North Shore Cup - Annual Canoe and Kayak Races

You definitely don't want to miss the annual North Shore Cup Canoe and Kayaking Races held every year at the North Shore Villas by beautiful Lake Marion in Summerton, S.C. 

The recent 5th Annual North Shore Cup turned out to be another huge success. Forty-eight participants from 10 different states paddled across the starting line of this year's race. Weather conditions were perfect as usual, with just enough enough wind to make the 6 and 12 mile courses quite challenging for all of the athletes. 

The festivities began Friday afternoon with kayak demos and a paddle stroke clinic offered by Jesse Lishchuk of Elite Ocean Sports. The Friday evening social, also hosted by Elite Ocean Sports, was a blast. On Saturday morning, racers enjoyed the relaxed pre-race atmosphere at the North Shore complex. Paddlers and race enthusiasts began to gather on the protected inlet and private beaches just in front of the North Shore Villas, right next to Polly's Marina & Landing. The races began around 11 am.

The North Shore Cup race course takes paddlers along the shoreline of Lake Marion, while spectators watch the race from the grassy lawns and beaches in front of the North Shore luxury condos. There was a 12 mile race for the competitive paddlers and a 6 mile paddle for the less experienced paddling enthusiasts.

The post-race meal and awards ceremony took place poolside at the clubhouse of the North Shore Villas, where exhausted paddlers enjoyed lunch hosted by Lone Star BBQ. Stellar Kayaks awarded $300 to the first paddler to reach the 3 mile marker. Other award categories included:

• HPK - High Performance Kayaks; FSK - Fast Sea Kayak; SUP - Stand Up Paddleboard; and OC1 - Outrigger Canoe

This year the Santee Surf-N-Turf Triathlon race director, Jefferson Nicholson, decided to combine their event with the North Shore Cup Races in hopes of creating an entire weekend of racing. This annual race is typically held at the Santee State Park. However, the Park had to close due to heavy rainfall. With permission from the management and residents of of the North Shore Condo complex, the triathlon was held at North Shore as well. They quickly laid out a course on the grounds consisting of a 3 mile run, 3 mile paddle, and 8 mile bike course. It worked out perfectly!

Elite Ocean Sports business partners, Mark McKenzie and Mark Smith, expressed their thanks to all of the residents for at North Shore Villas for allowing them to host their annual race on the property. Smith, a condo owner at North Shore, is proud of the complex, the residents, and the management team that make this such a special venue each year. All of the participants enthusiastically claim that North Shore is a favorite in the year's racing series. Don't miss the races next year! For more details about this annual event, go to http://www.northshorepaddlerace.com





Readers might want to check out the Summerton SC: Nature and Outdoor Recreation web site. Also, read about the Next Generation 'Smart' Technology Kayaks.