As part of the ongoing partnership with Greg Wingo’s Roam Projects, Blackfish Paddles was the official paddle of one of the world’s toughest endurance races, Last Paddler Standing. Peter Allen was on-site to experience the action firsthand and support the Blackfish Riders in this legendary event.

As part of the ongoing partnership with Greg Wingo’s Roam Projects, Blackfish Paddles - official paddle partner of one of the world’s toughest endurance races, Last Paddler Standing - was proud to support the event. Peter Allen was on the ground in Lake Placid, Florida, to experience the legendary race firsthand and support Blackfish riders.

Last Paddler Standing challenges racers to paddle a 3.33-mile loop every hour, with each new loop starting on the hour. The race continues until only one paddler remains, and after 48 hours, the loop extends to 4.9 miles - pushing endurance and strategy to the limit.

This year’s event set new records with 33 paddlers and a record number of super loops completed. Blackfish riders - Brad Friesen, Carlo Arias, Jeannie Johns, Colt Reaves, Mike Malone, and Chris Logan - left everything out there, showcasing incredible grit and determination. 

Brad Friesen pushed all the way before deciding to stop and continue as an assist. He’s the second-last man standing in our books - a true testament to his endurance and spirit. 

Here’s Peter Allen’s account of the action: 

A strong sense of camaraderie
One thing that really struck me about the event was the sense of camaraderie among the competitors. There was a genuine community feel throughout, and Greg Wingo deserves a lot of credit for encouraging this atmosphere. Even as paddlers dropped out, many stayed behind to support the remaining athletes - some of whom only completed 6 to 8 laps but still stuck around until the very end.

Competing to test limits, not just to win
Many paddlers weren’t necessarily aiming to win overall but had personal lap goals in mind. For these athletes, success meant pushing themselves to their own limits rather than competing for the top spot. 

Challenging conditions from start to finish
The event kicked off at 9 am on Saturday with a bit of wind - nothing crazy, but enough to make conditions challenging for competitors. The course required paddlers to navigate upwind, downwind, and sidewind sections. The last buoy, positioned toward the main lake, faced significant side chop, adding to the difficulty.

As evening approached, the wind started to calm down, but the choppy conditions continued into the night. Eventually, they flattened, but the night remained tough, with several competitors dropping out. Our own Carlo Arias was looking strong and comfortable but unfortunately became very ill and had to stop after 15 laps.

Saturday morning brought thick fog, making visibility tricky, but luckily paddlers could see just enough to continue safely.

Sunday’s calm before the storm
Sunday was a much nicer day, and the forecasted wind never fully arrived, much to the paddlers’ relief. However, Sunday night brought a fierce storm with heavy rain and lightning, forcing a two-hour safety break. During that pause, the rain was torrential - it was so heavy!

Record-breaking endurance & milestones
Seven paddlers made it to the 48-hour mark, completing 46 laps due to the safety break - setting a new event record! At this point, the super loop distance increased from 3.33 miles to 4.9 miles. Five paddlers completed this longer loop, including Lindsey Tilton, who made history as the first woman to finish a super loop.

Three paddlers completed a second super loop, among them our own Brad Friesen, who looked calm and comfortable throughout the entire event.

Only two paddlers - Brad and John Batson - finished the third super loop. At this point, Brad decided to call it a day and wished John luck on the final solo super loop needed to win the race.

A killer finale & well-deserved redemption
John crushed the fourth super loop and was crowned the Last Paddler Standing. He had also been the last paddler standing in 2024 but missed finishing the final solo lap by a narrow margin of seconds, so this victory was a powerful redemption. 

This was an amazing event - one that Blackfish is proud to support and be part of. The spirit, endurance, and camaraderie were truly inspiring. 

Find out more about the Blackfish Paddles x ROAM partnership and check out the limited edition ROAM paddle.