Fastest crossing of the North Channel by stand up paddleboard (SUP)

Fastest crossing of the North Channel by stand up paddleboard (SUP)
Who
Samantha Rutt
What
05:02:35 hour(s):minute(s):second(s)
Where
United Kingdom (Portpatrick)
When
Age Restriction: Applications for this record title will only be accepted if the applicant is 16 years of age or over.

The fastest crossing of the North Channel on a stand-up paddleboard is 5 hours 2 minutes 35 seconds by Samantha Rutt (UK), who travelled from Donaghadee, County Down, Northern Ireland, to Portpatrick, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, on 1 July 2022.


The crossing was piloted by Kieran McClelland of the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association (ILDSA) and Infinity Channel Swimming on board the vessel Ānantya. As per ILDSA rules, the route must follow the Admiralty Chart 2198, Southern Part, which measures 18.6 nautical miles (21.5 miles; 35 kilometres).

Rutt set out from Donaghadee Harbour at 4.58 a.m. and arrived at Portpatrick Harbour at 10 a.m. This bettered the previous SUP record of 6 hours 40 minutes set on 18 September 2019 by Iain McCarthy from Bangor, Northern Ireland. Rutt is also the first woman to successfully paddleboard across the North Channel.

A new record for the fastest crossing of the North Channel by prone paddleboard was also set on 1 July 2022: Mark Walton (Ireland) traversed from Donaghadee to Portpatrick in 4 hours 55 minutes 15 seconds. Rutt and Walton set out from the start at the same time and arrived in Scotland within 10 minutes of each other.

Prone paddleboards differ from stand-up paddleboards in that they are smaller, narrower and the rider uses just their hands for propulsion, rather than a paddle.