Latest News
National Series Notebook: A Loaded July
Patrick Dolan flew 5,000 miles from Hawaii to Massachusetts and won the 2026 USA COR National Championships on a grueling open water course against a stacked field of athletes. Five days later, Austin Kieffer won the showcase race at the Gorge Downwind Championships paddlesports festival in the biggest conditions the event [...]
On Training: Physical Integration
The race was two-thirds over and the aerobic system was still running cleanly. Breathing had stayed in control, the stroke hadn't collapsed, and the pace was within the range that should have been sustainable. But something had shifted in the last thirty minutes. A shoulder carrying something separate from the general [...]
On Downwinding: Leveraging Energy
The difference between flatwater paddling and downwinding isn't subtle. Grinding a flat stretch is the opposite: all work and no rest, every foot of distance earned stroke by stroke with nothing free about it. Catching a wave takes a handful of hard strokes, sometimes just one, and then the boat rides [...]
On Training: Efficiency and Friction
During any long session or race, most of each stroke converts cleanly into forward motion. A small fraction gets diverted into correction, stabilization, and adjustment. Some of that cost comes from outside: the ocean pushes, the boat responds, and effort goes toward holding a line and keeping the hull settled underneath [...]
On Racing: Finishing Strong
Finishing well has little to do with who is most tired. Everyone is tired. What separates paddlers at the end of a race is not how much they have left, but how clearly they can still act with what remains. The finish is rarely a single effort. It is a sequence [...]
Stability in the Boat-Do you need more?
By Wesley Echols I have paddled a wide range of skis over the years from advanced to beginner in all types of conditions. Below are some helpful hints on becoming more stable in your ski. Boat Choice: think about the conditions that you will be paddling in the 75% of the [...]
Surfski Reviews
Looking for an ocean ski? Check out the surfski comparison chart!
Huki S1X Special Review – by Wesley Echols
Like most of us buying a new Huki ski, we relish the idea of thinking about all the great options available to choose from, like color, rudder size, seat option, etc. The fact that this was my third new Huki did not diminish my excitement for latest designed Huki, the [...]
Epic V10L Ultra First Paddle by Wesley Echols
I took today off from work in anticipation of my Epic New V10L Ultra being delivered which it was at 2:30 pm. I quickly unwrapped it, surveyed it for any shipping damage which there was none and signed for it. Then I proceeded to outfit it. I have outfitted so [...]
Fenn Glide Elite Surf Ski Review by Wesley Echols
I received the Fenn Glide at the same time I got my Huki S1X Special since both were on the same KAS trailer back in April 2014. So why am I just getting around now to reviewing the Glide? Other skis to review, the race season, and an initial improper [...]
Stellar SEI 2G (Excel) Surfski Review
Stellar Kayaks and Surfskis Stellar Kayaks and Surfskis was established in 2009 and launched its first surfski models in 2010 of which I was a part of. The USA distribution is located in Northfield, Massachusetts, has grown dramatically since then, becoming one of the premier brands of kayaks and surfskis in [...]
Stellar SR Surfski Review
https://picasaweb.google.com/Surfski14/StellarSRSurfski# (Disclaimer: I am the Northeast Surfski Rep for Stellar). The best way to decide on any ski is to gather as much information as possible from paddlers, manufacturers, websites, then paddle all the skis [...]