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.
The newly formed Association of Paddlesurf Professionals (APP) announces a big-name line-up for its 2017 APP World Tour, an amalgamation of the Stand Up World Series and the Stand Up World Tour.
| Price: $2,899 | Build: Non-inflatable |
| Skill: Advanced | Use: Race |
| Weight: 24.1 lbs | Sizes: 12'6", 14' |
Who is this for: If you’re looking for a very fast, non-inflatable, premium race board to paddle in a variety of conditions then the FX Pro from SIC Maui is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the Single Carbon Composite (SCC) construction and has its ups and downs. Due to its width of 25 inches the board is very unstable however, the board is very fast. Its construction is very lightweight having 1.72 lbs per foot weighing 24.1 lbs total. Its shape makes the FX Pro an all-around race board that should be used only by advanced and lightweight paddlers and was designed primarily for competitive racing. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for long-distance paddling between 5-10 miles plus. Retailing at $2,899, the board sits at a premium price point but comes with the best that the brand has to offer.
| Price: $1,699 | Build: Non-inflatable |
| Skill: Intermediate | Use: Race |
| Weight: 34.5 lbs | Sizes: 12'6", 14' |
Who is this for: If you’re looking for a fast, non-inflatable, all-around race board to paddle in races with a variety of conditions then the X from SIC Maui is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the Tuff Carbon Wood (TWC) construction which is durable and has its ups and downs. The X is 29.5 inches wide making it a pretty stable race board and it weighs 2.76 lbs per foot, 34.5 lbs in total, which is moderately heavy for its length of 12’6”. Its shape makes the X an all-around race board that can be used by intermediate paddlers in most racing conditions. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for sprint or long-distance racing. Retailing at $1,699, the board is in the high-tier price point but comes with some of the best that the brand has to offer.
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.
Restube, a young company from Germany, has developed the smallest and lightest inflatable life jacket ever. With the SUP scene caring more and more about safety this is a product every paddle boarder should take a look at.
Australia reclaimed the Team Gold Medal and Waikiki-Peru World Team Champion Trophy at the fifth edition of the 2016 Fiji ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship. Australia had won the team title at the first three editions of the event after losing to Team USA at the 2015 edition in Sayulita.
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.
After two action packed days of SUP Surfing at Cloudbreak to kick off the 2016 Fiji ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship, the racing disciplines will take center stage for the next three consecutive days of the competition.
As we sit in the heat of downwind season we've decided to compile a list of the top must-do downwinders around the world. We teamed up with the crew at SIC Maui who've built some of the best downwind boards on the market, so they know a thing-or-two about a good downwind run when they see it.