The 2022 SUP Races to Put on your Radar this Year
While this post lands in your inboxes, we’re landing in DC after an epic winter trip to Washington and Colorado where we reconnected with friends and crossed off a few more mountains on our bucket list.
We'll be reminiscing for awhile, but we’ve got to multi-task because it’s already time to turn our attention to the SUP season ahead. We’re in both planning mode for our classes this summer and gearing up for a full season of races. If you’re new to SUP racing, your go-to resource should be Paddle Guru. This is where you can learn about and register for races across the country.
Depending on where you live (or how much you want to travel), you could have opportunities to race year-round. We tend to narrow our race season from May to August, with the occasional autumn outlier. While the following isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list of all of the “local” Mid-Atlantic SUP races you can find, they are some of our tried and true favorites. Here are the SUP races we think you should put on your radar this year.
Note: As of the date of first publishing (4/12), this list only contains races that have been published and/or advertised. We’ll update as more races are scheduled!
Kumu’ohu Challenge | April 23, Washington, DC
Ready or not, the first race is nearly upon us! Next weekend, the Washington Canoe Club will bring back this annual race, which, for us, serves as the official kick-off to the race season. It’s almost always before the big East Coast race, the Carolina Cup (see below), so it gives us a great opportunity to shake-off the cobwebs beforehand. There’s only one race length, an 8k, but that’s done strategically to deter never-ever paddlers from biting off more than they can chew when the weather is still variable and the water still cold. If you’re not sure whether or not you fall in that camp, hit us up. We’ll give you the beta.
Why we love it: We love any opportunity to support our paddling club, the Washington Canoe Club, which hosts this event each year. We also enjoy getting a chance to race in our home waters and feel super comfortable navigating the race course. It’s really fun welcoming the SUP race community to our own backyard since so many races aren’t quite as local. Bonus: race registration is only about $30.
The Carolina Cup | April 30, Wrightsville Beach, NC
It’s a stretch to call this a local race, but it’s only about a 5-6 hour drive from DC and we make the pilgrimage every year. The Carolina Cup is more than just a race. It’s an event. The days leading up to it are filled with clinics with SUP pros, board demos, and just a ton of camaraderie. The main event - the 3, 6, and 13 mile races - are all on Saturday. Though be sure to stick around through at least Sunday so you can watch the elite racers battle it out in the ocean sprints.
Why we love it: The Carolina Cup is the embodiment of SUP stoke and community. We can pretty much guarantee you’ll walk away feeling energized and part of something special. Plus, there’s a little something for everyone at every skill level. Don’t be intimidated if you’re new to the sport. If you have any questions about getting your paddle wet, this is the place to have them answered. It’s also a great venue to arrange for board and paddle purchases, whether through the online marketplace or a direct order with a manufacturer there. If you’re not new to the Carolina Cup, make sure you check out their race maps in advance. The courses have been altered!
Big Little Boat Festival | May 28, Edgewater, MD
This race is newer on the scene, but because it’s so close to a huge part of the local race community, we predict it’s going to get bigger and more popular every year. It’s built into a larger weekend festival with a ton of other non-SUP, but water-based, activities. The race options are either 3 or 6 miles. If you know you want to attend, register early. The code paddleon22 will get you $10 off your registration before April 24.
Why we love it: Like we said, it’s a new race on the scene, but the race directors are not. They know what they’re doing and the event draws a big local crowd, which is always fun.
The B’More SUP Cup | June 12 & August 13, Baltimore, MD
This race started as a largely non-competitive event with less emphasis on prizes and more on community. While it’s grown over the last few years it still keeps a lot of that same vibe. B’More SUP also changed this race into a series last year and we’re excited to see more than one on the calendar once again this year.
Why we love it: While some people approach this race competitively, it’s really less about the podium finishes and more about seeing your own progression on the race course and getting together with the race community. We love that vibe!
Click here to sign up for the first race.
Click here to sign up for the second race.
Round the Rocks Race | June 18, Pasadena, MD
This was a brand new race last season and it’s back for round two this year. The course takes racers up Rock Creek into the Patapsco River to round the landmark white rocks that jut over 20 feet from the water. We weren’t able to make this race last year so can’t share our own opinion, but our friends over at Pura Vida will be there to serve coffee, acai bowls, and avocado toast and we love that!
The Chesapeake Stand Up Challenge | July 9, Annapolis, MD
This is East of Maui’s annual race in downtown Annapolis, hosted at the Eastport Yacht Club. It’s a traditional SUP race (but started by a cannon!) that offers views of the U.S. Naval Academy and options for 1 mile, 3 mile, and 7 mile races.
Why we love it: We love to support our friends at East of Maui Annapolis, the only true year-round board shop in our area. These guys know their stuff! The race is always a challenge - conditions vary from year-to-year and you never know what kind of side wind will be battering you - but we enjoy testing our grit each year.
Chesupeake Challenge | August 6, Baltimore, MD
This is a brand new race this year taking place at Port Covington in Baltimore. We’re excited to see another local race on the line up and there are three different course options - 1, 3, and 8 miles!
Bay Bridge Paddle | September 25, Annapolis, MD
Save the date! The Bay Bridge Paddle is back again and in its official new time slot - September. This is always a challenging race. You never know what the Chesapeake Bay will deliver, but it’s usually a wild ride. Don’t let that keep you away, though! This is another race with a little something for everyone - a 1 mile sprint, a 3 mile course, and a challenging 9 mile race through the bridge spans.
Why we love it: This race is always a challenge, but it’s so rad to paddle the Chesapeake Bay. Even if you’re doing the beginner race, you get the chance to paddle something really special and unique. It’s also not unusual to see a pro racer attend!
Bucket List Races
It’s always fun to put a few epic races on your radar. Even if you can’t participate this year, there are a few races you should start learning about and tracking.
The Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis | June 22-26
X4CF is a long distance endurance paddle that takes paddlers 80 miles across the Gulf Stream from Bimini in the Bahamas to the Florida mainland. It raises both awareness for cystic fibrosis, a terminal lung disease, and proceeds that support the Piper’s Angels Foundation, which helps patients and families in the cystic fibrosis community. There’s a minimum fundraising goal of $1,500 per paddler. This event is definitely on our own bucket lists. Learn more here.
Chesapeake Bay Paddle | August 27-31
This is another fundraising and awareness event. The mission is all about protecting the Chesapeake Bay, working with Oyster Recovery Partnership to plant more oysters and Chesapeake Conservancy to support their efforts to designate the Bay as a National Park. This year there are two options for paddlers - a 5-day, 150+ mile course or a 2-day, 45 mile course. Learn more here.
Chattajack | October 22
We first attended this race in 2016 when we conquered the 31 mile course. We went back in 2019 to volunteer with the intention of racing in 2020. That didn’t happen, but we do want to race this course again. It’s gruelingly long, the weather is predictably unpredictable, and it takes commitment to training, but the high you feel coming off the water at the end is unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. Registration opens May 1 and fills up F-A-S-T. Learn more here.
As we mentioned earlier, we expect other races to still be scheduled this year. (Personally, we really hope Walk on Water brings back their beloved Return to Goat Island race.) Stay tuned for updates to this list and stick around for our race recaps throughout the summer.
What races are on your list to compete in this year? Comment below!
