As Official Paddle Partner of the SUPER Festival and the first-ever ICF SUP World Cup held in the United Kingdom, Blackfish Paddles was right in the heart of the action! 

As Official Paddle Partner of the Paddle UK SUPER Festival and the first-ever ICF SUP World Cup held in the United Kingdom, Blackfish Paddles was right in the heart of the action throughout an unforgettable week of racing, community engagement and product testing on the English Riviera.

From 24-28 June 2026, Torquay and Paignton welcomed athletes from around the world as elite competition and grassroots paddling came together for a landmark event in British SUP history. 

Blackfish hits the beach 

Throughout the week, the Blackfish team connected with both the UK and international SUP community at the SUPER Festival village and the Blackfish stand, supported by UK distributor Gareth Stevenson of Get On The Water UK.

Athletes and recreational paddlers had the chance to demo a wide range of Blackfish paddles, with many racers taking them straight onto the course to see how they performed under race pressure. The real feedback came from the water. Performance spoke for itself, and the Blackfish stand buzzed all week as paddlers stopped by to talk gear, swap impressions and get their hands on the latest paddles.

Several exciting announcements are also on the horizon, with more news from Blackfish to be revealed soon.

Supporting athletes on and off the water

Blackfish Paddles contributed high-performance paddles and fins to the event prize pool, helping reward outstanding performances throughout the championships.

One of the most memorable aspects of the prize giving was seeing many winners commit to sharing their prizes with fellow club members and local SUP communities - highlighting the inclusive spirit that defines our sport. 

The Blackfish team remained on site throughout the event, offering technical advice, equipment guidance and product demonstrations while spending valuable time with paddlers of all abilities.

Championship highlights

Among the standout performances was Bruce "Ironsmith" Smith (United Kingdom), who claimed Silver in the Sprint race before securing Gold in the Long Distance event. His Long Distance victory provided one of the defining moments of the championships as he powered onto the beach and crossed the finish line with a commanding lead over the rest of the field.

Emily Evans (Wales) also enjoyed an emotional return to elite racing, earning Bronze in the Sprint event alongside two fourth-place finishes in Technical Race and Long Distance. Fresh from stepping off the podium, Emily opened up about her return to racing after surgery. What started as a simple chat quickly became one of the most touching moments of the week, as the emotion of her journey back to competition came through. The full interview is available on Blackfish Paddles’ Instagram. 

Building the future of SUP

Peter Allen, General Manager of Blackfish Paddles, endurance paddler and racer, travelled from Canada to support the event in Devon. Peter said: 

"Our commitment has always been to help grow the sport while introducing more athletes to what we've been developing over the years. There's simply no better way than putting paddles directly into paddlers' hands and letting them experience the performance for themselves.

It was fantastic to spend time with both the UK and international SUP communities, watch world-class racing unfold and have so many conversations right on the beach. The response exceeded our expectations and has inspired us to strengthen our support for more events across the UK and Europe."

Partnership announcement

The adventures don’t stop in Devon. During the SUPER Festival in Torbay, Blackfish Paddles announced its new partnership as Official Paddle Partner of Race to the Jungle - an epic new paddle adventure created by Cassie Salter of SUP Fitness: Wellbeing & Adventure and the team behind Race To The Castle.

Taking place on 12-13 December 2026 in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, Race to the Jungle will bring paddlers together for a unique experience combining racing, exploration and adventure in one of the world’s most spectacular destinations.

Blackfish Paddles is excited to be part of this new adventure, putting high-performance paddles into the hands of athletes and explorers ready to take on the jungle.

What's next

Following the success of the SUPER Festival and ICF SUP World Cup, Blackfish Paddles will continue its European event programme.

Demo paddles will next be available at the Pump'n'Paddle ISUP Series in Northampton on 18 July, with additional appearances planned throughout the remaining stops of the European SUP League (ESL) racing circuit in Spain (5-6 September) and Portugal (11-13 September). 

Sign up for the Blackfish Paddles newsletter to get exclusive updates and insider news      

Photos by Garry Bowden and Anna Nadolna