Last Paddler Standing.

A relentless rhythm.

When I first saw Last Paddler Standing advertised in summer 2022, I entered within seconds. The combination of paddling and mental fortitude was exactly the challenge I wanted.

Each paddler had to complete a 3.3-mile loop at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota within an hour. The next lap began at the start of the following hour, repeating until only one paddler remained.

Training through the cold British winter was very different from racing in Florida’s heat and humidity. The event started at 9 am, with Kitty, Danny McCarthy and Tracey Aspinall forming my support team.

Nineteen laps. Lessons that lasted.

The midday heat was unrelenting, with night paddling offering welcome relief. I completed 19 laps before sickness from heat exhaustion brought my race to an end.

It was a powerful lesson in preparing for the climate as well as the distance, and in managing the repeated starts and stops of an hourly endurance event.

The 2022 results.

The people behind the paddle.

While in Florida, I visited the LIVE Paddleboards factory and met John to discuss the Expedition L4 board for a future days-at-sea challenge. Watersports West supplied a SIC board, with a Blackfish paddle supplied through Ron Henkel at Livin’ Salty.

Above all, the trip gave me two weeks with my daughter Kitty. Memories made alongside an unforgettable paddling experience.