Paddlecast

• Michael Booth recaps the SUP World Champs, plus a 100 mile surfski race

  The ICF Stand Up Paddleboarding World Championships in Abu Dhabi last weekend featured record-breaking performances, first time world champions, and shocking upsets.Paddling icon and multiple SUP World Champion Michael Booth, of Booth Training and Boothcast, joins Paddlecast to talk all about the racing. Boothy, SUP Racer’s 2019 #1 man in the world rankings, flew to Abu Dhabi to race the long distance race on Sunday. He won world titles for the same event in 2019 and 2022. But in a special treat for everyone spectating, Boothy also hopped into the commentary box on Saturday to cover the technical races.On this episode of Paddlecast, Boothy, Billy, and Betsy (say that five times fast) talk about the best moments of the tech and distance racing, who stood out and impressed Boothy the most, how Boothy’s long distance race went (6th place!), the biggest gap in his own 2025 training plan (ironically, time on his paddleboard), his plans for WA Race Week, why SUP draft trains look confusing to kayakers, THAT moment between Shuri and Rai, and whether 10 km is really a long distance race. And more.Then Billy and Betsy talk with Bevan Manson, the recent winner (and organiser) of the world’s longest surfski race: the 100 Miler Harbour to Harbour Challenge from Richard’s Bay to Durban. In its first edition last year, 6 paddlers attempted and finished this immense challenge. This year, 12 attempted and 9 finished. Bevan was the fastest finisher in 10 hours and 43 minutes. The race was inspired by Quinton Rutherford, who competed and organised this year but is better known as the holder of the Guinness World Record for the Longest Distance Paddled on the Ocean in 24 Hours. He achieved that (227 km) in 2020. It was Bevan Manson who went on to then unofficially break the same record, completing 243 km in 2022. Next up for these guys, other than luring more intrepid paddlers to sign up for the 100 Miler Harbour to Harbour in 2026? “Project 300”...Finally, Billy and Betsy share a brief preview of the Ardèche (International Marathon of the Gorges of the Ardèche). The most likely winners? Team Cooking Candies. That is, if the Cook doesn’t get held up by hippos again.01:02 Welcome Michael Booth03:50 Best Moments of the Tech Races07:46 The Junior Racing Scene (& Age Group Racing)12:06 ISA Worlds in El Salvador14:08 The ICF Long Distance Race18:09 Wash Hanging in SUP / Draft Train Formations20:24 The End of the Men’s Distance Race (Shuri vs. Rai)27:45 Is 10km “Long Distance”33:39 Top End Speed after 35 years old35:13 Which SUP competitors have impressed Boothy the most this year?38:41 Shaw & Partners WA Race Week40:42 When will Boothy start racing the ultras?42:44 100 Miler Harbour to Harbour Challenge44:24 100 Miler Interview with Winner & Organiser Bevan Manson56:00 Previewing the Ardèche Canoe Marathon#canoemarathon #ardeche #harbourtoharbour #surfski #standuppaddle #supracing #abudhabi2025 #michaelbooth #boothcastUseful Links:https://www.surfski.wiki/races/distance_recordshttps://www.instagram.com/100_miler_harbour_to_harbour/ https://harbourtoharbour2025.maprogress.com/#https://outdoors-international.com/how-dangerous-are-hippos/

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• What happened on the water in Durban? World Champions reveal what happened between the shore breaks

  Durban was everything we dreamed of and more. Billy and Betsy dive into: what was going on with that shore break? Who handled it well, should the course run through such an intense shorey, and how viral did those videos go?But more importantly, what was going through the minds of some of the top paddlers when they were on the water? It was a long course of 34km in less wind what many paddlers hoped for, and there was plenty of action between the buoys that didn’t make the live stream.Newly crowned 2x world champion Kira Bester and 2025 U23 world champion Rosie Edwards join Paddlecast to talk through how the women’s race went from the front, recapping the key moments in their own words.For the men’s race, 4x world champion Cory Hill and 2025 vice world champion Pierre Vilella tell the story of the front of the men’s race in their own words.Billy & Betsy talk about their stand-outs, focusing on some impressive young paddlers including junior world champions Sam Mocke and Andrea Jimenez, as well as U23 stand-outs Rosie Edwards, Bernardo Pereira, and Matt Coetzer.In her interview with Paddlecast, Kira Bester describes exactly how she was feeling in that moment when she won her world title, and who she was really racing for this year. Rosie Edwards explains just how shocked she was at her result, and why she thinks she paddled so well in Durban. Pierre Vilella, whose silver medal shocked many fans including a commentary team that called him Gordan Harbrecht for the first few minutes of the race, discusses how surprised he was, how his training group helps him, and why he thinks his recent venture into marathon racing was key to his stellar result.16 year old Sam Mocke makes his podcast debut, almost as exciting as winning his second junior world title with plenty of time left in the junior category. He talks about which paddlers, Mocke family and otherwise, he looks up to as role models and inspiration. Sam outlines exactly just how ambitious he is with his goals for the future of his paddling career, far beyond more world titles…Finally, Billy & Betsy mention a few more fantastic races that have been happening over the last couple of weeks while they’ve been focused on Durban, including:The KrumlovskyLiffey DescentGreat Alabama 650Paddle GamesPete Marlin20 BeachesLinks to catch up on those races are included below.Thanks to Carbonology UK for sponsoring this episode of Paddlecast! Carbonology is one of the world’s leading surfski brands, and notably it’s the brand of choice for the now 2x world champion Kira Bester, who has won both her world titles racing the Carbonology Flash X LV (Low Volume) ski. Paddlecast co-host Billy has spent plenty of time in Carbonology skis as well, including the intermediate-level Zest which was his first ski and a perfect introduction to surfski paddling for those coming from a strong sprint or marathon racing background.Head over to carbonologysport.co.uk to check out their skis and other equipment. Contact [email protected] to learn more.00:22 Introduction & why Billy didn't race02:28 Women's Race Recap with Kira & Rosie09:04 The Shorey14:31 Men's Race Recap with Cory & Pierre27:15 The Largest Start Line Ever at Worlds29:40 Stand-Out PaddlersHighlighting up-and-coming paddlers who performed exceptionally well or better than expected35:28 Interview with Kira Bester40:28 Interview with Rosie Edwards43:38 Interview with Pierre Vilella50:59 Interview with Sam Mocke1:00:47 Interview with Cory HillUseful links: https://www.facebook.com/krumlovskymaratonhttps://www.facebook.com/liffeydescenthttps://www.facebook.com/GreatAlabama650https://www.instagram.com/paddle_gameshttps://petemarlin.co.za/2025-resultshttps://20beaches.com.au #surfski #surfskikayak #worldchampionship #durban2025 #visitsouthafrica #kayaking #surflifesaving #paddlesportsa #planetcanoe

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• The Durban Preview: Top contenders to win surfski world championships, with reigning world champ Kira Bester

  It’s a double episode for Durban: Billy and Betsy make their predictions for who are the best candidates to win this year’s Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships in Durban, South Africa. And then reigning surfski world champion Kira Bester joins the conversation to talk about the conditions in Durban, two possible courses, and who she thinks could win.The ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships will be held in Durban, South Africa from the 17th-19th October 2025. The hype has been building for more than a year now, and virtually all of the top names in surfski will be racing in the home of surfski racing.Kira Bester went out to test the course with Jade Wilson in July, and says she’s hoping for Course A, DUC to Westbrook. But racers will need to be wary of potential challenges including a possible buoy at Umhlanga, whales and sharks, and a brutal shore break at the finish. The DUC to Westbrook course is ideal for the prevailing south westerlies, but swell and current add two more dimensions that could make for a more technical course.In the women’s race, Kira might be the favourite as defending champion from 2024, but her biggest competition will probably come from Michelle Burn (South Africa) and Danielle Richards nee McKenzie (New Zealand). Michelle is local to Durban and learned to downwind along the race course, so her local knowledge could put her over the edge except that Kira has already been out scoping the course thoroughly. Danielle is a previous world champion and didn’t race at surfski worlds in 2024 – Kira has looked up to her since she was little, and describes her as an “absolute weapon”. But Kira has been training hard, and is hoping to win by a clear margin…The men’s race looks as tight as anything, and hard to predict. Defending champion Gordon Harbrecht (GER) is a podium favourite, along with last year’s runner up Cory Hill (AUS) and local Hank McGregor (RSA). But there’s plenty of other top names including more former world champions who could challenge for the Top 5 or maybe even the podium. From South Africa, that list includes: Nicky Notten, Matt Fenn, Kenny Rice, Uli Hart, Mark Keeling, and the young Matt Coetzer. Notten is looking particularly strong after impressive racing at Marathon World Championships in Gyor Hungary a few weeks ago, and sources say his training is going well…The doubles race (SS2) is looking like one of the best yet, with the main category being mixed gender racing. 2024’s world champs will be back again, the young crew of Georgia Singe / Uli Hart (RSA). And some top European crews are looking strong, including Walter Bouzan / Judit Verges (ESP) and Pierre Vilella / Thais Delrieux (FRA). But a bunch of other top names from South Africa are entering as well – Kira shares the inside scoop during her interview…Thanks to Carbonology UK for sponsoring this episode of Paddlecast! Carbonology is one of the world’s leading surfski brands, and notably it’s the brand of choice for reigning world champion Kira Bester, who won her title last year racing the Carbonology Flash X LV (Low Volume) ski. Carbonology produces a great variety of options, not just for World Champions and elite paddlers, but also for beginner and intermediate paddlers and even for kids. Head over to carbonologysport.co.uk and contact [email protected] to learn more.00:23 Introduction & Durban race preview08:08 Top contenders to win the women’s race21:15 Top contenders to win the men’s race35:22 Previewing the SS2 mixed doubles race39:23 Kira Bester interviewUseful Links:Downwind Drag Race: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPRrBTQjZh1/Downwind Diaries by South Africa Surf Ski: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcsCh_bzoUK9YOStqIzCStWRiq4hq2IodPaddler’s Pod interview with Durban race director Colin Simpkins: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7atqvyEhQ0OZY31wvvu8cU?si=IFTt_cVpTBKLMfQzM-KQHA&t=1712&pi=Tenkv2W2SC2LV Kira Bester on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kira.besterpaddling/

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• How to Race the Liffey Descent with Jenny Egan-Simmons, 10x Liffey winner and 20x world medallist

  Ireland's most decorated paddler, Jenny Egan-Simmons, joins Paddlecast to talk everything Liffey.The Liffey Descent is one of the world’s longest running paddling races and the most iconic race in Ireland. Paddlers from Ireland, the UK, Europe, South Africa, and around the world flock to Dublin to race 30 kilometres, 1 portage, and 10 weirs. Notable former winners include reigning marathon world champion Mads Brandt Pedersen of Denmark, and South Africans Hamish Lovemore and Clint Cook.Aside from lush scenery and a raucously good local atmosphere, what differentiates the Liffey Descent is that it’s “a race of precision”. To get over each of the ten weirs successfully, paddlers often have a couple of options, but their positioning and approach has to be near perfect to avoid swimming or breaking the boat.And because the race runs on a water release, practising the weirs ahead of time in race-day conditions is typically impossible.The best thing to do is tap into the knowledge of someone local, perhaps a longtime member of the famous Salmon Leap Canoe Club that sits along the course. Even better, someone who’s raced before, or even won…So as perhaps the most perfectly qualified paddler to talk about the Liffey Descent, here is Jenny Egan-Simmons on Paddlecast. Ireland’s most decorated canoeist, Jenny has won 20 international world championship and world cup level medals in both canoe sprint and canoe marathon. She also has 10 Liffey wins (11 if you count the one of three junior doubles races where she didn’t beat all the boys), was the first girl to win the junior boys doubles category, and has two Liffey records: Senior Mixed Doubles and Women’s K1.The hardest part of the Liffey Descent is having a clean race. Meaning to finish the race with no swims, and the same boat you started with still intact. In this episode of Paddlecast, Jenny takes Billy and Betsy through the entire race from the start, to Straffan Weir, through “The Jungle”, over rapids and under bridges, and through the best approach to every weir and obstacle on the course. How can you race the Liffey clean? Listen to Jenny Egan-Simmons.Special thanks to Jenny for joining us on Paddlecast, and best of luck to all the racers taking on the Liffey Descent this year!#liffeydescent #riverliffey #visitireland #canoeingireland #jennyegansimmons #descentracing #canoemarathon #riverracing #liffeydescentweirguide #weirguide00:22 Introducing The Liffey Descent & Jenny Egan-SimmonsLiffey Descent Weir Guide: How to Race a Clean Liffey15:00 The Start & Straffan Weir18:00 The Jungle20:27 Temple Mills Weir, Vanessa Weir, Celbridge Rapids, Ghost Weir, Leixlip Lake, The Portage, Leixlip Rapids, Salmon Leap Bridge23:24 Sluice Weir27:28 Lucan Village & Weir30:29 Anna Liffey Weir31:45 Big V Weirs: Wren’s Nest Weir & Palmerstown Weir35:34 Chapelizod Weir36:48 Reflections on the Liffey, Top Contenders for 2025, The Future of the Liffey, & The Paddling Scene in Ireland

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• Thames 200 Recap, Nith Descent Preview, Breede River Recap, & new ski records; feat. Kenny Rice

  The Thames 200 Ultra may only be in its second year, but it’s already one of the fastest growing ultra paddling races in the world. 2025’s race drew some of the UK’s best marathon talent and offered exciting action all the way to the end with finishing times just minutes apart over 200 km for both the relay race and the non-stop solo race.Billy and Betsy recap the Chelmsford vs. Richmond relay battle, speculate on how the race could have gone differently, and what it would have taken for Richmond to successfully defend their title; and recap the K1 solo fight to the finish between Tom Diaper and Isaac Blackman.Scottish K1 Marathon Championships and Nith Descent, 27-28 SeptemberLooking ahead, the Scottish K1 Marathon Championships and Nith Descent, both in southwest Scotland near Dumfries, are shaping up to hold some fun racing in the last weekend of September. The K1 marathon champs will be held on Loch Ken, with a long course of just 14 km. Anyone is welcome to race, regardless of whether you have an address in Scotland!The Nith Descent on Sunday is looking like the perfect descent race for beginners or advanced paddlers alike. High water means that some of the trickier features will be washed out, and racers will fly down the 16 km course at speed. The race starts in Auldgirth (DG2 0UA) and finishes at the Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club (NARC), with bridges, rapids including “The Boat Stopper”, and beautiful scenery. The race is open to paddlers in all types of craft including canoe, kayak or river SUP (e.g. K1/K2’s, Plastic, Canadian, Slalom, WWR, Sea Kayaks, Wavehoppers).The whole weekend promises to have a fun party atmosphere.Sign up for Scottish K1 Marathon Championships, Saturday 27th September: https://sca.justgo.com/Workbench/i/r/EventsAndBookings/booking-details/E10532457D9DFAF5F5AEC734E51314BFDAC18884 Sign up for the Nith Descent, Sunday 28th September: https://sca.justgo.com/Workbench/i/r/EventsAndBookings/booking-details/239EAC87B3BA0685034DC82B95ED8D4091C81795/ → NOTE: You do not have to have an address in Scotland to race! Simply create an account on Paddle Scotland (about 2 minutes), add the right ticket type for you, and check out.Breede River Canoe Marathon RecapOver in the Southern Hemisphere, winter is coming to an end and the racing season is hotting up. Kenny Rice joins Paddlecast to talk about what differentiates the Breede from other South African river races, and recaps how his race with Mark Keeling went the other day. The Warm Down: Round Gozo Record & Downwind Drag Race LeaderMatthew Schembri joins Paddlecast to talk about his new record for the fastest circumnavigation of the island of Gozo in Malta. And Billy speculates about just how well some of the top talent in the UK might go in Durban based on Terry Miller’s latest splits that have just topped the 2025 Downwind Drag Race tracker.00:23 - Thames 200 Ultra Race Recap: The Closest Races31:04 - Race Previews: Scottish K1 Marathon Championships & the Starsky Nith Descent47:43 - Breede River Canoe Marathon, featuring Kenny Rice59:42 - The Warm Down: New Record around Gozo featuring Matt Schembri, and Downwind Drag Race’s New LeaderUseful Links:Save the Date for the Thames 200 Ultra 2026: https://www.thames200ultra.comCheck out Starsky’s Products: https://starskykayaking.comAsk Rob about Starsky UK or racing at the Scottish K1 Marathon Championships & Nith Descent: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553185212023 or [email protected] the full video of Tom Dawson’s decent of the Nith in August 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4VZcsaDlvA Watch the Breede River Canoe Marathon videos from this year: https://breedemarathon.co.za/video-gallery/ Read more about the Surfski Shack and their Gozo Circumnavigation: https://www.thesurfskishack.com/post/maltese-paddlers-shatter-records-in-round-gozo-circumnavigation Follow Downwind Drag Race on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/downwinddragrace/

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