Well that took all of about five minutes.

Last night I threw out the question: Is this the world’s most beautiful SUP race series? in reference to the SUP Alps Trophy. However as soon as I posted the story to Facebook I was reminded of another tour that’s just as beautiful. Perhaps even more beautiful.

The Alpine Lakes Tour.

Yes, you heard right, there are two separate SUP racing tours held in the lakes around the Alps. I guess it’s so beautiful in that part of the world that you can’t ever get enough, right?

The Alpine Lakes Tour started in 2013 and quickly grew into a season-long affair – there were 13 races last year and we expect a similar number in 2015 (this year’s full schedule will be released shortly).

 

The main part of the Alpine Lakes Tour runs through the warmer months of Europe, however the race season begins in just 11 days with the oddly-titled GlaGla Race.

The term “GlaGla” means “I’m freezing…” because apparently “aglaglaglagla” is the sound your teeth make when they’re chattering in the cold. At least if your teeth are French, that is. So in that respect, “GlaGla” is quite a fitting event title (because it really is freezing in France right now).

The GlaGla Race is expected to draw upwards of 100 die-hard winter paddlers to the freezing cold waters of Lake Annecy, or lac d’Annecy, in the mountains of France (Google Maps). The premise is simple: It’s cold everywhere in France right now, so we might as well find THE coldest place in the whole country and hold a race there.

It actually sounds quite fun… in a weird, adventurous sort of way. Though you’d wanna bring some good thermal race gear – the course is around 15km and the water in lac d’Annecy is hovering around 7 degrees Celsius right now (44 Fahrenheit).

The race goes down on Saturday 24th of January and we’ll certainly be posting the results, as well as the epic photos, right after the event. We’ll also update you when the full 2015 schedule for the Alpine Lakes Tour is released.

Below is an assortment of locations that the Alpine Lakes Tour hit in 2014. If these photos get you excited to go paddle, head on over to the official Alpine Lakes Tour Facebook Page for more info.

So there you go. If you’ve ever wanted to paddle your race board in the Alps you’re now spoiled for choice…