What it’s like taking on ThruDark DW on a SUP

Words by Hannah Webb

It’s no secret that the Stand up Paddle Board community has been booming in the last few years. Its popularity has been surging among the paddlesport industry, and so too in the racing scene.

With the substantial increase in people racing SUP boards around the world, the ThruDark Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race added a SUP Class to the race on a trial basis for 2025.

Two paddlers entered the SUP class for 2025 - Paddy McCormack and Emily King. It was a leap into the unknown for both paddlers, with neither of them having taken on the four-day race before, but despite their lack of experience in the event itself, both completed the four-day event.

Given the success of the trial class in 2025, the SUP class has now been added as a formal class for 2026, and as Emily King explains, it’s a race well worth undertaking for any SUP paddlers interested in marathon racing.

Deciding to take on the challenge

King’s SUP journey began 16 years ago when the first SUP boards entered the UK, and before its popularity boomed. 

“Because I live by the sea, and had been surfing, it was a new toy for me,” King recalls. “And unlike most of my peers, I could stand up on a board.

“I took up watersports for the first time at 35 years old when I moved to Wales. Anyone can do anything.”

After hearing about the ThruDark Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race - or DW as it is affectionally known as - through a colleague, King had the race firmly on her radar, keeping an ear out for any information about the potential addition of SUP to the stages. 

And once the DW committee announced that SUPs would be allowed to take part in the race, King immediately started to investigate if it was an event she realistically could tackle.

“I said to my husband, ‘I'd quite like to do this, can you help me make sense of the rule book to see if this is doable?’ 

“I had to look at whether I could put a training plan in place and whether I could reasonably meet the cut off times. Did I have the skill set to keep me safe? You have to believe you can do it.”

Once King decided the challenge of the race was one that would be achievable while pushing her to her limit, it was time to start training for the race.

“As you know, the water and weather, they have their own idea about things,” King explained. “I had to do destruction tests to see whether I could sustain my pace in the worst conditions, and due to the multi-day nature of the event, how well I could recover.” 

It wasn’t just about King’s own ability though. Support crews play a vital role in the DW, feeding paddlers every hour or so along the course. They drive ahead, meet their crew at a portage, feed them the necessary nutrition and ensure they’re well hydrated and once they’ve checked their crew is safe to continue, the drive down to the next stop to do it all over again.

It’a a challenge in its own right, but with King’s husband and son stepping in to be her support crew, it made it an event that was capable of including the whole family over Easter.

“My husband and son were my support crew so it was a proper family event! The crew is equally as important as the paddlers, it's very inclusive.”

During the race 

The DW takes place over the Easter bank holiday weekend every year. Senior Doubles tackle the 125-mile race in one hit, starting on Easter Saturday and racing right through the day and night until they reach Westminster on Easter Sunday, taking on average between 24-26 hours to complete the race.

But the Stages Race is different. The Stages Race is made up of several classes, including Senior Singles, Junior Doubles, Junior/Veteran, Endeavour and now SUPs. They start their race on the morning of Good Friday and race 34 miles to Newbury. Competitors stop overnight and then restart on Saturday, paddling all the way to Marlow on the River Thames, before paddling from there to Teddington on the Saturday. Then on Easter Monday competitors paddle the final stretch to Barn Elms Rowing Club opposite Fulham Football Club.

It’s one of the toughest races anyone can do in the UK, and is one of the most unique in the world, being the only race where competitors paddle on canal, river and tidal water in one event. It’s therefore natural that paddlers feel a few nerved before setting off, and King was no different.

“I don’t usually suffer from nerves, but this was the one that I did feel nervous about,” King explained. “I had a brand new board that was only 20 inches wide. You don’t really want to change anything on your race day. I also knew that I would have to change my thought processes throughout the days which would be difficult.”

The weather was the biggest factor playing on everyone’s mind with the addition of the SUP class, and King was also mindful of it. 

“SUPs are made for good conditions, so I was used to being battered,” said King. “We are effectively a sail, and even on the canals there were waves being pushed up against us. But we train to tolerate the pain.” 

It wasn’t just the conditions that made things difficult for King. During the race, competitors need to navigate 77 portages, and given the layout of a SUP board, they aren’t the easiest things to continuously lift out of the water, with King explaining that “lifting a 14ft board above my head was hard, especially with the fatigue and tiredness.”

But despite the hardships, there’s several aspects of the race that King absolutely loved.

“One of the things I am super proud of DW for is that we now have a world-class race in the UK for SUP! So for me, to be able to do that affordably, on my own turf and with a community that has seen me through my journey, filled me with pride,” King said. 

King also acknowledges the ecological nature of the race. “It's very sustainable, as it means I can compete in my own country with less travel.”

Despite being in separate classes, all of the Stages Race competitors end up racing alongside each other as the race unfolds. And King loved racing alongside the Junior Doubles.

“I adored hanging with all of them,” she said. “I became their little mascot! It’s inspirational, to see that energy and bravery, it's just extraordinary. DW is also about life skills, how to laugh together and cry together and they show that perfectly.”

Moving forward into 2026

For 2025’s trial class, there were strict restrictions on the type of paddle board that could be used. All SUPs hard to be hard shell racing boards, but with the class being formally added to the bill for 2026, amendments have also been made to the types of craft that can be used.

Therefore, inflatable racing boards will now also be eligible for the event. 

And after the announcement, King was keen to give some advice to anyone that is thinking about taking part in the race.

“All endurance racing is about timing,” she said. “Building a sustainable plan that you slowly build on is important. 

“If you hope to do the race, start engaging in that now.”

King’s not just on about getting on water and starting training though. What really helped her was reaching out to people within the DW community who have got a lot of experience of the unique race.

“Reach out for support, there are people like myself who have done DW who would love to share their knowledge!”

“Anything is doable, you have to be realistic, but anything is doable with enough time and effort. 

“Get the right kit, get the right training, and get involved.”

The 2026 ThruDark Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race takes place on 3-6 April, 2026. Entries are now open, with SUP entries starting at £265.

Head to www.dwrace.co.uk to learn more about the event.