Top SUP Stories Of 2022

SAN DIEGO, California - We've started seeing many of our favorite events return after being on pause in 2020 and 2021. There's a lot to look back on in the last year, so before we head into the new year, we're taking a look at a few of the biggest SUP stories from 2022.

1. Bertish Completes 2,465 Mile Transpacific Crossing, Solo & Unsupported

Chris Bertish, internationally acclaimed speaker, author, big wave surfer, Guinness SUP World Record holder and conservationist, arrived safely at the Aloha Dock at the Hawaii Yacht Club in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 17, completing his historic 2,465-mile expedition to wing-foil across the Pacific Ocean for the Transpacific Wing Project. This endeavor is the world’s first solo, wing foil, transpacific crossing, and surpasses Bertish’s previous world record for the longest distance traveled on a wing-foil, solo and unsupported at 212 miles achieved in June 2021.

Read more on this story HERE.

Chris Bertish on his historic crossing. | Photo: Quin O'Hara

2. Baxter & Zilg Come Out On Top At Alicante SUP Open

We saw impressive performances from April Zilg and Connor Baxter all throughout the APP World Tour. The Alicante SUP Open saw the world’s top athletes assemble in Spain for the final stop of the 2022 APP Racing Tour, where Baxter and Zilg claimed the World Titles while Shuri 'Shrimpy' Araki and Melanie Lafenetre got their first wins on the APP World Tour to close the season. Connor Baxter once again clinched the Sprint win ending the 2022 season undefeated.

Read more on this story HERE.

Alicante was a victory lap for April Zilg. | Photo courtesy: APP World Tour

3. 2022 Supconnect Awards Winners Announced

After more than six weeks of deliberations and intense evaluations we are pleased to announce the winners of the 2022 Supconnect Awards. After nominating 30 or so men, women, groms and blogs per category, and an abundance of brands and shops in the stand up paddle industry we've finally narrowed down the extremely talented pool of nominees to the final chosen winners.

Read more on this story HERE.

4. Casper Steinfath Completes Denmark Circumnavigation With Epic Downwinder

After 54 days and 1,450 kilometers around Denmark, the Danish SUP World Champion, Casper Steinfath, finally set his feet on the beach in his hometown Klitmøller Wednesday night. The 28-year-old is the first ever to circumnavigate Denmark on a stand up paddle board. He started on April 2nd in picture-perfect conditions with sun from a clear blue sky and an unusual glossy North Sea and finished at the same place after an epic downwinder of 70 kilometers. When he came home, he let the emotions run in front of 300-400 people standing at the clubhouse.

Read more on this story HERE.

Casper Steinfath, the first-ever to circumnavigate Denmark by SUP. | Photos courtesy: Red Bull Media House / Kasper Bøttern

5. ICF Announces Partnership With Carolina Cup

The International Canoe Federation was excited to announce it teamed up with one of the biggest stand up paddle events on the planet as part of an incredibly busy 2022 SUP season. The Carolina Cup on the USA’s east coast attracts hundreds of paddlers every year, and 2022 also doubled as an ICF ranking race for both technical and long distance courses as part of the ICF world series.

Read more on this story HERE.

Carolina Cup Graveyard Race start. | Photo: Urban Ocean SUP

6. EQUIP Reimagines The SUP Rental System

It’s safe to say that most of us have experienced frustration and inconvenience when using traditional rental services. Someone who does not have their own gear for a sport can only enjoy it where rentals are available, and renters are not always instructed in how to use equipment properly. Lenders also must hire staff to manage rentals, as well as track down gear that goes missing.

Equip, a new company based in the US, is rethinking how the rental system works, starting with SUP.

Read more on this story HERE.

Photo courtesy: EQUIP

7. Starboard Introduces Tiki SUP Challenge 10x

In celebration of Starboard's 10x climate positive journey, Starboard announced their virtual SUP challenge, the Tiki SUP Challenge 10X, in March of this year. The challenge was simple: paddle 10km in one session any day between March 23 and October 10, 2022.

Starboard is a 10X Climate Positive brand. So what does 10X climate positive mean? "We achieve this by planting mangroves, that will absorb 10 times the amount of carbon dioxide we emit over 20 years. And this journey would never be possible without YOU, our Tiki Family."

Read more on this story HERE.

Photo via Starboard

8. The SUP 11-City Tour: One Of The World's Toughest Ultra-SUP Races

In 2008, Anne-Marie Reichman founded SUP 11-City Tour, one of the world's toughest ultra-SUP races, which follows the route of the Elfstedentocht. Athletes choose to race the non-stop, 5-day, or a combination of both races for 220 kilometers or 130 miles.

Like Elfstedentocht, SUP 11-City Tour embodies Frisian heritage and pride for the community, athletes, and volunteers who return every year.

Read more on this story HERE.

The first day of SUP 11-City Tour 2022 - 48.8km (30 miles) from Leeuwarden to Sloten. | Photo courtesy: Yahnny Adolfo San Luis

Well there it is - a few of the biggest stories of 2022. Which stories of 2022 were most memorable for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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