Outdoors: Paddleboarding taking off with the rise of SUPfest

The rise of nontraditional sports has been pretty evident over the last decade or two and this past weekend, out at Bear Paw Lake in Beaver Creek Park, SUPfest, which is basically a celebration of paddle boarding, was held for the second straight year.

However, it did not go without a hitch. The event, which had been planned for some time to take place at Beaver Creek Reservoir, had to be moved at the last minute due to algae in the reservoir and it being closed off the public. Despite the late change of plans, the turnout for the two-day event last Saturday and Sunday was still good according to co-organizer Courtney Filler, who runs the event alongside her husband, Tony Filler, a former Havre High basketball player.

"It was a very good turnout given the situation," Courtney Filler said. "It was better than last year so that was exciting."

Even though some of the participants weren't aware of the changes until 9 p.m., the night before, plenty were eager to hit the water when things got underway Saturday afternoon at 1. And just like the previous rendition, there were a number of different races and activities. Paddle boarders, new and old, took part in a backward race, a tandem race, dodgeball and yoga.

"We just love paddle boarding," Filler said, "and just wanted to share that because it's still pretty new. So we just wanted to share our love for paddling, and we decided to put on a little event to let people know what paddle boarding is."

One of the participants trying paddle boarding for the first time was Mallory Murray, who was involved with a number of different sports last year at the Havre Middle School, including basketball and cross country. Murray got second in the backward race for youth.

"It was good," Murray said. "It's hard when you are going backwards and trying to turn around."

While it was difficult, Murray said she thought it was easier than running. She also said she would like to try it again.

"It was fun," Murray added.

Certainly, you don't need to be a former athlete to paddle board. It also doesn't hurt. Of all the competitors, a number of them were former athletes, including Austin Jones, who ran cross country and track for Havre High, as well as playing basketball for the Blue Ponies as a senior.

Jones, who is attending Montana State University-Northern and will run for the Lights cross country team, took part in the backward race and won his heat.

"I paddle boarded a few times before but never in a race," Jones said. "I have just done it leisurely before."

Jones, who knows a thing or two about racing after earning All-State honors on the Blue Pony cross country team last fall, said finishing the race was difficult.

"Towards the end, it was a little more difficult," Jones said. "With your balance, it's a little different going backwards as compared to forward. You really have to get your shoulders into it. It was interesting, I have never gone backwards before."

Jones, who specializes in running long distances, also said that paddle boarding was a strong test of his endurance.

"Oh yeah," Jones said. "When you got down to the halfway point, it's when people start catching you because you don't take the turn right or something. At the end, my arms were getting pretty tired. I had to crank it a little off my knee and get my whole body into it because my arms were so tired.

"Honestly, I think it's a little more strenuous than running," he added. "You just use different muscles and the way you have to balance on it. I snowboard and wakeboard and that's another different thing, but until you get out there, it's hard to know how difficult it is."

One great thing about paddle boarding, is that whether you are racing or just doing it for fun, whether you are young or old, it's a chance to get out on the water and from the looks of it, that chance will be coming every summer, with the continuation of Supfest.

"We have been paddle boarding for about six years now," Filler said. "It's a fun thing and we just wanted to share that with our community."