The Celtic Crossing - Adventure, Danger, Determination and Triumph

Glenn Eldridge, ASI SUP Trainer and owner of ASI Accredited SUP School, Ocean Sports Centre at Carbis Bay, Cornwall England  is not your usual middle-aged man. He is both an exceptional waterman and international elite competitor.    Having competed in the European SUP and World SUP championships. He also likes a challenge, which is why he created an event called the Celtic Crossing.

The Celtic Crossing is born
In May 2014 an elite band of watermen and women got together to paddle against the clock from the Isles of Scilly to Sennen, UK. - 52 km of open Ocean. Ocean Ski’s raced alongside SUP’s and paddleboards for the first time to mark The Celtic Crossing as Europe’s Longest Open Ocean paddle race.

Glenn's goal was to set the World Record for the fasted man powered crossing for this body of water. The crossing with its treacherous currents, changeable weather patterns and being in one of Europe’s busiest shipping lanes, was no mean feat. Glenn has made the crossing twice on a single and later on a double ocean ski. The event runs each September and raises much-needed funds for charities decided by Glenn and the participants.

The course
The course is set from the isles of Scilly to Sennen Cove, the first beach around the corner from Land’s End, mainland Uk.. Make no mistake, this is an epic voyage which is going to require a level of skill, endurance and ocean knowledge only found in elite watermen and women who have spent their lives preparing themselves for a challenge just like this!

One of the most testing experiences
The distance is not only long but the navigation is difficult. The dangers of submerged wrecks dotted around the Scillies and the craggy cliffs around Sennen, which offer little shelter from the strong currents that engulf the Cornish peninsula.

Glenn says: This is more than a race, more than crossing an expanse of water. It is an experience of a lifetime. To qualify as being an experience of a lifetime it must also be one of the most testing.”

The 2016 Celtic Crossing
2016 had some special moments for Glenn. Dolphins surfaced almost immediately as the tiny group exited the channel into open water. Marker buoys pulled under water mid channel as hazardous currents pushed everything northward.

He says: “To experience the depth of a person’s determination and triumph; to keep going when all you really want to do is stop, is an honour to be a part of.” All this combines to make the Celtic Crossing a very special annual event.

For more information on The Celtic Crossing or how to take part visit:
http://www.thecelticcrossing.com/

Ocean Sports Centre, Carbis Bay:
http://www.oceansportscentre.co.uk/

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