In July, the GBSUP National Sprint Championships delivered a historic day of racing at the iconic Holme Pierrepont Country Park, held as a key feature of the National Sprint Regatta Open and British National Championships.
Words by Scott Warren, GBSUP Chair
The event was a powerful statement of intent, celebrating the sport’s grassroots history while paving a clear, ambitious path for its future, all in partnership with Paddle UK.
From Coke Bottles to National Titles: The Roots of Sprinting
To understand the significance of this event, you have to look back at the very beginnings of SUP in the UK. Sprinting isn’t just a discipline; it’s the foundation upon which the sport was built. SUP first found its footing within the traditional windsurfing community as the perfect activity for when the wind died.
Its initial growth was fueled by a brilliantly simple, grassroots concept: the ‘coke bottle’ initiative. A group of paddlers would tie a weight to a bottle, throw it just offshore, and an instant competition was born—a frantic, head-to-head dash around the mark and back.
This was sprinting in its purest form. From these informal beach contests, the discipline’s appeal grew, eventually seeing SUPs integrated into legendary endurance events like the Head of the Dart. Fast forward to today, and that raw, competitive spirit was alive and well at Holme Pierrepont, now elevated to a professional, national stage.
A New Benchmark for Speed: The Elite Showdown
The elite finals provided a breathtaking display of power and precision. In the Men’s Elite race, Poland’s Dawid Kuleta took the overall event win, setting a blistering time of 54.06s – the fastest ever recorded in the UK. Hot on his heels, James Little etched his name into the history books.
His phenomenal time of 54.68s not only secured him the coveted 2025 National Champion title but also established a new British National Record. The national podium was a showcase of UK strength, with Joey Jones taking second and Scott Warren securing third.
In the Ladies’ Elite fleet, Anna Little delivered a masterclass in sprinting to claim the National Championship title with a winning time of 1:09.80. She was joined on the podium by Jen Ng-Armstrong in second and Sara Maxey in third.
Bridging Disciplines: The Canoe and SUP Crossover Comes Alive
One of the most exciting developments of the weekend was the tangible proof of the crossover potential between canoe and SUP. While long talked about, seeing athletes regularly cross between the disciplines has been rare. That changed in the Ladies’ Open fleet, where junior C1 canoeist Bella Keane decided to try a SUP race board for the first time and went on to win the entire category.
Her victory was a stunning demonstration of how the core skills translate. Both C1 and SUP demand immense core stability and a powerful, efficient single-blade paddle stroke. The biomechanics of the power transfer through the torso are remarkably similar. SUP sprinting now presents a perfect opportunity for C1 and other canoe paddlers to test their abilities in a new environment, offering a fresh challenge that leverages their existing strength and technique. Bella’s win has opened the door, and we expect to see many more crossover athletes trying their hand at SUP racing.
Growth and Development: Building a Sport for Everyone
The commitment to growth was further evidenced by the success of GBSUP’s new initiatives. The Open category, designed to create an accessible pathway into racing, was a resounding success. The Men’s Open final was a thriller, with the top three finishers separated by just 0.4 seconds: John Parker took the win (1:10.24), followed by Paul Doe (1:10.29) and Rob Cummings (1:10.64). Furthermore, eight-year-old Alex Radoicovici competed as our first junior, earning the biggest cheer of the day and inspiring the next generation.
The Future is Sprinting: A Gateway to Racing
The success at Holme Pierrepont highlights a core truth: sprinting is the perfect entry point to competitive SUP racing. It’s an easy, fun, and accessible route into the sport that strips away the intimidation factor of longer distances. The original ‘coke bottle’ format provides the perfect blueprint for any club, school, or social paddle group to experience the thrill of racing. It’s a call to action for the entire paddling community: let’s revive the coke bottle format and get paddlers sprinting!
A Shared Vision for the Future
Hosting the National Sprint Championships at Paddle UK’s headquarters was a symbolic choice, underscoring a shared vision to drive the sport forward. The event captured GBSUP’s mission perfectly: to honour the sport’s history, celebrate its champions, and actively build its future from the ground up.
Looking ahead, GBSUP plans to introduce a Masters fleet and expand our junior representation to align with the ICF World Championship format. By combining the professional structure of our national series with the grassroots energy of local sprint events, GBSUP and Paddle UK are leading the charge into a new era of growth and success for stand-up paddleboarding in the UK.
Instant Classic: Liverpool SUP Festival Creates a Landmark Event for UK Paddlesports
GBSUP took its national race series to the iconic Liverpool Docks for the first-ever Liverpool SUP Festival, creating an instant classic on the UK race calendar. The two-day event was a vibrant showcase for competitive SUP in the North West of England, successfully blending elite racing with grassroots participation against the stunning backdrop of one of the world’s most famous waterfronts.
A Festival for All on Historic Waters
Hosted at the Liverpool Watersports Centre, the festival was designed to offer something for everyone. For the nation’s best athletes, the event was a key stop on the GBSUP National Series, featuring all three core disciplines of Distance, Sprint, and Technical racing. The historic docks provided a unique and challenging arena for the competitors.
Beyond the elite competition, the festival thrived on a truly inclusive atmosphere. We were thrilled to have our partners, AquaPaddle, host one of their signature 5km timed paddles. This inclusive and accessible format allowed paddlers of all abilities to take part, enjoying the incredible city landscape from the water.
Our event partner, Liverpool SUP Co, was central to the festival’s success, running a packed schedule of social and progressive sessions. Newcomers and developing paddlers took part in lessons, SUP yoga, and guided tours around the docks, giving them the best seat in the house to witness the UK’s top racers in action. This fusion of elite sport and community fun created a fantastic buzz throughout the weekend.
An Iconic Venue, A Lasting Legacy
Choosing Liverpool was a strategic move to establish a long-term footprint for competitive SUP in the North West. The city’s rich maritime history and architectural grandeur created a world-class setting, turning the race courses into a spectator-friendly spectacle. The goal was not just to host a race, but to build an event that the city and the region can be proud of, establishing an annual highlight for years to come.
The Vision: Bringing the National Championships to Liverpool
The incredible success of the inaugural Liverpool SUP Festival is just the beginning. Our vision is to build on this foundation with the ambition of bringing the GBSUP British National Championships to the Liverpool Docks in 2026.
Hosting the National Championships would further showcase SUP racing at its highest level, bringing the UK’s best athletes to the city to battle for national titles against the iconic waterfront backdrop. This elite competition would be the jewel in the crown of an even larger SUP festival. We will be working to expand the participation possibilities with our current partners and by welcoming new ones, building a huge, inclusive event around the championship races.
The goal is to create the ultimate celebration of stand-up paddleboarding—an event that combines the pinnacle of competitive racing with a vibrant festival atmosphere full of social paddles, lessons, and accessible events for all. We are committed to making Liverpool a premier destination for SUP in the UK.