Up Suping #39 English version

UP SUPING Stand

DIRECTOR

Nico Arnedo

info@upsuping.com

DESIGN

Nico Arnedo

TEXT AND COLLABORATORS

Antonio Serrera, Pablo Codesido, Bea Felipe, Fred Bonnef, Antonio Morillo, Team French Paddle, Franz Orsi, Ensis, Julia Castro, Macarena Uriarte, Nico Arnedo, Up Suping.

PHOTOS

Albert Laborda, Pablo Franco, ISA, Kurro Díaz, APP World Tour, @sailingenergy, Johm Carter, Ben Reed, StyleM Photography, Christian Stadler, @woskoalexandre, @giner.sportphotography, Laura Glantz, Sean Evans, Fesurfing, Team French Paddle, Pedro Sanz, Ensis, Franz Orsi, Starboard, Up Suping.

PHOTO COVER

@woskoalexandre

Riders: Fred Bonnef

BACK COVER

David Jodar

Riders: Juan de los Reyes

Reproduction in whole and in part of the texts, photographs and drawings published in this issue is strictly prohibited unless expressly agreed with the publishers. Supp Suping is not responsible for the opinions expressed by the collabora- www.upsuping.com

edito

Young riders, divine treasure! 2022 will be remembered for the year in which Stand Up Paddle received a blood transfusion of energy and youth. Be careful, I do not mean by this that the SUP was in a bad situation, quite the contrary, it doesn´t stop growing. And as you well know, this sport is very present at a recreational level, competitive and strong in all its modalities; where there is a wide range of athletes of different ages who do it. But be careful, it seems that a new generation is already arriving that can change everything.

Surely you have seen information on big international Stand Up Paddle events which have stood out for their large number of participants under 18 years of age, and also performing at a masterful level. This is thanks to the clubs, coaches and families that support these great promises daily. But this is not only in competition; because the SUP is also showing its younger face when you go out for a trip or surf some waves.

We already see groups of boys and girls whose plan for the day is to doing this sport, meeting up on the beach or in a bay to go paddling. They share photos and opinions and look at everything about Stand Up Paddle on the internet. They are showing us joy, smiles, tears, emotions...all that at some point we have experienced. Well, the turn is for them. A new generation is taking over, they are beginning to listen to us and even criticize our ambiguous way of seeing the SUP. Yes, that’s right, we are part of the past for them…and that is life for the sport!

After another hectic summer, seeing many people paddling in all the waters of the planet, with an infinite number of events and competitions held worldwide, and with a market that advances without stopping…we can say that 2022 will be well remembered. And what will the following year bring? I don’t know, let the youth respond. Ladies and gentlemen…Welcome to Up#39!

Nico Arnedo

Sean Evans

CECILIA PAMPINELLA

Ben Reed

You are currently one of the bestknown faces in the SUP world in the Junior category. How do you assimilate everything that happened in this great year?

This year, thanks to a lot of effort and sacrifice, I achieved my goals and dreams that I had since I started practicing this sport:3 gold medals at the ISA European Championship in Denmark, 3 gold medals at the ICF World Championship in Poland and the ISA World title in Puerto Rico. It was a very challenging year with many satisfactions.

And recently, you had the great experience of attending an ISA World SUP with your Italian national team and also becoming the female Junior World Champion. How have those wonderful days in Puerto Rico been?

The World Championship in Puerto Rico was one of the best experiences of my life, I had a lot of fun with the team Italy and it was the first time I traveled outside Europe. The place was magnificent, with rich vegetation, beautiful big waves and spending those days with the team was great. I also got the title of junior world champion which made everything better!

To get all these goals, we have to remember a little about your past. How were your beginnings and where did you start paddling?

I started practicing sup in 2018 in Civitavecchia (the city where I live) thanks to my brother Tommaso who passed on this passion to me. During those years I played volleyball as my main sport, and I tried to play both sports. After one year I realized that to reach high levels in sup I had to train more and doing two sports this was not easy, so I left volleyball and I concentrated on sup.

How are the SUP Race competitions in Italy? Is there a lot of support for younger riders?

In Italy there are a lot of junior riders which grow more and more. The federation is always at our disposal for everything and this is very important, in fact I thank them very much.

Pablo Franco. John Carter. Ben Reed

Up Suping

How do you describe yourself when it comes paddling? How do you manage your competitions?

Every day when I get back from school in the afternoon I train, that is the best moment of the day. I feel free, happy to play the sport I love and train to get better and better. During the competitions I am very serious, concentrated and being an anxious person I have anxiety… But that gives me something that pushes me to give my best.

What qualities have you been learning in the different international events such as the Euro Tour or the ICF World Cup?

Participating in international competitions is always useful for gaining experience. Competing with the strongest athletes in the world shows you where you are and teaches you a lot.

We assume that the support of your family is very important for your training, trips and competitions...right?

The support of the family in this sport is very important. Fortunately I have a family that follows me everywhere and is always there during my trainings, I’m very happy and grateful for that.

Pablo Franco

John Carter

This sport does not stop growing and every day there are more young people paddling. How far do you think Stand Up Paddle can go? This sport is growing a lot and this is a good thing. There are many young athletes like me who are committed and train for results. It’s great to see the new generation preparing for the future and doing what they love! I think and hope that stand up paddle will grow more and more and that it can become an Olympic sport.

Albert Laborda. Up Suping Up Suping

longsup

LONGSUP

On the first day of the All In SUP, the LongSUP modality had a significant role in the waters of the Cantabrian Sea. Because despite the small waves that the sandy area of San Lorenzo beach received, all the participants have been able to show the entire people why this sport is growing more and more.

Inspired by the Longboard style, since noon of Friday, October 14, we have been able to see incredible classic surf manoeuvres where the competitors surfed on more specific boards for this modality and together with the paddle as a great tool, but always getting the same surfer philosophy.

The local rider Alfonso Muñiz, highlighted great manoeuvres and a fine style on the board throughout the day, reaching the grand finale and achieving the first position in the LongSUP in this edition of the All In SUP in Gijón 2022. The cantabrian Manuel Hoyuela returns to show another year how good he is at classic surfing, getting the second position today. The French competitor Lozano Romain, a member of the AsturSUP club, took the third position. And Antonio Morillo from Cádiz from the Cangrejo de Los Caños de Meca club, finished this event in the fourth position; without forgetting the rest of the participants from Andalusia, being the community with the most excellent participation of the today.

BEACH RACE

BEACHRACE

From early in the morning, the large Race tables were displayed on the beach with many athletes who would complete an attractive 4 km route for the SUB 18 and Elite categories and 2 km for the Juniors and Amateurs. And despite the calm sea conditions, the small waves and the turns of buoys offered a lot of action for all of them and the public present.

Antonio Morillo won the Beach Race Spanish Cup ahead of Manuel Hoyuela and Augusto García, highlighting the performance of the young Augusto, winning in the SUB 18 category. Esperanza Barreras won without pressure ahead of Alba Alonso Frey and Loles Albiol.

Great performance also by the rider Elene Exteberría in SUB 18 and the rest of the Juniors participants from different clubs throughout Spain. Without also forgetting at the local club AsturSUP, with the Ukrainian Artem Avramenko obtaining the victory in the Master category.

SUP SURF

SUPSURF

Shortly after finishing the Beach Race and seeing that the sea start to pump waves with a somewhat more consistent series, the Spanish SUP Surf Championship began; where we could see a lot of quality from all the competitors, especially in the waves that did not offer much to surf, making a great effort and finishing them with great manoeuvres.

After an exciting final by the boys, Guillermo Carracedo won another victory, showing his solid surfing that we will surely be able to see in the next ISA World Cup in Puerto Rico. Oiahn Aizpur obtained the second position ahead of Juan de los Reyes and the local Alfonso Muñiz.

As for the girls, Iballa Ruano remains very firm as one of the best in Europe in this modality, obtaining victory in Gijón ahead of Alazne Aurrekoetxea, Beatriz Piñal and Alba Alonso. Forceful and also exciting, were the victories obtained by Marina Loayza and Joan García, both competitors in the SUB 18 category, showing the great quarry and future that Spain has in SUP Surf.

SUP RACE

SUPRACE

The third and last day of the All In SUP in Gijón took place on Arbeyal beach, an ideal place to host the Long Distance SUP Race Spanish Cup competition. A beautiful route with technical areas, portering on the Poniente beach and protected from the intense swell that existed during this day in the Cantabrian Sea, with great participation and much merit on the part of all the participants who made a great effort taking into account that many of them and they had already competed in the previous days.

The rider Manuel Hoyuela obtained a resounding victory, dominating the 10 km solo route ahead of Agusto García and Iván Puente, the latter two repeating the podium in SUB 18. The competitor Esperanza Barreras once again climbed to the top of the podium of this All In SUP de Gijón obtaining the victory, ahead of Alba Alonso Frey and Elene Etxeberría, who were very close during practically the entire competition.

The AllWave is easy to paddle and catches wave after wave, whether it’s clean overhead walls, or small and choppy. Between the 5 new sizes everyone will find the right model for their skills and body weight.

EN PORTUGAL LONGSUP

¨No soy para nada un especialista del longboard, pero siempre me encantó el Long SUP¨

When I first saw Laird Hamilton on a Long SUP in 2006 while I was windsurfing at the famous Hookipa break, I remember freaking out. My desire to do SUP comes from this day. Because at this time, if you wanted to do this sport, it was with a Long SUP…there were no other options. It can be noticed that some longboard machines like Bonga Perkins were already making their Long SUP boards, as were watermans Laird and Dave Kalama. The long, in this sense, is the essence of modern SUP, although the origins of SUP are very old and varied.

A short time later, I made my debut in small waves and I remember that I liked paddling to the peak from the beach so much…This feeling of standing up, with the vision that it gives you, and in a much more beneficial and healthy position than regular surfing. I found it incredible. Even now when I take a Long SUP type board to go paddling, the shape it has and the feeling of sliding that it gives me even in flat water seems very special to me. To be honest, if I had to have only one SUP board, it would be a Long SUP for sure, due to the versatility that such a board gives us.

When I go on a trip, preferably by van (it’s usually too big for the plane), I like to take my Long SUP with me, which ensures that I have the right toy, for all types of waves and conditions.

A trip to Portugal in the middle of summer can be synonymous of small waves...But it is Portugal! The waves are strong and can surprise you, and there is always the possibility of a powerful swell coming in, even in the middle of August. For that reason, having one board that covers everything saves me headaches and ensures good sessions. Also, Portugal has rivers, swamps, lakes, estuaries, and bays to visit. The fact that a Long SUP board is long and narrow makes it less slow than other wave SUP boards; and although it is not his speciality, he offers enough to take crossing.

Another advantage that it has is that, unlike modern SUP boards that can be very unstable, the Long SUP allows you to rest your legs, especially on days when the sea is very rough, or with wind. Portugal usually has a lot of “Nortada” wind in the afternoons, especially in some specific areas like Sagres, Lisbon, Viana do Castelo...In these “bad” conditions, it is when you are also interested in having a heavier and longer board, to absorb the bumps that can form in the wave. Personally, I love going from a short SUP board to a long SUP board depending on the conditions and my fitness level.

Another thing that I love is the possibility that it offers you to go from a classic style to an evolutionary style, depending on your desire, the type of wave, and your knowledge of the longboard style. What is clear with this type of board is that you NEVER STOP LEARNING, because even being a good surfer, you will always have to improve your style, your steps, your longboard type manoeuvres, your shortboard type manoeuvres...

I personally love simple cutbacks with a long Sup. They are a mix of commitment and finesse. I also love everything that is nose 360 longboard type manoeuvres, although most of them are still very bad for me !! But that is the essence of long Sup: Go to the water every day, whatever the conditions, learn something new every time, and have a good time, whatever your level and the height of the waves.

When the waves are bigger, the Long Sup allows you to have enough speed to catch them earlier, so you can get set up and positioned well before they break completely. However, you have to know your limits well, and be very careful with the other surfers: a 10’ board with a 10’ leash is 20’ long in total. You have to keep it very present. Also, keep in mind that being dragged under the water by a big and heavy board is not the most pleasant! Thus, with larger waves, it is advisable to look for a wave that has a “channel” to skirt it and thus avoid foam... and above all, peaks with fewer people are recommended. And just like for all other surfing disciplines, respect the rules of courtesy and priorities!

Portugal never disappoints, in search of the tranquillity and serenity that this country gives you, for its waves, which you will always have even in summer, the people, the food...I am not a city person but I have to admit that I love the Lisbon area, because it offers the best compromise between urban life and the sea, and allows me to mix wind and wave sports. It is an area that has many waves, some very good, and some winds, like the famous Nortada.

On this trip with my photographer friend Alex, we only had 2 and a half days to shoot Long SUP videos for Fanatic, and even in the height of summer, we had all kinds of waves. Beach breaks, point breaks, waves of all sizes. The truth is that when you have to record something with very little time, time flies by. Even so, Alex’s true passion is photography, having taken advantage of the first light of dawn and the last light of sunset to take great photos. I remember that I was exhausted because I had had two big swells in a row before this photoshoot, and on top of that I only slept 4 hours a night because he was still working on the Tricktionary book before sending it to print. Waking up in the middle of the night to get the sunrise footage was torture. But when I look at them now, I realize that it was so worth it!

Los rayos UV se reflejan y dispersan en todas las direcciones, especialmente en el agua. Cuida tus ojos con la protección que se merecen.

Photo:

Toni Forqués, 2022: LiP Ambassador Alejandro Ciliment

The Triple ESE Festival took place from August 10 to 15, where SUP classes, material exhibition and photography were held at the Real Club Marítimo de Melilla. We enjoyed the talks by Antonio de la Rosa and Guillermo Carracedo, the Surf Skate Championship and of course the SUP Race competition: the first to be held in this city, which was the Fesurfing Spanish Cup, the Costa del SUP test and with €2,000 of prize money. As you can see, an authentic combo of activities for all audiences.

ASUP Race Judges Course was also held under the direction of Daniel Parres and the support of Julio Pérez, which has had successful participation and we consider it has been very necessary to promote and regulate this sport in future SUP events. in Melilla. And all this under intense heat, with high temperatures and brutal humidity; but that did not detract from the excellent treatment that all the athletes and families received from the local people, their shops and tourism.

@giner.sportphotography

Up Suping

The highlight of the event would take place on the last day of the festival with the SUP Race competition. All the attention was focused on the wind forecasts, which were not very favourable and everything could happen until the hours before the races. So it was. Because from early Sunday morning, the wind went from less to more and the race director had to modify all the routes for the sake of the safety of the competitors, who paddled in front of the beach of Cárabos and all the port area.

Some 70 participants did not miss the opportunity to enter the history of this sport in Melilla, with the participation of clubs from the peninsula such as Parres Watersports, Paddle Surf Fuengirola and Manilva among others; as well as independent riders and together with the locals of this city. All received high praise for being able to finish their runs taking into account the harsh wind conditions. The youngest, as always, offered us a great show and showed the audience the future of this sport. We highlight the Amateur category, with a great participation and where we have been able to see boards of all kinds of sizes and construction, but with some very enthusiastic and motivated competitors who did not stop paddling at any time.

ut the great show of technique, hardness and physique would come with the SUB 18 and Elite categories. They completed a course with all kinds of conditions: upwind, downwind, sidewind and doing real juggling to avoid falling into all the buoy turns. Thanks to the proximity to the beach, the breakwaters and live streaming for the whole world from the Up Suping YouTube channel, no one took their eyes off what was happening during this competition; which also had many boats in the water before any mishap.

rom the first minute of the competition, we could see Iván de Frutos full of energy and with great firmness in each stroke, very close to Fernando Pérez and Antonio Morillo from Cádiz, who did the entire competition together. Daniel Parres was not far behind them, demonstrating the great level that the world champion Kahuna is having. Finally, Iván, who had never given up his arms, managed to take the first position in Elite and SUB 18 thanks to his great race and also taking advantage of a mistake on the part of Antonio and Fernando when they made a different line of the route, crossing the finish line. in 2nd and 3rd position correspondingly.

As for the girls, the young Alexia Soto withstood the storm thanks to her technique and great physical condition. And just like her clubmate, she managed to cross the finish line in 1st position in Elite and SUB 18.

erónica Sánchez from Paddle Surf Manilva took a great 2nd position from Melilla and the praise of many participants who gave her an ovation at the finish line. Several participants could not withstand the intensity of the wind and had to leave the competition; which we also highlight for their courage in every minute of paddling during the day.

e cannot fail to mention the great work of the entire A Mar Surf Club team and volunteers who have been together with the needs of the competitors, not only in the races but also throughout all the days of the Triple ESE festival. To end the day, the corresponding trophies and prizes were given together with the local entities that have shown us the great support they give to the sport in the city of Melilla; which concentrates the largest federated population per km2 in all of Spain.

Also thank all the companies that supported this festival and especially those that were on the beach offering fruit and drinks to all the participants, in addition to Decathlon and the Melilla Skating Club that offered material for the raffles. All of us “SUPers” have lived a great experience in and out of the water in this little corner of another continent that makes you feel like being at home. We hope that this edition of the Triple ESE Festival is the first of many and that Stand Up Paddle continues to grow in Melilla. Congratulations to all!

THE DOCT SPOT R´S

Youth and Olympics Games

“Youth, divine treasure,” said the poet Rubén Darío. And is that the latest international events such as the ISA (International Surfing Association) world championships do not stop showing us athletes who are increasingly breaking into this sport at younger ages. I always say that it is the generation that grew up with a board under their feet. It’s funny that you ask certain people when they learned to ski or ride a bike. They probably don’t even remember. This new generation of ¨Supers¨ has been paddling since very early ages, often stimulated by the presence of clubs and families that, as we have said on other occasions, do an immeasurable job for our sport.

Pablo Codesido Pablo Franco. APP World Tour. Up Suping

In this magnificent latest edition of the ISA World Cup in Puerto Rico, the irruption of a young Japanese man, 16 year old Shuri Araki, has had an exceptional impact on all of us, surpassing already established great stars. But it has not been the only case. In the female category, youngsters like our Duna Gordillo have already reached the top and are undoubtedly exponents of future new successes. And in this case also with a special pride for the national SUP following in the footsteps of indisputable legends of this sport such as Iballa Ruano, Esperanza Barreras or Laura Quetglas. I would like to highlight the international importance of the achievement of medals that the Spanish women’s SUPrace has always had. It is quite a source of pride. But the future of the Spanish men’s SUP, like the women’s, seems to be going the same way. Everyone knows that the “Spanish Army” with young people in their twenties and under twenty are getting closer and closer to the senior podiums in the various international competitions they attend.

The importance that these athletes will have in the future will also be conditioned by the presence of our sport in the Olympic Games. The latest news seems to point to Los Angeles 2028 as a key event. Many of these boys and girls will still be physically fit to face the test. Everyone knows the sociocultural importance that Olympic medals represent within a country, I would even dare to say that it is political, since the development of a sport, scholarships and care for athletes include Olympism as the maximum objective. And of course, the economic significance, including the presence of sponsors and sports brands in general.

Pablo Franco

Pablo Franco

Since the TAS awarded the Olympic competition to the Surfing Federation, the ISA itself has declared its intention that Stand Up Paddle (SUP) be included as an Olympic discipline. That is why the federation or competent body must establish the most homogeneous and strict regulations possible so that the tests that take place throughout the year tend to meet minimum quality specifications. Hopefully, we will see the different SUP disciplines in their long distance, wave, sprint and of course technical versions or Beach Races with waves, which in my opinion continues to be the queen of the events of this sport and which identifies it so much with the surfing at its origin.

This last year we have witnessed an explosion of tests throughout the national geography, although on occasions, with a certain disparity in criteria and with some aspects to improve, including some last minute rudeness. But in general, we had wonderful tests, although it is true that we have missed disciplines like the Beach Race which, due to their exceptional characteristics, require perhaps more exhaustive organization. We may have been in too much flat water this year when we have wonderful conditions for testing in all kinds of settings, and that experience also comes through when racing the best.

APP World Tour

But I do not deviate from our main theme: our young people can be Olympians. And they must not forget one thing: work, discipline, training and passion for this sport must flow through their veins if they want to achieve such a goal. And it is, as we have said on other occasions, the duty of federations and institutions to promote all these qualities, favouring the impeccable organization of events, club activities, coaches and personnel attached to this sport. Young people are the future, or perhaps already the present, but for the older ones, those of us who will never be olympians riders, we always have the task of participating, supporting and in some cases even advising, but above all transmitting values how to continue enjoying SUP to the core, and I assure you that this is a more than necessary task in the days that we have had to live.

HISTORY WAS MADE AT THE 2022 GRAN CANARIA PRO AM

The 2022 Gran Canaria Pro Am had it all. We crowned Leco Salazar as the first ever SUP Longboard World Champion. We watched the new generation of SUP Surfers make their debut on the international SUP scene. And in front of a huge crowed at El Lloret, we watched Kaede Inoue and Benoit Carpentier claim the World Titles in perfect conditions.

A Japanese storm hit the island of Gran Canaria on Day 1 of the Gran Canaria Pro Am when 16-year-old Kapono Fukuda and 17-year-old Kaede Inoue claimed the first ever Junior World Titles. Fukuda and Inoue were just two athletes in a larger fleet of promising, international young talent that proves the future of the sport is in safe hands.

The historic moments just kept on coming as on day 2 of the competition we crowned Leco Salazar as the first ever SUP Longboard World Champion. The victory came almost 10 years to the day that he was crowned APP World Champion marking a decade as one of the APP’s greatest contenders as well as proving he can still challenge and conquer the best in the world. We also saw eight APP debutants secure their spot in the main event after a competitive run of trials at La Cicer.

APP World Tour

From day 3 we moved the competition to El Lloret to greet the rising swell and saw the venue in all its glory as we witnessed a fleet of world-class surfers charge in pristine 10 foot waves. Mother Nature provided the perfect battlefield for the greatest SUP Surfers in the world to fight it out for the Championship Title, welcoming the sport and the Tour back to the island with open arms.

After two years out, the level of competition was unprecedented and the battles from the quarter-finals were intense, but it was Kaede Inoue who claimed the World Title for the women on her debut on Tour making her double champion of the event. It was Benoit Carpentier who claimed it for the men in what was his well-deserved first APP Title.

History was made, hearts were broken and World Champions were crowned at the Gran Canaria Pro Am, proving that SUP Surfing is well and truly back.

¨My biggest motivation is to be on the starting line with the best riders in the world¨

Pablo Franco

How born your passion for doing sports such as Stand Up Paddle and Foil?

I became 16years old last May. I was 6years old when my father took me in front of his SUP board and we tandem surf together in front of my house. For me, SUP wasn’t a sport, it has been more lifestyle since the beginning. I was throwing fishnet from SUP board and catching little reef fish. Our house is on the beach and there are lots of fish around. Now, 8years old my sister play fishnet and tandem surf with my father.

My home island is Okinawa, very south of Japan. It is warm and tropical whole year so there are a lot of downwind spots. I go more than 100 days of downwind paddling. I think downwind paddling helps my balance and agility, and it is always a lot of FUN. Some it is dangerous, but I can see the most beautiful ocean view whole time. I feel so alone when I go to the open ocean, but on the same time, I can feel who I really connected with my mind&soul. I can not be me without my family, and my ancestors. They are always besides me so I feel very comfortable when either by myself or racing with many people.

You are the youngest to finish the majes?c Molokai 2 Oahu, present in the App World Tour and other significant achievements. How are you living this great personal moment?

I was born at fishing family in Okinawa island of Japan. My house is just 30seconds walking to beach where we see no-one. We are surrounded by coral reef so I learn how to surf when I was 5, and past reef to go downwind paddle at 8. My father crossed Molokai-Oahu 35 times in his life on difierent crafts and he knows the ocean, he navigated me since day 1. We went downwind paddle when wind blows strong and we went surfing when there is big swells. When I was 12, I & my father raced Maui-Molokai on 14Z. SUP, and we challenged Molokai-Oahu on the SUP foil together when I was 13 (that was my first time that I beat my father!)

Pablo Franco. Laura Glantz. Sean Evans

Laura Glantz

Tell us about Okinawa and SUP in this beautiful region of Japan.

Our family live very isolated fishing village and there are lots of ocean and mountains and vegetable field, but not many friends living near my home, so my 2 sisters and parents are my best friends. I just graduated junior high school last March and start online high school in last April. I have more free time so finally I start traveling to the other side of the planet. I’m very happy to see totally new diferent world.

And what does it feel like to paddle alongside the great SUP racers on the planet?

Kai, Casper, Conner, Travis, Michel, Zane, Titouan, Daniel, Bruno…They are all my he- roes. When I was 7, I went to watched APP world tour in Japan (Waterman league at that time). It became my dream to race with them, and it finally became real at APP/ Carolina cup last November in North Carolina. I respect my heroes so much. I wanted to be just like them whole my life. Right now, my biggest motivation is to be at the start line with all world top paddlers. There will be 2-3 more APP events in this winter and it seems to be rough condition so I’m really exciting!!

Sean Evans

What sports training do you and how do you adapt it to your studies? In addition to SUP and foil….What other sports do you do and what hobbies do you have?

I have never train in the gym in my life (yet) All my sports are in the ocean or in the mountain. (dive, fishing in the summer, pig hunting in the winter) also I just love running so much. I’ve run everyday on the beach since I was little. Running is my most active sports maybe it is more than paddling. I also love to read. I feel very relax when I read. When I’m in the car or airplane, I always travel with some books. (for last 9years when I was in the mid school, I read over 2000 books.)

We have seen you at the World SUP Festival in Santa Pola. What did you think of this great event? Will we see you again soon in Spain?

It was my first visit to Europe in my life and it was so much fun. I was surprised to see so many serious & bigginers, and so many kids paddler in Spain. There are so many smiles...It was amazing. I went to Pacific Paddle Games when I was 9 years old, It was the great event but no loner exist…I think World SUP Festival is just like PPG, big, fun, and so many kids and parents on the beach. I think this is the best SUP event in the world now. I am going to go back next year again 100% for sure.

And of course, we cannot forget your amazing role in the ISA of Puerto Rico!

My father and I went to San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA from October 24 to November 7. There I participated and was able to win gold medals in both the medium distance technical race (5 km) and the long distance technical race (18 km). It is the first time in history that a man has won two races in the same event. And at 16 years old it is the youngest record in history. I was able to beat world champions Michael Booth and Tituan Puyo, whom I had never been able to beat before, and my best friend and biggest rival Noic Garioud (19 years old), who is called the fastest young paddler in the world. I’m very happy. (See here the complete note about his performance in Puerto Rico).

Tell us what quiver you usually use in your competitions and adventures.

I am not any brand rider, I use any boards that I feel it the best depends on the condition. For example, I love NSP Carolina for technical/ocean race (World SUP Festival, Carolina cup) and NSP Ninja for long/ flat distance race. I just won Japan national championship last weekend on my Ninja. I also feel very comfortable on Infinity Blackfish when I do sprint or surf race. When I go to M2O or the other big deep ocean crossing, I prefer pintail more than anything. I use Starboard Ace or travel with 2 piece Sunova Ocean Faast.

Who are your idols in the world of SUP or who do you look to learn a little more every day?

It is definitely Noic Garioud. I met him and his father when I was 12. They were already champion in my eye. Very fast no matter what conditions, and smiling anytime anywhere. Great family support always. I started to paddle way more seriously than before since I met him and his young brother Vaic in the Hoodriver. They are my idols and I’m really looking forward to paddling with them in any races in the world.

Sean Evans

You have many experiences ahead of you. How do you prepare yourself to achieve your future goals?

I just did my first time Japan national championship last weekend and won 14km flat water distance race. Now I’m really in focus for ISA world in Puerto Rico in next month. Hopefully SUP become Olympic sports one day and I am very happy to be part of it.

If M2O comes back next year, I’d like to be the youngest Molokai champion at the age of 17, even I can’t win the race, I’m still so happy just to cross big deep ocean.

Lastly, my family has been organizing downwind local event for the last 10 years and just started island to island crossing downwind race 2 years ago. (We had to cancel last year as big typhoon hit us.) It’s between Okinawa island to Yoron island/25km and ocean is just so clear and strong wind & currents. My dream is to make this event to be more international. Please visit our beautiful island and race with us one way!!

UNFORGETTABLE SPANISH CHAMPIONSHIP

SUP RACE . CABO DE PALOS

More than 235 competitors offered a great show in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Esperanza Barreras, Fernando Pérez and Manuel Hoyuela were crowned as Spanish SUP Race Champions. Fesurfing. Up Suping Up Suping

The 3rd edition of the SUP Challenge in Cabo de Palos will be remembered as one of the great Fesurfing SUP Race Championships in Spain, as well as scoring for the Mediterranean SUP Race Circuit. Because competitors from different places in Spain, gathered in Cabo de Palos, Murcia, in one of the most successful events in recent years.

A wonderful day that gave us magnificent sea and weather conditions so that all the participants could fully enjoy a sporting event with such a high level and expectations. From the youngest to the oldest, who always have their space in this type of Stand Up Paddle competition and even more so in a Spanish Championship.

From early in the morning, the different official categories of this sport were contested, with a great logistical commitment on the part of the organization, with safety both at sea and on land and excellent timing throughout the day. The children’s categories gave us great moments of action and emotion, seeing how the youngest of this sport continues to grow in our country; always thanks to the support of their clubs and families who encourage them in each SUP competition.

The Amateurs, SUB 14 and SUB 16 have also enjoyed a wonderful tour of the area of the Cabo de Palos lighthouse and all its wonderful coast, being one of the most visited places by divers from all over the world. These categories continue to grow in a number of participants, where we highlight the great results of Rubén Cantoral and Nuria Chiquero, SUB 14 champions, and Ainhoa Rivas and Iván Puente, SUB 16 champions.

The juniors were very strong in the 14 km. The competitors Joan García Valero and Sonia Caimari were proclaimed champions of SUB 18, without forgetting the great performance of the rest of the participants in this category.

The Elite category offered a great show in the waters of Cabo de Palos, where the competitor Esperanza Barreras continues to reap great results and once again proclaimed herself champion of Spain for the 3rd consecutive year, followed by the young Duna Gordillo and Alba Frey.

But the surprise would come with the men’s category, since Fernando Pérez and Manuel Hoyuela crossed the finish line together, matching their timing times, as well as in photos and videos captured during that moment. Finally, and thanks to the great work of the Fesurfing judges, both competitors were awarded the title of Spanish champion, being the first time that this has happened in an official championship. The third position would be taken by Antonio Morillo from Cádiz.

The competition day would culminate with the Adapted SUP category, where a good group of participants made a brief journey in front of the beach to the delight of the public, demonstrating their great ability on the board and being a category that continues to grow every year...

The event would close with the corresponding awards ceremony together with the local authorities, the SUP Committee of the Spanish Surfing Federation, and sponsors and collaborators of the SUP Challenge. Thank you again for the great work done by the judges and the organization of the event, who embroidered their performance to continue professionalizing this sport for the good of the competitors. In addition, this competition was part of the Juegos del Agua, which during these days hosted more than 19 sports competitions from 10 sports federations.

Grand premiere of the Spanish SUP Sprint Championship of 1,000 meters in the Mar Menor

BIG PREMIERE SPANISH CHAMPIONSHIP

SUP SPRINT . MAR MENOR

To culminate the great Water Games in the Murcia region, one of the official competitions has been the Mar Menor SUP Games, which hosted the new Spanish SUP Sprint Championship of 1,000 meters in the waters of San Pedro del Pinatar.

Endorsed by the Spanish Surfing Federation and being a new format within Stand Up Paddle, participants from different parts of our country met at La Puntica beach, where they had to do a speed course with technical areas of turns of buoys. The conditions were fantastic for doing this SUP modality, with totally flat water and a wonderful sunny day.

Fesurfing Up Suping

The competition took place in an orderly and showy manner for the entire public, where the corresponding sleeves for each category were held, with a qualifying round, play-offs and finals.

The little ones were the first to start, and the SUB 10s made a shorter route to adapt it to their category. Congratulations to Eric Pérez, Daniela Andreu and Rodrigo García for showing us their great potential in this type of speed race. Like the SUB 14s, with Nuria Chiquero and Álvaro Coscollano intractable today.

The SUB 16 category was the busiest and offered the most emotion, even in the final itself, with Alexia Soto and Unax Etxeberría winning in their corresponding categories. Elene Etxeberría and Sergio Cantoral had great races, both climbing to the top of the podium in the SUB 18 category. Highlighting the performance of Iván Abad in the final of this category, who completed the course after having broken the pole of his oar in the first seconds of the race.

Los Elites has shown us new faces in the Spanish Speed Championship. In the women’s category, it was Albar Frey who took first place ahead of Vicky Rhyzova and Sheila Sirvent, competitors who were always at the top in this speed format. And in the men’s category, Manuel Hoyuela led all his sleeves without problems to win in his category ahead of Rafael Sirvent and Roberto Cañedo, the latter making his debut in speed.

As always, we remember the Master and Kahuna categories, with great participation by Nicolás Barreiro and Daniel Parres, achieving the first positions in this Spanish Speed Championship. And of course to Fran Amat for his participation and his victory in the Amateur category.

A new speed format has been released during the Mar Menor SUP Games and under a great organization by Central de SUP, collaborators and local entities. Also thank all the athletes, clubs and families displaced to San Pedro del Pinatar. The next event will be the Fesurfing Beach Race SUP & Prone Spanish Championship, where sea sprints will also be held.

MATERIAL

STARBOARD

LONGBOARD LIMITED SERIES

In the wide range of Starboard SUP boards, the Longboard series shines for its performance since small to medium waves, but you can also use it in big waves if you have the opportunity, there you will discover a board with a great surfing in powerful waves. Its maneuverability allows radical turns. A very easy surfboard to do nose riding and surf by walking along it while controlling the speed. The sharp edge makes it very easy to keep the board on the wave wall, making it a very fast and manageable board.

Model Volume Thickness Width

9’0” 95 L 3’2” 26”

9’0” 101 L 3’3” 28”

10’0” 123 L 3’3” 29”

10’0” 147 L 3’6” 31”

NSP

DC SUPER X LONGBOARD

The SLX DC Super X range is a direct result of riders demanding a focus on performance longboarding and exceptional surf versatility. The tail of the DC Super X enjoys some significant changes, like the slightly widened tail. The addition of the four channels in the bottom generates speed, while the swallowtail loosens up the tail for greater manoeuvrability. The DC Surf X benefits from the same design elements.

Model Volume Thickness Width

9’0” 122 L 4’5” 28”

10’0” 125 L 4’25” 27’5”

10’0” 144 L 4’63” 29”

10’0” 160 L 4’04” 32”

MATERIAL

FANATIC

ALL WAVE 23

The AllWave 2023 comes in a completely new shape. It´s super easy to paddle and catches wave after wave, whether it’s clean overhead walls, or small and choppy. Between the 5 sizes everyone will find the right model for their skills and body weight. The two new smaller sizes 7’9“ and 8’2“ are the perfect choice for more experienced riders who want to go out in moderate conditions.

Model Volume Width

Rider weight

7’9” 105 L 28’5” < 88Kg

8’2” 120 L 30” < 95Kg

8’7” 135 L 31” < 95 Kg

8’10” 150 L 31’5” < 100 Kg

9’2” 165 L 32” < 105 Kg

LANDBOARD

NOOSA

Within the possibility of manufacturing a completely custom SUP, we have the NOOSA model, it is a 100% pure surf board, and it has a fairly pronounced rocker for those more powerful and slightly hollow waves. The bottom starts with a slight concave in a V from the nose, continuing through a single concave and ending in a double concave in the tail to have more control over the board and gain speed. A board that cannot be missing in your quiver!

Modelo Volume Thickness Width

7’5” 77 L 4” 25” 1/2

7’11” 90 L 3” 15/16 28”

8’4” 101 L 4” 29” 1/4

MATERIAL

VITA

JUAN DE LOS REYES BOARD

¨The sensations that I am having with this board are incredible, we have managed to get an improved board with the same measurements that I have always used, lighter with a more aggressive line for intermediate waves. The board has a lot of potentials and I think my surfing will improve a lot¨.

Model Volume Thickness Width

6’6” 65.5 L 4” 23” 1/4

KGUARD

SOFTCUBE

The KGUARD SoftCube redesigns both the appearance and functionality of the common bucket. Due to its special zipped closure you can transport your equipment safely.

• Ideal for saline environments.

• Longlasting life.

• High resistance to deformation.

• Flexible and soft touch.

• Weight: 985 grams.

• Height30-40 cm.

• Capacity: 63 l.

• 45cm diameter.

MATERIAL

WINDPARADISE

SOLITE CUSTOM PRO NEOPRENE BOOTS

The Custom Pro Neoprene Bootie is held in place by a patented arch strap, the Full Wrap, which locks the foot into the boot to ensure zero lag between foot movement and board response. Combined with the precision fit offered by the custom heat molding process, the Custom Pro provides a feel and response as if you were playing your sport without them on. In addition, they adapt to every possible foot shape: high or low arch, narrow or wide width, high or low volume.

• Recommended water temperatures: 10C/50F+.

• The 5mm Custom integrates the new lighter and simpler 2.0 sole that essentially disappears on your feet.

LIP SUNGLASSES

SURGE

The Surge incorporates all of the functional features of the Typhoon in an affordable and stylish package. LiP’s unique FAILSAFE leash system guarantees against loss during wipeouts, while lens fogging is counteracted by the patented Double Vortex venting system. Soft overmolded rubber on the nose / bridge area and temple tips offers extra comfort and cushioning for long sessions, and an indestructible TR90 injected frame with ‘shape memory’ bounces back into its original shape after heavy impacts.

• Polycarbonate polarized and non-polarized lenses .

• Anti-fog coating (selected models).

• TR90 frame, extremely flexible, light-weight and durable.

• FAILSAFE leash & retainer system preventing loss 100%.

MATERIAL

SUP ONE

ARMY BLACK TACTICAL BACKPACK

Urban style tactical backpack, with MOLLE fixing system. This urban style backpack, inspired by crosstraining and with a military air. In the front pocket, a large panel to show the shield of your team. Compartment on the back for a laptop or tablet up to 15 inches. Large center compartment. Anti-theft security pocket on the back.

• Dimensións: 32 cm x 22 cm x 50 cm.

• 100% polyester.

• With interchangeable SUP ONE 3 D head.

AWESOME MAPS

TOALLA

Huge towels made of sand free microfiber. They’re eco friendly, super lightweight and highly absorbent. And because gifting inspiration to yourself and loved ones are both amazing we’re giving you 35 % off any second towel. #giftsdelivered

• 170 x 90 cm, 67” x 36”.

• The world’s top 1000 surfing spots.

• Icons on waves quality, shark attacks & more.

• Hand illustrated & made in the EU.

MATERIAL

AWA SUNGLASSES

TULUM

Sunglass design that redefines the look of traditional sports performance eyewear. This tall screen model creates a bold, urban look perfect for every day. Ergonomic frame finished in white (Cat.4), matte tortoiseshell brown, semi-translucent navy blue or champagne.

• Polarized

• Floating

• Hydrophobic

• Hardened Treatment

• 100% ultraviolet protection

• Category 3 solid brown lenses and UV400 protection, made of TAC polycarbonate

• Unisex Sports Model

• Includes: Microfiber cover and box

UP#37 MAGAZINE . 10TH ANNIVERSARY

As you already know, we have fulfilled one of our great dreams! Get our magazine Up#37 where we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Up Suping in paper format, which will remain in the history of SUP in spanish with excellent interviews, reports, events, photography and much more.

Enter Up Suping and enjoy SUP with us!

• You can buy online at www.hoenalu.com

by Antonio Morillo

The NSP Ninja, as many of you know, is an ideal board for flat water, and in my opinion one of the best boards for these conditions. Although, we can also get very good performance from the Ninja in small downwind conditions; as we can find them in rivers, lakes or even in the sea, this being possible thanks to its sharp nouse which hooks these small bumps in an ideal way. This board can be found in various sizes, being: 20,21,21,23 and 24. It is very important to know which one is appropriate depending on the level of the rider.

Let’s talk a bit about the “physical” of the board. As most of you have observed while being used by big riders of this brand, the board has a fairly deep deck, which provides more balance when being at water level. A fairly thin tail compared to other brands, which provides some instability, but is balanced by having a lower cockpit than other boards. What makes the big difference from the others is its nouse, which cuts through the water perfectly, allowing the rider to maintain a high pace quite easily by maintaining speed very well.

We have talked about the upper part of the board, now we go with the lower part where the table drains with 4 drains, having two on each side. It is one of the additions that the 2022 design had compared to the 2021 model, which improved a lot when it came to releasing the possible water that enters the bathtub. It also has round edges, which means that the board is rarely going to get on track, thus making the board more versatile, since having these edges makes it more surfer friendly.

KGUARD SOFTCUBE

by Nico Arnedo

Waterproof solutions are one of the great tools for our day to day, it is part of the SUP elements when it comes to hiking or any other modality and we need to carry certain belongings. The KGUARD brand offers us a wide range of products to go out paddling in complete safety, protecting our material.

We have been very surprised with the Softcube! A great product to change and transport your sports equipment with full guarantees. It has a very comfortable design and is super spacious, with a capacity of 63 litres. As soon as you touch it, you can tell that it is made with materials that provide flexibility and durability. Inside, it has some very curious pockets where you can place your boots and other items. And also, it brings a separator so you can store the wet material and then place dry items. One last! It has a very comfortable zipper closure and a strap system that you can place in different positions.

A very original product that is tremendously useful at this time of year, when we use heavier suits and other materials, needing space and comfort at all times. Do not miss the complete Test that we will soon carry out on our YouTube channel.

by Connor Baxter

Saturday July 9 at 6:00 p.m. Nicolas Fayol and Samuel Vauthier cross the finish line of the Yukon 1000 on their Stand Up Paddle boards. An extreme and highly committed SUP race through one of the most remote territories on the planet.

After 7 days, 12 hours and 58 minutes, Nicolas and Sam cross the finish line of the world’s longest canoe and SUP race, an epic 1.000 mile adventure that stretches from the Canadian Yukon Territory to the os border. with Alaska. A “race” or rather an ulti-mate challenge that combines physical commitment, total isolation and mental strength. The competitors paddle 18 hours a day with the only human interaction, which is their teammate. They are in total autonomy, no help is allowed. Food, camping gear, and safety gear (there are 33 items on the mandatory checklist) must be carried on the board from start to finish. In a canoe, weight is added, in a SUP board, it becomes a real ballast.

Team French Paddler

Near-endless daylight, sailing is a maze of bends and islands in the final stretches of the river, the stress of having to find an accessible place to sleep without bears on the riverbanks before midnight, and can begin to appreciate what is truly special about this event.

The rules of this race are quite simple: start from Whitehorse (Yukon Canada) for 1,000 miles paddling to the Dalton Highway Bridge (Alaska) as fast as possible with the only limit of six hours of rest each day. All teams must compete with a partner, which is relatively easy in a canoe but also involves paddling side by side, at the same pace, for over a week. To ensure organisms recover at a minimum, competitors must be out of the water 6 hours a day between 10 pm. and 6 a.m. An imposed rest period that, in the context of this race, fully participates in the wild adventure. Despite these mandatory breaks, the Yukon 1000 is still a race. Furthermore, most teams stick to these 6 hour breaks and paddling 18 hours a day, bordering on physical collapse to optimize them as much as possible and extend the distances.

Nicolas and Sam are the first French to participate in this event and also in Stand Up Paddle, but they were not the only “SUPers” in the race. It is not the first time that SUP has officially participated in the Yukon 1000 either: in 2014 Ben and Kim Friberg were the first to start and finish the SUP race, which convinced the organizers to allow this sport to participate in future editions. This year, 4 teams participated: the American-Canadian Pirates of the Yukon (Scott Baste and Brad Friesen), the Yukon ladies with Ella Oesterholt and Janneke Smits - van Leeuwende hollande. Of course, the French rowers Nicolas and Sam, and the English from Shac Craig’s team and skip were present at the briefing but unfortunately could not start due to Covid.

All finished the race and there are only 6 hours that separated the winners, Pirate of the Yukon, from our 2 Frenchmen. The Yukon ladies also finish up front with a little over 4 hours’ notice.

Only one of the 27 teams at the start dropped out of the race, but it should be noted that more than 200 teams were denied entry. The organizers have a rigorous vetting process to ensure only the most experienced are on the start line (Bren’s winning tan-dem kayak team Daniel Staudigel, and Jason Magness crossed in an incredible time of 5 days, 11 hours and 48 minutes.)

To put the distance and isolation of this race into perspective, it should be noted that more people working to the race (staff: runner/guide/partners) than people who expe-rience the race over the last 500 miles. of this river. Sam and Nicolás explained to us that an entire day had paddled without seeing any sign of life, not even an isolated cabin, let alone a human being. Apparently, more people climb Mount Everest each year than paddle the furthest reaches of the Yukon.

What is the Yukon 1000 and how did the idea of participating in this new adventure come about?

The Yukon 1000 is the longest race in the world and after having done the Dordogne Intégrale and then the Dordogne 360, it was obvious to do the Yukon 1000. To participate you have to submit a file with experiences in ultra, adventure and survival. At the end of the file submission, the organization selects 40 teams (200 applications). Then we received an email confirming registration in 2019 and suddenly we had to go on the adventure and start preparing what, due to the 2 Covid-related postponements, will have lasted 3 years.

Tell us about the preparations for this event, the logistics and all the necessary material for this great challenge.

Preparations and logistics were not easy with 2 postponements. The easiest part to manage is the hardware part. We have the support of Starboard for Samuel and Fanatic for Nicolás, which allowed us to take advantage of the advantages of their logistics platform to send the boards to Whitehorse (starting places). For the rest, the organization provided a list of mandatory equipment of more than 35 items ranging from self sufficient food for 10 days, to diving goggles and masks to prevent forest fires or even a satellite phone and a point location beacon. In short, the list is long and requires real involvement.

Once these data were received, we had to think about the installation on our boards and test that everything was in good condition. The 2 reports allowed us to do many autonomous outings to be able to test all this. We left with 30 kg each divided into 2 sealed bags of 40 and 60 litres placed on the front and back of our boards. The departure takes place in Whitehorse (Canada) and the arrival is 300 km from Fairbanks (USA), you just have to organize your flight and accommodation plans as for any trip. Then you always have to take the difficulties of transportation on the plane, the airline lost half of the equipment and we only recovered all our luggage the day before departure.

How many hours have you paddled and what was the distance covered?

It’s quite simple, we have to stop for 6 hours. We paddled “non-stop” between 10 am and midnight, so it represents more or less 18 hours of navigation per day. We covered 1600 km in 7 days and 12 hours, which makes an average of about 200 km per day.

The days were long. We made 5 minute breaks every 2 hours to have a bar or a piece of fruit in order to maintain a sufficient energy supply as the day progressed; the spaces between the breaks decrease and the time lengthens especially in the last days of the race. Around 1:00 p.m. there was a long break where we had our lunch a freeze dried meal prepared in the morning and eaten cold. For the last 2 days, we have also established a 15 minute break on the floor to take a micro nap.

What kind of conditions did the river and weather have during the whole tour?

We had some very special conditions, a very high water flow for the season due to the record snowfalls of the previous winter and exceptional weather with very high temperatures for the season. This explains the performance achieved in this edition. However, high water flows also have their drawbacks, as the small beaches on the river banks were underwater.

High heat and sometimes stormy weather caused many wildfires beyond Dawson City. We spent 3 days with a kind of veil wrapping the reliefs, it was the smoke from the surrounding fires and the atmosphere charged with a strong smell of burned wood. For us europeans, it is a real discovery, but one that is quite common in this part of the earth.

The river at first is european size, then widens to give way to many arms and islands in the last 200 kilometres that can reach up to 3 km wide. In the last 500 kilometres the navigation component really comes into its own, a trajectory error can lose you several hours (longer route and lack of power).

How were they organized to rest, eat and sleep?

The operation was fast. Once the resting point was found, they all took care of different tasks to maximize this rest time: Samuel organized the tent while Nicolás was in charge of preparing the food and lighting the fire. Once their jobs were done, they would eat and talk about the day and then set up camp: removing food bags and trash cans to avoid attracting bears. Installation of water filtration to fill the reserves for the next day and inflation of the mattresses.

Once in the tent, it was still necessary to charge electrical appliances, alarm clock and pepper spray nearby in case of intrusions by a large furry animal. They did 2 or 3 breathing exercises to relax and then sleep for about 4 hours.

Upon awakening, disassembly and packing of the equipment, preparation of meals for the day, breakfast, lunch and a small coffee. Preparing 2 Camelbacks for the day, reloading gear onto the boards and making sure nothing is left in the area where they rested. And if we summarize, finally there are 6 hours of rest divided into 3 stages:

- 1 hour assembly, food and relaxation. - 4 hours of sleep. - 1 hour of disassembly and food.

As we mentioned earlier, for lunch they would take a 20 minute break on the boards to maximize progress, because during this break they would make travel speeds of around 4 or 5 km/h.

Physically they knew what they would find having participated in the 725 km of the Loire last year. To prepare, they had established a simple principle: during the 6 months before the race, they had to cover 50 km. per week and some long outings. At this point, they were well prepared, but yes, it does require some good preparation.

In reality, the real challenge is above all mental, because beyond the physical fatigue, the distance, the pressure linked to natural limitations and the race regulations (finding the resting place, forest fires, the fauna that although everything has gone well, you are not familiar…) it is a significant mental load. At this point, being in a team is a real plus and allowing yourself to trust your partner when morale is low is a real plus. Hence the primary choice of a teammate!

Have you had any complications? Animals, bad weather, etc…

The fauna and flora bring particular stress during the preparation due to the lack of knowledge. We ran into lots of beavers, white necked eagles, and some moose. We didn’t see any bears even though there were nice tracks near our tent on the morning of the fourth day. Our adventure was full of twists and turns of incongruous moments, adventures more or less complicated to manage.

Do you have to be very physically and morally prepared for these adventures?

At the end of the 3rd day, we found a place to camp. Nicholas lands first, sinking thigh deep in some kind of soft sand. When he manages to remove the leg, his right shoe is no longer on his foot despite numerous attempts to retrieve it (20 min), the shoe is buried and unrecoverable. At that moment the nerves were released, a great stressful moment of doubt for the team. How to face the end of the trip without shoes when the banks of the river are weeds? Finally, a pair of very thick waterproof socks was the trick to get you to the end of the adventure.

Day 4, end of the day after a long day (18 hours paddling) Sam hit a rock 10m from the edge (unlikely) and ended up in the water, luckily we were able to camp right next to it. Nico went out of his way to help Sam “dry off and warm up.” Change clothes, light a small fire and set up the tent. A fall in itself is not insurmountable when it occurs during the day, but it is when it turns green. This implies that the clothes will not be able to dry, that the body will have difficulties warming up due to the lack of physical activity and it will add great logistical difficulty to set up the bivouac. That night, the food will be basic with a cereal bar. Despite our best efforts, the setup will have taken an additional 45 minutes, a waste of time, because we made the decision to keep our 4 hours of sleep for minimal restorative recovery time.

On the 6th day, Sam is bitten by horseflies and we pay no attention to it, the next morning Sam’s foot is swollen, and we worry even more as the swelling has spread to the calf by the end of the morning. They met the girls from the Faldon Albertans team Heidi and Alecia. They explained her problem with Sam’s leg and Alecia told them to call medical help. She gave Sam an antietamine. Setting up camp for the night, there was no real change in Sam’s leg, even worsening, swelling above the knee and he has difficulty walking. A. Given the evolution, they called for medical assistance to have more perspective on the subject and above all to be sure that they could finish without harming Sam’s health. After 1 hour of conversation, Sam is told to sleep with his leg up. Sam’s leg deflated the next day after a full night’s sleep with the leg suspended.

We could also tell you about the loss of GPS which will mean navigation on demand with reference points with your GPS / the disaster crossing the border thinking that it was the right bank and then what was the left bank. Every day he has had his share of ups and downs and that is what makes this race an adventure.

- Have a teammate with whom you can endure all the hardships of the Yukon.

- Have consistent physical preparation and an infallible mind.

- Be comfortable in the adventure, part of autonomy and survival.

The Yukon 1000 is an intense adventure both in its preparation and in its execution. Throw yourself into this project, because it does not accept half measures.

Are you going to repeat it?

The Yukon 1000 is the ultimate race. The adventure is beautiful and intense, and the mental and physical investment necessary for this achievement is a journey that we will have to absorb before we can get involved in such a project again. At the moment new participation is not in the program but you should never say never.

What are the best tips for someone riding the Yukon 1000 for the first time?

The competitors Iván de Frutos and Alexia Soto stand out showing a high level in an edition full of great promises of the national SUP Race

IV GRAN CARRERA DEL MEDITERRANEO SUP RACE

Kurro Díaz

Every year more athletes stand out in this Stand Up Paddle modality, especially the youngest. We will undoubtedly remember the IV edition of the Great Mediterranean Race for its high participation of approximately 200 participants, highlighting the great results and performance obtained by the promises of this sport in Spain and Europe.

And after the passage of a storm called Dana, which had left abundant rains and strong winds on the Mediterranean coast, we had optimal conditions in what would be the last long distance competition within the Mediterranean SUP Race Circuit this year. The Elite and SUB 18 categories covered a 13 km route from Urbanova to Varadero beach in Santa Pola. The rest of the categories had different routes near the event area, next to the event area where the finish line for the running competition route departing from Alicante is also located.

Up Suping Fesurfing.

The attention was undoubtedly focused on the competitors who started from Urbanova, where the youngest competitors showed us their great paddling skills along with other leaders in this sport. After a few kilometres paddled, we could already see the high pace of the race that everyone had attuned to the sea conditions at all times; especially the youngest.

In the men’s category, the young Iván de Frutos put in one of his best performances of the year and got the first place ahead of World Cup player Rafa Sirvent. Also impeccable was the performance of Daniel Parres, organizer of this test, who once again shows us his big experience in reading the sea and his great physical condition, obtaining third place overall and first Kahuna. Iván would also get the first position in the SUB 18 category.

The girls gave us a great show, with an amazing Alexia Soto and that once again confirms her great evolution in this sport, achieving first place both in the general classification and in the U18. Vicky Rizhova, a great connoisseur of this event, took the second position ahead of the young rider Andrea Veracruz. We highlight once again the spectacular performances of the youngest and the great work that clubs throughout Spain are doing so that this sport continues to grow.

Paulino Roca and Nana García were the winners in the category with the most participation, the Promo/Amateur, which covered 5 km along the coast of Santa Pola, the same as the SUB 16 category with Inés Blin and Pablo Carbonell climbing to the top from the podium. Rubén Cantoral and Nuria Chiquero got the first places in SUB 14, as well as Rodrigo García and Daniela Andreu in SUB 12, and Eric Perez and Mar Caudeli in SUB 10.

The great atmosphere of Stand Up Paddle has been reflected once again, not only in the water but also in the awards ceremony under a great festive atmosphere and with many raffles for all participants. We must congratulate the great work done by the Parres Watersports team, which already has extensive experience in organizing even international events.

Thank the Provincial Council of Alicante, Deportes Alicante, Santa Pola City Council, Elche City Council, Spanish Surf Federation, Fesurfing League and other collaborators for the great support offered to this great Mediterranean SUP Race event.

Patrocinador oficial de:

Once you get to any of the islands, there are many spots to choose from: be it high winds and open seas or reefs and monster waves. Franz Orsi travelled there with his family to do some Foil sessions in perfect conditions.

Foiling Cabo Verde

600km Nautical Miles west of Dakar in Western Africa lies the island group of Cabo Verde, a small Republic in the Atlantic Ocean. The locals speak Portuguese, and with several of the islands boasting impressive international airports (Boa Vista and São Vicente) there are two groups of tourists coming to the Republic. First, there is the all-inclusive crowd, sporting wristbands and perfectly happy within the confines of their resort. Second, there are the watermen looking for foiling, surfing and windsurfing, checking conditions until everything aligns after which they book a ticket and fly in from mainland Europe.

Franz Orsi

HOW GOOD IS BOA VISTA?

“I hardly can think of any place I’ve been which is more suited to wing foil blasting than Boa Vista. Seriously, the island has insane conditions for wing foiling and the big bay of Sal Rei is just a perfect playground for learning and improving your wing foil skills.”

“With perfect side shore winds and a constant 20-25 knots of wind, the sandy beaches and crystal blue water make for a jaw-dropping view with turtles swimming in the sea and humpback whales jumping on the horizon.”

“Out on the water, you will see flying fish trying to outrun their predators, breaching the surface and shooting hundreds of meters through the air, desperately trying to escape their predators. The first time you see them, dragging their tail fin over the surface at high-speed, the sunlight bouncing off their pectoral fins, the whole thing just looks alien. You can’t imagine how beautiful this place is until you see it.”

FINALLY TRAVEL AGAIN

“Not having been able to travel for more than two years, we finally had the opportunity to fly to Boa Vista with my wife and my one-and-a-half-year old daughter for a quick seven-day vacation. And once they chilled and played around on the beautiful beach, I scored great consistent conditions for seven days in a row. Truly epic.”

“The gear choice proved to be ideal. I was on my NSP Air Wing 6.0 all the time, although I could have used a 5.0 as well, and 6’2¨ NSP SUP/Wing Foil Pro equipped with a NSP Airwave 1700 Foil set. The gear worked extremely well and I was impressed by the wind range it possesses.”

“I am still new to the wing foil world and definitely what I felt is that this gear makes everything super easy to learn how to wing foil and improve your skills.”

“So all in all a great wing foil trip, in a nice and family-friendly destination that I can suggest to everyone looking for a warm and reliable training ground for progressing your winging technique.”

ABOUT TRAVELING TO CABO VERDE

Not well-known like for instance the Canaries, Cabo Verde is part of the Macaronesia Ecoregion, similar to the Azores, Madeira and the previously mentioned Canaries. Depending on the time of the year there are plenty of Airlines and Airports in Europe flying into Cabo Verde and generally tickets are affordable when booked in advance. That may prove problematic for those frantically checking Windguru and Surfline, but sometimes you just “gotta bite the bullet” and go.

Traveling between the islands is possible but it it ill advised as the crossings can be rough and the ferries are slow. Nelson Mandela International Airport has flights going to all the other islands with Transportes Interilhas de Cabo Verde (TICV), the local airline and since Boa Vista (and Sal) are mostly wind-swept desert islands it can be interesting to fly out to one of the other islands like Santiago and see a completely different eco system if the wind drops off.

Keep in mind that Cape Verde is a year-round destination, with temperatures rarely dipping below 20°C, but that it is best to avoid the rainy season between July and October.

Finlay Chandler

Ensis

How long have you been winging for and what got you into it?

I’ve been into winging for about 8 months now and I love it. I got into windsurfing last summer but immediately saw the local shredders winging around and knew I needed to get on the foils. I started with a pump foil setup then in the early spring I got my own winging kit. Since then every time there is any kind of breeze, after school or weekends, I’m out there!!!

Which discipline is your favourite? Slalom, Wave, Freestyle?

I’m loving boosting off big ramps, so my favourite discipline has got to be wave. The autumn swells have just arrived here, you just can’t beat the thrill of jumping or carving huge wrap-around turns on open faces at 1,000mph…

Best result to date? Where was it? How did you find it?

Winning 1st overall in the UK Slalom tour event at our local spot was just awesome. 8 bullets is going to be a hard one for me to beat!

Ambitions? Where would you like to go with the sport?

Competing on the GWA Youth tour and hanging with world class shredders from all over the globe has been really inspiring. Being around that much speed, boost and stoke is insane! I’m loving having a World Ranking but mostly I enjoy the vibe around wingers at the beach. Making new friends, hitting new spots and being way, way better than my dad is where it is at for me!

What do you say to your school mates that don’t wing, do they understand it?

They don’t understand it at all. No matter how many times I try to explain the foil lifting and the power of the wing they still look at me with confused faces . Asking me questions like “so the kite makes you fly and how does the metal make the board go up….?”

I’m hoping this summer more of them will get out there with me, it’s such an easy sport to learn if you really want it!

Ray Gasperini on Top at Cavalaire Sur Mer

StyleM Photography Starboard

On the weekend from the 16th to the 18th of September the International Freestyle Cup took place in Cavalaire-sur-Mer on the beautiful south coast of France.Event organized ex Pwa riders Benoît e Cyril Moussilmani was a great success a event with 60 athletes, and € 15,000 in prize money !

Many of the worlds best wing foilers came together for 3 days of freestyle and race action. One of them was Starboard/Freewing Master team rider Raimondo Gasperini.

Ray and the others were lucky, to score some great conditions for the competition weekend. There was a bit of everything, lighter wind in the beginning and up to 40 knots in the end. Raimondo got to use several wing sizes from 3.0 up to 6.0 Nitro

Raimondo in addition to the race also performed well in freestyle, gaining access to the semifinals, hitting the goal of entering the top 16 and thanks to the combination of the two disciplines, he was the best in the master category. We want to say a big thank you and congrats to Raimondo for the good performance at the “Freestyle Cup Cavalaire”. Congratulations!

6 TIPS TO INFLATE THE FREEWING

Unroll the FreeWing completely and make sure the hose clamp is opened.

Make sure the valve on the central strut is closed.

OPEN

Screw the base of the valve clockwise into the thread on the Leading edge.

Inflate to recommended pressure.

Connect the pump nozzle into the valve of the wing. Turn clockwise for a better insertion.

Close the hose clamp to secure floatation in case of leakage.

MATERIAL

FANATIC DOWNWINDER

The Fanatic Downwinder has been developed with a single purpose: to paddle the foil as easily as possible and surf any type of swell for as long as possible. The fas-cination of downwind foiling takes on a whole new dimension with this board, developed by our friend Fred Bonnef in DW sessions in Tarifa to make the most of the conditions, and enjoy like children. The shape is based on a SUP race board and helps you to get on the foil even in the smallest swell with maximum control, so you can keep on flying as long as you want. This board is completely geared towards the latest foil designs and will take your downwinding to a new level. Comes in the strong an and super light BXF Biax Fibre layup.

Available in 5’10’’ and 6’2’’.

STARBOARD

FREEWING NITRO

It has a cutting-edge design with innovative materials to offer Wing Foil lovers a high-performance wing, with instant and smooth power for each session. The responsiveness of the Nitro is as if it had half a square meter more power. And one of the keys to this wing, the extra stiff struts create control and a wider wind range, so you can enjoy the wing in more wind conditions. This wing shows us the great work done by Starboard & Aurush with more than 20 years of experience so that your evolution in this sport is complete.

Available in 3m - 6m.

MATERIAL

NSP

AIRWAVE 1700

The Airwave 1700 set mixes high-performance pre-preg carbon with precision milled anodized aluminum. The wings, mast and fuselage designs have evolved over several iterations, combining stability, durability, price and performance –have a look at our NSP Airwave FAQ. The Airwave 1700 set will accommodate heavier riders as well as make a great platform for wing foiling. Designed for surf, SUP and wing foiling the NSP Airwave can be tuned additionally with the three included shims. The surface of 1700 cm² in combination with the 330 cm² back wing leverages your pumping action while creating appropriate lift and stability at very low speeds, making this the ideal setup for small waves and swell that doesn’t have that lift you see from bigger waves.

ENSIS

WING TOP SPIN

The long-desired ENSIS boom wing, the TOP SPIN, is here. For all riders who want to dance on the water and feel the freedom of infinite grip options. A new world of riding opens up to you. Ambitious discoverers love the direct response and the power of this compact, high performance wing. Experts love the ultra-direct, maximum control combined with the new riding opportunities thanks to the boom. The ergonomic, lightweight boom, and its innovative ENSIS Click Fix mounting system, ensure full power transmission. The boom is designed to offer great comfort and a firm grip supporting everyone in their moves. The same boom fits all three available sizes.

Available in 3.6 - 4.6.

IVÁN PUENTE

Christian Stadler. Albert Laborda. Up Suping Antonio Serrera

How did you get into the world of Stand up Paddle?

I have always lived facing the sea, and since I was 8 years aged have enjoyed the waves and surfing. In 2019, thanks to the point that my uncle did SUP Waves, I started my journey in Stand Up Paddle during a family outing. I fell in love with this sport from the first moment, and I convinced my mother to buy us a 140 litre board. She has always supported me and has been by my side. So much so that she still accompanies me today in my sessions with that same board.

After 2 years of to SUP Waves in a self-taught way, I decided to go to Ondalonga during a Clinic organized by the Supmera Club with the great Guillermo Carracedo as a teacher. From that session, I took many lessons that I have been putting into practice over the years; It is a privilege to share waves with a European Champion.

Although I intended to enjoy SUP Olas, it was that weekend that I met Guille Goyanes, my current coach. Guille told me about Race, a modality that I was almost unaware of and that didn’t arouse my interest. He invited me to share a Race session with Mera, and I must admit that I said yes out of commitment.

This is how my first day of the SUP Race arrived, I did the impossible to attend my class. My mother, always more knowledgeable than me, convinced me to go. I remember exactly what I said when I got into the car after my first Sup Race session: ”Mom, thank you, I have discovered my sport”. I never thought that I would fall in love with the SUP Race, my thing was the waves…but from that moment everything changed. I continued training with 2 weekly classes that soon became too little for me, and with the guys from the Club who were months and years ahead of me.

I started at Sup Mera in March 2021, and my experience in waves together with the support of my coach made me progress faster and faster every day. I will always say that there is no complete coach than Guille, she is one of the best people I know. And well...that’s how my first competition came in Caravia in May 2021, that I will never forget it.

C.Stadler

A.Laborda

In these few years, you have made a great leap to Spanish championships getting great results. How did you manage to get so high in such a short time?

Just a year and a half back started training in SUP, and I think that the speed of my evolution is because I have always been linked to sport and the sea. I have done many sports, both team and individual, and I love competing and improving myself. The key to the results depends on work and training, and I enjoy SUP so much that I only think about squeezing in each session, without realizing how sacrificed this discipline is.

It is also essential to be surrounded by colleagues who share your same passion and help you improve every day, and at SUP Mera we always come together as a team to demand each other and encourage each other to improve, both children and adults with different levels, there are always many of us at the Water. I am competitive, I like competition, and I want to improve myself. Guille always tells me that on race days I perform better, and when the horn sounds, all I think about is that.

Well, let’s talk about Mera, that tiny coastal town located in the bay of A Coruña. What do you like the most about Mera?

Mera is the town of my maternal family, my great grandfather was a sailor from Mera and his whole life was linked to the sea. In my house, we always feel a strong connection with the sea. My grandfather loved the sea. I have grown up in Mera, in her park, in the lagoon and on the beach. Here I took my first steps and learned to swim, so I can’t say much more...Mera is lively in summer, sunny and full of tourists; when winter comes, everything is quiet. It is a joy to row in this bay, when the sea is calm and when it roars furiousl

A.Laborda

Tell us where you move there in Mera and the surroundings to surf, paddle, do downwind…paddle, do downwinds…

In Galicia, we have some of the best sand breaks with well known waves. Costa da Morte and Ferrol present spots with all kinds of conditions; small waves, big waves, pipes, laying, long...You can almost always scratch a good bath in one area or another. I love Razo and Baldaio, Sabón, Louro, Valdoviño, Pantin... and also some secret place whose name I don’t want to remember. In Sabón I experienced one of the most terrifying situations of my life when part of the team had to leave the water because a 6 meter white shark had been sighted just 150 meters from us. The news can still be found on the internet.

We also have one of the longest waves in the world, the well known Ondalonga that connects with the Ría de Betanzos, and in which you get to surf the same wave for 2 and a half minutes. With the SUP Mera team, we usually go there to train Beach Race on stormy days, or paddle flat. Mera, of course, is also fantastic for rowing in the Ría de A Coruña, you can stay quietly in the bay, take a more technical route inland, or go out through the Seixo Branco and its caves until you skirt La Marola; we almost always see dolphins. There is a Galician saying that says: “Who passes Marola, all passes to the sea” because we pass it several times a year and it is spectacular.

In May the wind blows North/Nordés and from Mera the Downwind season begins, with a short route of about 5k that, with little wind, is easy for medium levels, but with a swell and 30 knots you get to do “some good surfed”. This year, together with Guille and part of the team, we will try to leave Ferrol with a support boat to end up in Bastiagueiro in what can be a wild and fun Downwind. The alignment of the sea, thermal wind and the crossing of the Atlantic and Cantabrian currents are perfect when the tide goes out.

This year you went to the ICF World Championship in Poland…What are

your

feelings from there?

Attending a World Cup meant fulfilling a dream, it was great to arrive in Poland and be able to see the greatest of this sport up close. Competing with so many juniors from other countries was an extra motivation for me while I was still at SUB16. I was shocked to see the level of the Juniors from all over the world, and that has motivated me, even more, to keep advancing and training hard. The trip with my companions Ana and Paloma were full of fun moments together, anecdotes at the airports and a lot of nerves. We share each other’s feelings making them our own, and that union we already had will never be broken.

From Poland, I’ll take what it means to meet so many people like us, from so many different countries and corners of the world, and who love what I love. Making new friends, in that wonderful environment, and listening to their anecdotes, has been exciting.

I suppose this year has been special for you since you entered the world of wave SUP, tell us what made you try it and how you felt about it.

As I said, the waves were my first contact with SUP. I discovered it in the summer of 2019 using a plank from my uncle, but with the pandemic, I couldn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked. After a long pandemic in which I learned by watching all the videos I could find on the internet, we got a 93 litre board and I started training and participating in my first SUP Waves competition. From then on, I was looking for material to test with fewer litres and continue advancing, although this was not easy due to the little material I found near me.

In my second competition, at the All In SUP in Gijón, I met Lander. From the first moment I felt that he would be a special person to me because he got very involved and we shared good talks and waves. I soon had the opportunity to try his colourful boards and discovered the quality and knowledge he has about surf equipment and SUP. Without expecting it, Lander proposed to make me my first custom board, which was the jump and boost he needed. It was a big surprise when he decided to selflessly support me, and he proposed to me to be the first Landboard rider…my first board! I couldn’t believe it. In addition to being a great shaper, Lander is a great person to whom all my family, and especially me, are very grateful. For me, it would be impossible to continue progressing without his support and love. That has motivated me every day and has made my progress fast.

Yes, the truth is that I am very happy with the results of this year. I was sorry that the Spanish Beach Race Championship was not held, it is where I feel best. Now I only think about continuing to enjoy this sport a lot, and with everything that the world of surfing implies and offers. Hopefully, I can continue to have the opportunity to travel and see new places and people, and train hard to try to be the best version of myself. I want to improve myself and try to get as high as possible, but I keep every moment of the process very present, my friends and colleagues, my competitors who in the end are all friends now, and the support of those around me who support me every day and get the best out of it. better of me My goal is to continue enjoying and learning, and I am very excited to think that it will continue to be so.

I think that seeing how well you’ve done this year, do you already have clear goals for next year?

Well, tell us something about your SUP team Mera, it looks like you are a great family. How have you achieved that union between the kids, fathers and mothers?

Yes, that is the reality, we are a big family and we enjoy sharing this sport. I believe that the key to making everything work lies in the values of respect and camaraderie that Guille tries to transmit to us from day one, and we in turn to the little ones who come to the Club. We share many moments where parents and children go out together to row, travel, and compete. But we also share many experiences outside of the water. This summer, I was collaborating with the Club and seeing the work that is done in the Summer Schools, and it is exciting to help children to take their first shovelfuls and observe how quickly they progress. I am lucky to have my mother and uncle, who also love what I do, and accompany me on my adventures. That union is above all. You, Toni, and Nico have been participants in those moments, for this reason, we could say that SupMera also includes those people who participate in those times of friendship outside and inside the water. Our motto, “Mera, a sentiment”

How did your parents take you to start in this world of Stand Up Paddle at a national level?

My parents have instilled in me a passion for sports since I was born, so I have always had full support from them, in all the sports that I have done since I was very young, which have been many...The truth is that my mother is always there, unconditionally, supporting me and accompanying me anywhere, with the effort that this entails at all levels. Without her effort and support, it would be impossible to be where I am. I think I am aware of the efforts that she makes, and at the same time, I know that I have no idea of everything that she does for me. I am very attached to her.

Thanks to…

For everything you have already read, I am especially grateful for the support of my mother and the rest of my family, my coach Guille who is always there giving me advice or pulling my ears, my teammates and friends from the club who are my second family, to Lander who with his Landboard brand has believed in me from the beginning to the great family of Juniors from the North whom I met in Caravia in May 2021, in my first competition, and who made me feel like one of the family from the first minute (Toni, David, Manu, Corripio, Ricardo...) and to all of you who in one way or another support me and encourage me to continue growing in this sport, and lastly to you, Nico, for doing the great job you do for all of us and the great SUP Community, and for the opportunity to count on me for this very important issue of Up magazine. THANKS TO ALL!

Sevilla SUP Festival 2022

Pedro Sanz Up Suping

On October 22 we had one of the great Stand Up Paddle events in Andalucia due to its attractive format, its promotion of the sport and its location in the heart of the city. The edition of the Sevilla SUP Festival hosted more than 130 participants, who participated in the last stage of the Costa del SUP 2022 circuit and also scored for the Fesurfing Spanish Cup. And as a great novelty, this sports festival also hosted the ¨Sevilla City Office¨ grand prize, an exciting 1mile competition under the sunset of this wonderful andalusian city.

From the early hours of Saturday morning, the Lonja del Barranco Market area was full of SUP Race boards with all their athletes preparing the necessary material for the competition. The long distance competition of the Sevilla SUP Festival has been highly recognized thanks to the flat water conditions that this area of the Guadalquivir river has, which makes it easier to promote this sport, which is the main objective of said event.

There was a lot of expectation since this competition would close the Costa del SUP 2022 circuit and there were great points at stake in its different categories. Participants from all over Andalusia and even from other regions of Spain did not miss this great event, who were also participants in one of the most iconic images of our sport: all of them prepared to start with the Triana bridge as their banner. It is spectacular!

Exceptionally conditions for the SUP Race competition where we highlight the high participation of the Amateur category with all kinds of boats, with the simple objective of enjoying the tour and always with a smile on their faces. The Andalusian SUP academy was also noted, with the company of many clubs from different parts of this community together with their coaches and families. And of course, with an exciting race in charge of the Elite category that was delivered to the maximum.

The Dutch Petronella Van Malsen won the women’s category ahead of the young Ainhoa Rivas and Ángel Nuñez finishing in the third position. Also, highlight the splendid performance of Rocío Bensaid in the SUB 18 category.

On the part of the boys, we witnessed a fantastic final fight for first place between Fernando Pérez and Antonio Morillo from Cádiz, members of the SUP National Team. After an impressive final sprint, Fernando took victory by a few seconds ahead of Antonio. The rider Augusto García would get the third position, where he also got on the podium proclaiming first place in the SUB 18 category.

The high level of the local competitors in the Master and Kahuna categories is indescribable, being great connoisseurs of these waters and obtaining satisfactory results in the general classification, where we highlight the participation of Sergio López and Daniel Parres from Alicante, among others. The juniors also offered us a great show, showing that the future of the andalusian SUP Race is stronger than ever.

After the awards ceremony with the local authorities at the Mercado Lonja del Barranco facilities, there was a break to latest enjoy the first edition of the Sevilla City Office, where around 40 competitors rowed with great effort a total distance of 1 nautical mile. The cash prize for the first 3 places, for both girls and boys, was more than enough motivation for all the audience present to enjoy a fabulous performance by the selected competitors.

On this occasion, the boys would repeat a fantastic final sprint with the same competitors as in the long distance in the morning. But Antonio Morillo claimed the first position ahead of Fernando Pérez and the young Augusto García. On the part of the girls, Ainhoa Rivas was the fastest in this mile forward of Ángela Nuñez and Rocío Bensaid.

The final for this edition of the Sevilla SUP Festival 2022 was the Octoberfest party with drinks and live music at the Mercado Lonja del Barranco facilities. A remarkable season finale for the Costa del SUP circuit and the great satisfaction of once again enjoying Seville and its great possibilities for this sport, its great atmosphere, tourism and hospitality.

Thank the Junta de Andalucía, Sevilla City Office, Mercado Longa del Barranco, Fesurfing, Costa del SUP, Starboard, Heineken, Coca Cola, Eusa, Up Suping, Covey Seguridad, Club Deportivo Triana, Club de Windsurf Isla Cristina, Mercedes-Benz Concesur and Fervial and Seville Municipal Sports Institute.

MALLORCA

THE PARADISE THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW AS YOU THOUGHT

550 km of coastline and 180 bays, the water in summer does not drop below 25 degrees and you can arrive from Madrid in just 1 hour and 20 minutes by plane, although you can also arrive by boat from Barcelona or Dénia. I’m talking about Mallorca, that island next to the famous “party island” (Ibiza) that we’ve all heard of but about which, I have the feeling, we know little, since the focus is always on its sister party girl.

Sailing Energy Julia Castro

This year I was lucky enough to be able to visit it a couple of times at different times of the year and I fell completely in love, it seems to me that the island has the perfect amounts of good temperatures, dreamy beaches, mountains, it’s green, there’s city life, but also from the town, the people are very cool and, if you like the “big city”, but also life in the seaport or luxury yachts, you have everything in a few minutes by car.

WHY DO I TELL YOU THAT IT IS THE GREAT UNKNOWN?

And if she hadn’t told you, I’ll tell you now. I think Mallorca is the great unknown of water sports. Yes, it is known worldwide as one of the coolest ports to visit with your luxury yacht, but probably few of those who are reading these lines have one. It is also known for its balconing and Magaluf parties but, I promise you, Mallorca is cool to go for a SUP or wing foil session. And Julia (when you read Julia, say Yulia), why is this? It turns out that Mallorca has, as we said at the beginning, a lot of super protected coves, which result in flat and generally shallow water, which makes Mallorca a paradise to learn your favourite water sport. Generally, you will need kites or large wings, indeed, the wind is not usually strong, but this does not exactly have to be a handicap to learn to sail. On the other hand, in many of the spots in Majorca, you will have the feeling of being “over the top” in the Caribbean, the water is extremely crystal clear! And, although I am from Fuerteventura and the water is clean and super crystal clear, it is quite deep, so it is usually not easy to see the bottom as clearly as in Mallorca.

THE THEME OF THE ¨LOCALS¨

Let’s see, I think that being a Canarian makes me quite sensitive to the issue of locals. In the Canary Islands, the companies are usually quite radical... Whether we like their reasons or not, for the moment it is like that and, I remember one day that I sailed in a dream spot in Mallorca, postcard white sand, and blue water in the purest Caribbean style, it It was hot and there was a little wave that allowed us to enjoy a bit of the flow of the sea. The wind was onshore, which usually helps to find more collisions on the water; so what do you want me to tell you, I expected some local, at some point in the session, to yell at me for catching their wave, or doing anything. After an hour or so in the water, the wind dropped sharply, luckily I was quite close to where we had parked and I didn’t have to take the mega hike... But where I wanted to go, no one had scolded me. Coconut water! (as we would say in the Canary Islands).

The locals in Mallorca, at least in my experience, and as long as you respect and have your minimum knowledge of aquatic road safety, are super nice and friendly. You can tell they enjoy the water and the wind

PHOTOS WITH ONE OF THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE SAILING WORLD

Now I am going to transport you to Lanzarote, in March 2021 (as you may know, apart from being a professional athlete, sometimes I usually work as a Community Manager and content creator at sporting events). I have been hired to work in a sailing championship where the last three places for the Tokyo Olympics would be given (these are distributed in different championships and in this one, the last places were given).

In our first communication team meeting, the person who hired us introduced us all and tells us, “one of the best sailing photographers in the world is coming to work with us, he has worked in several Olympic Games, America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race”… The conversation continues, but I remember that the whole team was like “boys, let’s see what we do now to give the callous” since none of us had an experience of that calibre, it was as if we were going to work with us a minister of the world of sailing or something similar.

The fact is that, over time @SailingEnergy and I have worked on quite a few events together and we always said that we had to try to do a photo session together, to see what we could get out. And here is the result.

THE SESSION: NOTHING IS WHAT IT SEEMS

I’m not going to lie to you, in the wing foil session, the wind was very light. I was riding my Fanatic 1250 front wing and used a 5.5 Duotone UNIT for most of the session and then the 6.5m, it was quite a challenging shoot for both of us, I don’t know about Sailing Energy, but I had a great time. Also, I had the fantastic idea of forgetting the screws on the base that join the mast to the table, and it was a holiday in Mallorca, so we had to go on an excursion in the surroundings… looking for a hardware store where to find screws! As you can see in the photos, I was wearing a bikini because it was very hot, the water was great and the dish was. Also, I return to the theme of being Canary but, being Canarian, I am not used to sailing with forest and green, so for me, sailing here was a super beautiful and unique experience.

As for the SUP shooting, I think it’s a bit like all the photo sessions that one tries to do; when they are unplanned they come out easy and when you plan them, everything turns out to be a frog. Well, I’m exaggerating a bit (laughs) but many times Murphy’s law is indeed put there, to the top to make things complicated for you.

Going back to the day of the shooting, it was quite difficult for us to choose a spot, mostly for weather and weather reasons (I had to run to another event the next day and it was the last day we had to take the photos), also, we arrived at the spot and a super grey cloud decided to land on top of us, which made us have to wait a while, but finally, the sun came out!

Our objective for the photos was to show how comfortable and easy it is to transport my inflatable SUP, in this case, I used the Fanatic Fly Air 10”8. The backpack of this model does not have wheels, other models do but, for your information, you will be carrying 8.6kg on your back. Wow, less than what

I carry on my back every time I go to the airport! This board has 308 litres of volume, its 10’8 feet translates into 3.25 meters long and the maximum recommended user weight should be 105 litres.

I love the inflatable models because they took up much less space than when they are not inflatable, especially when you don’t have much space at home. It inflates relatively quickly and the inflator has a system that makes inflation cost you practically no effort, a small child can inflate it without any problem. You take your SUP out of the backpack, inflate it calmly, and you go to the water to enjoy a little journey like I did. It is also ideal for having a good time with the dwarves and for them to enjoy the water safely. In the front part, the table has an elastic band so that you can store your reusable water bottle or whatever you consider.

In short…A perfect toy for calm days.

SPANISH CHAMPIONSHIP SUP RESISTANCE RACE 2022

Intense sports day during the Spanish Championship of SUP Resistance Race last Saturday, September 25 in Baiona, Galicia, under the great organization of the Waira Club and its entire team. The strong wind did not make things easy for the competitors, who also scored points for the Spanish Surf Federation Cup and also for the Galician SUP Race Championship. Up Suping

More than 65 competitors from different parts of Galicia and other autonomous communities met early in the morning on the beach of A Ribeira on a great sunny day, but with a strong wind that produced changes in the routes of the categories SUB 12 and SUB 14, finally making a tour of the port area, being very colourful for the public.

Sofía Puñal and Antonio Martín Brion climbed to the top of the podium in SUB 12, while Daniel Folgar also showed a great performance taking first place in the SUB 14 category. The basic work and the SUP youth system in Galicia do not stop growing, being one of the communities that are contributing the most athletes to this sport.

In the afternoon, the rest of the categories were developed following the planned routes with different conditions off the coast of Baiona. A good group of Amateur competitors lived the experience of participating in a SUP competition, playing a great role and being cheered on when they reached the finish line. The SUB 16 category amazed us with its spectacular performance in these harsh conditions, with Iván Puente taking first place ahead of Pablo Blanco and Diogo Guerra. While Paloma Porta got first place in the female category.

Also, the leading role was in charge of the participants who scored points for the Spanish and Resistance Cup, covering distances between 10km and 21km, and due to the harsh wind conditions, there have been several dropouts. This competition put many competitors to the test, generating a lot of emotion in each lap they made around the circuit.

The young man from Cantabria Manuel Hoyuela climbed to the top of the podium both in Resistencia and in the Spanish Cup, having paddled a total of 2h 31min. The Galician Nicolás Barreiro did a double but was in second place ahead of Manuel Mata in Resistencia, having finished third in Antón Sanz in the Spanish Cup. As for the girls, the young Ana Marta Pérez was the only participant who was able to complete the complete circuit of the Spanish Cup, taking the title of champion of this competition. Without forgetting the great effort made by the rest of the girls who have participated and have given their all, even if they have not completed the course.

The day would end with the awards ceremony and the presence of local authorities who have also enjoyed the championship. We insist on the great courage of everyone and each of the participants during this day of competition, both those who completed their circuits and those who have had to abandon due to the harsh conditions. Thank the Waira club and local entities for once again supporting Stand Up Paddle, a sport that continues to grow in Galicia and attracts other athletes from all over Spain.

Logbook of a SUPer SUPer Aventurer

I am going to tell you the last thing that has happened to me for being a SUPer adventurer. First I should introduce myself and tell you my story. Well then, I am…Wait! I have a lot to tell you about this “weekend”, so my story can wait. Patience! For now, I’m going to reveal that I’m like Sergeant Calleigh Duquesne from CSI Miami, but instead of being an expert in ballistics and knowing what weapon the bullets found at crime scenes belong to; I know the measurements, years and manufacturer of the boards as soon as I see them, it is my thing.

I love SUP, as those of us who read Up Suping magazine say. Since I meet many people who as soon as I tell them that I am starting with Paddel Surf tell me: Oh, how cool! That is the sport of that surfboard and that also has a paddle! And with an uncomfortable smile, I tell them: yes, yes, that sport. What a definition! And the best thing is that I am even grateful since others have asked me how we make the tennis ball bounce in the water. What ball? I ask with wide eyes and just at that moment my neurons connect and I understand that they have confused this sport with that paddle tennis. Yes, the one that Alfonso de Hohenlohe brought to Spain, after visiting his friend Enrique Corcuera in Acapulco and being stunned by this new concept of racket sport. A person with that last name can only use those kinds of bombastic adjectives “shocked” and open their mouth wide. Not ¨gorilado¨, as the super SUPer@s like us would say. And now is when I stick out my tongue, wink and give you a “shaka sign”, because I have scored a point, admit it.

Macarena Uriarte

Mental note, tell you how the SUP was born. I write it down for another post in this monthly logbook. As I was saying, I love SUP and I try to do it whenever I can. As I arrive at a beach and see a board rental, I reserve it. If you can visit SUP, in the city I visit I do it...

But today it’s time to tell you about the Discover Huelva SUP festival this year. This Paddle Surf event is held every year in Isla Cristina. A very cool beach on the Costa de la Luz. I found out a few days ago that there was an amateur test and since I’m just starting in this sport, I decided to sign up, nervously tickling my stomach, but I did. It seemed like a good, cool way to start in the world and that’s how it was. I signed up, I registered by dorsal chip. I already felt like an elite athlete. And that had not yet seen Carlota’s photos. For the rest of the time until the test, I trained like a champ, super hard and at the top of my shoulders for a whopping…one day, because of work, classes at the university, the heat wave, meeting my friends and living life, which is what demands the most time, they don’t let you train as much free time as you want.

The week of the competition finally arrives and I convince my friends to spend that weekend on the beach in the city of Manuel Carrasco.

The day of the competition arrived, everything was ready: backpack, glasses, cap...and suddenly the person I like offered to take me to the test before going to work. I freak out! And I tell him: Good idea! and I add –Ainss, yes, in case it is difficult to park and so she could be focused on the test. (Concentrated, I said, we’ll see, then how concentrated I was) And inside I say: yes, yes, yes, take it now but don’t let it show because I look like the 2-year-old boy in the GIF with a tight face and a green sweatshirt. Because I really like Stand UP paddle, but I also like flirting.

We reached the Salitre beach bar and said goodbye. I get out of the car floating and with heartshaped eyes, I walk to the left; like a little mouse from the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, guided by the music, I am getting closer to the inflatable of the competition. Maybe he didn’t walk, he levitated from the excitement and fooling around on the road in the car.

As I get closer I see the unmistakable and beautiful landscape left by the boards in the sand. Boards? my board? Seriously Super Adventure? The music of ¨Ou, ou, ou, nou de tik tok¨ appeared in my head as I approached the area set up on the beach for the competition. But, but, but, am I groggy or what. But what was I coming for? To compete, right? And that I thought that this was the dead sea, that I was going to get on a mat for 2.99 euros from a beach supermarket. What sport Paddle Surf? And where was my board?

Well, SUPer well folded deflated in the trunk of my car at the door of the house we had rented. Exactly an hour from here, for cheap. Panic. This can’t be happening to me. With everything, he had prepared for this day. What do I do? Shall I call a taxi? Do I call my friends at home? Phone off or out of coverage. Of course, they will be in bed even after yesterday’s night of dancing. Seriously, you can’t be that clumsy. And that I told her to take me to be more focused, focused on her eyes the colour of the ocean. Shit. I run from here to there. It crosses my mind to borrow the tables from the families that are sitting in their umbrellas, but I think it would be very rare. I see a gentleman with a straw hat inside the accreditation area and hastily explain to him: listen, look, I’m registered, I want to compete, but I don’t have a board, is there an option, can someone let me have it I said so quickly, so anguished that the Lord only managed to say, but you, you’re fine. I burst out laughing because of the humour of the situation and because of my nerves and he laughed too.

He was talking hastily because she was distressed, he had paid a whopping 15 euros for the registration. Hey, that’s three Bla Bla Car rides to the beach. And I wanted to live the experience of competing in the sea. Then the miracle happens, this gentleman with a calm voice tells me, don’t worry, we’ll provide you with one. And in my head it sounded: the ¨Over de Rainbow¨ song but with ukulele and everything. And I said, but just like that, I ask if I have to pay something and he tells me: ¨don’t worry, the organization has some tables for the use of this circuit¨. Seriously, I cannot describe that moment of good vibes that he transmitted to me, calm, everything has a solution reigned in the environment.

With the little board resolved, I relaxed and was able to appreciate EVERYTHING I had set up: a tent with a mixing desk, with ¨ music ¨ on top and the traffic light of the April Fair, the gipsy and flamenco, there was no shortage of any problem. The ¨Over the rainbow¨ kept playing and the thing was that the DJ was playing it and it wasn’t in my head, I laughed. There was also an arrival arch, a sea of boards on the sand of the participants and the one for rent, mine, greeting me with the oar, like a hand. Several tents were seen so that we do not die from the scorching sun.

The man with good vibes asks one of the volunteers to help me pick up the board and does all the rental management; he even took her to take her to the shore, but at that moment I told her that I already did it, and she was an athlete, clueless but an athlete, besides that would be abusing and going too far. So, calmer, I do the registration. They give me the championship jersey, two tickets, one for food and the other for soft drinks, and a gadget that looked like a ¨Casio¨ watch made of blue legos, with my bib number. I look around because I had no fucking idea what I was doing with it and hesitantly put it on my ankle. After all, I see that everyone else has done it. I keep the food tickets. I did not know that I would miss them so much.

¨I have brought the camel!¨, I heard and I say to myself, well, athletes are smoking before the competition. ¨Do you want to try?¨, she said to another participant and I to myself, ¨that and on top of that encouraging the rest¨. And it turned out that I had to eat my words because it was a backpack with water. I had seen it before but I did not know that it was called that, I love it, it makes all the sense. I also remembered that Bear Grylls once slept inside a camel so as not to die in the desert, he had seen it on the Discovery Channel. And I don’t know how that useful information came to be

And my ritual begins the championship I keep the tickets very very well to lose them more easily, I keep the shirt and I put on the one that I had bought from Mistral, in a supermarket. All ¨fashion¨ that I saw. I apply sunscreen and I put on a little blue bar because they can beat me at shovelling, but at ¨fashion¨, surely not. And I blend in with the environment because shame is something I don’t know. My SUPone hat and glasses are good enough not to burn my retina and bad enough in case I fall and lose them.

A radio announcer’s voice with a strong Argentine accent recalls that in a few minutes the amateur competition will start, just one minute after the elite. Mariano Javier Closs Livieri from Paddle Surf animates the show with his microphone.

A few minutes before we jump into the water, the briefing time is heard and there I go, all this is so new to me that I am enjoying it to the fullest. I make my way through the crowd that gathers in a circle in the umbrella area, since I’m not very annoying, I manage to reach the front row without difficulty. The organizer, I hear my opponents say, the organizer is going to do the briefing, a man by the name of a Roman emperor, took the microphone and announced: ¨ briefing, briefing for the elites¨. He with microphone in hand and the rest of the participants are in a semicircle. How professional everything was, I was delighted! Man, but if he was the lord of good vibes, he finally gave him a name and what a Roman name.

He explained the circuit and in my head, it sounded: ¨pingu, Pingu, buoy turn, pingu, pingu, drafting, pingu, pingu, pingu¨. After the elite, amateur briefing and with the desired luck of the organizer, we return to the shore, next to our precious boards. When the tumult began to dissipate, I heard on the rebound: amateurs only do one lap of the course of the elite competition. So wider than Pancha I return to my board and with some very silly nerves in my stomach, I prepare for the race.

With my nervous, I start at the start next to all the race boards. Imagine the Starboard race on one side, the Starfish race on the other and me a little tube with a rented inflatable board, bigger than her. Suddenly the one on the left and the one on the right looked at me and with that look, I realized that this was not my category and that it was the riders, but with my nerves and not to get lost, with the ¨diíta¨ that I was wearing, I he had put a minute before, at the exit of the elites. I didn’t want to miss the start, for nothing in the world and you could see that. The nerves are good for nothing!

A honk from the type of crazy cars and the races that come out. Mother of the love of the beautiful, what speed, what strength and what a scare. Literal. Between the boards, and the shovels, the genius of all the participants, seemed like the Zara on sale. Please! She was already tired, just from seeing them leave with such enthusiasm. A minute later the amateurs came out and 5 minutes later I came out, out of panic, I got back, so far back that the man with the horn had to tell me, “come on, come on, let’s go.” And as the “entertainer” of the cyclists, he pushed me slightly.

My comp came out and what made me most thankful is that one of the participants got on his puppy ¨Hi¨ and they both competed together. Crazy. And he went up and down the board with a balance typical of the Circus of the Sun, what a wonder while his owner concentrated on paddling. They both reached the finish line and did a good time. I wonder if Hi, also has the number. We need to make one for him.

I start paddling seriously, I pass the orange buoy, which at that time and with my hunger seemed like a giant gnocchi with natural tomato. Once past the buoy correctly I continue in a straight line, I pass the bouncy castle, and the Starboard buoy and I start paddling as if there was no tomorrow straight towards the goal. To everything that my waist gives.

Wait, why hasn’t anyone come out of the water, I know I’m one of the last of the inflatable boards, but they should have come out by now. Ou no, you know, and I start to sing: ¨I hope the devil takes me¨. A desire to cry and laugh at the same time invade me. Crying, because I can’t take it anymore and laugh because I have another turn left and go through the giant orange gnocchi for the natural tomato again.

I can’t with my life, I left my liver in the first round. I get to the turn of the buoy at the entrance and I get overwhelmed. I was afraid of falling on the shore, because of the damage and because of the shame, the spectators were very close and they had many cameras. I got down on my knees and twisted as best I could between the racers. And I headed for the second lap. At that point, I decide to enjoy the rest of the race and I start to appreciate the people on their rental boards cheering on the participants. Nico in his boat broadcasting live from Up Suping’s Facebook, more photographers in little boats, the beach guards, the bouncy castle of fun, the line of riders so cool on the horizon and again I set my destination on the shore and now yes, straight to glory, the glory of finishing it already. I’m getting closer to the shore and a volunteer asks me for the board, I hesitate because it’s the rented one and I can’t lose it. I trust her words and like a sprinter, I ripped off the invention, threw myself off the board, ran out and crossed the finish line. The third, the third, the third. The third from the end, because I turned around and you could still see two inflatables that came on my heels…how close the competition had been! The third, but by the end of the classification.

Conclusions: I have not fallen, I have finished the race and on top of that a great time for my ideal, of course, if it is my first mark. I have not fallen off the table and I celebrate it as if I were Ainhoa Rivas. Dry, I ask the organizers for water and they also give me a soft drink and my picnic. A tortilla sandwich bigger than my forearm. I devoured it in minutes!

Once finished and exhausted, we eat picnics, chat, burn the soles of our feet and finally, the podium. What an amazing party! What a good role! If I had doubts about this new sport that I’ve become fond of: it’s a mask, it’s complicated to practice and it needs a lot of training. But you know what I’m telling you... that the good vibes that are palpable in the atmosphere, the camaraderie, the education and the good vibes that the sea gives, make up for all of the above. Aloha, sUPinerso UPiners, let’s SUPin all you give!

PS: I have to find a new paddle.

SUP competitors are paradigms of physical strength as well as mental fortitude, performing under pressure. There are occasions in which competitors have more to contend with than high stakes and fierce opponents. Sometimes the weather becomes a major factor in the contest, welcome to the SUSInc Gold Coast 10ft Classic 2022.

SUSInc Gold Coast 10ft Classic 2022

SUS Inc

Weather warnings had plagued organisers leading up the event with days and hours of beach inspections finally resulting in the chosen site, 3rd Ave Burleigh Heads. Usually a peaky A-frame loved by all, it was a brooding mess of 3-4ft surf with squally crosswinds of 15-25knts and sporadic torrential rain. Not exactly event weather!

Part way into the first division second heat with judges struggling for visibility and unable to keep the score sheets dry the competition tents attempted to take off and it took the entire contingent of beach goers to avoid lift off. It was at this time event organisers made a difficult call to pack down and relocate for safety.

Whilst a difficult decision to make for any event organiser it was the right call which ultimately allowed the event to continue. It was truly an amazing sight, seeing over 60 people pack down an entire tent city, relocate and rebuild the event site at North Kirra in the driving rain.

SUSInc was extremely grateful of all competitors arriving from far away places such as New Zealand, Victoria, NSW, Bundaberg and Sunshine Coast, with their “can do” attitude, keeping the event stoke at an all time high in very trying conditions. With North Kirra providing better conditions, in the water at least, the winners of the 2022 SUSInc Gold Coast 10ft Classic were decided.

A total of six divisions and a novelty nose riding event were completed over the two days with 50 plus competitors making the best of the not-so-Queenslandish weather. The over 50 women’s division was taken out by Kerry Davenport amid strong competition, defeating Dimity Faulkner, Megan Bennett and Ruth Goiny. In a very close fought final in the women’s open, Keale Dorries took the honours. She overcame fierce competition from Dimity Faulkner and Savannah Fitzsimmons.

The over 60 men’s division was won by David Storck. He overcame some exciting surfing from Michael Jenkins, John McGhee and Ian Borland. Based on the dynamic level of surfing out there you would have to seriously question their age! The over 50 men’s really shone going from strength to strength through the heats eventually seeing Wayne Dean taking victory over Paul Lomas, Jason Barbour and Craig Feenam. In the over 40 men’s division the SUSinc veteran Steve Morley took the honours over a field of legends, narrowly beating Peter Cox and Loz Stephenson.

The Open men’s division was a stacked field ultimately won by Dylan Henry over Steve Morley, Loz Stephenson and Wayne Dean. The surfers could not have been more on-point with their surfing and making difficult conditions look inviting! Special mention goes to Wayne Johnston who spent many hours designing the inaugural trophy which will display the winners of each division at the GC 10 ft SUP Classic.

Sunday afternoon’s longest nose ride novelty event provided a stylish dose of chaos and calamity. Not the easiest conditions for all the toes on the nose but some amazing action and near fatal collisions as the no rules nose riding comp saw all competitors hit the surf zone at the same time sending the local prone boarders packing their bags. Ultimately the winner of the longest nose ride and taking home a magnificent trophy was Jesse Downes with David Storck in second and Malcolm Axford taking home the bronze on a borrowed board! Big thanks to Michael Jenkins for sponsoring the event and providing the longest nose ride art work awarded to the winner as a perpetual trophy.