Blackfish Paddles teams up with Cassie Salter for the Race to the Jungle challenge, taking place on 12-13 December in Thailand, as the event’s Official Paddle partner.

Blackfish Paddles is teaming up with Cassie Salter for the Race to the Jungle challenge, taking place on 12-13 December in Thailand, as the event’s Official Paddle Partner.

Combining SUP racing with exploration and adventure, Race to the Jungle sits at the very core of what Blackfish Paddles stands for, and with the challenge unfolding on home turf in Thailand, where our paddles are handcrafted, this partnership is a natural fit. 

Blackfish Paddles are now available to rent and purchase, giving paddlers the opportunity to experience and  performance behind every paddle.

Ahead of the adventure, we caught up with Cassie to talk about the challenge and what makes this unique format of racing and exploration so special.

Hi Cassie, who is Race to the Jungle designed for?

For everyone and anyone who loves paddling, competition and adventure. Race to the Jungle is the tropical cousin of Race to the Castle. We're taking everything people love about our events the racing, the atmosphere, the attention to detail, the community and, of course, the legendary after-party and bringing it to an incredible new setting in Thailand.

For experienced racers, it's an opportunity to test themselves against new competitors, chase a podium and discover how they perform in a completely different environment. But equally, we want to welcome newer paddlers who are looking for their next challenge, want to push their boundaries or simply fancy combining a holiday with a fantastic paddling experience.

We love the idea of a RACE-CATION. You get the excitement and competitive buzz of an organised event, but you also get to explore somewhere new, meet people from around the world and experience a destination in a way you might never have done otherwise.

You don't have to be chasing a podium to be part of something special. You might be chasing a personal best, taking on your first international event or simply looking for an unforgettable experience on the water.

That's what we're seeing with the paddlers joining us for our inaugural event. People from all over the globe, with different ambitions and reasons for being there, all coming together through a shared love of paddling and a sense of adventure. We want everyone to feel they belong on that start line. 

How do Blackfish Paddles' products and philosophy align with the spirit of Race to the Jungle?

Performance matters, whether you're chasing a podium or simply trying to get the very best out of yourself.

Blackfish Paddles' focus on paddle design and performance makes them a natural fit for Race to the Jungle. When you're travelling internationally to compete, having access to credible, performance-driven equipment is incredibly important. You want to feel confident in what you're using and know that you can concentrate on your technique, your race strategy and the challenge ahead.

As organisers, we want to create an environment where paddlers can focus on the experience rather than worrying about whether their equipment is up to the job. Working with a specialist brand like Blackfish helps us support that commitment to quality.

For me, the connection is also about what great equipment enables. A paddle isn't just a piece of kit, it's part of the experience, whether you're pushing hard through a competitive race or discovering what you're capable of in a new environment.

We're bringing together performance and adventure, and Blackfish is a brilliant Partner in helping us deliver that.

What does having Blackfish Paddles support the event mean for the racers and how do partnerships like this help your vision for Race to the Jungle? 

One of the biggest practical barriers to international events is travelling with your equipment. Boards and paddles can be difficult and expensive to transport, and the logistics can add a lot of stress before you've even reached the event.

As race organisers, we think it's incredibly important to remove as many of those barriers as we can. Having access to quality equipment and paddles on site means you can travel lighter, avoid some of the complications of transporting specialist equipment and arrive ready to enjoy the experience.

In practical terms, you could fly in with little more than a backpack, have your gear waiting for you and head straight into your race adventure. You could even fly in and out around the event if that's what works for you. Although, if we're honest, we'd much rather encourage people to make a longer trip... Thailand has so much to offer, and the race is just one part of the experience.

That kind of accessibility is important to our wider vision for the Race to the Jungle. We're building on the success and spirit of Race to the Castle to create a family of events in extraordinary destinations around the world. We want to make international racing feel achievable, whether you're travelling to compete for a result or looking for a completely different kind of paddling holiday.

Partnerships like Blackfish help us turn that vision into reality. They allow us to offer racers access to performance equipment while helping make the practical side of international participation simpler.

Ultimately, we want to build a global community around these events, bringing people together through racing, travel and adventure, and giving them a reason to keep coming back to see where Race to the Jungle takes them next.

Register for the Race to the Jungle challenge and RACE-CATION here 

A quick reminder to place your order before 31 October. Reserve and/or buy your paddle HERE 

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