It’s fair to say SUP surfing gets a pretty bad rep.
Few visions inspire as much terror as the sight of a SUP’er, a few metres in front of you, desperately scraping to make it over a set wave, as the lip begins to feather. In that moment, as you frantically paddle for the shoulder, or duck-dive and hope for the best, you curse the so-called sport of SUPing. Such an incident, particularly if a collision actually occurs, often leaves the victim spitting vitriol about not only the perpetrator, but his craft too, to anyone who will listen for weeks afterwards.
Other surfers, who have not had such a run in, offer a more diplomatic standpoint. On the mention of SUP surfing they throw their arms up apologetically, stating that whilst they respect their fellow wave riders, they just don’t get the appeal. Generally this group cite logistical difficulties (ie a giant, incredibly expensive board, and the constant need to hold on to your paddle) as their reasoning, rather than deep-seated ideological ones.
In this world of division, that we opened up our hearts and minds to our perpetually erect wave riding pals
However, if you find yourself relating to either of these attitude summaries, we’ve got a clip for you. Because isn’t it time, in this world of division, that we opened up our hearts and minds to our perpetually erect wave riding pals? This clip of all round preconception smasher Kai Lenny is perfect for the job as it bridges the gap between those who use a paddle to paddle in and those who don’t. So open your mind and hit play, it might just change the way you see the world. (It probably won’t – any revelations are welcome in the comments though).
