What is SUP?
SUP stands for Stand Up Paddle Boarding.
Stand up paddle boarding originates from surfing in Hawaii. Surf instructors in Waikiki would take paddles and stand on their boards to get a better view of incoming swells.
But SUP as we know it today seemed to have kicked off in around 2004 when a paddle board was brought back from Hawaii to California.
Fast forward nearly 20 years and BOOM! There’s no denying the huge surge in 2020 due to COVID. Remember the days when we weren't allowed to travel but socially distanced outdoor activities were permitted? Well combine that with an absolute belter of a British summer and voila… SUP explosion!
In February 2023, Sport England finally made SUP a recognised discipline of paddlesport, as opposed to a recreational activity. As it stands there are two National Governing Bodies: Paddle UK (formally known as British Canoeing) & Surfing England.
Without focusing on ‘who’ has been made the/a national governing body, it’s great that SUP safety will be highlighted as a result, along with official regulations.
