FIELD NOTES: 2026 CATALINA CLASSIC

[ PRELUDE by Tony Wodarck, FLORENCE ]

For the past four years, we've sponsored the Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race. It perfectly aligns with the FLORENCE brand: true watermen and women battling the elements of the open ocean for hours on end. The 150+ paddlers are lifeguards, big-wave surfers, endurance junkies, the exact type of people we make this gear for.

In 2023, I went to the finish line to experience my first Classic and cheer on my friends and test pilots, 14-year-old Toa Pere and Jack Bark. It was apparently a rough year of conditions, and everyone looked absolutely smoked when they came in. For some reason, watching all that suffering made me want to get into the sport.

13 year old Toa Pere's first Classic, 2023. Photo: Wodarck

I borrowed a board from the late Jack Shimko, RIP, who was such a huge supporter of getting people into this community. Kayla and I started putting in some really hard three-mile harbor sessions that took us over an hour with multiple breaks. We'd stop and laugh about the fact that we'd have to do that 10 times to cross the channel.

From there, the snowball started.

Jack Bark's record finish, 2024. Photo: Wodarck

In 2024, I was back at the finish line with my camera and got to witness Jack Bark's historic record-breaking 4:54:45 crossing. I was in the water when he came in and was lucky enough to capture one of my favorite photos I've ever taken. The energy of that moment, the payoff of decades of work and a lifelong goal coming together was indescribable.

In 2025, I watched Jack repeat and Toa win stock at 16 years old. I cheered on friends from the Prones Brigade as they came across the finish. I probably should have been out there with them. I was trained enough, but somehow talked myself out of it. I think the Classic still scared me a little bit.

Toa Pere wins the Stock class, 2025. Photo: Wodarck

So for 2026, there was no talking myself out of it. I made the Classic my summer goal. I was going to train, qualify and race across the channel solo for the first time.

After three years of standing at the finish line taking photos, it was finally my turn.

It was insane.

Tony all smiles at the finish, 2026. Photo: Wadley

I came away with so much more respect for everyone who has ever raced the Classic, and especially guys like Jack Bark, who holds the unlimited record at 4:54:45, and Lachie Lansdown, who holds the stock record at 5:35:00. After experiencing that channel myself, the paces those guys held out there are almost impossible for me to comprehend.

This year, I was especially excited for the women's stock race. My coworker, training partner and friend Kayla Coscino was a top contender, and I couldn't wait to see how it would play out. A few days before the race I told her, "I hope I'm a minute in front of you. Close enough for you to see me, too far to catch, and enough time for me to catch my breath and cheer you in."

One minute and 23 seconds.

I crossed the finish line, turned around, and there was Sydney Brouwer charging toward the finish. We all started cheering as she crossed the line drenched in emotion. Seconds later, Kayla came flying through the finish, pointed at Sydney and the two embraced, crying in disbelief. You could see that neither had an ounce left to give.

I think I was more excited watching that than I was to be done with my own misery.

Kayla's 2nd Classic finish, 2026. Photo: Warner

If you read anyone's recap of the Catalina Classic, they mention the community. It's real. It's a niche group of psychos who willingly push themselves way past comfort and then come together to share in the pain and misery.

Why?

I think doing hard things makes us better people. Not because we paddled 32 miles, but because we faced fears, pushed ourselves past comfort and challenged ourselves beyond what we thought was possible. Experiences like that change your perspective. The little day-to-day problems don't seem quite as big compared to that channel you just crossed.

The race grows every year, 2026. Photo: Wadley

After years of watching the Classic from the beach, getting out there and experiencing it for myself is a bucket-list, core memory I'll never forget.

Is it too early to sign up for next year? 🚩

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FINN AUNE - Men's Unlimited Class, 1st Overall

Finn at the line. Video: Lowe-White

I got into prone paddleboarding through my good friend Noah. He was working on a boat next to the one I was working on, and I would see him paddle before or after work. He gave me the rundown about the Ben Did Go, the Catalina Classic, and the amazing community that goes with it. I was hooked after my first paddle. I love being out on the ocean and getting into the "zone" when everything gets simple. Paddling in the Newport area, you see Catalina almost every time you go out. It naturally became a goal of mine to race in the Catalina Classic.

We got pretty good conditions this year, and a beautiful sunrise too, which was awesome. The toughest miles for me were a few miles out from the R10. Close enough that you can see land, but it doesn't look like it's moving. Once I got past the R10, a second wind kicked in that got me to the pier, but before that I was hurting big time.

The prone paddleboarding community is amazing. So many great people who will do anything to help others out. This race is so special because no matter what place you get, completing the race is a huge accomplishment. It's always a fun time celebrating that on the beach with everyone.

HARRIS HENDERSON - Men's Stock Class, 1st

Harris before the start. Photo: Wadley

I grew up on the surf coast in Vic (Victoria, Australia) and I've always been involved with the Torquay Surf Life Saving Club from a pretty young age, so short-form sprint paddling has always played a big part of my life. But the obsession for prone paddling really kicked off when Zeb Walsh took me for my first paddle on a stock when I was about 14. It was from him that I learned about the crossings like Catalina and Molokai, and pretty much from that moment I made up my mind that I wanted to race them one day.

The channel definitely lived up to the hype. I'd been hearing heaps of stories about how gnarly the grind can be, and how Catalina and Molokai are two completely different races in their own respect. I was pretty naive off the start because I was moving quickly and thought, oh, this is going to be super fun. And then it all just came crashing down after the 11th mile. All of my nutrition started tasting way too sweet and I struggled to stomach pretty much anything, so I took it back to the basics and just had water. My mindset of trying to win also went out the window, and it pretty much got stripped back to, let's just get through this race reasonably.

I was stuck in that hole for a pretty long time, and watching Davy and Ryan get further and further away was also pretty shattering. I thought the race was gone, but thankfully I had Ryan Addison yelling at me to keep pushing through those 10 miles in the middle. By the time we hit the R10, I was back in it. It almost felt like the race reset.

As much as I love racing and pushing myself, I think the most special part of the Classic was that it was more than just a race. It was more of an experience. Being out at sea with 160-plus paddlers all going through the same conditions and the same pain is pretty moving, and it's amazing how it brings people together. There were no egos or toxic rivalries. It's just a bunch of people with a love for paddling and wanting to test themselves.

When I was crossing the finish line, I don't think I'll ever forget that feeling.

EMILY BARK - Women's Unlimited Class, 1st

Emily on pace to win. Photo: Bark

I think one of the first times that I really got obsessed with paddling was when I was in eighth grade and I did my first solo Rock to Rock. That was such a pivotal moment, and where I got hooked on that feeling of having a big dream that seemed far off and then trying to catch it. That feeling is just so good.

The Catalina Classic is the granddaddy of all paddle races. It was never an "if I do it one day," it was just a "when I do it one day." So when I finally did it for my first time in 2021, it felt like the fulfillment of this long-awaited box that I had to check. It was so exciting, it was so cool. It's the way you feel in the channel, and the way you learn about yourself and surprise yourself, and then the camaraderie with all these incredible athletes next to you in the water.

This year the channel was so hard. I think that was one of the hardest races I've ever done. It's just such a mental game out there. I hit a wall at mile 18 and I was like, oh my gosh, I'm not feeling very strong right now, I'm feeling really slow and tired and sick of this. You just have to push through those moments, and it definitely got me this year. I felt a lot of mental fatigue around halfway, but pushing through it is what makes the end so cool.

Having my dad on the boat, he's done the channel 38 times, he knows the channel so well. He's not trying to just tell you what you want to hear, he's telling you what you need to hear. He's always done such an amazing job of supporting me through the race, telling me where to go and giving me an idea of what I need to be doing to do my best, but in such a supportive, positive way.

Every time he's on my boat and I'm in the water, I'm just like, how the heck did he do this so many times? It's crazy. It's so special to share those moments with him.

I've been so blessed to have such incredible mentors and people to look up to in the sport. My dad and his friends and the people at races were the people that I wanted to be like when I grew up.

It's the people. No one's doing it for prize money. No one's getting so competitive that they're losing friends or making enemies out there. Everyone wants each other to do their best, and everyone's so stoked when somebody wins. I'm super grateful for the paddle community and I just hope to be able to stay a part of it forever.

SYDNEY BROUWER - Women's Stock Class, 1st

Sydney & Emily rejoice to be back on land. Photo: Wadley

I've been into paddling for a long time. I grew up doing sprint racing and junior lifeguard competitions, but ever since getting into the distance paddling scene, I've just become absolutely obsessed. I think that's mostly because of the people that I've met and the adventures that I've gotten to go on with these new friends. Whether it's racing, training paddles, or just spending time in the water with all these amazing people, it's been the best thing for me.

Growing up in Venice, obviously it's a part of LA County, we're all in Santa Monica Bay. I think everyone who grew up at the beach knows about the Catalina Classic. The channel has so many different reputations and I've had so many great experiences out there. Whether it's really terrible conditions or it's all-time, you just can't get better than that. You're still out there with all these people who are just as stoked as you, and it's their first time or it's their 20th time. There's no bad channel crossing in my opinion.

With that being said, there definitely were some hard miles this year. I had a slump around, I'd say, miles 7 to 10 maybe. I was down bad. But seeing two of my very best friends just fired up and racing next to me and so after it, that definitely brought me back.

The last couple of miles will always be really hard. I know the exact distances for a lot of the things after the R10, so I always struggle there. I start breaking it down too much and get in my head. That's always a challenge for me.

I think the most special thing about this Classic was getting to finish next to Kayla and Fern. None of us were even slightly concerned about how we did. We were all just hugging each other, because you're just so proud of each other. I feel like that says a lot about the paddle community. I've been a part of different sports communities. I swam, I played college water polo. But nothing has ever matched the prone community and just how full of stoke everyone is here.

KAYLA COSCINO - Women's Stock Class, 2nd

Kayla pushing mid-channel glass. Photo: Warner

I keep coming back to these races because I enjoy challenging myself, and there's no better place to do that than in the ocean. And to race with a crew of people who are even more dedicated, supportive and fun to be around makes it that much better.

The channel was a pretty classic version of itself. Bumpy off the start from the wind blowing overnight. Glassed off and beautiful throughout the middle. Then the water just stopped, and felt like it started moving backwards. Approaching PV (Palos Verdes) and the R10 is known to be the toughest part of the race. The water gets thick and slows you down, you're getting tired and start questioning your ability. It did just that again this year. Miles 22 to 26 were my slowest miles, but the tough miles kept coming after that. I think I battled back and forth for second with Fern at least six times between the R10 and the finish. It was a game of leapfrog.

The competition is 99 percent internal, in your own mind, during a race, so there actually ends up being an abundance of support toward each other from the paddling community. Everyone is there to help each other, to give advice and absorb advice, to share moments and memories, and to make lifelong friendships. I can't even count how many times Sydney, Fern, Emily, Anneliese and I have told each other how proud we are of each other, that we all crushed it, that we all pushed each other to be better, and that we are so excited to see the future of women's paddling.

JACK BARK - 15th Catalina Classic Finisher

Jack entering the open waters off Catalina. Photo: Wadley

The Classic this year was a tough one. Super hot conditions, super fast field, and it was just a challenging race. We had a good, fast first 15 miles, and then I think everyone hit a wall off PV. We hit some uphill current, and it really slowed down the pace for a bit. To finish my 15th Classic was really special. I got to have my wife in the water cheering me on as I crossed the finish line, and then head straight into the beach and see my wife and my new daughter there. Just to accomplish that channel that many times, and to have my family waiting for me like I used to wait for my dad when I was a kid, it was really cool to see it come full circle.

TOA PERE - Mens Stock Class, 4th. USCG Channel Master Stock Champ.

Toa Pere at the R10 buoy. 24 miles in, 8 to go. Video: Katie Pere

The Catalina Classic 2026 was definitely a memorable year, and I am super stoked that I did it. I learned a lot this year. Coming away with fourth overall in stock, I'm really happy with my performance.

Toward the beginning of the race I was super psyched up, but I got hit with some very early lactic acid and a lot of buildup, and an upset stomach that I had to work through from around mile five to mile 10. Those miles just felt like ages to me. Being in that place is one of the things that I love about this race. It puts you in the shadow realm, and the only person that can take you out of it is yourself. Otherwise you'd just be quitting and you'd be on the boat.