Come and join the Kiwis 11-12 March 2017 for the NZ SUP Nationals, New Zealand's premier SUP event, featuring a two-day festival of Stand Up Paddle board racing that brings together paddlers from all over the country and the world.
Sunset Beach delivers great conditions for a spectacular finals day that saw dramatic action from start to finish and Champions crowned at Stop #1 of the 2017 APP World Tour.
With just the quarters thru final remaining for the Men's division and just the Final left for the women here at the 2017 Sunset Beach Pro, tension is mounting as we build up to what promises to be a spectacular final day of action at Stop #1 of the APP World Tour.
Carlos ‘Coco’ Nogales is used to being challenged on a grand scale, but Mexico’s big wave surfing ace is expecting his first visit to New Zealand to provide as tough a test as any he’s faced in the water.
Blue skies, clean conditions and high performance surfing was the order of the day on Day 3 of the 2017 Sunset Beach Pro, as we completed the repecharges for both Men & Women, as well as Round 3 of the Men, and Semi Finals for the Women.
23-year-old Floridian Robert Norman is a relative newbie to the stand up paddle (SUP) world only having been introduced to the sport two short years ago but he just accomplished a monster of a task earning the new Men’s and Overall World Record for distance paddled in 24 hours.
After one of the more challenging days filled with heavy cloud cover, rain and challenging conditions on the opening day, the opposite was the case yesterday at the 2017 Sunset Beach Pro, with clear blue skies and groomed, beautiful surf for what was to be an epic day of competition for both Men & Women.
Eight of the world’s best will return to New Zealand in April to compete for the coveted title of The Ultimate Waterman. Now into its third year, this unique event will push the athletes to the brink as they travel and compete in some of the most challenging, yet spectacular conditions in New Zealand.
Get the 2017 Sunset Beach Pro preview, logistics for the new APP World Tour for both Surfing and Racing events, and find out how you can participate in the events and compete at the highest level.
| Price: $1,999 | Build: Non-inflatable |
| Skill: Intermediate | Use: Touring |
| Weight: 27.9 lbs | Sizes: 10', 11'6", 12'6", 14' |
Who is this for: If you’re looking for a stable, non-inflatable touring board to paddle mid to long range distances then the Touring Elite by Starboard is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board has the Starlite construction which is durable and has both positives and negatives. Due to its width of 29 inches the board is somewhat stable. The board has 2.79 lbs per foot and weighs a total of 27.9 lbs which is slightly heavy for only a 10ft board. Its shape makes the Touring Elite a touring board best for intermediate paddlers designed with touring in mind. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for recreational paddling between 3 to 10 miles max. Retailing at $1,999, the board is among the high-price point boards but is among the best of what the brand has to offer.
As Starboard SUP ambassadors Donica and Abe Shouse have gotten their hands (and feet) on Starboard’s new GoFoil SUP foiling boards and have gotten some awesome photos and videos of their time experimenting with their new gear. In the video above watch Donica and Abe play with their foils.
| Price: $3,399 | Build: Non-inflatable |
| Skill: Advanced | Use: Race |
| Weight: 26.4 lbs | Sizes: 12'6", 14' |
Who is this for: If you’re looking for a fast, non-inflatable, premium race board to paddle in all conditions then the All Star from Starboard is worth a look. This stand up paddle board (SUP) comes in the Carbon Sandwich construction which is durable and has its ups and downs. Due to its narrow 24.5 inch width the board is very unstable however, the board is very lightweight for a 14’ paddle board having only 1.86 lbs per foot, weighing a total of 26.4 lbs. Its shape makes the All Star a board designed primarily for SUP racing. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for advanced paddlers to be used for all kinds of racing (downwind, flatwater, choppy, etc.). Retailing at $3,399, the All Star is among the high-tier price point but comes with the best that the brand has to offer.