about
about
2025 Paddle Battle Memories
Thank you to Renee Russell, official Friends photographer, Morgan Schools, awesome volunteer, and to the City of Portsmouth, for these photos
Getting the Boats, Boards and Racers Ready
For most Paddle Battle participants, the day begins at home loading up cars and trucks to haul their Boats and Boards to the Paddle Battle. The fun then begins with moving those Boats and Boards to the water and feeling the excitement start to build.
Paddle Battle prides itself in our focus on our Racers. First, we provide parking and launch facilities directly adjacent to the water site. Second, we provide plenty of Volunteers to help our Racers get from their cars and trucks and into the water (for those who want the help).
Challenge Cup Racer Chip Dollahon, US Coast Guard
Satia Bedeau, Bib #85, US Navy Challenge Cup racer, and friends (we believe US Navy)
Kelly Kirkbride, 1st Place, SUP, Beginner-Intermediate, 36-50
Naomi Weiss, 1st Place, SUP, Advanced, 20-40
Ava Marie Vance, 1st Place, Kayak, Beginner-Intermediate, 36-50
Robert Renfrew
Jerry Lone's (US Navy Challenge Cup) Kayak, Bib #89, waiting to splash
Paddle Battle and Portsmouth Boat Club Volunteer, Gina Fremeau, in white t-shirt, checking in Kelly Kirkbride
Heading Out to the Start
Robert Renfrew
Ava Marie Vance, 1st Place, Kayak, Beginner-Intermediate, 36-50
Raman Sidhu
Kelly Kirkbride, 1st Place, SUP, Beginner-Intermediate, 36-50
Kelly Kirkbride
Anthony Rico, Bib #92, 1st Place, SUP, Beginner-Intermediate, 36-50, front left on yellow/aqua/grey board; Stephen Zurek, Bib #98, 1st Place, Kayak, Beginner-Intermediate, 36-50, rear center in black/aqua/black kayak; Alex Gomez, Bib #53, 1st Place, Challenge Cup, US Coast Guard and overall Challenge Cup Champion, front center in magenta/yellow kayak; and Kelsie Moffa, US Coast Guard, Bib #52, far right in front-most of three green kayaks
Waiting to Start
Teresa Hahn, Bib #70, 1st Place, SUP, Beginner-Intermediate, 51+, on front white board
Kelsie Moffa, US Coast Guard, Bib #52, front of two yellow kayaks; Joshua Hawkins, US Coast Guard, Bib #55, rear of two yellow kayaks; Chip Dollahon, US Coast Guard, top left in blue-white-blue kayak
Teresa Hahn, Bib #70, 1st Place, SUP, Beginner-Intermediate, 51+, far right on white board
Chip Dollahon, US Coast Guard, far left in blue-white-blue kayak
Kelly Kirkbride, 1st Place, SUP, Beginner-Intermediate, 36-50
Greg Bachand
Aiden White, US Navy, Bib #58, 1st Place, Challenge Cup, US Navy Champion, far left third up in first of three yellow kayaks -- and fellow Challenge Cup racers
Chip Dollahon, US Coast Guard, far right in blue-white-blue kayak
Robert Tuleya, Bib #78, far right with back turned toward camera and with aqua paddle; Peter Grinkewitz, Bib #71, far right on light blue board to right of Robert Tuleya
Teresa Hahn, far left on white board
Robert Renfrew, upper let in green kayak
Challenge Cup Racers: Daniel Weinberg, far left in orange kayak; Kelsie Moffa, US Coast Guard, Bib #52, second up of four green kayaks in middle
From rear: Robert Renfrew, upper let in green kayak; Raman Sidhu on green board; Shweta Bhushan, 1st Place, SUP, Beginner-Intermediate, 20-35, on white board; Robert Tuleya in black-grey kayak; unidentified in yellow kayak
And They're Off!
Photo above - From left: Teresa Updyke, Bib #83, 1st Place, SUP, Advanced 41+, on light blue board; Greg Bachand, Bib #72, next to Teresa Updyke in blue kayak; Nelle Linz, Bib #99 (Bib is upside down and reads 66], 1st Place, Kayak, Advanced 41+, in orange kayak; Jonathan King, Bib #65, 1st Place, Kayak, Advanced 20-40, in red kayak; Naomi Weiss, 1st Place, SUP, Advanced 20-40, in pink top on white board
Photo right - From rear: Robert Renfrew, upper left in green kayak; Robert Tuleya in black-grey kayak in front of Robert Renfrew
From left: Jim Seagraves, Bib #63, far left in white kayak; Teresa Updyke, Bib #83, on light blue board at bottom left; Greg Bachand, Bib #72, to right of Teresa Updyke in blue kayak; Jonathan King, Bib #65, in red kayak to right of Greg Bachand; Naomi Weiss, in pink top on white board to right of Jonathan King; Carlos Lopez, Bib #74, in aqua green shirt on white board to right of Naomi Weiss; Earl Gurganus, Bib #87, 1st Place, Kayak, Advanced 41+, at far right in white kayak and red shirt
Challenge Cup Racers: Chip Dollahon, US Coast Guard, Bib #93, center in blue-white-blue kayak and white T-shirt; Matthew Macfarlane, US Coast Guard, Bib #88, in black-aqua-black kayak to right of Chip Dollahon
From left: Teresa Updyke, Bib #83, on light blue board at bottom left; Greg Bachand, Bib #72, to right of Teresa Updyke in blue kayak; Jonathan King, Bib #65, in red kayak to right of Greg Bachand; Nelle Linz, Bib #99 (Bib is upside down and reads 66], in orange kayak behind Jonathan King; Naomi Weiss, in pink top on white board to right of Jonathan King; Carlos Lopez, Bib #74, in aqua green shirt on white board above Naomi Weiss
Challenge Cup Racers -- Generally from left: Daniel Weinberg, US Navy, Bib #91, bottom left in orange kayak; Matthew Macfarlane, US Coast Guard, Bib #88, in black-aqua-black kayak to right of Daniel Weinberg; Chip Dollahon, US Coast Guard, Bib #93, center in blue-white-blue kayak and white T-shirt to right of race mark; Aiden White, US Navy, Bib #58, 1st Place, Challenge Cup, US Navy Champion, in green kayak and red vest to rear of Chip Dollahon -- WHAT A START!!!
Teresa Hahn, Bib #70, 1st Place, SUP, Beginner-Intermediate, 51+, on white kayak in front; Robert Tuleya, ahead in front of race marks
Racing at Last
Finishing
Champions
Doing it Safely
The Paddle Battle is known for its focus on the safety of our racers as they race on the busy commercial Elizabeth River. Thank you to the Portsmouth Fire Department, the US Coast Guard, Freedom Boat Club (Sponsor) and the Portsmouth Boat Club (Sponsor) for providing on-the-water safety boats.
Paddle Battle is Also About Land Fun
Thank you to Tidewater Maritime Living History Association, our Face Painter and DJ Eric for adding to the day's fun.
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Thank You Volunteers
It takes as many as 60+ volunteers to put on the Portsmouth Paddle Battle, with the first ones arriving on site starting at 6:00 a.m. Shown below are a few of these intrepid souls. A special thanks to the Portsmouth Boat Club (PBC)(a Paddle Battle Sponsor) and to Jim and Kathy Cullen with the Portsmouth Farmers Market (also a Paddle Battle Sponsor) for "loaning" us volunteers from their organizations.
Also a huge thanks to the Paddle Battle Steering Committee, which meets starting in January of each year to begin planning for the Paddle Battle: Gary Bahena and Jeannie McCoy, Co-Chairs, Andy Sutter (Sponsor), Tom Butt, Keith Toler (Assistant Director, Portsmouth Department of Museums & Tourism) and Sheila Janes.
