HISC x The SUP Co Round Hayling Challenge 2027: Entries Are Open

Saturday 4 September 2027. Hayling Island. One challenge worth putting in the diary now.

Entries are officially open for the HISC x The SUP Co Round Hayling Challenge 2027, bringing paddleboarders, wing foilers, windsurfers, windfoilers, surfskis, kayaks, ocean canoes and rowing crews back together for one of the South Coast’s great multi-discipline watersports events.

Whether you want to race the full route around Hayling Island, take on the Bridge & Back, improve on your 2026 time or make 2027 the year you enter for the first time, you can secure your place now.

Enter the HISC x The SUP Co Round Hayling Challenge 2027

Round Hayling Challenge 2027: key details

Event	Details
Date	Saturday 4 September 2027
Venue	Hayling Island Sailing Club, Hayling Island, Hampshire
Challenges	Round Hayling and Bridge & Back
Classes	SUP, Wing Foil, Windsurfer, Windfoil, Windsurfer LT, Surfski, Double Surfski, Kayak, Double Kayak, Prone, OC1, OC2, OC6 and rowing classes
Entry includes	Finisher's medal, post-race meal and event T-shirt
Enter	Official Round Hayling Challenge 2027 entry

Not just a race

The Round Hayling Challenge has been running in one form or another since 1980, and what makes it special is the mix of people and craft sharing the same stretch of water.

Some arrive determined to chase the fastest possible time. Others simply want to get around. For plenty of competitors, completing the course is the result.

That is exactly what we like about it.

You can be lining up on a 14-foot race SUP next to a wing foiler, while windsurfers, surfskis, kayaks, outriggers and rowing crews prepare for their own challenge. Once everyone gets back to HISC, the different disciplines become one watersports community again.

2026 showed exactly what Round Hayling is about

The 2026 HISC x The SUP Co Round Hayling Challenge saw 140 craft take to the water for either the approximately 14-mile circumnavigation of Hayling Island or the Bridge & Back course.

And it certainly wasn't a quiet year.

Wing foiler Kuba Staite completed the full course in an extraordinary 43 minutes 36 seconds, setting a new Round Hayling course record. Windfoiler Charlie Baker was around in 46 minutes 1 second, while the conditions made life considerably tougher for the SUP fleet.

That contrast is part of the Round Hayling Challenge. Wind, tide and water state all matter. The fastest equipment on paper does not automatically mean an easy day on the water.

You can revisit the photographs, results and story from the event in our Round Hayling Challenge 2026 recap.

Round Hayling or Bridge & Back?

The 2027 entry form gives competitors the choice between the Round Hayling challenge and Bridge & Back.

Round Hayling

The full circumnavigation is the headline challenge. It is a proper coastal and tidal test rather than simply a long paddle or ride on flat water.

Choose the full Round Hayling challenge if you have the experience, fitness and equipment to deal confidently with changing conditions over a sustained distance.

Bridge & Back

The shorter Bridge & Back option gives more people the chance to experience the event atmosphere without committing to the full circumnavigation.

Choose Bridge & Back if you want a substantial goal and the complete event experience but the full Round Hayling course is not yet the right challenge for you.

Final course eligibility, safety requirements and class rules should always be checked against the official 2027 event documentation as it is published.

SUP paddlers: give yourself something to train for

For paddleboarders, putting an event in the calendar can completely change your paddling.

Instead of simply heading out when the weather looks nice, you suddenly have a reason to work on distance, technique, pacing, turns and fitness. A few kilometres becomes five. Five becomes ten. Before long, the idea of entering Round Hayling starts to feel considerably more realistic.

You do not need the narrowest race board available. Stability matters enormously over distance, particularly once conditions become unsettled and fatigue sets in.

If 2027 is going to involve an equipment change, take a look through our paddleboard range and SUP paddles, but don't buy purely from a specification sheet.

Try your SUP setup before committing

Our Woodmill SUP Test Centre in Southampton gives you the opportunity to compare suitable paddleboards and paddles on sheltered water.

That can be particularly useful if you are moving from an all-round inflatable onto a touring or race shape, deciding between board widths or wondering whether a lighter paddle would make a worthwhile difference over distance.

Tell us your weight, current board, usual paddling pace and whether you are aiming for Bridge & Back or the full course. We can help narrow the options down and, where suitable equipment is available, get you on the water before you decide.

Wing foilers: Round Hayling is a very different challenge

The 2026 event demonstrated just how quick modern wing foil equipment can be, but outright speed is only one part of the equation.

Your foil needs to match your ability and the likely conditions. Your wing needs enough usable range. Your board needs to be something you can confidently get going again if you come off foil away from the easy water.

If you are working towards the 2027 event and considering a board, foil or wing change, browse our wing and foil equipment or speak to the team at The SUP Co x Lymington Try It Now centre.

Selected equipment can be tested before buying, subject to suitability, conditions and availability. It is a much better way to make an expensive technical equipment decision than simply guessing from the numbers.

Our advice? Enter first, then build towards it

September 2027 might seem a long way off. That is precisely why now is a good time to enter.

Put the date in the diary. Decide which challenge you want to work towards. Then use the coming months to build the distance, skills and confidence required to enjoy the day rather than simply survive it.

If you raced in 2026, perhaps the goal is a quicker time.

If you completed Bridge & Back, perhaps 2027 is the year you aim for the full course.

If you stood on the shore watching everyone disappear up Chichester Harbour and thought, "I should have entered", you already know what to do.

Enter the Round Hayling Challenge 2027

What is included with your 2027 entry?

The current 2027 entry form states that entry includes a finisher's medal, post-race meal and event T-shirt.

If the T-shirt matters to you, it is worth entering early: the organiser notes that entries made after 15 August 2027 may not receive one.

Current entry pricing and the options applicable to your class are shown through the official entry process.

The SUP Company x Round Hayling Challenge

We are proud to be involved with the Round Hayling Challenge because it represents the part of watersports we care about most: getting people out using their equipment, progressing and sharing the water with other people who enjoy the same things.

The SUP Company is a specialist watersports retailer with physical locations at Woodmill in Southampton and Haven Quay in Lymington. Between our shops, SUP Test Centre and Try It Now service, we can help with everything from choosing a more efficient paddle through to putting together a complete race SUP, wing or foil setup.

If Round Hayling 2027 has become your next goal, come and talk to us. Tell us where you are starting from and what you want to achieve, and we will help you work out what genuinely needs changing — and what doesn't.

Finance options are available on qualifying orders, which can be useful when investing in a complete setup.

Round Hayling Challenge 2027 FAQs

When is the Round Hayling Challenge 2027?

The HISC x The SUP Co Round Hayling Challenge 2027 takes place on Saturday 4 September 2027 at Hayling Island Sailing Club.

Are entries for Round Hayling 2027 open?

Yes. Entries are open now through the official SailEvent page. Enter the Round Hayling Challenge 2027 here.

What sports can enter the Round Hayling Challenge?

The current 2027 entry form lists classes including SUP, Wing Foil, Windsurfer, Windfoil, Windsurfer LT, Surfski, Double Surfski, Kayak, Double Kayak, Prone, OC1, OC2, OC6 and rowing classes.

Is there a shorter alternative to going all the way around Hayling Island?

Yes. The 2027 entry form offers both Round Hayling and Bridge & Back. Bridge & Back provides an alternative for competitors who do not want to take on the full circumnavigation. Check the final event rules for class and equipment eligibility.

What is included in the entry fee?

The current entry form states that entry includes a finisher's medal, post-race meal and event T-shirt. Entries made after 15 August may not receive a T-shirt.

Can I test a paddleboard before choosing one for Round Hayling?

Yes. The Woodmill SUP Test Centre in Southampton allows suitable paddleboards and paddles to be compared on sheltered water before buying. Demo equipment is subject to availability.

Can I demo wing foil equipment before the event?

Selected wings, foils and boards may be available through our Try It Now service at The SUP Co x Lymington. Applications are subject to experience, suitability, conditions and equipment availability.

Is the Round Hayling Challenge suitable for complete beginners?

This is a genuine watersports challenge rather than a beginner taster session. The appropriate course will depend on your discipline, experience, fitness and equipment. If you are unsure whether you are ready, build your experience gradually and check the final Notice of Race and event requirements before taking part.

See you at Hayling in September 2027

There is plenty of time to train. Plenty of time to improve. And, if necessary, plenty of time to sort your equipment.

What you can do today is get your name on the entry list.

Saturday 4 September 2027. Put it in the diary.