by Ellison Smith - USA SUP Vice President - NorthEast Region
23 Miles
Carolina Hellbender
Aloha Paddle Lake Norman
$14,000 to benefit the Carolina Brotherhood- Honoring The Fallen & Their Families. A non-profit dedicated to supporting first responders and their families throughout North and South Carolina. The race supported the local heroes who serve, protect and sacrifice. I'm very thankful to all those who made generous donations to my fundraiser, totalling $450! I can personally attest that your monetary gifts were heartfelt and sincerely appreciated.
The event was the brainchild of Gabe Barajas and brought to life with Lynda Bachman. Following the Super Chill Paddle and Plunge, which was the coldest race of the year, he envisioned hosting the hottest in sharp contrast. To be a direct test of drive and determination. While initially intended to have temperatures influence the experience, the weather turned out to be an anomaly of a typical August summer day. Temps in the low to mid 70's and overcast skies provided relief from what could have potentially been a more hellishly hot paddle. It was a quick seven week turnaround from the inception of the idea to race day. This served as testament to the will of the organizers, supporters and volunteers to help bring the idea to fruition.
Race day preparations for the 23 mile one-way Hellbender began with dropping off our boards at Stutts Marina where the finish was located. From there, everyone boarded a party bus bumping the Hellbender theme song to set the mood. The driver transported us to the Long Island Boat Ramp from where participants would paddle to the start at the Buffalo Shoals Bridge. Prior to getting things underway, there was a call to remember the fallen and their families. Those who had lost loves ones recounted their heroism and how impactful they were in the community. They'll never be forgotten. This was succeeded by 23 seconds of silence. Subsequently underscored by a classical Piobaireachd and a moving rendition of the national anthem by Emerald Phoenix. It was a touching reminder to always be thankful for those who keep us safe.
Once the ceremonies were concluded, paddlers and their support boats headed a mile north to the bridge. I was very fortunate to have local, knowledgeable and enthusiastic Captain Kim Funston Repnow offer her valuable time and resources. She and her friend Kristy Schaeffer Misch came through in a big way to see me through to the end. In the field were seven solo SUPs, three SUP teams, two solo and one tandem surfskis and two OC-6 boats. Joining me on the water were Aaron Paquette, Nea Lee, Alex Zowacki, Mike Hill, Naomi Weiss, Ruth Ann Steen, Jennifer Kessler, Susanne Butler, Annslee Bottoms and Gregg Peters among others. Fire & Rescue and Police were on hand in heavy presence for response if called upon.
My mindset going in was to complete the course on the lake in four and a half hours at 5 miles an hour. My longest race to date had been 10 miles and my longest paddle had been 30 miles. Knowing this, I was confident in my ability to get it done, supported but unassisted by not drafting the boat at any point. With four stops totalling about 25 mins along the way, I was successfully able to meet my goal, all the while training for future distance races. Crossing the finish line felt incredibly rewarding as I was able to contribute to such a great cause and have miles of fun while doing it. At the finish, racers were handed a cowbell and offered ice cold lemonade with Fireball shots
