PHOTOS: Paddleboard Race Benefits Bays

, the , along with Lars Svanberg of , held the first stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) competition in Sag Harbor on Saturday — a celebration of paddleboarding as a sport and a way to get people to raise their consciousness about the health of local waters.

The competition also benefitted the marine preservation nonprofit Peconic Baykeeper and clean water programs.

Paddleboarding started in the 1940s in Hawaii and has been growing in popularity ever since. As with surfing, paddleboarding is a full-body workout that demands both balance and strength. 

Last Saturday 80 people signed up at for a race that was divided among three categories; recreational, racing at least 3.5 miles; and stock and elite, racing 6 miles.

People came from all over Long Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, even as far as Hawaii. SUP boards, kayaks and canoes were available for rent. After the race there was a gear raffle and an update on the State of the Bays.