Nick Harding | @nickhdg | Sportscene - Active 360, co-organisers of the 'Polar Bear' stand up expedition to Greenland in August this year, held their annual stand-up river races in London on Saturday.

What a day it was, the weather being some of the best and hottest this year in the UK, Twickenham riverside was bustling with sunbathers and pint-sippers.

Down in South West London, the public competed in a 1km short course starting at Eel Pie Island Bridge, then around a buoy half a kilometre away to negotiate a tricky turn (no easy feat on a paddleboard at speed) with the return following in the opposite direction back to the finish line at the same bridge.

It was not just a straight there and back paddle either, competitors had to compete with oncoming rowers, pleasure boats, head on gusts, parked canal boats and lines of cheering drinkers! Great fun!

I competed! I started well then tired quickly and stupidly got my fin beached on shallow shingle near the shore. Having caught back up into fourth, collisons on the turn were numerous then it was full pelt to the finish. A lot of fun crossing first, yet I did have a little help though as I had a 15ft racing board as opposed to a less stream-lined 'longboard' design! ;-)

Part of the Twickenham Alive River Festival, the race and SUP coaching sessions all day were to generate interest in a new SUP club proposed for the area and to raise funds for one of Active 360's partner charities St Mark’s Hospital.*

The day's event was also to further promote the massive Arctic challenge, 'Polar Bears and Paddleboards', that three of the Active 360 Directors (Paul, Phil and Mo) will take part in later this year.

Since Sportscene's last interview with Paul Hyman there have many developments in the Polar Bear project:

1. Money has changed hands; logistics with Newland Norway has been confirmed – food and equipment is already being shipped out from Iceland as we speak.
2. Excitingly adventurer Bear Grylls is supporting the expedition and the BG Coreban brand boards look incredible. Oakley, Quickblade and Berghaus also finalised their involvement.
3. Even though details are a little hush hush, the team have tested and confirmed their favoured dry suits.  These are wind and ice-water proof as well as breathable.
4. Perhaps the biggest change has been the addition of female paddler Juliet Ball from South Africa, who contacted the team through Facebook. In her country she is a well-known, highly-experienced competitive paddler who has also swam with a team for 36 hours around Cape Peninsular – she'll have to keep her 9 male team-mates in line!

The Polar Bears' stand up expedition to Greenland takes place this August.

*St Marks in Harrow is the UK’s leading specialist hospital on intestinal cancer and is doing pioneering work to save lives from one of the UK’s most prevelent cancers. Funds are being raised via their fundraisers Momentum for Life.

Related Sportscene Articles: www.sportscene.tv/ocean/stand-up-paddling/news

Links

• http://www.polarbearsandpaddleboards.com
• http://www.active360.co.uk
• River Festival: http://www.twickenhamalive.com
• Newland: http://newland.no/index.php/en
• Momentum: http://www.momentumforlife.org.uk
• Canals and Rivers Trust: http://www.canalrivertrust.org.uk