Let’s face it … 2020 sucked on so many levels. As a result, I was determined to leap into the new year like it’s going to be the best year ever, and that meant a solid training block over the winter. So a warm weather training camp in glorious Florida came together as my spring […]
Tag Archives: epic kayaks
May
08
LAUREL HIGHLANDS DOUBLE-HEADER
posted by Chris Hipgrave
Finding new challenges keeps the pursuit of achievement refreshing. Once such challenge just came together with the possibility of competing in a double-header by combining the whitewater focused Cheat Canyon race on a Friday evening with the Youghness Monster 25 mile race the very next day, all in or close to the Laurel Highlands region […]
August
06
Race Recap: Gorge Downwind Champs
posted by Chris Hipgrave
The Gorge Downwind Championships has been an annual pilgrimage from its inception. It’s predecessor, the Wildside Relay, first introduced me to this downwind paradise, and I have enjoyed screaming upstream on the Columbia River in the shadow of snow capped volcanoes ever since. For 2017, the Gorge Downwind Championships would be my first “A” race […]
April
27
RACE RECAP: CAROLINA CUP
posted by Chris Hipgrave
The promise of a competitive surfski field drew me to the Carolina Cup for the first time this year. Historically a huge SUP race, the 13 mile Graveyard race is quickly gaining a reputation as a fun ocean race that now had the attention of the surfski community. Surfski participation jumped from just 12 in […]
March
30
REVIEW: EPIC KAYAKS V12(2G)
posted by Chris Hipgrave
I’ve been waiting on the second generation Epic Kayaks V12 for a long time. As an early adopter of the V14, I’ve loved the speed, clean lines and comfort of this speed demon, but as an inland paddler, I struggled with the stability on rough days out in the ocean. Basically, I would cross that […]
September
19
The Cough-town Showdown
posted by Chris Hipgrave
Beautiful and historic Charleston again played host to a fantastic paddle sports event this past weekend. The 4th edition of the Chucktown Showdown would take us along the famous Charleston Battery, around Shutes Folly and into the heart of Charleston Harbor before returning to the start/finish line at Brittle Bank Park 9 miles later. Although […]
June
08
Paddle Bender – hotter than ever
posted by Chris Hipgrave
This article was originally posted on http://www.surfskinews.com/ Mims and Dismukes Tops at Paddle Bender Temperatures were up at Dreher Island State Park’s Paddle Bender race this past weekend and with eighty paddlers and forty surfskis on the line, the competition promised to be fierce. The long course followed two four-mile trips circumnavigating around an island […]
September
23
Chucktown Showdown
posted by Chris Hipgrave
Historical and beautiful Charleston, SC hosted the Chucktown Showdown this past weekend, and it was a grand display of the health of paddlesports with over 200 participants on SUP’s, surfski, outriggers and kayaks. The incredible weather only magnified the beauty of the Charleston peninsula which is best observed from the water anyway.
Chris Hipgrave 