Paddleboards USA Encourages Community To Get Geared Up For The Carolina Cup

CA based Paddleboards USA is pleased to be a supporter of the 2021 Carolina Cup, organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club in North Carolina. The event will require inflatable paddle boards for most of the demos and races. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Plastic Ocean Project — The Carolina Cup Charity Sponsor. The organizers have also partnered with local businesses to help facilitate accommodation.

The Carolina Cup will be a week-long event featuring over a dozen clinics and five races on the 6th and 7th of November. On the Friday prior, there will be several fun clinics and demonstrations. On the first official day of the event, 6th Saturday, the 3.5-mile Harbor Island Recreational race, 6.5-mile Money Island Open Race, the dreaded 13.1-mile Graveyard Elite Race, the Graveyard Elite Outrigger and Surfski races will be taking place. A few demonstrations will take place as well, and on Sunday, the Kids Race and more Demos. In 2016, the Carolina Cup was the largest race on the East Coast, with over 900 paddlers competing in races and participating in clinics. In 2015, the Carolina Cup became the largest and most competitive paddle surfing or stand up paddle-boarding race in the world. The Carolina Cup will be the first of five races to qualify for the APP & WPA Stand Up paddle-boarding qualifying series. The inflatable paddleboards will be key equipment for most of these races.

A participant does not have to race or take a clinic to race. They also do not have to race or take a clinic to come watch the races and enjoy the expo and demos. A person may bring the whole family for this amazing week full of live music, a great expo, food, drinks and clinics for all, and even watch amazing athletes from over 18 countries and races. The Harbor Island race is a 3.5-mile flat water race, in the inland waterways and ICWW around Harbor Island in Wrightsville Beach. There are currents and wind, some boat traffic, but no ocean swells, and a large portion of the race is in no-wake zones. This 3.5-mile race around Harbor Island on Wrightsville Beach is the 5K of the paddle surfing race scene. It is considered the perfect distance and course to start off on a paddle surfing adventure. Depending on an individual’s inflatable paddleboard and experience, it will take between 50 minutes and an hour and a half to complete the course. This is a great opportunity to get on a board and enjoy the water, enjoy the day.

The Monkey Island 10K open race is a longer flat-water race, in the inland waterways around Wrightsville Beach, Harbor Island and the spoil islands between WB and Masonboro Island. Just like the Recreational Race, there are currents and wind but no ocean swells. This 6-mile race around Harbor Island on Wrightsville Beach is the 10K of paddle surfing. It is an ideal distance and course if one has experience paddling and wants a challenge. This is an intermediate to advanced race. The Graveyard 13.1 Mile Elite race is a beach start and finish. This is a 12.6-13.2 mile ocean and flatwater race, starting on the ocean side of the Blockade Runner Beach Resort, going out through the surf, downwind to the inlet, into the inland waterways and ICWW around Wrightsville Beach.

There are two inlets, one of which will require racers to surf waves through the inlet. There will be some boat traffic and ocean swells. The ocean section of the race will be the downwind section if the weather cooperates. The officials will change the direction of the race to optimize the conditions for a fast, fun and challenging race. The mileage depends on the line a contest takes. This Carolina Cup paddle race is for elite paddlers with the skill and fitness to complete this endurance challenge. The Kid’s Race will be a fun event to kick off the races on the Sound Side for children ages 6-14. They can complete 1 or 2 loops and all get recognized.