Goat Boater Race Weekend 2025

Location: Tega Cay, South Carolina, on the beautiful Lake Wylie
Dates: September 19-21st 

Join us for a premier weekend of Standup Paddleboarding (SUP) races featuring technical sprints, mid-range paddles, long-distance grinds, and fun runs for all skill levels. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to racing, this event offers something for everyone!

Friday: Clinics/Demos/Socials

Saturday: The Technical Goat (Heats)

Test your technical paddling skills in this exciting heat-style race!

• Course: 1K with six buoy turns and a beach flag turnaround.  (We create waves too!)
• Format: 3-4 heats, head-to-head racing. Beach start and running beach finish.
• Fun Run Option: A more relaxed 1-2 heat race with 1 lap for first-timers, casual paddlers and kids.
• Spectator-Friendly: Enjoy fantastic views of the action throughout the course.

💰 $1,700 Cash Purse for the top 3 male and female paddlers for this race!

Sunday: Goat Island 5K & 10K Grind

Choose your challenge:

• 10K Grind: A demanding course with technical navigation, challenging wind, and chop. Race around Goat Island and Windjammer Island, tackling coves and the main channel.
• 5K: A medium-distance race with a touch of technicality, featuring island turns and main channel crossings.
• Fun Run Option: 1 Mile fun run and kids race

💰 $1,700 Cash Purse for the 10K for the top 3 male and female paddlers!

Social paddle after the race (Both Days) for all paddlers and families of registered racers

This is one of our favorite parts of the Goat Boater weekend.  Meet new friends and family.

Additional Details:

• Early Goat Pricing: Save $15 per race and guarantee your race shirt! Ends April 1st.
• Board Rentals: Reserve All-Around SUPs on PaddleGuru. For carbon race board rentals, contact Megan@GoatBoater.com.
• Post-Race and weekend itinerary: Join us at Model A Brewery & Restaurant for lunch, drinks, and camaraderie.

Awards & Divisions:

• Competitive Divisions: Top 3 male and female paddlers + age and board categories.
• Fun Run Divisions: Open to all boards and ages.
• All participants receive finisher medals, with podium awards for top finishers.

Why Race with the Goat Boater?

• SUP-only events—no kayaks or other crafts!
• Professional photography to capture your best moments.
• Professional Livestream of Tech Race Action
• Clinics with the pros 
• Demos from Starboard, Infinity, and Black Project.
• A welcoming community with international and national paddlers.

Paddle hard. Have fun. Be part of something special.
We can’t wait to welcome you to Lake Wylie for an unforgettable race weekend!

Early Goat Pricing Happening Now!  Save $15 on each race AND guarantee your race shirt!  Early goat pricing for this race ends April 1st.

Testimonials:

Candice Appleby

“I had a super fun weekend in South Carolina teaching clinics and racing @thegoatboater Technical Goat Race. Thank you Megan and Rob for setting up my clinics, for a super fun weekend and for your incredible hospitality. So inspiring to see the paddle community you created there. I’ll definitely be back. If you’re anywhere near South Carolina, go check out the Goat Boater race series. Thank you to everyone who came out to my clinics and private lessons. I had a blast sharing water time with each and every one of you.”

Michael Booth

“After a solid couple of days it was up to see Rob, Megan and all the crew at the Goat Boater in Lake Wylie, SC. I got to squeeze in my first event for the season and was very happy to blow the cobwebs out with a win. I am so pleasantly surprised with how extremely well run the event was. I said to Rob one evening that I thought I was going to turn up to the beach and hear a 3-2-1 go. But the event was world class and if you are ever nearby you should definitely take the trip! I also ran a race focus clinic, some one on ones and have some great catch ups with the Paddle League VIPs. Thanks again to all who made this part of the trip so special. What a place Cracker Jacks is!” 

John Batson:

“There are belts…and then there are GOAT belts! Stoked to take the overall win for 2024  @thegoatboater SUP race series. Dr. Rob @doctwisted and Megan @thegoatboater do an incredible job with these races…big fun, great swag and prizes. Each race was a little different (5k, 10k, sprints, tech and wake riding😁). Tega Cay is an excellent place to visit and really pretty lake to paddle. I always wanted my name on a belt like the WWF wrestlers…cool to share the win with pro athlete @aprilzilg.” 

April Zilg

“Thank you for the amazing season of local races @thegoatboater!! It was a blast visiting @visityorkcountysc and @cityoftegacaysc to play close to home. Local races are so important to get experience racing AND they're fun!! If anyone is on the fence about trying a #SUP race, you wouldn't be disappointed to make this series your first! Heck, you would get a lot out of it even if you've been racing for a few seasons already - the format makes sure you get experience at every course type and gives you the opportunity to become a better #paddler - and then you get to chill at @model_a_brewing afterwards! 🍻

Erin Carter

“Awesome weekend of racing @thegoatboater Tech and Paddle Battle with the crew! Thanks to Megan and Rob, for not only putting on an amazing event but also for always welcoming us with their southern hospitality. Can’t wait for the next one!”- Brent Ackland“Go Campbell Carter-Athlete! Missed this race but Eric Carter and Campbell both came home praising the event.  All local racers need to add this series to your calendar next year.” 

Kim Barnes

“raced in SC for the @thegoatboater race series. They host a series of races from June -September. We raced both Saturday & Sunday and the level of professionalism that Megan & Rob showed was unmatched. Head over to their FB or YouTube page to watch the races they showed live. They host different formats with each race. This weekend’s formats included multiple sprint tech races on Saturday & a distance tech race on Sunday. Both formats are tough & technical & not often practiced. It was definitely a true test of conditioning & skills training. Everyone raced so well!”

Caroline Cook

“Last weekend was an absolute blast! Wakesurfing for the first time with @thebrownblurr, great coaching from the GOAT @applesteeze as well as racing against her too! The 1km Technical Goat was one of the funnest (Yeah I know it's not a word) races I've done so far. It had a sitting start 800m race with 5 buoy turns over multiple heats/semis/finals. It reminded me of my regatta days in sprint canoe/kayak, I felt prepared. The whole weekend & race were so well organized by @thegoatboater & I won $100USD for placing 2nd!"

Eli Miller

“Well the crew @thegoatboater did an amazing job &the race did not disappoint! The live feed & video coverage was top notch, definitely the direction that our sport needs to move towards.”- Jake Portwood“Last weekend recap from the @thegoatboater race in South Carolina… these 2 races were chock full of beach starts, buoy turns, heats, & chicane runs! So much fun being a part of it! Stoked to come in 5th in women’s (second in my age group) in the heats, & 4th in women’s (1st in my age group) on the long tech🎉 Kudos to all the women that rocked both podiums! You all are an inspiration to me🤗”- Eli Miller

Our History:

The Goat Boater, located in Tega Cay, South Carolina was created by Megan Cynowa.  Goat Boater has hosted 25 SUP Races to date and for 2025 is offering an extremely unique 3 event summer race weekend that attracts many Southeast U.S. paddlers as well as national and international paddlers alike.  This race weekend consists of technical sprints, a mid-range & a longer distance paddle and fun runs on both days for all level paddlers.  Each race of the weekend will be different, unique, and include a short fun run and ALWAYS a 1-mile social paddle afterwards!

Come challenge your skills over the weekend at a beautiful location on Lake Wylie, South Carolina. These locations were strategically picked as they have great high up views where spectators and family will be able to view most races. Individual participation medals will be given each race, podium finishers for all categories, cash prizes for top 3 male and female paddlers in the Technical Goat and 10K Grind.

Testimonial: "Goat boater race series was an excellent opportunity to improve in every way. Mixing with the other boaters has enhanced my knowledge of SUP and I’ve made some good friends that I would not otherwise have had the chance to. I applaud Megan and her helpers who have spent many hours planning and holding this series. Look forward to 2022"

Courses:

Tech Course:

The Goat Island 10K Grind 

The Goat Island 5K 

1-mile Windjammer Fun Run 

Amazing gear up for grabs from our sponsors…

Starboard Gear: 

Get Stoked here: https://sup.star-board.com/

Infinity Gear:

Get Stoked here:  https://infinity-sup.com/

Black Project gear:

Get Stoked here: https://blackprojectsup.com/

The Goat Boater

Testimonial: "Good people. Good fun."

All of our races will take place on beautiful Lake Wylie, SC.  This is a flat-water lake, 26 miles long, with lots of natural shoreline. 

Please keep in mind that although many of us race and are highly competitive, this is a fun race weekend and meant to be about community, good vibes and sharing something we love.  Whether you have a paddleboard in your backyard and want to come for your first race or want to go for the gold, this race weekend could be for you.

Board Divisions and Age Divisions for 2025

Competitive (Technical, 10K, 5K) Race Divisions:

Overall Top 3 Male & Female:

Then:

Age Divisions:

• Men: (17 & Under, 18-49, 50+)
• Female: (17 & Under, 18-49, 50+)

Board Divisions:

• 12'6 + 14' Combined
• All Boards 12'5 and Under

Fun Race Divisions:

• Men: (All Boards, All Ages)
• Female: (All Boards, All Ages)

All participants will receive finisher medals each race and a special award for all who make the podium.   

Technical Goat & 10K Grind Top 3 Competitive Male & Female winners get cash prizes.

Register by April 1st and guarantee your Goat Boater Race Weekend Shirt and correct size + your Goat Boater Early Discount!

After each race:  board, paddle and fin demos including Starboard, Infinity and Black Project Paddleboards, Paddles and Fins will take place on site.  Lunch, drinks and fun at Model A Brewing https://modelabrewing.com/grub/ (just down the road).

Thank you in advance for your support, patronage and best efforts to have fun and paddle hard.  Whether you live down the road and have never been in a race or traveling from hours away, you will be warmly welcomed. To date we have hosted international paddlers from 9 countries and paddlers from 18 different states!  

Paddle on!

Testimonial: "The Goat Boater races turned out to be an excellent grass roots paddling series. It was a no pressure series that welcomed and encouraged all levels of experience to participate. The series includes various distances and courses. Everything is very well organized. Good people all around, from the organizers to the participants!"

 Testimonial: "Had a great time! The people and venue were awesome. I look forward to being a part of next year"