A great shout erupts from the centre of fifty neoprene-clad people clustered on the dark banks of Loch Ness. The wind whips and pulls at the group of paddlers, all of whom are fortified by a dram of whisky, as the sound of Scottish bagpipes signifies the first grey light of dawn. With it, the true scale of Loch Ness stretches out before the challengers, as dark, ferocious gusts claw at the surface of the black water and bands of sleet and rain cut at bare flesh.
You won 1st and 2nd place in the Great Glen Challenge 2018 for the inflatable SUP class! Can you describe the sense of achievement that statement brings?
JH - I was super surprised as I had no idea I would come first. I thought George would have at least beat me. I think at the time my tiredness overrode all emotion of joy! I was so physically exhausted all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and go to sleep. The next day and the whole drive back from Scotland however were a really nice time to reflect on what both myself and George had just achieved.
GS – It seems pretty crazy if I’m honest. I entered thinking I’d take it easy, bury my inner competitive-nature and enjoy the incredible scenery along the way. I guess that plan didn’t last long after the moment I stepped on the board at the start! Jay was on another level on the first day, machine-like in fact, I just remember following him thinking over and over again, does he not stop even for a second? Maybe just to eat, drink or generally take it all in? Turns out the answer to that was no!
What drove you to sign yourself up to paddle 92K across the whole of Scotland? Why the Great Glen Challenge?
This story is from the Spring 2019 edition of SUP International.
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This story is from the Spring 2019 edition of SUP International.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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SHADENFREUDE
TEST REPORTS
Desire Lines
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Magical. Mystical. Epic.
Alexandra is a club ambassador and SUP racer for Bray Lake; relatively new to the SUP scene she completed her first race season in 2019. She participated in her first international event, the Gla Gla, 2020, and placed 1st Brit, 8th lady and 81st overall, out of a mass start of 637 paddlers. Here she shares the highlights of her first Gla Gla experience.
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