The 5th Annual Cape Cod Bay Challenge was held on Saturday. The CCBC has been paddled every year since 2008 and has raised hundreds of thousands for local charities (this year’s total alone will be pushing $500,000).

The course is a 34 mile crossing of Cape Cod Bay, and even though the CCBC is technically not a SUP race (paddlers stick together in groups for the whole crossing) the event is more than worthy of a spot on SUPracer.com. Plus it’s not like a 34 mile paddle is a walk in the park, race pace or not (the crossing is two miles longer than Molokai…).

The 2012 Cape Cod Bay Challenge attracted 81 die-hard stand up paddlers, with “The Crossing” starting off early in the morning (in total darkness). Well known names of the sport, such as Waikiki Queen Gillian Gibree, joined locals to complete the marathon SUP crossing and raise money for a good cause.

Check out some great shots below and take a look at the official Cape Cod Bay Challenge site to find out how you can support the event next year. Also check out a great recap of the event on the Zone.