Hundreds of paddle boarders take part in Paris race As dawn broke in Paris this morning, early birds were surprised to see hundreds of stand-up paddle boarders navigating the Seine. The intrepid paddlers were taking part in the 10th edition of the Nautic Paddle, an annual competition billed as the largest paddle race in the world. Competitors braved the darkness and drizzle as they paddled along the Seine River between Bibliothèque nationale de France and the Quai de Javel.