10th Annual B'More SUP Cup - July 12th, 2025

by Ellison Smith, Board Member representing our NorthEast Region

Paddlers from surrounding states including Virginia, Pennsylvania and Deleware came together to participate in the first SUP race in the Baltimore Inner Harbor! A historic day for Baltimore City and the paddle community. It was also a time to celebrate the waterway restoration efforts of recent years. The event has been the long-envisioned dream of B'More SUP proprietor, Jessie Benson. With two locations there, paddlers have been enjoying the city scape while engaging in a variety of fun activities. But never before in a race.

In the morning, participants gathered at West Shore Park and the races started with the Maryland Science Center serving as the backdrop. The starting line was drawn between two huge flamingos and the 5K course followered the northern harbor shoreline to Fells Point. There, a purple duck served as the turnaround in an alley, before returning along the same route. 10K racers continued to Canton, in the West Channel and crossed the Patapsco River at the Northwest Harbor. From there, the chartered course rounded Fort McHenry, to the turn directly over the I-95 tunnel. The return west on the same side skirted the south side of the harbor and back to the finish.

The day began partly cloudy before quiclky tunring sunny and humid with low winds. It was such a great joy to paddle with everyone in city waters. Especially those for whom it was their first race and to those who experienced paddling there for the first time .

I love paddling the Inner Harbor and if you ask me, it's one of the best ways to see the city.