The ocean is a demanding and unforgiving teacher, often requiring those who pursue its depths to demonstrate not just physical prowess but extraordinary mental fortitude. For prolific prone paddleboarder Steve Shlens, this lesson was learned not once, but repeatedly, across decades of competitive endurance racing and life-altering adversity. Steve’s career is a testament to resilience, spanning from his early days as a junior lifeguard champion in the 1980s to becoming a pivotal member and coach of the US National Team. His journey is marked by incredible achievements, but none is perhaps as compelling as the one-year turnaround that saw him transform a catastrophic physical injury into one of the most legendary victories in his sport.
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From Leaking Spinal Fluid to Legendary Victory: The Ultimate Comeback
To understand the depth of Steve’s commitment to the ocean, one must appreciate the sheer magnitude of his challenges. After dedicating himself fully to a rigorous training schedule for the grueling Catalina Classic—a 32-mile open ocean prone paddle from Catalina Island to Manhattan Beach—his aspirations were violently derailed in June 2011 by a freak accident. The injury was severe: a broken back in the thoracic region, the area housing the spinal cord, followed by a terrifying complication known as a CSF leak. This meant cerebrospinal fluid was literally leaking out of his back, causing debilitating headaches that necessitated weeks of being bedridden, feet elevated, and relying on copious amounts of caffeine to counteract the effects of the fluid loss.
This period of forced stillness, however, proved to be an unexpected incubation for strategic genius. Just two months after his injury, unable to paddle, Steve crewed for his friend Joel Pepper during the Catalina Classic. Watching the race unfold from the escort boat provided Steve with a completely unique perspective, allowing him to analyze the course, the currents, and the common strategic errors competitors made. He realized that many paddlers added unnecessary distance by going too far north, ignoring the most direct run line. This realization sparked a new, highly calculated approach to endurance racing, proving that even when the body is broken, the mind can still sharpen the competitive edge.
The ocean has always been Steve’s true home, a reality that became painfully clear during a brief hiatus from competitive life. Following his sponsored surfing career in the 80s and 90s, Steve took a job that landed him in Bakersfield, California—smack dab in the middle of the state, far from the coast. After four years away, a trip to Tahiti in 1999 provided an unexpected reconnection. Borrowing a board at the legendary, yet then little-known, wave of Teahupo’o, Steve found himself instantly back in sync with the rhythm of the sea, riding a deep, hollow barrel that served as a profound epiphany. That one wave was all the motivation he needed, confirming that he was an “ocean person through and through” and propelling him back to the coast, setting the stage for his eventual return to competitive prone paddling and the incredible comeback that followed.
The Calculated Climb: Mastering the Art of Strategic Endurance
Armed with his newfound strategic insight following the 2011 injury, Steve embarked on a disciplined, year-long training plan for the 2012 Catalina Classic. His goal was not just to recover, but to dominate, yet his immediate approach was counterintuitive: “Don’t win any races. Just be able to win.” This strategy was designed to test his physical capacity and mental control. He needed to prove he could push hard enough to be competitive, but also maintain the discipline to hold back, ensuring he peaked precisely when it mattered most.
Steve intentionally sought out tough competition, often battling younger, rising stars like Jack Bark, who was nearly half his age. In one race, the Hano in San Diego, Steve found himself neck and neck with the leaders but deliberately pulled back into third place midway through. He then paddled hard to catch up, only to pull back again, ensuring he conserved the necessary energy and mental clarity for the final sprint. This calculated approach paid off dramatically in 2012. Steve not only completed the grueling 32-mile Catalina Classic but won the race, finishing in a stunning five hours and fifty-six minutes, achieving his personal goal of finishing under six hours and cementing one of the most inspiring comeback stories in the sport’s history.
Building a Dynasty: Coaching the Next Generation of Ocean Athletes
Steve’s dominance continued for several years, leading to multiple victories at events like the Molokai to Oahu race and placing him squarely at the top of the competitive prone paddling world. This success naturally transitioned into leadership, and in 2015, he was invited to join the US National Team competing in Mexico for the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Championships. That year, the US assembled what Steve describes as a “Dream Team” of ocean athletes, including legendary names like Danny Ching and Candace Appleby. Against the odds, and against the historically dominant Australian team, the US secured the gold medal, marking a monumental victory and validating Steve’s role as a leader in the sport.
Following the international win, Steve stepped into the role of Prone Paddling Coach for the US team, a position he still holds with immense pride. He was instrumental in establishing official qualifiers for the US team, partnering with the iconic Jay Moriarty Memorial Paddleboard Race, recognizing the need to legitimize the sport and ensure athletes earn their spot through merit. Steve is thrilled to see the influx of young, powerful talent, such as 16-year-old Caitlin Winter and Costner McIntosh, bringing new energy and proving that prone paddling is far from a niche, dying sport. He views this growth as vital, seeing pockets of passionate paddlers emerging globally in places like Brazil, France, and Canada. This global expansion, coupled with the potential inclusion of Stand-Up Paddling (SUP) and potentially prone paddling in the Olympics, represents a pivotal moment for the sport, promising unprecedented exposure and growth.
Finding Zen in the Suffering: The Mental Fortitude of the Ocean Athlete
For Steve, competitive paddling transcends mere physical exertion; it is a profound, meditative practice—a search for the ultimate flow state. He describes his best paddling moments as a “Zen-like experience,” where the mind is completely anchored in the present moment, unable to dwell on the past or worry about the future. In this state of flow, the focus narrows entirely to the sensory inputs: the rhythmic sound of his hands entering and exiting the water, the silence of a perfect stroke that avoids cavitation, and the steady pattern of his own breath. This total immersion is where true endurance is born, where the miles melt away, and the athlete moves beyond conscious effort.
However, Steve knows this flow state is not always accessible, particularly in the unforgiving environment of a long-distance race. He recalls the 2013 Catalina Classic, where personal struggles left him in a “bitter, angry” state, unable to access his usual calm focus. For six and a half hours, his mind tormented him, forcing him into the “darkest of dark places” and preventing him from entering the Zen state. It took an intervention from a friend near the finish line to snap him out of his self-pity and remind him of the hard-won “time in the bank” he had accumulated through years of dedicated suffering. This experience crystallized a core philosophy: mental toughness is built by embracing hardship, knowing that every grueling training session is a deposit in the “bank” that can be drawn upon when the mind inevitably tries to sabotage the body. This ability to push through the agony, knowing that “it never gets any easier, but you do get faster,” is the ultimate measure of an ocean athlete.
Ultimately, Steve Shlens views his role as an ambassador for a sport built on camaraderie and respect, not commercial gain. Prone paddling, he asserts, is a tribe where heart and authenticity are paramount, and where athletes worldwide share a fundamental connection to the ocean and the pure challenge of pushing limits. As he continues to paddle and coach, Steve remains dedicated to this ocean life, proving that passion, discipline, and the pursuit of that elusive, powerful flow state can sustain an athlete through any challenge, injury, or setback the sea—or life—may throw their way.