SUP News

It’s been over 3 years since the Stand Up Paddle Athletes Association was formed and I thought now would be a good time for a bit of a status update. SUP racing has changed a lot since SUPAA was first established. I’ve written this article to give an update on what we’ve accomplished, where we’re at now and where SUPAA is going. The Last 3 Years In 3 years we’ve certified 55 SUPAA race officials on 6 continents. The main mission of SUPAA is to improve the SUP athlete experience and our race official certification is the most direct way we [...]

The early years of SUP racing saw participation double in many events year over year. Of course, no sport will see this kind of growth indefinitely. SUP racing is reaching a saturation point, retention rates are declining and growth is slowing. We have to ask ourselves, “How do we continue to grow and improve SUP racing?” I don’t have all of the answers but I have a few suggestions outlined below. 1.) Average Joe is more important than elite pro. 2.) Standardization of some race distances and rules. 3.) Build SUP racing as a participation sport, not a spectator sport. 4.) Eliminate the 12’6 class. Relax, [...]

Cleveland Cavaliers completed an improbable comeback to become NBA champions last night. The Cavs were down 3-1 in a best of 7 series where no team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit. Not only were the Cavs facing the daunting task of coming back, they had to do it against the defending champion, Golden State Warriors, a team that set the regular season NBA record for games won. Did the Cavs feel sorry for themselves and give up when they lost the third game of the series? No. Did they blame the refs, each other or [...]

SUP can be a great tool to heal the mind and body. Any paddler will tell you this, and now if you live in the French oceanside town of Biarritz, a doctor might tell you too. The doctor’s of Biarritz have become the world’s first to prescribe stand up paddle and surfing lessons to treat everything from depression to heart disease. Twenty doctors are participating in a new project to encourage the French to reduce the pill-popping and take to the water instead. (Update: After this article was published a reader informed me that he and the physicians of Charleston County, South [...]

With surfing getting the nod for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, there has been a lot of talk about SUP and it’s path to becoming an Olympic sport. The Olympic process is long and full of politics, however, with surfing’s inclusion, SUP is one step closer to Olympic gold. These are exciting times for our fast growing sport and Friday’s news just made things even more interesting. SUP is included on the shortlist of the 22 events to be included in the 2017 World Beach Games in San Diego. The news comes as San Diego was chosen Friday as the host city [...]

There is one simple key to a successful SUP training program and competition schedule, yet it is often used improperly. Rest. Rest is the most underrated SUP training tool at your disposal. A common approach from endurance athletes is to think, “more is better.” For example, if paddling four miles is good for me, seven will be better! Not exactly. We are conditioned to believe that not training is a sign of weakness. “I am lazy if I don’t paddle today”, and , “I will get out of shape”, are typical fears about rest held by some athletes. It is quite [...]

Success in your SUP training involves a commitment to excellence and consistency. Focus on your goals and consistently make decisions to help you achieve them. I created the ‘Workout Wednesday’ posts to give you specific SUP training drills that can be completed each week. Use the SUP training sessions to stay focused, improve your conditioning and prepare for your next big SUP race. Remember that SUP training should revolve around a periodized SUP training schedule so that you are peaking for a particular event and not over training. As you prepare for your race, you should begin to get your SUP [...]

The recent loss of a beloved member of the SUP race community has brought much needed attention to the safety in our sport. The topic of safety has never been more prominent than it is now, and it would be a lost opportunity if we did not immediately take more initiative to improve SUP safety for both recreational paddlers and SUP racers.While basic SUP safety information is widely distributed, almost zero resources are available for SUP race safety.Many SUP events lack sufficient emergency response plans, safety vessel support and leash requirements, among other safety issues. This is not an attack on [...]

How do we grow stand up paddle racing? This seems to be the burning question of every SUP athlete, retailer, race director and manufacturer. After years of steady growth, stand up paddle race participation will inevitably level off, if it has not done so already. Don’t worry, the future of SUP racing is bright! There are numerous opportunities to proactively get more people into stand up paddle racing right now. Use the tips below to build your local SUP racing community and help the sport continue to grow. Help ensure a bright future for these SUP racers. 1. Start A SUP [...]