2016 Painkiller Cup Offering $10K Team Race in the British Virgin Islands

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, Caribbean - The annual Painkiller Cup, the Caribbean’s most exciting SUP race, has announced it will be on January 23, 2016. Offering a minimum $10,000 purse, the event features a 14-mile downwind relay race with a finish at the famous Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke. The event format is simple - 3-person teams start at Trellis Bay on Beef Island and race down Tortola’s North Shore to finish on the beach at White Bay, Jost Van Dyke. Teams must include at least 1-female paddler and rotate every 25-minutes during the race. Each teams support boat follows behind.

The winning team collects $5,000 and there are additional bonuses that can add another $1,000 to the overall prize. Prize money and trophies are presented to the top 5 finishing teams.

“We’re excited to see more teams traveling to the BVI for the event,” says organizer Andy Morrell. “The Painkiller Cup’s unique format and great prize money are definitely a draw.”

Pictured: (left) Shelby Taylor of team Mexico. (right) Ryan Helm, Bicho Jimenez and Shelby Taylor of team Mexico.

Racers from across the Caribbean and North America are expected. Teams from St Croix, St Thomas, the BVI, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe and the USA have already registered. Team Bluerush Boardsports from San Francisco are confirmed turning the event into a vacation. Conditions for the race may vary but racers should expect a 10-20-knot following wind and all manner of sea conditions including ocean swells to ride on the open water portion of the course from Tortola to Sandy Cay.

The 14-mile course starts in more in-shore protected waters between islands but after 2-miles parallels Tortola’s North Shore where swell and following wind come into play. The second half of the course is an open water section between Tortola and Sandy Cay offering longer swells to ride before the final few miles in the flatter, more protected waters close to Jost Van Dyke. The finish is on the white sand beach in front of the World famous Soggy Dollar Bar.

The mini-start of the 2015 Painkiller Cup.

The fastest time to date was an even 2-hours set in 2013 by a team of Naish SUP riders. A less arduous 3-mile course starts at Sandy Cay and finishes at the Soggy Dollar Bar. The Mini-Painkiller Cup is a solo race and starts as the lead teams pass Sandy Cay.

The Painkiller Cup is sponsored by the Soggy Dollar Bar, HIHO and The Moorings. For more information and to register please visit painkillercup.com

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