125 mile Devizes to Westminster twice, he’s raced at the top level in surfski and marathon internationally including winning gold medals at this year’s European and World Marathon Championships, and he’s eyeing up one of the highly coveted spots on Team GB for the LA 2028 Olympics in sprint. After chatting with Jon about everything from how he took 10 minutes off his time at Mox the Dragon run to how he steers kayaks without feet, Billy and Betsy preview the fierce competition expected at the Shaw & Partners WA Race Week. It’s a chance to see some of the greatest rivalries in the sport this season, including Pat Dolan vs. Cory Hill, and Kira Bester vs. Danielle Richards vs. Jemma Smith. Since neither Pat nor Jemma raced at the World Championships in Durban a few weeks ago, the titles this week could go to anyone. Finally, World #3 Rosie Edwards hops on to talk about the ICF World Cup in Reunion, which she says is now one of her new favourite places to paddle. Rosie won the SS2 race there with Matt Fenn, and finished 2nd in singles in the official World Cup event behind Kira Bester and ahead of Jade Wilson.After you listen, go check out the full preview of Race Week on paddledaily.com. 1:10 Interview with Multidisciplinary Paracanoe Champion Jon White 36:24 Race Week Preview 41:36 ICF World Cup in Reunion with Rosie Edwards Useful Links: https://paddledaily.com/ https://www.instagram.com/jonwhite50/ https://www.instagram.com/rosie_edwards04/ https://www.instagram.com/moxthedragonrun/ https://www.instagram.com/larunocean/ https://www.canoeicf.com/news/four-icf-canoe-ocean-racing-world-cups-approved-2026https://oceanpaddler.com/ocean-events/wa-race-week/

The ICF Stand Up Paddleboarding World Championships in Abu Dhabi last weekend featured record-breaking performances, first time world champions, and shocking upsets. Paddling icon and multiple SUP World Champion Michael Booth, of Booth Training and Boothcast, joins Paddlecast to talk all about the racing. Boothy, SUP Racer’s 2019 #1 man in the world rankings, flew to Abu Dhabi to race the long distance race on Sunday. He won world titles for the same event in 2019 and 2022. But in a special treat for everyone spectating, Boothy also hopped into the commentary box on Saturday to cover the technical races. On this episode of Paddlecast, Boothy, Billy, and Betsy (say that five times fast) talk about the best moments of the tech and distance racing, who stood out and impressed Boothy the most, how Boothy’s long distance race went (6th place!), the biggest gap in his own 2025 training plan (ironically, time on his paddleboard), his plans for WA Race Week, why SUP draft trains look confusing to kayakers, THAT moment between Shuri and Rai, and whether 10 km is really a long distance race. And more. Then Billy and Betsy talk with Bevan Manson, the recent winner (and organiser) of the world’s longest surfski race: the 100 Miler Harbour to Harbour Challenge from Richard’s Bay to Durban. In its first edition last year, 6 paddlers attempted and finished this immense challenge. This year, 12 attempted and 9 finished. Bevan was the fastest finisher in 10 hours and 43 minutes. The race was inspired by Quinton Rutherford, who competed and organised this year but is better known as the holder of the Guinness World Record for the Longest Distance Paddled on the Ocean in 24 Hours. He achieved that (227 km) in 2020. It was Bevan Manson who went on to then unofficially break the same record, completing 243 km in 2022. Next up for these guys, other than luring more intrepid paddlers to sign up for the 100 Miler Harbour to Harbour in 2026? “Project 300”... Finally, Billy and Betsy share a brief preview of the Ardèche (International Marathon of the Gorges of the Ardèche). The most likely winners? Team Cooking Candies. That is, if the Cook doesn’t get held up by hippos again. 01:02 Welcome Michael Booth 03:50 Best Moments of the Tech Races 07:46 The Junior Racing Scene (& Age Group Racing) 12:06 ISA Worlds in El Salvador 14:08 The ICF Long Distance Race 18:09 Wash Hanging in SUP / Draft Train Formations 20:24 The End of the Men’s Distance Race (Shuri vs. Rai) 27:45 Is 10km “Long Distance” 33:39 Top End Speed after 35 years old 35:13 Which SUP competitors have impressed Boothy the most this year? 38:41 Shaw & Partners WA Race Week 40:42 When will Boothy start racing the ultras? 42:44 100 Miler Harbour to Harbour Challenge 44:24 100 Miler Interview with Winner & Organiser Bevan Manson 56:00 Previewing the Ardèche Canoe Marathon #canoemarathon #ardeche #harbourtoharbour #surfski #standuppaddle #supracing #abudhabi2025 #michaelbooth #boothcast Useful Links: https://www.surfski.wiki/races/distance_records https://www.instagram.com/100_miler_harbour_to_harbour/  https://harbourtoharbour2025.maprogress.com/# https://outdoors-international.com/how-dangerous-are-hippos/

Durban was everything we dreamed of and more. Billy and Betsy dive into: what was going on with that shore break? Who handled it well, should the course run through such an intense shorey, and how viral did those videos go? But more importantly, what was going through the minds of some of the top paddlers when they were on the water? It was a long course of 34km in less wind what many paddlers hoped for, and there was plenty of action between the buoys that didn’t make the live stream. Newly crowned 2x world champion Kira Bester and 2025 U23 world champion Rosie Edwards join Paddlecast to talk through how the women’s race went from the front, recapping the key moments in their own words. For the men’s race, 4x world champion Cory Hill and 2025 vice world champion Pierre Vilella tell the story of the front of the men’s race in their own words. Billy & Betsy talk about their stand-outs, focusing on some impressive young paddlers including junior world champions Sam Mocke and Andrea Jimenez, as well as U23 stand-outs Rosie Edwards, Bernardo Pereira, and Matt Coetzer. In her interview with Paddlecast, Kira Bester describes exactly how she was feeling in that moment when she won her world title, and who she was really racing for this year. Rosie Edwards explains just how shocked she was at her result, and why she thinks she paddled so well in Durban. Pierre Vilella, whose silver medal shocked many fans including a commentary team that called him Gordan Harbrecht for the first few minutes of the race, discusses how surprised he was, how his training group helps him, and why he thinks his recent venture into marathon racing was key to his stellar result. 16 year old Sam Mocke makes his podcast debut, almost as exciting as winning his second junior world title with plenty of time left in the junior category. He talks about which paddlers, Mocke family and otherwise, he looks up to as role models and inspiration. Sam outlines exactly just how ambitious he is with his goals for the future of his paddling career, far beyond more world titles… Finally, Billy & Betsy mention a few more fantastic races that have been happening over the last couple of weeks while they’ve been focused on Durban, including: The Krumlovsky Liffey Descent Great Alabama 650 Paddle Games Pete Marlin 20 Beaches Links to catch up on those races are included below. Thanks to Carbonology UK for sponsoring this episode of Paddlecast! Carbonology is one of the world’s leading surfski brands, and notably it’s the brand of choice for the now 2x world champion Kira Bester, who has won both her world titles racing the Carbonology Flash X LV (Low Volume) ski. Paddlecast co-host Billy has spent plenty of time in Carbonology skis as well, including the intermediate-level Zest which was his first ski and a perfect introduction to surfski paddling for those coming from a strong sprint or marathon racing background. Head over to carbonologysport.co.uk to check out their skis and other equipment. Contact [email protected] to learn more. 00:22 Introduction & why Billy didn't race 02:28 Women's Race Recap with Kira & Rosie 09:04 The Shorey 14:31 Men's Race Recap with Cory & Pierre 27:15 The Largest Start Line Ever at Worlds 29:40 Stand-Out Paddlers Highlighting up-and-coming paddlers who performed exceptionally well or better than expected 35:28 Interview with Kira Bester 40:28 Interview with Rosie Edwards 43:38 Interview with Pierre Vilella 50:59 Interview with Sam Mocke 1:00:47 Interview with Cory Hill Useful links: https://www.facebook.com/krumlovskymaraton https://www.facebook.com/liffeydescent https://www.facebook.com/GreatAlabama650 https://www.instagram.com/paddle_games https://petemarlin.co.za/2025-results https://20beaches.com.au #surfski #surfskikayak #worldchampionship #durban2025 #visitsouthafrica #kayaking #surflifesaving #paddlesportsa #planetcanoe

It’s a double episode for Durban: Billy and Betsy make their predictions for who are the best candidates to win this year’s Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships in Durban, South Africa. And then reigning surfski world champion Kira Bester joins the conversation to talk about the conditions in Durban, two possible courses, and who she thinks could win. The ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships will be held in Durban, South Africa from the 17th-19th October 2025. The hype has been building for more than a year now, and virtually all of the top names in surfski will be racing in the home of surfski racing. Kira Bester went out to test the course with Jade Wilson in July, and says she’s hoping for Course A, DUC to Westbrook. But racers will need to be wary of potential challenges including a possible buoy at Umhlanga, whales and sharks, and a brutal shore break at the finish. The DUC to Westbrook course is ideal for the prevailing south westerlies, but swell and current add two more dimensions that could make for a more technical course. In the women’s race, Kira might be the favourite as defending champion from 2024, but her biggest competition will probably come from Michelle Burn (South Africa) and Danielle Richards nee McKenzie (New Zealand). Michelle is local to Durban and learned to downwind along the race course, so her local knowledge could put her over the edge except that Kira has already been out scoping the course thoroughly. Danielle is a previous world champion and didn’t race at surfski worlds in 2024 – Kira has looked up to her since she was little, and describes her as an “absolute weapon”. But Kira has been training hard, and is hoping to win by a clear margin… The men’s race looks as tight as anything, and hard to predict. Defending champion Gordon Harbrecht (GER) is a podium favourite, along with last year’s runner up Cory Hill (AUS) and local Hank McGregor (RSA). But there’s plenty of other top names including more former world champions who could challenge for the Top 5 or maybe even the podium. From South Africa, that list includes: Nicky Notten, Matt Fenn, Kenny Rice, Uli Hart, Mark Keeling, and the young Matt Coetzer. Notten is looking particularly strong after impressive racing at Marathon World Championships in Gyor Hungary a few weeks ago, and sources say his training is going well… The doubles race (SS2) is looking like one of the best yet, with the main category being mixed gender racing. 2024’s world champs will be back again, the young crew of Georgia Singe / Uli Hart (RSA). And some top European crews are looking strong, including Walter Bouzan / Judit Verges (ESP) and Pierre Vilella / Thais Delrieux (FRA). But a bunch of other top names from South Africa are entering as well – Kira shares the inside scoop during her interview… Thanks to Carbonology UK for sponsoring this episode of Paddlecast! Carbonology is one of the world’s leading surfski brands, and notably it’s the brand of choice for reigning world champion Kira Bester, who won her title last year racing the Carbonology Flash X LV (Low Volume) ski. Carbonology produces a great variety of options, not just for World Champions and elite paddlers, but also for beginner and intermediate paddlers and even for kids. Head over to carbonologysport.co.uk and contact [email protected] to learn more. 00:23 Introduction & Durban race preview 08:08 Top contenders to win the women’s race 21:15 Top contenders to win the men’s race 35:22 Previewing the SS2 mixed doubles race 39:23 Kira Bester interview Useful Links: Downwind Drag Race: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPRrBTQjZh1/ Downwind Diaries by South Africa Surf Ski: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcsCh_bzoUK9YOStqIzCStWRiq4hq2Iod Paddler’s Pod interview with Durban race director Colin Simpkins: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7atqvyEhQ0OZY31wvvu8cU?si=IFTt_cVpTBKLMfQzM-KQHA&t=1712&pi=Tenkv2W2SC2LV  Kira Bester on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kira.besterpaddling/