2025 Year in Review
My intention was to post regular updates on Life on the Water. As it turns out, that didn’t really happen. Sitting down to write this now, it’s clear why — the year filled itself up quickly.
2025 was busy, varied, and shaped by time on the water rather than time behind a screen. What follows is a look back at some of the sessions, races, trips, and moments that defined it.
Head of the Dart SUP Race
The Head of the Dart set the tone early. High winds meant a course change, turning the usual point-to-point into a 10km out-and-back. Three categories gathered before the start — Race Fleets, the Airline Cup, and Leisure Fleet — each with their own approach to the same stretch of river.
The race fleet wasted no time. Draft trains formed and broke apart, lines around river bends were chosen quickly, and the shorter course kept the pressure on from start to finish.
The Airline Cup showed just how quick inflatable racing has become, and the growing popularity of the Starboard Airline range. While the Leisure fleet brought a different pace to the river — steadier, more social, and still fully engaged with the conditions. A demanding day that gave everyone plenty to think about on the drive home.
Race to the Castle – 40km SUP Challenge
Race to the Castle delivered its mix of long miles and quiet focus. Forty kilometres on the River Trent, with locks, portages, and stretches where the only job is to keep moving.
As we noted in our event report, the day settled into a rhythm. Groups formed and drifted apart, the river offered help in places, and every portage reset the effort. By the time Newark Castle came into view, most paddlers knew exactly how much they’d put in to get there.
Catch up with the full report here.
Wednesday Evening SUP Club
Wednesday evenings became a constant through the year. Some sessions were about distance, others about efficiency, others simply about turning up and paddling alongside familiar faces.
As daylight faded, the format shifted. Evenings indoors focused on kit, technique, and trip planning. Same group, same curiosity — just a different setting.
Adrian from Baltic Joins SUP Club
One of the standout mid-week sessions was Adrian from Baltic joining us on the water. No need for a presentation and no formal structure — just paddling, conversation, and shared observations.
His reflections later summed it up well: people thinking about their choices, their equipment, and how they paddle. It felt like a natural extension of what those evenings had already become.
Read Adrian's guest blog here.
Black Project Synergy Tour Demo Day
The Black Project Synergy Tour Demo Day at Covenham made the most of mixed conditions. Paddlers had the chance to test paddles back-to-back, feel differences properly, and ask good questions.
Chris Freeman shared his extensive knowledge through candid explanations and insights, this was put into practice with time on the water and repeated comparisons. People left with clearer preferences and fewer assumptions. Plans for a repeat in 2026 started to form almost immediately.
Manvers Open Day
Manvers once again proved itself as a strong paddlesports hub. Club members and local paddlers spent the day testing boards, fins, and paddles, and talking through what they noticed.
The welcome was as generous as ever. Those conversations — honest, practical, and specific — are what make days like this worthwhile.
A huge thank you to everyone at Manvers!
Louth Navigational Trust Open Day
The opening up a new stretch of the Louth Canal was a highlight of the year. Thanks to the work of the Louth Navigational Trust volunteers, paddlers were able to explore water that hadn’t been accessible before.
Conditions changed through the day, and familiarity grew quickly. Watching people gain confidence on new water was a reminder of how important access really is.
AquaPaddles at Lincoln
The AquaPaddle sessions at Lincoln were an anchor point across the year. Each 5km effort brought its own mix of conditions and outcomes — calm mornings, brisk headwinds, personal bests, and first attempts.
They became a regular reference point for paddlers looking for consistency and a reason to keep turning up.
Infinity & SIC Demo Evening
The Infinity & SIC demo evening gave paddlers the chance to feel differences immediately. The Infinity Everready and SIC RST stood out for their glide and ease of speed.
The surprise for many was the 22” SIC XRS — quick, narrow, and more manageable than expected for the right paddlers. The evening finished with an open discussion about board design — rails, rocker, width, volume — and how those details shape what we feel on the water.
Norfolk SUP & Camping Trip
Norfolk delivered a proper mix: long paddles through the Broads, quiet rivers, wildlife, and shifting weather. A narrow passing alongside a children’s sailing regatta showcased some impressive skills, and a race to beat the clock showed just how fast you can paddle when the ice cream shop is about to close.
The weekend wrapped up with a downwinder straight into the pub — a fitting end to a full couple of days.
The Night Paddle
The night paddle brought a different feel altogether. Lit boards, decorated paddlers, and reflections that changed familiar water into something new.
Simon’s 70s-themed mega SUP, complete with spinning glitter ball, was a clear highlight. How do we top this next year?
The 500km Winter Challenge
The winter challenge set a simple target: 500km logged over the colder months. People have fitted sessions around weather windows, layered up, and kept the numbers ticking over.
Progress has been steady and self-directed — exactly how winter paddling tends to work.
We'll all see the benefits come spring!
Looking Ahead to 2026
2025 built momentum through repetition and variety. 2026 looks set to continue in the same vein — more water time, more opportunities to test ourselves, and more stories that come from simply being out there.
Thanks to everyone who paddled alongside us, helped make events happen, or kept our phones pinging with:
“When are we out next?”
See you on the water.
