One Last Splash Before School Bells Ring: Join Us at the Flying Fish Summer Challenge

There's a particular kind of magic that happens along the Indian River each summer, tucked into the old-Florida fishing cottages of Jensen Beach. It's the sound of a boat horn blaring across flat blue water. It's dozens of feet slapping down the sand and through the shallows as paddlers race to their boards. It's friends, old and new, cheering each other around bright white, impossibly puffy turn buoys that look more like abstract wind-catching art installations than actual course markers.

It's the Flying Fish Summer Challenge, and Love 2 Read couldn't be more grateful to be part of it.

How It All Started

We gratefully remember when Kelly Hilton-Green and Taina Honey first invited us to the inaugural tournament. We had no idea what to expect. What we found was a community of paddleboarders, kayakers, and outrigger teams who show up every year not just to compete, but to celebrate one more sunny adventure together before the new school year begins.

When Kelly and Taina told us there would be a raffle benefiting Love 2 Read, our Treasurer, Heather Sherrod, didn't hesitate. She made the hours-long round trip just to help run that first raffle table. That's the kind of generosity this event is built on, and the kind of generosity that keeps our students' tutoring sessions funded year-round.

What Makes This Race Special

Paddleboarding looks serene from the shore, but make no mistake: it's an arduous sport. Whether athletes are standing, sitting, lying prone, or paddling as a team, the competition among these friendly rivals is fierce. The race starts along the shoreline, boards in hand, waiting for that horn. Then it's a mad dash into the calm waters of the Indian River, churning up a wake of noise and splash across an otherwise still morning.

Spectators get the best seat in the house, whether relaxing in the shady tiki pavilion, standing on the dock, or lining the shoreline itself, to watch paddlers navigate those tricky turn buoys. Every year we ask the same question: how do the expert paddlers make those turns look so effortless?

Sponsors We're Grateful For

The generosity of the hosts and sponsors who have empowered this event year after year makes this event a huge success for everyone involved. Our deepest thanks go to Flying Fish Paddleboard Company and BlueLine Surf & Paddle Company, whose sponsorship and community spirit keep this tournament alive along the Indian River in Jensen Beach. Their support, and the support of everyone who donates, races, and shows up to cheer, helps Love 2 Read continue putting trained tutors in front of students who struggle to read.

Join Us This Year

Whether you're an experienced racer, a first-timer eager to try prone paddling, or simply someone who loves a good excuse for a beautiful morning on the water, there's a place for you at the Flying Fish Summer Challenge.

Mark your calendar: Saturday, August 1, 2026. Race-day registration runs 7:00-8:00 AM. Full race details, distances, and divisions are on the race website.

Register here: Flying Fish Summer Challenge 2026

Come race, watch, and bid on raffle prizes. Have a fantastic time while helping us send Florida's students back to school this fall with someone in their corner, ready to teach them to read.

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Love 2 Read is deeply grateful to Kelly Hilton-Green, Taina Honey, Flying Fish Paddleboard Company, and BlueLine Surf & Paddle Company for their continued generosity in supporting our mission.