ISA SUP and Paddleboard World Championships – Thank you

September 2024

Wow, what an amazing adventure that was.
Rhona, Molly, and I set off on the afternoon of Friday the 13th and arrived in Copenhagen just before midnight on the Sunday. Then 7 days of excitement at the ISA World Championships, before setting off for home on the Sunday evening and returning to Blair almost 48 hours later.
It was a long road, (figuratively and literally), to get to compete in the World Championships, and I have so many people to thank. This post is exactly for that.
As covered in previous posts, it was a hard fight to be allowed to compete, and I want to start by thanking those fantastic people who supported me in the battle. There are way too many people to list, but you know who you are, and I am truly grateful to you. Not only did you help promote the issue, but you helped me back up when I got so very low and was ready to give up.
Then, once all of the silliness was over, there was the fundraising. A massive thanks to the amazing Auchrannie Charitable Trust for their massive contribution, and to those wonderful individuals who donated their hard-earned cash to help us, Scotland’s very first paddleboard team, to compete on the world stage.
Talking of which, a huge shout out to my super-duper team-mates Alison, Angela, Jen, Glen, and Jonathan, along with my coach Martin, and mentor Allistair. To team manager Ally and to Paul Stark of the SSF, who helped me with all that boring paperwork and form filling, etc.
Thanks to Martijn Ronday, (Netherlands prone paddler), who changed the course of my race, (more about that in my race post – Day 3).
Then there is Anthony Vela, Geoff the Australian race official, (sorry couldn’t find your surname), Mathieu Astier, and all of the ground crew and volunteers at the event, along with the fantastic racers and supporters who helped me throughout. Thanks to Christian and his family for dogsitting Molly during the Copenhagen SUP event on the Saturday, and of course to Molly who stopped me from tripping over or standing on all of those lovely shiny paddleboards scattered everywhere.
But I save my final thank you for my number one supporter and lady of my life, my beautiful wife Rhona. She held my hand when things got tough and kicked me up the bum when I needed it. Sweetfart, I love you so very, very much.