Paddle boarding is one of the most accessible sports on the water today. The sport is performed by propelling a paddle board or surf board across the water with one’s arms while lying or kneeling on the board itself. It’s usually performed on open water, especially on the open ocean where the paddle boarder can cross entire stretches from one island to another.
The sport dates back to the travel habits of the Polynesian peoples. The first documented instance of paddle boarding by non-Polynesian people dates back to John Webber, an artist who accompanied Captain James Cook to the Polynesian islands in 1778. The sport remained a common part of Polynesian culture, and in many ways remains as such, until the 1930s. Thomas Edward Blake is commonly credited with being the creator of modern paddle boards as they are constructed today. He modified and replicated a Hawaiian design, which he sought to popularize as a life saving device for open water rescues.
Paddle boarding as a sport saw its renaissance in the early 1980s, where Blake’s designs were popularized by surfing journalists like Craig Lockwood. Lockwood began mass production of light weight constructed commercial paddle boards, and popularized the sport through his publications. In 1982, lifeguards in Los Angeles and Hawaii concurrently held sporting events for participants who sought to familiarize themselves with the practice. It soon became a niche event, albeit a highly competitive one. By 1997, the paddleboard world championships were drawing in participants from all around the world.
Today, the enthusiasts of the sport are lobbying to have it added to the summer Olympics. If successful, paddle boarding will surely become a premier aquatic event to keep one’s eye on.
There are several notable paddle boarding events around the world. In the United States, the Catalina Classic and Molokai to Oahu are 32 mile long races held in California and Hawaii respectively – the two states where the sport saw its modern day genesis. The Hamilton Island Cup is a 5 mile race taking place in Australia, and the Trent 100 is a 62 mile long trek that takes place in the United Kingdom. While the sport has a highly American and Polynesian character, owing to its history in those locales, Thomas Michael O’Shaughnessy Jr is the current Guinness World Record paddle boarder, famous for his trip across the entire English Channel. Other record holders include Jamie Mitchell, the ten time winner of the Molokai to Oahu championship.
Paddle boarding is a sport with a long and proud history. With its roots found deep in Polynesian culture, and it’s re-genesis found in a genuine desire to save the lives of those lost in the waters, its modern incarnation brings with it a healthy respect for friendly competition and the indomitable human spirit. After all, if a man can cross the English Channel on a paddle board, he could do just about anything he sets his mind and heart to.