Head of the Dart
Stand Up Paddle Challenge
New to the challenge?
The Head of the Dart SUP Challenge is an annual event in South Devon. Our 14km course runs between Totnes and Dartmouth, and it changes direction every year. The current race began life in 2009 and now welcomes 300 paddlers each year. If you’re thinking of taking part in our next event, there are some basic requirements you need to know about.
Everything you need to know
History of the race
Discover the origin story of our current race and learn how Head of the Dart SUP began in 2009. Find out more about our ethos and sustainability goals.
Race rules
Safety is our number one priority, so there are specific rules and requirements in place for everyone taking part. Here’s everything you need to know.
Parking & transport
It takes 45 minutes to drive between the start and finish points, so we provide coaches. Find out where to park, and learn more about our shuttle service.
FAQs
A hive of useful information, covering some of our most common queries – from cancellations and bad weather, to bibs, volunteering, registration and age groups.
Entry requirements
The Head of the Dart SUP Challenge welcomes a wide range of paddlers from intermediate ability through to experienced racers. Roughly half the fleet take part in the leisure category. Depending on the weather conditions, the course can be challenging with chop and wind.
We want this to be a fun – and safe – event for everyone involved. This means that all entrants must, as a minimum, be able to:
- Paddle standing, unaided, for 14km in all weather conditions.
- Complete the course in 3 hours.
Consider spending the winter months practising, training and maybe undertaking a coaching programme to prepare for the event.
Here’s the lowdown…
Become a volunteer!
“I do a lot of volunteering in all sorts of areas, including events and fundraising, and never have I encountered such a competent bunch of volunteers. Not only in carrying out tasks, but also spotting what needed doing and then owning it.”
“I had a fantastic time volunteering. It was well organised, clear what volunteers needed to do, and we were well looked after. The best part was helping paddlers on and off the water and encouraging them. It was fantastic to see all the smiles.”
“I really enjoyed my day volunteering at the Head of the Dart. It was a great experience to be part of the organisation and all the paddlers were very grateful for the help that we provided. All in all it was a very satisfying experience.”
Our sponsors
The annual Head of the Dart Stand-Up Paddle event is organised by SUP Event Management Ltd. We are incredibly grateful to all our sponsors:
Sponsor the Head of the Dart
We’re always on the lookout for support, so if you’d like to sponsor our event, or provide branded gifts for the paddler goody bags, we’d love to hear from you!