Quote from Florida Today: Sponsored by The Cocoa Beach Surf Museum"J.P. Atherholt of Clearwater won the paddleboard championship over more than 25 competitors from across Florida who hit the ocean for the grueling seven-mile event. He completed the course in just over one hour and 19 minutes.
"The win didn't come easy," Atherholt said. "But it was a good day -- overcast, just a little bump, not too hot."
After winning his race, Atherholt remained at the water's edge to snap pictures of his fellow competitors finishing the race.
"The camaraderie is good," he said. "But everyone's got the competitive edge. There's no friends in the water, but on land we all root for each other."
Coming in second overall was Mike O'Shaughnessy, who applauded Atherholt's effort.
"It was inch to inch the whole way," O'Shaughnessy said. "But this is the only sport I know of where you sprint for an hour and 20 minutes. If you touch your water bottle, you lose 15-20 yards."
John Hughes, Easter Festival Paddleboard Race Director and Assistant Director of the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum, said, "We had a pretty good turnout. The sport is still growing on the East Coast, but the number of first-timers was a good sign."
The paddleboarders showed they still had some energy after their event, as they held a King Of The Beach mini-triathlon, substituting paddleboards for bikes".
I am waiting for results of all the races and will post when I get them. I took LOTS of pics and still editing them.
Still more photos to come ....
More Photos To Come ...
