SUPTwelve- 4 person RELAY

Overview

This is an endurance event in its third year that prides itself on a friendly, welcoming, inclusive racing atmosphere for all paddlers to fulfil their potential.  The event runs for 12 hours from 7 am until 7pm with a very simple objective... who can paddle the most laps in 12 hours? No categories for board (any board is permitted as long as its seaworthy) just you and your partner against the TWELVE hours!

SUPTwelve takes place on coastal water, over a course of approximately 3.5 km, all paddlers start at 7am and every lap of the course will be professionally timed & recorded. As a quad you take it in turns to paddle the course with a specific area for you to change over after each lap.

Once we receive your booking, we will contact you for the names and information of your paddle partners.

The 3.5km course has been designed to give maximum visibility to the supporter and greatest interest for the paddler for such a short course.  Repeating laps, time and time again, forces the paddler to 'dig deep' if they want to champion the 12 hours.  The course, more so than the time will challenge the paddlers resolve and mental strength to keep paddling when it would be so so easy to stop and rest.

Torbay has clear waters that 80% of the time is pan flat but..

• Easterly will create waves but only small ones
• South/ South Westerly will create chop

Paddlers are required to return to the sand after every lap so if there is surf then 'paddling out' and 'surfing in' will be a big part of the race!  (It is very rare to get anything bigger than 2 foot surf).  We follow the weather very closely for SUPTwelve and if conditions are beyond 80% of the competitors we will either change the day to the Sunday and or change the location.  Depending on the direction of the weather, Torbay benefits from different beaches in the Bay that are sheltered in different weather scenarios.

We also have awesome coverage from SUPJunkie- Sarah Thornely & SUPFM Simon Hutchinson.

EVENT CONDITIONS ON THE DAY

Taking part in a 12 hr event if unique.  In 12 hrs at the coast, the conditions will change....FACT!  Expect to roll with the conditions, they may be with you one lap and against you the next... this is coastal paddling.  The reason Brendon thought up this event is to help people understand these changes.  For example, a beautiful sunny and warm morning will only lead to strong off shore winds in the afternoon!  As event organisers, we pray for a dull and overcast day with no wind, which normally leads to a bright and cheery evening paddle👍

This year, 2025, we will start on the red sands of Paignton beach at 7am to an ebbing tide (period between high and low tide when the sea level will be falling) to make our mass start nice and gentle.  Be careful on the first lap as this will be the busiest.  The first buoy will be some of the best spectator viewing of the day! High tide is at 06:52 so for the first few hours we will be paddling right up to the competitor rest area.  Board Butlers will be on hand to help you as always.  Low tide at 12:52 (.89m) will offer lots of sand and space.  The race finishing at 7pm and will experience the same tidal conditions as experienced at the start. 

Only at the start of the race will the race direction be confirmed... clockwise or anti-clockwise, depending on the weather. There is only a very small, less than 1/2 a knot of current in this location.

General Information

Date for 2025: Saturday 12TH APRIL 2025

Time: 7am to 7pm

Requirements:

• Board- ANY board, any size, hard or inflatable
• Paddle
• Waist Leash preferred, ankle leash accepted (a leash MUST be worn)
• Buoyancy (PFD)- traditional or inflatable (a PFD MUST be worn)
• appropriate clothing suitable to the conditions on the day
• enough food and liquid for your entire event

SUPTwelve takes place on coastal water, over a course of approximately 3.5 km, all paddlers start at 7am and every lap of the course will be professionally timed & recorded.  If at the end of 12 hours there are a number of paddlers on the same amount of completed laps then it becomes a race to see who finishes that last lap first to become the SUP 12 Champion.

Registration

YOU MUST ATTEND ONE OF THE REGISTRATION SESSIONS

Friday  from 6pm location TBC.  

Saturday  5.45 to 6.30 am before Race start, Paignton Beach.

You are not allowed to start without registering, there will be a final opportunity to register at 7.15 to 7.30 am at event location (after the event start) but this incurs a £10 donation to the charity Above Water for being late 😂

Boards and paddles

You are only allowed to bring one board to the event but you are allowed to swop boards with other competitors for a lap (only one lap) if you want?  Due to the nature of the event, it can be a great way to try different boards over the 3.5km loop.  There will be some boards (hopefully) available from brands to do just this 👍

Board Butlers

They are there to assist your entry and exit of the water. They will hold your board if you are going straight back out or stow your board if you are taking a rest.  They will endeavour to make your transition as smooth as possible!  I hope you understand that they are only human, in trying to help you, they may make mistakes.  They cannot be held responsible for this and no liability is accepted by the individual or the event. 

Race Numbers

These will be given to you at registration and MUST be worn at all times.  Numbers MUST be pinned to your chest.  Your number will also be written on your hand (permanent pen).

T-shirts

You will be given your event tee at registration.  You are expected to wear your SUPTwelve Tee for the start of the race, this can be worn under a pfd and over your other attire (there will be a mass start picture). Due to the length of the day, we appreciate you may want to change your tee and this is allowed.

Food & Hydration

NO eating is allowed on the board, only in the paddlers rest area so paddlers will have to take 'time out' of the race to 'pit stop' and refuel.  Drinking Water is allowed on the board but it can only be a liquid to hydrate NOT fuel. You can stop and rest at any time and for as long as you want in the paddlers rest area so tactics will play a big part of your race.

MUSIC

This event is all about YOU, YOUR BOARD & PADDLE against the 12 hours, for this reason NO music/headphones are allowed whilst out on the water for each lap.

Paddler rest area

Every competitor will be given a space in this area to set up your base, bring a chair, cool box, everything you need to help your 12 hours of paddling (area is approx 1x1m per competitor and secure but not covered)

Event Safety briefing

This will be by video prior to event sent out to all competitors and basic explanation repeated at registration plus prior to event start at 6.50am on event day. 

Medals

Everyone who enters will get one of our awesome wooden medals.

AWARDS

SUP

• Individual Furthest distance/most laps 1st Male/ 1st Female

39 & under 1st Male/ 1st Female
40 to 49 1st Male/ 1st Female
50 & over 1st Male/ 1st Female

All other categories

• 2 person relay (1st place team only, no age categories)
• 4 person relay (1st place team only, no age categories)
• Prone (1st Male/ 1st Female only, no age categories)
• SurfSki (1st Male/ 1st Female only, no age categories)

Parking & Board drop off

Available along the sea front.  Overnight van camping is permitted here (charges apply).  Public toilets are within walking distance. A drop off area for boards is less than 20m from the event START/FINISH.

Medical assistance

Professional medical team will be in attendance for the entire event.  Due to the endurance element to this event, the medical team may require you to stop and be checked for good health to proceed.  If requested to STOP, you must cooperate with the medical team.  A decision to continue or STOP will be made by the medical team, their decision is absolute and final.  Every competitors good health is paramount, the event team are there to help you achieve your potential.

After Party & Awards

Winners will receive their prizes at the end of the event at Paignton beach. More info to follow.

Accommodation, Hotels & BB’s

There is a tremendous amount available, all budgets, styles and a bit of Faulty Towers too!  More info, with deals will be released over the next few months.

 Insurance & Consent

Competitors have to be 18 or over to enter.  All competitors will sign a consent/waiver to take part in the event and are expected to be fit & health to take part in a 12 hr endurance event.  Your personal insurance is your responsibility and PaddleUk offer day insurance for £5 or if you are a PaddleUk member it's included.

Entry price breakdown

We encourage all potential competitors to enter early, this way the event can put on the best experience/goodies for the competitors.  To encourage this we are offering the first 50 places at last year's prices.  As you can appreciate with EVERYTHING going up and event insurance now at ridiculous levels, this is a big call from the event but ultimately it's the competitors that benefit 👍.

Entry FEE- For the FIRST 50 entries... price is the same as last year.

Individual SUP- £105

Prone- £75

NEW for this YEAR SurfSki- £75

2 person relay- £130

Tandem- £130

4 person relay- £250

What do you get for your entrance fee...

• 12 hour event with water safety & medical cover
• ALL profits go to the Charity Above Water
• Every competitor gets a medal
• Prizes for winners.
• Event Technical Tee (must be worn for start of event)
• Secure paddler area and toilets just for paddlers.
• Professional Timing & Lap counting with large monitor display
• Goodie bag (depending on sponsorship) 

Course change

Due to the conditions, it may be essential to change the course shape or distance through the 12 hrs.  This is at the event safety officers call and is to enable all paddlers to remain safe at all times.

Change of event venue

If the weather and conditions are unsafe for competitors then the following options could be implemented...

• Change of location
• Change of day to the Sunday
• Postponement to 2026

If any of the above takes place, refunds cannot be offered but deferment to 2026 will be.

Cancellation

If the event is cancelled for any reason, all entries will be transferred to the follow year.  Unfortunately, due to costs we have already paid, we cannot refund. If you require to cancel your place, we allow you to transfer your place to someone else up to 7 days before the event.  No refunds can be offered, only transferred to another competitor, this costs us £5 to transfer in fees so this fee will be transferred to the new competitor. IF YOU WANT TO DEFER YOUR ENTRY TO 2026 DUE TO INJURY/ LACK OF TRAINING/ ANYTHING ELSE, YOU CAN DO THIS BUT AT A £10 CHARGE.  Within 7 days of event start, no transfers, DEFER TO 2026 can be made and no refunds.

 If you have any questions, send us a message, we are here to help 👍 brendon@thelongpaddle.co.uk