The Goat Boater, located in Tega Cay, South Carolina is putting together an extremely unique 9 event summer race series. This series will consist of sprints, mid range and longer distance paddles for beginners to advanced standup paddlers. Each race of the series will be different, unique and ALWAYS a social paddle afterwards!
Come put yourself to the test over the season as we travel back and forth from two beautiful locations in Tega Cay, SC. These locations were strategically picked as they have great high up views where spectators will be able to view most of the race. Come to one race or come to all. Just remember, this is a series and awards are only given at the end of the season to those who complete at least 6 of the 9 races. Pick your favorite races for glory or do them all for season awards.
The best 6 races will go towards season standings. Those who complete 6 of the 9 races will be rewarded. At the end of the season, 1st place men and 1st place women will be getting a new Starboard I-Go Inflatable with a paddle, along with prizes for 2nd and 3rd place for men and women!
Standup paddling has evolved to multiple distance races including sprinting, mid-range and longer distance paddles. We will be doing a 200 M, 1000 M, 2000 M Sprints; 4K, 5K, 6K mid range races, a 10K and 12K longer distance race and the ultimate finale with a 6K, 3 lap paddle battle with season awards. Many of our races will be water starts and a few with run up beach finishes!
Schedule of races:
Weeks:
- May 2nd – 4K – Windjammer
- May 16th- 200M Sprint straight (Best of 2) – Beach and Swim
- June 6th – 5K – Windjammer
- June 20th – 1000 M sprint (down and back) Beach and Swim
- July 18th – 6K – Windjammer
- Aug 1st – 2000M super sprint Beach and Swim
- Aug 15th – 10K – Windjammer
- Sept 5th – 12K- Down and back – B&S to Windjammer and back.
- Sept 19th – 6K- Paddle Battle 3 laps Windjammer
- Season awards celebration
*Windjammer is the location of Windjammer Park
*Beach & Swim Club is our other location
Long Description of the series:
All of our races will take place on beautiful Lake Wylie, SC. This is a flat water lake 26 miles long, with lots of natural shore line. Our races will start early (8:45 AM) on Sundays to try and get the best water. We normally have good water conditions, yet if there is wind, it can surely add to the excitement.
Please keep in mind that although many of us race and are highly competitive; this is a fun series and meant to be about community, good vibes and sharing something we love. Whether you have a paddleboard in your backyard and want to come for your first race or want to go for the gold, this series could be for you.
There will only be 2 categories total:
- Men, age 1-99 years old on any board size
- Female, age 1-99 years old on any board size.
(Before you ask, we know many of you want multiple board categories, many age class ranges and so on and so forth… this is not that race series).
This is about racing in a series and having a blast while meeting new people and becoming part of an amazing community. Come have FUN. Yes, your kids can race, yes your can bring your 9 ft recreational board, your 14ft race board, or anything in-between. You will all be in the same category, divided by male and female.
Please remember, this is a series and individual awards will not be given per race. You can have all the bragging rights for any one win, yet the awards will go to those that complete at least 6 of the 9 races by the end of the season. Racers will accumulate points based on a relative scoring ratio, tracked by our good friends of ‘The Canadian Paddle League’, to the other racers that will be tracked all season long in both male and female categories. Your best 6 races will be tallied for season point standings and you will be able to see your standings for individual races and season standings all throughout the year.
This race series has been well thought out, vetted and meticulously planned, yet low key. We plan to race, have fun, do it all season long, and socially paddle after the race for anyone still standing. Afterward, hang out, socialize and come back in two weeks for more!
Thank you in advance for your support, patronage and best efforts to have fun and paddle hard. Whether you live down the road and have never been in a race, or are traveling from hours away, you will be warmly welcomed. We may all become best friends, yet when the whistle blows we will be leaving it all on the water!
Short Description of each race:
Race 1: Come start the season and series out with a 4K to wet your whistle. We will start at Windjammer beach, circle around Windjammer Island and make a 180 degree pivot turn and follow the same course back to the beach for all the cheddar. Windjammer offers great views for you and your family to watch the race from!
Race 2: The 200M Sprint! We will run this sprint two times on this day with a best of two format for scoring. We realize this is a short race and unusual, yet The International Canoe Federation heralds this event as the ultimate test of sprinting ability. In 2019 Connor Baxter broke the record doing this in under 60 seconds. Although Sprinting is newer to the SUP Community, it is a discipline here to stay and we welcome the opportunity to practice it. This entire race will have great views from land for spectators to watch and cheer. We will do a social paddle after, for all interested.
Race 3: The 5K. This is by far the most common local paddleboard race distance. For those that completed the 4K one month ago, it is time to step up your game to the 5K. We will start at Windjammer beach with a water start, make a sweeping right turn around Windjammer island and move across the channel to hug the left side of the shore. Make a 180 degree pivot turn at the half way point around the monster red buoy and follow the same course back. You will be required to make a last left hand 90 degree turn around the starting buoy to make your way to the beach for a running finish. Windjammer offers great views for you and your family to watch the race and enjoy some beautiful views of Lake Wylie.
Race 4: The 1000 M Sprint. This is our second sprint of the series and we would love you to come test your sprinting skills and also your ability to make a fast turn. This race is short, down and dirty. A 500M water start down with a fast Left Hand shoulder turn and 500m back for a water finish. Come join us for a great sprinting discipline with a social paddle after for all those still standing. This sprint is also in a great location for all to watch from the beach. The entire race can be viewed from the shoreline with a great photo finish.
Race 5: A 6K to start pushing your distance and a new course for the series! This is a water start that begins in the main channel of Lake Wylie. The main channel can have some wind and waves put you will have some protection from the island and the cove to reward your hard efforts in the beginning. After starting your race you will hug the inside (right side) of Windjammer Island and come back out to the main channel hugging the right side shoreline. Make a right hand turn into Snug Harbor Cove and race to the back. When you get to the back of the cove you will find the large red monster buoy to make your left hand shoulder turn around. Crush it back out of the cove to the main channel and make a left hand turn back to the start line. (keep in mind we will not follow the inside of the island on the way back), it is a straight shot home, where you will make a left hand 90 degree turn around the start buoy to the beach for a running sand finish. Windjammer offers great views for spectators to watch the entire start of the race and everyone coming back down the channel for a photo beach run finish.
Race 6: The 2K Sprint. This distance is rarely called a sprint, yet in the Goat Boater SUP CUP series it is! Test your skills going with 2, (1000K down and back laps) and 3 turns for 2K total. Not only does your sprinting ability play a significant role in your overall time, but so does your turning skills. 3 fast turns vs 3 slower turns could make all the difference in 1st or 2nd place. So make sure to practice your buoy turns ahead of time. You will start with a water start head down 500M for a right hand shoulder turn around the Big Red Monster Buoy. Head 500 M back to the starting big red monster buoy to make another right hand shoulder turn and do it all over again for your second 1000K lap. This is a water line photo finish. For those still breathing, we will do a social paddle after for all interested.
Race 7: The 10K. It’s that time of the series for our long distance races to take place. The ultimate open water, main channel race. We start with a water start through the main channel of Lake Wylie for 5K hugging the right hand shoreline until you get to the monster red buoy to make your left hand shoulder turn and follow the same course back to the finish. Your finish will end with a 90 degree left hand turn around the starting buoy for a beach run up finish. In most regional races this is considered an advanced race due to the distance, yet if you are an endurance athlete, we just call it more than 6 miles. A great way for our endurance athletes to show everyone what they have. Sprinters sprint and long distance racers race. Come out and have a blast on this 10K race day!
Race 8: The 12K, our longest race of the series. 7.5 miles of water back and forth from two iconic Tega Cay locations. Start at the Beach and Swim Club water start and make your way all the way to Windjammer beach hugging the right hand shoreline. Make your left shoulder pivot turn around the big red monster bouy and follow the beautiful shoreline back for the season finale water finish across the water start finish line! This is an interesting bull horn loop of the lake, depending on where the wind is coming from you will get lots of wind variations to experience. This race caters to those who like endurance racing and a steady cadence. Remember you can have bragging rights for doing well in any of the 9 individual Goat Boater season races, yet this is a 9 race series and ultimate glory will be awarded to those who complete at least 6 races for season standings, trophies and awards.
Race 9: The final race of the series ends with the most exciting! Instead of a sprint or down and back race, this race is 3 laps to glory! Time to have some fun with a paddle Battle! Water start to head around the inside (right side) of Windjammer Island then out through the chop and wind of the main channel. Find the monster red buoy and make your right hand shoulder turn to head back to the big red beach buoy where we started. That was just lap 1! Make your left hand shoulder turn around the starting buoy and repeat 2 more times for a total of 6K worth of paddling. On your third lap stay on the right side of the starting buoy and head into the beach for your run up beach finish! This is an excellent race for family and friends to watch the action. Spectators should be able to watch the entire race from Windjammer beach to cheer your favorite racers!
