In the world of standup paddle board racing, the name Travis Grant is synonymous with speed and ocean endurance. Grant is considered to be the "best paddler in the world", though his rankings currently (while writing this) place him at #2. But for this Australian, life on and off the water, is about balance.
Surfing in its essence is the art of riding a wave. History takes us back to the ancient Polynesians where this was done with the only purpose was to have fun, yet somewhere along the line the original purpose has been diluted and these days we encounter ourselves sharing the lineups with rather hard-minded people, who think that the only correct way to ride a swell is by using a shortboard.
When you get the chance to go surfing with Mo Freitas on the North Shore of Oahu, even if your foot is cut open from a reef, you go. Writer and traveler Megan Bryan recounts her day on the North Shore with none other than Mo Freitas.
Following the tragic events that took the life of paddler Andres Pombo in the days leading up to the 2015 Naish Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge, SUP athlete and enthusiast Brett Downen gives his take on why wearing a leash and a PFD on the Columbia Gorge is not only a good idea, but an absolute necessity.
BIC SUP ambassador and Supconnect Community Assistant Alex Mauer gives his personal opinion and experience from the 2015 GoPro Mountain SUP Games. Read his take on the event and the courses here.
After ordering boards for paddleboard company Stillwater Paddleboards with his Chinese manufacturer and settling for the use of substandard products, Keith Quien, owner of a paddle board rental/sales shop in Florida, is now shooting himself in the foot after not demanding original equpiment for his paddleboards. Read his story below.
As a SUP athlete I love events that test my skill on the water and push my abilities to new levels. I want to be as well rounded of an athlete as I can be. This event is growing every year and hosts races that test your SUP skills on many levels. This review is based upon my racing experience and is my personal opinion.
Seasoned yoga and paddle board professional Jodelle Fitzwater dishes on her perspective of the question if doing SUP Yoga is better than yoga on land. Read her take here.
CPD (Continual Professional Development) may not always be a direct relation to the sport or activity you coach. Just because we are SUP Coaches, we may not choose to undertake another SUP related course. Opening our minds and relating other courses and experiences will often give us a new skill or experience that can be indirectly related to the sport we coach.
Anyone who's ever seen Sean Poynter, Mo Freitas or Kai Lenny absolutely ripping on a stand up surfboard has no doubt wanted to achieve that same level of performance themselves. Unfortunately, it's nowhere near as easy as they make it look.
If we each make a commitment to pick up one piece of trash every time we hit the shoreline, we can make a tremendous difference. Sometimes, the way we look at something is more important than simply seeing it. Viewpoints impact our perception and actions.
Supconnect chats with Brody Welte on the hot debate of PFD’s vs. Leashes. His thoughts might surprise you…
One of the hot topics in the world of river racing is the size of boards being used - should they be regulated? To shed some light on the topic, Alex Mauer, one of the best river racing and surfing talents in the US, weighs in.
