Crossing For Cystic Fibrosis: Exciting Event Across The Gulf Stream

The Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis (Crossing) is a long-distance endurance paddle challenge and international championship race that takes paddlers 80 miles across the Gulf Stream from Bimini in the Bahamas back to Lake Worth Beach, Florida. The event was created because of the incredible health benefits of the ocean for those living with cystic fibrosis (CF), a terminal lung disease. Travis Suit’s daughter Piper was diagnosed with CF in 2011, when she was 4 years old.

“Piper has double DF508 genes, which can be a very progressive form of CF,” says Suit, founder and executive director of Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis and the Piper’s Angels Foundation. “At Piper’s first CF clinic appointment, we learned about the incredible healing benefits of the ocean for people with CF; and not too long after, the idea of The Crossing was born.

A team celebrates at the beach landing party for the crossing for cystic fibrosis — Photo Credit: David Scarola

The Inspiration Behind the Event

“In the summer of 2013, Shane Pompa, Kyle Igneri, and Joseph Morel joined me as we paddled from the Bahamas to the Florida mainland (Riviera Beach) to raise awareness and funds for everyone living in the CF community,” he continues. “It was a nonstop paddling trip with a landfall in Palm Beach County. It took approximately fifteen-and-a-half hours to cover about ninety miles. The crossing provided a great opportunity to show that no matter what adversity we face in life, we can always use the gift of choice to persevere.”

About Cystic Fibrosis

CF is marked by a thickening of the mucus which makes it harder to clear the lungs of debris and bacteria. Reports show that inhaling saltwater mist can improve lung function. It was found that of all the volunteers in the study, those who regularly inhaled a seven percent mist of salty water had fewer breathing problems. The funds raised through the Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis help empower more than 30,000 children and adults live a better life through research and relieving families of the financial stresses involved with treatments.

It it’s 11^th year, the Crossing for a Cure, now Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis, is set for Sunday, June 23^rd starting in Bimini, Bahamas, around midnight and crossing to Lake Worth Beach pier in Lake Worth Beach, Florida. Paddlers in both recreational and competitive categories raised more than $2,000 each to participate in the event. If you can help, donations are accepted on crossingforcf.com or pipersangels.org.

Ways to Participate and Support

The competitive category has 13 classes from standup and prone boards to outrigger canoes and include solo paddlers to team paddling, including two- and four-person dory classes. There are cash prizes for this category, so official rules are closely monitored.

If you’d like to volunteer for the beach landing, there is still time to fill out the form on the website, but do it soon. Here’s the direct link.

Of course, friends, families, and fans can come and cheer the paddlers as they reach the beach. In addition, you can follow the paddlers online during the race. It will be streamed live on the website once the race begins. crossingforcf.com

Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis 2024 Details

There will be 187 paddlers on the start line come Saturday at midnight for an epic adventure designed for fun while enduring a tough open-ocean paddle. Safety is the No. 1 concern, so every team will have a support boat, and there will be support boats for those paddlers who are going solo.

Even boatbuilders are getting involved by providing support vessels, and in the case of Pursuit, marketing team member Liubov Terenteva and her team will take on the challenge and paddle across with the Pursuit S 378 guiding their way.