Paddleboard enthusiasts should make their way this weekend to Wrightsville Beach, where the 5th Annual North Carolina Surf to Sound Challenge will be taking place.
Over a hundred paddlers come from around the country and the globe to compete in the weekend-long event at Blockade Runner Beach Resort. The race is presented by the McGee Law Firm and sponsored by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club, the organizers of the Carolina Cup.
The festivities begin Friday with some technique and strategy clinics for paddleboarders, followed by check-in, packet pickup, late registration and an opening reception on the Blockade Runner patio.
There will be four races over the two days of the event. Competitors will be navigating the waters of the Atlantic Ocean as well as the Intracoastal Waterway and Masonboro Inlet. Saturday’s races kick off with the 4-mile Harbor Island Outer Loop flatwater race at 8:30 a.m.
At 9:15 a.m., the Surf to Sound Challenge, a 6.5-mile race for more advanced paddlers, will begin. The course begins in the Atlantic, moves down to Masonboro Island, where the turn-around point is, and finishes on the sound side in Wrightsville Beach.
Younger paddlers will also get a chance to show off their skills in the Kids Race, which starts at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. The competition is open to anyone ages 7 to 14. Racers will be divided into age brackets, and everyone will win a free T-shirt.
On Sunday, the weekend ends with the Blockade Runner Flatwater Championship. The 9-mile flatwater endurance race starts at 8:45 a.m. and will take competitors around Harbor Island, through the Intracoastal Waterway and down by Masonboro Inlet.
Awards will be given out by division at a ceremony following the final race. For more information on the Surf to Sound Challenge and how to register, visit their website.
