Taking part in the French GlaGla Race 2024
By Natasha Sones
Event photos: Alexis Fernet & Jean Marc Favre
This unusual race brings together several hundred paddle enthusiasts from all over the world at each edition. It is part of the Alpine Lakes Tour, a friendly SUP race series in beautiful spots in the Alps: France, Switzerland and Italy, https://alpinelakestour.com.
In 2023, a record 830 paddlers from 31 countries signed up. It has become the world’s second-biggest stand-up paddle race, just behind Nautic Paddle in Paris. This year was the 10th anniversary of the race, and 700 paddlers from 25 countries participated.
I was looking for my next SUP adventure after solo paddleboarding around the islands of Helsinki last summer, and it felt like fate that the GlaGla Race was taking place on my 44th birthday, so I entered!
Why take on the GlaGla Race?
I’ve been paddling for about four years, but this was my first SUP race. I had no experience of racing – this was my first race. I was very nervous about being in a race and the cold weather, so I signed up for the very short distance (3.5km) and aimed to finish and not fall in. I didn’t care what my place was.
What were you apprehensive about beforehand?
I was concerned about the weather, not knowing what it would be like. They had paddled in the snow in previous races. Due to England’s strong winds and storms, I could not paddle much beforehand. To take part in the the GlaGla Race, it was mandatory to have a leash, an approved buoyancy aid (50N CE), a survival blanket, some water and a sugary snack. In addition, participants had to wear either a long John-type neoprene wetsuit in neoprene or a dry suit, as well as neoprene shoes. With such cold temperatures for the race, I knew I would have to be prepared with my clothing. Winter paddling can be exhilarating, but only when warm and comfortable.
Also, the water temperature – I knew the lake temperature would be around 4 to 6°C. While I regularly swim in these temperatures as a wild swimmer, I don’t particularly want to self-rescue in the middle of a race. So I practised some self-rescues before I went to ensure I could do it in a dry suit, just in case.
Despite my fears, I was very excited about the race – knowing it would push my boundaries and be an adventure! It would make me a better, more confident paddler.
The race
After travelling to Annecy via Eurostar and trains with my sister, I went to Talloires Beach the day before the race to collect my bib and look at the lake. I was concerned as it was windy and freezing, and the water looked choppy. A few brave souls were practising, but I decided not to. I had decided to hire a board – the 13’ 2” Red Voyager – from there rather than travel with it, and I made sure that was all in order.
The day of the race dawned very chilly (-8 degrees in the morning), but the sun had come out, and conditions were perfect. I was relieved; the wind was about 1 knot and much less choppy. On the bus to Talloires, I met up with Kate, another UK participant I had never met but knew was attending. Upon arrival, I changed into my Yak Chinook dry waist trousers and Yak Apollo jacket over my merino wool base layers and top, put my neoprene boots and socks on and then my buoyancy aid and bib. Plus, of course, my GlaGla Race red woolly bobble hat.
After the safety briefing and an energetic warm-up with the yeti mascot, people started getting their boards onto the water. Kate and I nervously lined up at the start to glide across Lake Annecy’s blue waters. The horn sounded, and then we were off. Although it wasn’t very windy, it was slow going when we started paddling, and everyone flowed forward rather than pelting off. The camaraderie was fantastic, with hundreds of paddlers all around me, and I tried to enjoy it as much as I could and soak in every second. All these people came together for the same reason: having an adventure surrounded by snow-capped mountains was magical.
The race celebrates both the extremes of French winter and the beautiful scenery of the Alpine lakes. The water was still turquoise blue, even in the winter. It was beautifully clear, but I still didn’t fancy taking a dip in the water at six degrees. So, I also concentrated on keeping my balance and taking in the most beautiful location I’ve ever paddled in. Some people fell in near the start, but the organisers had made it clear that it was mandatory to help a fellow paddler, and the boats were on hand to help anyone who needed it, which was hugely reassuring.
Soon, I reached the first buoy, and then I paddled around it to make my way to the finish, whilst the others continued to the other distances – 6.5km and 14km. When I finished, there was cheering from all the spectators, and my family at home saw me pulling up at the pontoon on the Facebook livestream of the event. I was elated to have completed it. I spoke to a gentleman who had fallen in earlier, and he said the water was ‘very fresh!’ Ultimately, I came 26th out of 31 in the short race, which is more than I had hoped.
Other events over the day were a Dragon Race, a sauna to visit, massages and a Nordic bath, live music and a chill zone, a pasta party and a prizes ceremony. It is a real occasion and a chance to meet up with other SUP enthusiasts worldwide in a truly stunning setting.
Would I do it again? Absolutely! It was incredibly well organised, a testament to Benoit and his team at Alpine Lakes Tour. If you’re looking for a destination race and don’t mind the cold, then the GlaGla Race is definitely one to enjoy!
SUP Mag UK 
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