The best competitors in any sport have qualities that set them apart from everyone else.
When it comes to stand-up paddleboarding, also known as SUP by the community, being different means being a little fanatical, to say the least.
For example, you have to be a bit crazy to take part in a 24-hour race. You have to be even crazier to set a Guinness World Record. Seychelle Webster – who prefers to be referred to only by her first name, as evidenced by her personal brand and coaching business – would agree.
The 36-year-old, who lives in Melbourne Beach, attempted such a feat in December 2015 and achieved it, paddling 110 miles in 24 hours at Nathan Benderson Park, setting the distance record for both female and male paddlers. Although she experienced a myriad of emotions during those 24 hours, from feeling “completely shattered” during the night to a feeling of elation as the clock ticked down and the record was secured, none of it was the hardest part.
“It was the (swearing) paperwork,” Seychelle said with a hearty laugh. “It took me weeks to overcome all these hurdles.”
Yes, filling out forms was worse than paddling at an average of 4.6 miles per hour for an entire day. As I said, these athletes are different.
Seychelle Webster celebrates her victory in the women’s 200 meter sprint at the 2023 ICF World Cup at Nathan Benderson Park.
Photo by Ryan Kohn
Seychelle was back at Benderson Park Oct. 13-15 to compete in the 2023 International Canoe Federation Stand-Up Paddleboard World Cup, an event that brought paddlers from around the world to Bradenton-Sarasota for world-class competition.
For the uninitiated, SUP is a sport that grew out of surfing. It was developed in Hawaii in the 1960s by John “Pops” AhChoy, with AhChoy using the paddle to catch waves while sparing his aching knees.
Over time, the sport shifted away from the sea and toward more controlled environments in which racing could be held – although some recreational paddlers still prefer to use their boards to ride waves. The idea of the sport is simple: a single paddler stands on a board and uses the paddle to reach the finish line as quickly as possible.
At the 2023 World Championships, Seychelles proved that it can compete in both short-distance races and distance races. She won the women’s 200-meter sprint (18-49) division final on Oct. 13 in 1:01.71, crossing the finish line about two seconds faster than runner-up Kimberly Barnes. She then became the first woman to finish in the final of the mixed 10,000 meter distance on October 14, reaching the finish line in 1:05:28.05. The versatility of winning both sprint and distance races is a source of pride for her, she said.
For the Seychelles, getting into SUP was a matter of chance. Growing up, she had been an occasional runner and soccer player, but her first love was water. She came from a family of sailors, she said, so love was sparked early. She even decided to quit college to sail around the world while working on various yacht crews. After nearly a decade of sailing, she needed a change and was hired at a paddle shop in Key Largo in 2014 to teach yoga to its customers. She had never been on a SUP board before, but a group of paddlers at the shop invited her to try it out with them.
She agreed and found that her life had changed forever.
“I decided right away that (SUP) was what I wanted to do with my life,” Seychelle said. “The next summer I traveled and raced. I believe in following your heart when you know something is right. It was an incredible journey. Being on the water, I feel a deep connection to it. SUP can take you places.” You didn’t know you could walk. You get into a flow state.”
Seychelle Webster won the women’s 200-meter sprint race at the 2023 ICF World Cup in 1:01.71.
Photo by Ryan Kohn
Despite the similarities between the sports, Seychelle said she never tried rowing, dragon boating or canoeing, instead focusing solely on SUP. The paddling techniques are so different, she said, that practicing one or more of these disciplines made her afraid she might lose some of her muscle memory for SUP, and she didn’t want that to happen. By continuing her training for almost a decade, she became and remains one of the best SUP paddlers in the world.
Seychelles was by no means alone in its impressive participation at the World Cup. Eri Tenorio of Brazil won the men’s 200-meter sprint final (18-49) in 52.10 seconds and won the mixed 10,000-meter distance final in 58:05.30. Thomas Larkin of Tampa won the mixed free 5,000-meter run in 47:55.81. And while India’s Sathish Kumar didn’t reach the podium in any of the men’s races, that wasn’t his only goal. Kumar came to the World Championships to show people back home what SUP can do for a person’s life. Kumar works with Indian youth, encouraging them to join SUP clubs instead of making bad decisions on the streets.
All of these competitors are a testament to what Seychelles called the sport’s calling card. It’s full of amazing people doing amazing things on and off the water.
“SUP is such a welcoming sport and community,” Seychelle said. “You don’t have to take part in competitions, you can just enjoy your free time. That’s a nice side of the sport, just doing it for your free time. But if you want to compete, you go to races. You don’t have to feel ready. You.” Learn by showing up. So if you are the person who feels a connection with water, give it a try. The paddling community will welcome you.”
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