Sunshine Stand-Up Paddle Series stirs up the surf
The RK Sunshine SUP (Stand-Up Paddle) Series II was the featured attraction along the Pompano Beach shoreline recently. The event, which follows the Series I competition back in June, featured some of South Florida’s top racers.
Tournament directors Rory Kam and Victoria Burgess were thrilled with the turnout of over 80 competitors in a 6.4-mile long course, 3.2-mile short course, sprint races, tandem races and a kids race.
The SUP Series started seven years ago and continues to bring an energized crowd to the beach.
Steve Miller, who traveled to Pompano Beach from Tequesta for the event, was the top Series II finisher in the 12’6 (board size) Men’s Long Course challenge, while Jake Portwood of Fort Lauderdale, won the 14’ Men’s Long Course race.
Portwood, a Fort Lauderdale lifeguard and Palm Beach County firefighter, had easily prevailed in the Series I action, but had a more difficult ride on his board this time around.
Yet he nevertheless managed to take first place on the 14’ board and, as a result, took the overall Men’s Open RK Sunshine SUP Series title.
It is all a balancing act for Portwood, with one child running around and another on the way. Juggling two professions and finding the time to get in the proper training is a challenge by itself. The joy of the sport and the competition keeps him going.
“Today was kind of a mental battle where you had to push yourself,” Portwood said. “The heat got to me around lap five and I started to hit the wall. Thank goodness Miller was in a different division because he’s an animal with his training and paddling.”
A majority of the SUP competitors are accomplished surfers who carry their skills and knowledge from that board over to the stand-up paddleboard. The SUP logic is that a longer board will give the competitor an edge in speed, but Miller’s energy and aggressive style was the real edge in the race as he earned the fastest time of any competitor (1 hour, 11 minutes, 32 seconds).
Those board skills are being passed down in the family as Miller’s daughter Maddie took the Series II title the 12’6 Women’s Long Course, while Jen Hayes finished first in the 12’6 Women’s Short Course. Rob Norman was victorious in the 12’6 Men’s Short Course.
The 16-year-old Miller, whose effort earned her the Women’s Open crown, is starting to make a name for herself on the SUP circuit.
“I’ve been a surfer my whole life, but my dad got me into stand-up paddling about a year and a half ago,” Miller said. “I’m now competing against a lot of the competitors I use to root for when I was on the shore. I’ve learned a lot from my dad who is an amazing paddler.”
“Today was kind of a mental battle where you had to push yourself.” — Jake Portwood, overall Men’s Open RK Sunshine SUP Series winner