Rough waters challenge racers at Ontario SUP Series stop in Kincardine, Ont.

Like they’re shot out of a cannon, Ontario’s best stand-up paddleboarders hit the rocky waters of Lake Huron for the third of five stops in the Ontario Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) Series. 

“This race is always a challenging one, because the water conditions we get here are sometimes, really tough,” says Terry Hanna, a racer from Collingwood, Ont. 

Tough enough to send the most seasoned racers into the waters of Lake Huron.

The Ontario SUP Series started 10 years ago, with 12 riders. Today, there are 55 paddlers from across the province taking part in the sixth series stop in Kincardine. 

The start of the Ontario Stand-Up Paddleboard Series race kicked off on the morning of July 30, 2022 in Kincardine, Ont. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)

“A lot of people might be intimidated getting into the racing, but everyone is so welcoming, so it makes it very easy to make the transition from recreational into the racing side of things,” says Maxwell Ackford, a racer from the Barrie, Ont. area. 

The sport is seeing exponential growth in recent years, with a shot at joining the Olympics, in the not-too-distant future. 

“Stand-up paddleboarding is in the Pan Am Games currently, and they are pushing towards the Olympic Committee, as well,” says Ontario SUP Series Coordinator, Glen Buchanan. 

While it may seem like a young person’s sport, there are all skill levels, and ages represented in Kincardine, including 69-year-old Terry Hanna from the Collingwood area. 

Fans line Kincardine, Ont.'s south pier as they watch paddleboarders take part in Ontario Stand-Up Paddleboard Series race on the morning of July 30, 2022. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)

“I can’t say I’m good at it, but I’m out here enjoying the fresh air, the people, [and] the sunshine. It keeps me on my toes, and keeps me young,” says Hanna. 

Kincardine’s Ash Adams was the fastest paddleboarder of the day, completing the rocky course in near record time.

Exhausted paddlers say that as challenging as today’s waves were, they’ll be back next year to take on the Lake Huron, with their boards, paddles, and balance.