SUPTwelve- SURFSki

Date: Saturday 11TH APRIL 2026

Location: Paignton/Goodrington location TBC

Time: 7am to 7pm

SURFSki entry: £75 (This will go up after first 50 places taken)

Overview

This is a Stand Up Paddle board endurance event in its FOURTH 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? 

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. 

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 easy to stop and rest.

Paddlers are required to return to the sand after every lap so if there is surf, 'paddling out' and 'surfing in' will be a big part of the race!  (It is rare to get SURF on Paignton beach and VERY rare to get ay surf 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.

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. 

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!  Board Butlers will be on hand to help you as always and the race finishes at 7pm. 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.

Only at the start of the race will the race direction be confirmed... clockwise or anti-clockwise, depending on the weather.

General Information

Date for 2026: Saturday 11TH APRIL

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) essential- 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

Registration

YOU MUST ATTEND ONE OF THE REGISTRATION SESSIONS

Friday from 5pm 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 😂

Paddling on knees

We appreciate that many levels of ability will be taking part in SUPTwelve and we actively encourage this for the benefit of greater participation in the sport we love.  Paddling for 12 hours means that at some point you will be paddle against a breeze or wind.  Consequently, we are not banning paddling on your knees BUT if you paddle on your knees and make forward progress, you will NOT be permitted a podium finish.

Boards and paddles

You are only allowed to bring one board to the event but you are allowed to swop boards or paddles 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 and paddles over the 3.5km loop.  There will be some boards and paddles 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 front, either chest or groin/leg area.  Your number will also be written on band that will be placed around your wrist.

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 medal.

AWARDS

SurfSki Furthest distance- 1st Place Male/ 1st Place Female

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. 

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 coming 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

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.

SURFSKI- £75 (This will go up after first 50 places taken)

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 plus raffle prizes that everyone is entered to win
• Secure paddler area and toilets just for paddlers.
• Professional Timing & Lap counting with large monitor display

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 2027

If any of the above takes place, refunds cannot be offered but deferment to 2027 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 CAN'T TAKE PART FOR ANY REASON, WE DO NOT OFFER DEFERMENT TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR BUT WE DO ALLOW YOU TO FIND SOMEONE TO TAKE YOUR PLACE, YOU CAN DO THIS UP TO 7 DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT START.  THERE IS A £10 CHARGE FOR CHANGING NAMES ON YOUR ENTRY.  

Within 7 days of event start, no transfers, DEFER TO 2027 can be made and no refunds.

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