Superstar 14-year-old stand up paddle (SUP) racer Sam McCullough will be out to make it back-to-back wins when he takes to Mandurah’s waterways for the 2017 King of the Cut this weekend.
The Melville-based racer took out the 2016 installment of the 12km race, before going on to win the West Australian under 40s division in the main event (the 24km race), just a day later.
Since then it’s been a massive 12 months for the youngster.
In August, he he travelled to Canada where he finished in the top five of all three events at the Vancouver SUP Challenge series.
He then hit the road bound for Oregan, USA to compete in the prestigious Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge.
He also scooped up a bundle of Stand Up Paddle WA awards, including most improved paddler, junior champion, and under 40 downwind champion.
Sam finished second in the 20-kilometre flat water State Championship in the open elite division, and third in The Doctor, a 28-kilometre paddle race from Rottnest Island to Sorrento.
Now he is in preparation to contest the 2017 Stand Up Surf Shop King of the Cut in Mandurah on Saturday, Australia’s richest SUP race.
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Sam will line up as the race’s youngest competitor against some of the world’s best SUP athletes in the downwind special.
“I’m looking forward to it, it’s a good run and one of the best downwind SUP races in the world,” Sam said.
His father Steve is one of the competitors in the field, and has completed every King of the Cut since its inception six years ago.
“I’m just hoping to finish to be honest,” the 53-year-old said.
“Sam and I train together, but really, he’s off like a shot and all I do is see the back of him.”
The race will take place on Saturday, December 2 kicking off at 12.30pm with a total prize pool of $18,300 making it the largest prize purse for an SUP event in the country.
Competitors will take off from the Dawesville Cut, dashing across a 24km stretch to finish in Secret Harbour.
Spectators are invited to watch competitors start the race at Dawesville Cut and to cheer them across the finishing line at Secret Harbour with free entry.
