Dam to Dam – 24 miles paddling with Bootys cancer warriors

The BackBlast:

Absolutely—here’s the final fully dialed-in backblast honoring the mission, the cause, and the full crew:

AO: Yes it hurts in your core. Dam to Dam – From the Catawba River Dam to Lake Wylie Dam

QICs: Booty, Panda, Newport
PAX: Booty, Panda, Newport + 40 other warriors

FNGs: None… but inspiration levels were off the charts
Conditions: Hot sun, flat water, hearts full

The Thang:

On a bright, relentless day from Dam to Dam, over 40 paddlers took to the water with a mission bigger than muscle—to raise funds and hope for those battling cancer. Together, they paddled 26 miles (because apparently Booty rounded down to 24 to tease us into this), navigating the Catawba like a human-powered armada.

Among the crew: three F3 men—Booty, Panda, and Newport—who brought the grit, the guts, and in one case, a surprise plunge.

The event raised a whopping $80,000 for the 24 Hours of Booty Foundation, supporting cancer navigation, survivorship, and the fight no one should face alone.

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F3 Highlights:
• Booty: A machine in boardshorts, with a tremendous team of leaders -Took on the full 26 miles with zero hesitation and zero doubt. By mile 20, he looked stronger than at mile 1. Rumor is he was born paddling.
• Panda: The calming force and tactical master. Having done this before, Panda set the rhythm, kept morale steady, and just went fast
• Newport: Became the first man to fall off his board on leg two, solidifying his place in event lore. Took the plunge with pride and got back on board with swagger and sarcasm.

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Whole Crew Wins:
• 40 paddlers pushing through every current, wave, and mental wall to fuel a cause far beyond themselves
• A beautiful, exhausting, inspiring stretch of North Carolina water turned into a channel for real impact
• Countless paddle strokes, one unified purpose: to fight cancer with everything we’ve got

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Mumblechatter:
• “This isn’t a paddle… it’s a pilgrimage.”
• “Booty’s board just told me to keep up.”
• “Newport’s splash zone has a zip code.”

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Moleskin:
• Huge kudos to all of those in the Booty organization , the Clt police escort, the launch armada, Queen City news and all the paddlers—you didn’t just show up; you stood up.
• The 24 Hours of Booty Foundation continues to lead in providing support for those fighting cancer, and this event was a high-water mark in every sense, we were honored to be a part in it
• Lynchpin—your absence is noted. You’ve been officially challenged to show up next year. Miss North Carolina is confirmed to paddle, so… time to cross-train, brother.

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Until Next Year:
• Train.
• Paddle.
• Fall off once (but make it look intentional).
• And remember: this isn’t about the distance—it’s about the difference.

– Newport, soaked but stoked 🏄‍♂️💦
#DamToDam #BootyBoarders