The 30th Waterman Challenge Traditional Paddleboard Race will be held SATURDAY June 28, 2025.   

This is the Waitlist for the 2025 Waterman Challenge.  If you do not get moved into the start list, you will receive a full refund.  Once moved on to the start list, no refund is possible.  Movement from the waitlist to the start list will be done about a week before the race.   If you have not contacted the race to cancel, it is assumed you are committed and will be moved automatically without notification.  

The Waterman Challenge is a challenging 14-mile* open ocean course down the coast of San Diego from Swamis to Windansea. This event, now the longest running continuous paddleboard race in the world, continues to be a favorite among traditional paddlers with its challenging course and the waterman spirit shared by all participants.    We attempt to cap the size of the race to 100 racers, however, the first 120 sign-ups will be guaranteed entry.  Past history tells us that many people have to pull out before the race so there's a buffer.  After race entries hit 120, a waitlist will be created. If you do not get into the race off the wait list,  you will be refunded your entry fee.

Portions of your race fee support a cause we feel strongly about.  Just In Time for Foster Youth provides financial support and mentoring to young people transitioning from foster care, assisting them with getting into college or landing first jobs.  Close to 90% of the individuals in San Diego County foster care are minorities.  This is an opportunity for us to help part for part of the population that just doesn't have the same opportunities many of us of had.  https://jitfosteryouth.org/

This year's race is the 30th consecutive and is a qualifier for the Catalina Classic.  We look forward to seeing you at Swamis.  

*The original race course was 15 miles and that required an in-race check-in at the tip of the Scripps Pier.  That was eliminated early on in the race history and the majority of the race history has been the more direct ~14 miles.  This year we finally updated the advertised distance.