London Calling for Experienced Paddle Boarders

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LONDON, England – If you’ve always wanted to paddle board on the Thames river in London, a new race is being offered this Fall. The London Crossing is a 15.5 km (~9.5 mi) race for experienced standup paddle racers that will run alongside the Big Ben Challenge which is a 20 km (~12.4 mi) paddle suited best for experienced paddle boarders. Both the London Crossing and Big Ben Challenge will run on September 23, 2018.

London Crossing

big ben challenge london 2017 1 The London Crossing will start at Putney Putney to the Surrey entrance near Shadwell Basin and will be the first SUP race in the area. Paddlers will get to experience many of London’s historical sites including the Eye, St Pauls, the Shard and the Tower. Spots are limited to 30 paddlers for this race and experience is a must.

The race is anticipated to have choppy conditions and potentially harsh currents from the tide changes so if paddlers are not confident in these conditions race organizers are recommending in not participating. The day of the event will be a Thames Barrier closure day so the currents should be relatively gentle – but this also depends on rainfall earlier in September, so there’s no guarantee of what conditions will be.

If you would like to take part in the first-ever London Crossing please [email protected] with the following information:

Name, e-mail address, contact number, gender
Board type preferred (inflatable, 12’6, 14’0 etc.)
Short summary of races you have taken part in over the past few years
Any other relevant experience.

Big Ben Challenge

If you’re interested in paddling on the Thames but not big into competing the Big Ben Challenge will also be taking place on September 23, 2018. For its third year paddlers will again start at Putney Embankment (where the Boat Race starts) to Big Ben and back and is a 20 km round trip event open to more than 200+ experienced and confident SUP paddlers. If you would like to take part, please apply as for the London Crossing above.

The entry fee for participating in either event will be c£50 with trophies for the racers and a prize draw for the Big Ben Challenge. For more information about both events click HERE.