Thornbury Goes Pro in SUP
Spanish teacher took up the sport only three years ago
Slipping into a hot tub last Saturday was not a matter of pleasure or relaxation for Les Thornbury.
On the contrary, the Christ School Spanish teacher was "borderline hypothermic" after completing his first professional standup paddle boarding race in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Quiksilver Waterman Carolina Cup in Wrightsville Beach, N.C., drew not only regional paddlers, but some of the best watermen in the world. Just finishing the Graveyard 13.2-Mile Elite Race was a feat in and of itself due to the 60-degree water temperature, wind, and rough seas. Thornbury ran onto the beach with a time of 3 hours, 27 minutes, and 32 seconds.
Thornbury was given medical attention immediately after the race – the hot tub was to help raise his body temperature.
"It crushed me. The first thing I learned is I can't prepare for an open-ocean race on Lake James (a body of freshwater in the western North Carolina mountains)," Thornbury said. "I was conditioned, but I wasn't prepared for the conditions. It was a real eye-opening experience. I'm not sure if I bit off more than I could chew, but I learned a lot. And the great thing about these races is that there is a real family spirit to them. Everyone sticks around after the race, so I had the world's No. 1 guy cheering me on as I finished. That's pretty cool."
Thornbury, 42, is a former Navy fighter pilot and only picked up the sport of SUP three years ago. He was a fast learner, investing not only more time, but money into it. Thornbury now races on boards that can cost about $3,000 apiece.
His first sponsor, the Unsinkable Polarized sunglasses company, provides Thornbury with gear and race-entry fees. He plans to continue training this summer on Lake James, which is about 55 miles away from Christ School. And race-wise, Thornbury will vie for points on the Southern Stoke Paddle Series, which is concentreated in the Southeast.
