In this issue

Reality Check: Inside the tube at Teahupo'o, the scientific benefits of cold water, and the hidden traps of sup touring. Go into the Arctic, paddle around Easter Island and discover the softer side of Maui. And we ask is longboarding a retro throwback or the future of style?

Nature's Training Schedule

The concept of periodisation will be a familiar one to anyone who has trained for sup racing, or in fact, any athletic sport.

2 mins

Towards Salvation

For their eco-ride series “The Green Wave”, Carine and Manu and their two daughters went on a trip to document an inspiring new initiative: in the Chocó region of the Pacific coast of Colombia, surfing has become a form of therapy as a means to heal young kids’ traumas from often violent pasts. They discovered a project that goes right to the heart of the community. .

10 mins

Reality Check

It’s fair to say that the average surfer these days is more desensitised to the idea of heavy waves than the average surfer of twenty years ago. That’s not because people are necessarily surfing heavier waves; Philip Edwards first surfed 6ftPipeline way over half a century ago in 1961. But because we’re seeing a lot more of it. It does make you wonder, could I do it? Could I sell the house and live in the tube? What does it take to make a wave at one of surfing’s ultimate proving grounds? The wave in these photos in particular has held fascination since it exploded into the pages of surf mags as ‘the beast with no back’; sucking up from below sea level to throw surreal submarine tubes. We spoke to Benoit Carpentier and Shakira Westdorp (fresh from taking the women’s sup surf world title in China) on the technicality and reality of making it out alive…

6 mins

Just Another Place To Fall In LOve

I think everyone knows that Maui is the final word for people who have at least two ways of propelling their boards across water. If you have not been there yet, you definitely should, it’s not all Jaws and nuclear force winds on the spiritual home of stand up. Take your board and slip into some moments of pleasure.

5 mins

Length Matters

SUP is embracing a new wave of ‘longboard’ style shapes, retro hype or a glide worth catching? Finn Mullen muses over SUP’s latest lust for logging 2.0.

7 mins

Arctic Light

This year winter came early for me. I found it in the frozen archipelago of Svalbard; hunkered in the Norwegian Sea between the northern cap of Norway and the North Pole. I have to say it really couldn’t come soon enough; Svalbard is in my heart and I feel at home in this ice world.

3 mins

Catch The Sun

It’s fair to say, for as long as we’ve had paddleboarding we’ve also had digital photography. We’re now at a stage where we’re spoilt for choice with incredible optics on our phones, gimbals, affordable drones and DSLRs but a good photo won’t take itself. The adventure of photography is discovering new locations, perspectives, times of day even, and capturing that moment. Photography can add another element to your paddling sessions, giving direction and purpose to your search, and your session continues long after you get off the water as you work through your images looking for the pot of gold. We spoke to Allen Meyer to get some insight to setting up a great shoot…

4 mins

Wild Pacific

Just over a year ago, four friends with no previous experience of paddle-boarding set themselves the challenge to circumnavigate one of the remotest islands in the world by sup. A year in the planning and with limited experience on their sup’s, business executives Neil, Meriel and Mark tackled punishing surf, rolling swells and fickle wind changes as they paddled around Easter Island on their Red Voyager paddle boards.

6 mins

Legends Of The Fall

It’s early July in the Durance Valley of south west France. We’re in the middle of the huge kayak festival and spirits are high as we are about to embark on a sup mission with the great American paddler Dan Gavere and the hometown hero, Frenchie Nico Fayol to run down the Canyon du Fournel atop the Rapid Air 9’6 river board from Fanatic.

2 mins

Paddle Science #13 Cold Exposure

Why are we so afraid of being cold? As creatures of habit we’ll always seek comfort over discomfort, a couple of pillows over none, hot tea rather than tepid coffee and a windproof jacket over a t-shirt. With internal heating, thermostats, Primaloft jackets, merino wool base layers and knitted hats and scarves to keep us warm, it’s hard to actually be cold these days. When you think of the guys who used to climb Everest, right back at the beginning, they wore nothing other than wool jumpers and basic coats. They had none of the technical clothing and gear we have today yet still faced extreme freezing conditions well into the sub-zeros.

4 mins

Get Psyched #8 Heuristic Traps

What does a rule of thumb, educated guess, guesstimate, and plain old common sense have in common? They’re all examples of heuristic thinking: a technique that each of us use quite naturally in everyday life. They allow us to reach an immediate goal without putting too much thought into it, meaning we get stuff done quicker. Heuristic techniques are fine when you’re shopping for groceries for example, but heuristic thinking in critical situations that we as paddlers might find ourselves in, can lead to disaster. This issue, I want to talk about how to recognise and avoid heuristic traps. Otherwise known as, ‘check yourself before you wreck yourself ’.

5 mins

Test Reports - Step On

Of the many advantages that a sup surfer has over their prone brethren, one of the biggest and most fundamental is potential water time. You may live several hours from a breaking wave but unlike a prone surfer, time spent on flat water with your new board is not time wasted.

10+ mins

Read all stories from SUP International

SUP International Magazine Description:

SUP International Magazine is a magazine dedicated to stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). It is published by Arcwind Ltd.

The magazine covers all aspects of SUP, from beginner tips to advanced techniques. It also features interviews with SUP paddlers, reviews of new gear, and destination guides. SUP International Magazine is a popular read for many SUP paddlers, and is known for its high-quality content and informative articles.

Here are some of the topics that SUP International Magazine covers:

* Beginner tips: The magazine provides tips and advice on how to get started with SUP, including choosing the right gear, learning the basics of paddling, and staying safe on the water.
* Intermediate and advanced techniques: For more experienced SUP paddlers, the magazine features articles on advanced techniques such as racing, surfing, and downwind paddling.
* Interviews with SUP paddlers: The magazine interviews SUP paddlers from all over the world, including professional racers, big wave surfers, and recreational paddlers.
* Reviews of new gear: SUP International Magazine reviews all the latest SUP gear, from boards and paddles to accessories.
* Destination guides: The magazine features destination guides to popular SUP spots around the world, including information on where to paddle, where to stay, and what to do when you're not on the water.

SUP International Magazine is a great resource for SUP paddlers of all levels. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about SUP, improve their skills, and stay up-to-date on the latest news and trends in the sport.