130 kms of paddling surrounded by the magical scenery of the Dordogne, through 4 departments, the Dordogne Intégrale is the longest paddle race in the world!
130 kilometres of paddling surrounded by the magical scenery of the Dordogne, through 4 departments, the Dordogne Intégrale is the longest paddle race in the world!! The Itiwit team rose to the challenge because it was a perfect way to test the 12'6 Explorace inflatable stand-up paddle boards...and also a fantastic experience...
You can't beat inflatable stand-up paddle boards for hassle-free travel... How else could you fit 4 SUPs, 7 paddles, all of your camping gear and 3 people in one car?!
The second benefit of Itiwit 12'6 Explorace inflatable SUPs is their resistance to wear and impact on rivers with rapids...
Team Itiwit was able to calmly make it to the finish without any breakages!
And this year, for the first time, around one hundred SUPs joined the canoes and kayaks.
All with the same goal: to reach the finish line 130 kilometres downstream in less than 15 hours.
The brave souls set off at dawn in a very friendly atmosphere which would see participants offering one another plenty of advice and support along the way. The most important thing was to make it to the end!
In team Itiwit, 2 kayaks and 9 SUP boarders (including 1 female) set off, paddles in hand!
Departure from Argentat at 6.30 am to follow the Dordogne valley to Castelnaud-la-Chapelle.
In the first 30 kilometers, there is some Class I and even Class II rapids to get down. Kayaks pass through easily but it is much more difficult for the SUPs; rapids are taken on their knees or even lying down if it's a big one!
Buoyancy aids are mandatory and leashes forbidden for SUPs to ensure the total safety of the participants.
The Dordogne valley is a magnificent natural site where you can see castles and other historic attractions from the river.
This is not a place to paddle like crazy with your head down, you must also enjoy the scenery, which is what makes this race one of a kind.
The river calms down as you follow it downstream; the rapids give way to calmer water where it is not uncommon to overtake bathers taken aback by the armada invading the river.
The Itiwit team had everything planned: camel bag for regular hydration, energy bars, dried fruits, all in waterproof bags securely stowed on the boards or in the kayaks.
But the organization had also thought about the comfort of the participants: breaks were arranged every 20 km in order to allow everyone to breathe, to regain their strength in order to reach the finish line. The most motivated stopped as little as possible so as not to waste time ...
Nicolas, our kayak engineer, finished 1st out of the Itiwit kayak team in 10:41.
Itiwit achieved 3 Explorace 12'6 inflatable stand-up paddles in the 3 top spots of the "inflatable SUP" category.
Anne Sophie, product manager at the TRIBORD SURFING brand, finished in 13:16!
Team Itiwit made it to the finishing line. They all left with memories of an incredible adventure and even stronger confidence in the Itiwit products that "did their job", and are now asking which new challenges they will be able to take on next...
