The Carolina Cup has consistently been a major paddle boarding event that attracts both elite and amateur athletes from around the globe. Attendance records are broken year after year and the event has become the place where standup paddlers come to test their grit and compete against the best in the World. 2017 is expected to be another record-breaking year and with the caliber of athletes in attendance there will be no shortage of excitement. Here are our predictions for how the event will unfold in 2017.

World-class conditions aligned with the world’s fastest standup paddle racers for another paramount display of APP World Tour competition, as the first race event of 2017 got underway.

New Zealand's elite distance and race paddlers came together for the national championships of stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) at Orewa Beach this weekend.

Travis Grant introduces the all new Race Fins from NSP! Super fast and precise, these fins are available for all racers and all board brands using the a US10 fin box. Get ready to race and win... right out of the box!

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a stable, non-inflatable, touring board to paddle mid to long range distances then the NSP Performance Touring is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the E-Tech constriction, which is durable and has its ups and downs. Due to its 30 inch width the board is relatively stable. Its construction is on the heavier side (above 35 lbs) and has 2.82 lbs per foot, weighing 39.7 lbs. (It is worth noting that when we tested this board it was a non-production board so it is heavier than what the production boards should be.) Its shape makes the Performance Touring a touring board that can be used by intermediate paddlers and is designed primarily for recreation. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for mid to long range distances of 5-10 miles. Retailing at $1,499, the board is in the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a fast, non-inflatable, race board to paddle then the NSP Ninja is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the Hybrid Carbon construction which is moderately durable and has its ups and downs. Due to its width of 27 inches the board is unstable however, the board has 2.07 lbs per foot weighing 29.01 lbs which is fairly light for a 14’ board. Its shape makes the Ninja a race board that can be used by advanced paddlers and is designed primarily for competitive SUP racing. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for spring or long distance racing in flatwater conditions. Retailing at $2,599, the board is at a premium price point but is among the best that the brand has to offer.

Following in the footsteps of SUP legends Travis Grant and Titouan Puyo, NSP is proud to add New Zealand’s Marcus Hansen to their international rider lineup.

Over 130 international, interstate and local competitors gathered for the World’s fastest downwind paddle race, the King of the Cut Race on Sunday, December 4, 2016 in Mandurah, Western Australia. Near perfect conditions blew in for the 24-kilometre race with southerly winds at 18 to 20 knots.

The International Surfing Association (ISA) is proud to highlight the legacy that the 2016 Fiji ISA World StandUp Paddle (SUP) and Paddleboard Championship, has left on the sports of SUP and Paddleboard as well as the host country of Fiji.

Can you believe 2016 is coming to an end?! With the gift-giving holidays right around the corner, it's time to think about getting something awesome for the SUP'er in your life so here at Supconnect, we've put together a gift/gear guide of the newest and coolest items to have recently hit the shelves and racks on the SUP market.

With the stunning visual backdrop of Fiji’s natural island beauty, day four of the 2016 Fiji ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship saw Australia’s Michael Booth and New Zealand’s Sam Shergold emerge victorious in the divisions of SUP and Paddleboard, respectively, in an exhilarating 17km race from Cloudbreak to Musket Cove in Fiji.

Four World Champions were crowned on the third day of competition at the 2016 Fiji ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship, as the Finals of the SUP and Paddleboard Technical Races ran in the pristine waters of Fiji’s world-renowned outer reef, Cloudbreak.