An athlete competes at the 2022 Special Olympics Florida State Stand-Up Paddleboard Championships. Provided photo.

This weekend, something truly special is happening at Nathan Benderson Park. On Saturday, August 16, Special Olympics Florida will host the State Stand-Up Paddleboard Championships at Nathan Benderson Park. The competition, which is the culmination of successive area and regional competitions, will welcome just over 150 athletes from all parts of the state to Nathan Benderson Park.

The State Championships will be divided into different races. There are short-distance events, typically for more novice paddleboarders, in 100, 200 and 400 meter distances. Then there are the long-distance races in 800, 1600, 3200 and 4800 meters. Finally, there are the traditional and unified relays—the 3x100, 3x200 and 3x400 meter. Special Olympics will also be bringing in a contingent of dentists on-site as a part of the organization’s Special Smiles program, who can provide athletes with referrals for further dental treatment if need be.

“Our athletes are incredible, they are brave and they train so hard,” says Jessica Ott, Regional Director of the West Coast Region of Special Olympics Florida. “It’s very inspiring to watch them—if they fall off their board they just hop back on and continue to compete. In all of the sports that we offer, Special Olympics really gives our athletes a lot of confidence. We’ve seen them shine.”

Success in the State Championships could see athletes qualifying for Stand-Up Paddleboarding at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota or the 2027 World Games in Santiago, Chile. Training for the State Championships began in earnest in weekly sessions with athletes back in April, both on and off the water. “We have coaches that put them on a sort of conditioning program—stand-up paddleboarding is not just upper or lower body, it’s a full body workout with a lot of conditioning aspects to it. They built up their cardiovascular base and then when they weren’t out on the water, they worked on developing their paddling technique and stroke,” says Ott. “We had athletes train in Sarasota Bay, others on different lakes and even some on the Crystal River.”

Ott gives credit to the volunteers supporting Special Olympics Florida—roughly 130 are slotted to help out on Satursday—and urges those interested in getting involved, be it as coaches or day of volunteers, to sign up on the organization’s website. It’s an experience, Ott attests, that is well worth it. “Our athletes may have disabilities, but these events are really about showing off their abilities.”

August 16, 8am-5pm, Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota, 34235

An athlete competes at the 2022 Special Olympics Florida State Stand-Up Paddleboard Championships. Provided photo.

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