#1 in Surfski News and Reviews2025-12-31T20:30:22-05:00

  • On Downwinding: You’re Not Surfing

    Most paddlers learn to think about downwind paddling in terms of waves.  You catch a wave, you ride the wave, and you look for the next wave.  Wash, rinse, repeat.  That model works well enough [...]

  • On Training: Stress and Adaptation

    Nothing in training happens without stress.  In the absence of a stressor, our system remains exactly as it is.  But stress alone is not improvement, and in an ocean environment, misunderstanding that difference is one [...]

  • On Racing: Starting Right

    Most races are decided long before the first buoy or the first run.  They begin in the final minutes before the start, when paddlers are already spending physical, mental, and emotional energy, whether they realize [...]

  • Blackburn Challenge to host 2026 National Championships

    The American Canoe Association has selected the Cape Ann Rowing Club's Blackburn Challenge as the host venue for the 2026 USA Canoe Ocean Racing National Championships, placing one of America’s most iconic open-water races at [...]

  • USA Surfski Paddlers @ 2025 ICF COR World Championships

    The 2025 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing (COR) World Championships were held in Durban, South Africa this past October.  Worlds is the pinnacle international competition for surfski paddlers all over the world, in addition to World Cups [...]

Latest News

Sakonnet River Race: Right Tools

The Sakonnet River Race is traditionally the first rough-water race of the New England season.  After careful consideration, however, race director Wesley Echols made a tough game-day decision.  We  had a handful of flatwater races under our belts, but given our collective performance at the most recent outing (three players with [...]

Sakonnet River Race 2019

Fast, Flat and Furious The largest crowd ever assembled(verifiable) for this race since its inception 11 years ago, were treated to the 2nd fastest times ever. Greg Lesher made his way quickly through the field and never looked back over a fast course due to outgoing tide, little wind, only heightened [...]

Essex River Race: Winner to Swimmer

I hold the Essex River Race responsible for getting me in a surfski.  When I first wondered "what is that?" while racing in a sea kayak in the early aughts, who knew that I'd end up spending my final years obsessing over loggerhead shrikes and red-winged scrub jays!  I'm assuming that I'll [...]

Run of the Charles: Course Adjustment

For many New England paddlers, the Run of the Charles is the first race of the season that is commonly referred to by acronym.  Besides that important distinction, the 6 mile ROTC is also one of the largest flatwater races in the area, drawing 20-some skis in the past few years.  [...]

A Race to Remember, Austin Kieffer

April, 2019 Maui to Molokai What a race!? The conditions were about as good as any surfski race could ask for. The wind was lined up perfectly and blowing 25 knots, the weather was mild for Maui and a merciful layer of cloud cover had rolled in to shield racers from [...]

Carolina Cup 2019

Racing Alone, Not Really. by Lisa Malick The simplicity of the name alone suggests the elite nature of the event, which draws top competitors from around the world.  According to their event page on Paddle Guru, the race became the largest and most competitive SUP races in the world.  Even though [...]

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Mako XT Review – by Wesley Echols

The Mako XT was my 1st surfski I got a number of years ago. It was affordable, had adjustable foot pedals, and most of all, it was stable. Back then there were not too many choices within the stable class of skis. Within a few weeks I was comfortable on [...]

Epic V14 Ultra, My First Impressions by Wesley Echols, SurfskiRacing.com

I spent many years running road races and I rarely talked to my training partners about anything other than "training". The topic of conversations were how many miles did you do this week? Did you do interval training? How is your recovery? Are you at optimal weight? How many long [...]

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