The Graveyard Lived Up to Its Name: East Coast Championship 2025 Photos
The East Coast Championship 2025 delivered exactly what paddlers came for—and then some. On Saturday, October 4th, the Wrightsville Beach…





In so many ways, our connection to the water is transformative.
Wallace J. Nichols, Blue Mind
- Unknown
Barry Blackburn
– Jacques Cousteau
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The East Coast Championship 2025 delivered exactly what paddlers came for—and then some. On Saturday, October 4th, the Wrightsville Beach…
We’re thrilled to share some exciting news with The Paddle Channel community! After years of development and real-world testing, we’re…
After snapping a paddle shaft during a recent downwind run, Barry has ordered a Braca-Sport XI Van Dusen. It’s a…
Enjoy this short review of the carbon fiber V1 Fai Va’a 4SI by Ozone.
It’s pretty well accepted that an advanced level surfski will be faster than an intermediate level surfski. Adding to our…
If you’re thinking of doing the Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis or any other long-distance paddle crossing, race, or event on…
Our proven online training platform delivers science-based programs for surfski, OC1, and SUP athletes, backed by over 17,000 miles of testing and real athlete success stories including PRs, podiums, and improved health.
With over two dozen training plans for all levels and distances (and growing), it’s designed for self-motivated paddlers who want intelligent, structured training that reduces injuries while maximizing performance. Ready to transform your paddling? Discover how our platform can take you to the next level.
I have probably completed 8 different (Paddle Channel) training programs covering race distances between 8 to 20+ miles for OC1, OC2 and OC6. I know for a fact the programs have improved all aspects of my paddling fitness and knowledge. Having been an habitual over-trainer in my younger years, these programs took all the guesswork out for me and had me saying, “If I only knew then what I know now!” About Tracy…
Barry Blackburn and Rod Clayton started The Paddle Channel because they believe paddling is better when it’s shared. Between them, they’ve spent decades coaching athletes, working in exercise science, competing in everything from triathlons to outrigger races, and building tools to help masters athletes train smarter.
More importantly, they’re family men and lifelong watermen whose faith and love for the ocean shape everything they do. Together, they bring a mix of experience, curiosity, and humor—along with plenty of lessons learned the hard way—to help paddlers everywhere enjoy the sport as much as they do.
Barry Blackburn holds a master’s degree in exercise science and has worked as a clinical exercise physiologist in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation for more than 27 years. Of all his accomplishments, he is most proud of being a devoted husband and dad, raising three children with a love for God, people, and the ocean.
He has an extensive background in surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, outrigger canoe paddling, and surfski paddling, and has also served in ocean rescue, using his skills to support public safety and community service.
As a masters athlete, he continues to compete successfully, leveraging heart rate monitor training and The Paddle Channel App to maintain peak performance. His lifelong dedication to fitness began with youth and high school sports and continued through his service in the US Marine Corps, both of which fueled his drive to push limits and embrace challenge.


Rod Clayton has always been happiest in, on, or around the water. Before discovering paddling, he raced in nearly 100 triathlons, coached endurance athletes, and studied exercise and sports science. He’s also spent decades building training platforms and software tools that athletes and coaches around the world rely on.
What matters most to Rod, though, is his faith, his wife, and raising three outstanding sons who share his love for the ocean. Whether scuba diving, paddling, or tinkering with new ways to blend technology and training, Rod brings the same mix of curiosity, dedication, and joy to everything he does.