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Eric Terrien Wins Historic Stand Up Paddle Race Across Paris |
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By: Robert Etienne (Nidecker)
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Tuesday, 14 December 2010 |
 Saturday December 4th 2010 was a historic day for the stand up paddle world with the first ever stand up paddle race across Paris. One hundred riders were registered, but due to poor weather conditions (air temperatures below 0°C /32F and water temperature below 5°C/41F, strong winds and snow forecasted) the local authorities only authorized 30 riders to take the start.
At 6am, the riders met at the European Microsoft headquarters, one of the event sponsors, to have a typical French breakfast and get dressed for the race.
The riders meeting was at 6:45 am and at 7:15 am everyone jumped on the buses provided by the organization to go to the starting line situated close to the "Bibliotheque Francois Miterrand" where boards were waiting for them.
The competitors got to the starting line at 7:45am, still in the dark, to take care of last minute pre-race preparations such as installing the fins, which is not easy in freezing temperatures and when you need to break the ice out of the fin box, and warm up.
The race started on schedule at 8:20 am under a cold but beautiful sunrise.
Eric Terrien, riding on a Nidecker 14' took the lead from the start.
He had a hard time after 15 minutes of racing when he actually overheated, as used to train in the warm waters of Fuerteventura his main concern before the race was to get cold, so he overdressed and eventually got to hot. A few minutes later he decided to take off his gloves which was a good decision and a radical way too cool down.
 Still too warm, with no fluids to drink but too competitive to give up, he used all of his mental strength to keep going and concentrated on his paddle technique so he could manage keeping a comfortable lead. Terrien won the first stand up paddle race ever accross Paris, 11 kilometeres in 1 hour 03 seconds.
For those interested in a 14' board, the Nidecker SUP R&D team is currently working on a 14' production board based on the successful prototypes used by Eric in the Jever SUP World CUP, the Paris Crossing as well as other pan European races, that with the Nidecker All Water 12’6 Race allowed Eric to win 20 of the most important SUP races across Europe.
Eric would like to thank all his Sponsors for their support in helping him become the undisputed European Race Champion in 2010.
Eric’s Sponsors: NIDECKER SUP DIV. / OLUKAI / MAGMA CUSTOM BOARDS / EASTPAK / HAWAII SURF PARIS / LOULOU’S HOMEMADE 
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