NRG's First Annual 'Pimp Of the Paddle' SUP Fitness Challenge

Karen Wrenn is the Pimp of the Paddle, 2010!!  

Monday, June 28th 2010 marked the first annual 'Pimp of the Paddle' Stand up paddle fitness challenge in Hood River, Oregon.

The SUP sprint course was designed to challenge everyone, from a novice stand up paddler to the most advanced athlete.  It began with a short 100 yard swim in cold water, a 2+ mile SUP paddle (short upwind and cross current paddle to Wells Island, beach the board and run around a buoy then paddle downwind for two miles to the event center) followed with a 200 yard prone paddle and finished off with 1 mile run. The person who styled the course faster than everyone else would be the first official 'Pimp of the Paddle' and rewarded handsomely.

The catch: no stand up race boards or anything over 12' allowed in the event.  This was implemented in order to level the playing field for everyone. Also, adding in other disciplines such as running, swimming and prone paddling made it possible for each person to show their strengths and weakness in physical ability, skill and fitness levels which means it was anyone's race.

Eleven participants entered the race, 7 males and 4 females, with participants came all the way from the Oregon Coast and Portland.  Displaying the strongest swim skills was Hood River's Rod Parmenter, who evidently has a swimming background. Kenny Wilson of Stand Up Paddle Oregon who drove all the way up from the coast, dominated the prone paddle because of his years of experience as a surfer.  He shot ahead of everyone and took off on the run.  Kenny says, "As I passed Karen and Dan for the lead they heckled me: 'Wow-catch the wave surfer dude!' What a blast!"

Karen Wrenn was in third place after the prone paddle, but quickly took over the lead during the running segment.  Bill Babcock says of watching Karen finish, "Karen Wrenn hit the beach in third place and then did the run ridiculously fast to take first and be crowned the "pimp". She basically ran the mile at flat out speed and blew by everyone. When she came off the crown of the hill down to nichols boat works she literally looked like she was flying."

Once everyone finished the beer was was flowing and the awards ceremony took place.  Karen says of the POP,  "Pimp of the Paddle was Rad!  The course was clever, challenging and all about having fun.  I went home with an enormous trophy and a pimpin' outfit!  This pimp will be back next year to take on all my bitches!" Congrats to Karen who earned the win and left the men in the dust.  The irony of a female being crowned 'pimp' did give us all a good laugh.

See you all next year!!!


Thanks to Stand Up Paddle Oregon and to the Jimmy Lewis rep of Oregon, Jessica Lewis, for your support of the first annual POP!

Results:
1st  Karen Wrenn  32:50
2cd Kenny Wilson 33:28
3rd  Rod Parmenter  34:38
4th John Wrenn  37:33
5th Sean Johnson  37:58
6th Matt Willet  39:00
7th Bill Babcock:  DNF, did not do the run :-(

Women
1. Victoria Hopkins 40:00
2. Jessica Miller  41:35
3. Tish Berman 42:00

 Pre-race meeting

 Dan explaining the POP course