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 competition with excellent weather and surf conditions ruled this weekend’s 2017 Hobie and Salt Life SUP Surf Pro-Am in Wrightsville Beach. After back-to-back qualifying heats and intense finals competition, Martin Letourneur from Saint-Malo, France, captured the coveted and overall performance trophy, the Haywood Newkirk, Sr. All Waterman Award.

After personally paddling, weighing, and thoroughly testing 70+ boards, our expert staff has selected the best stand up paddle board 2017 models. These are designated by the "A" grade and organized by categories (inflatable, all-around, touring, etc).

For the second year in a row, Maui’s Zane Schweitzer has been crowned The Ultimate Waterman, prevailing in a test of skill, strength and spirit that has seen eight athletes tackle eight disciplines in nine days, throughout the Southland region of New Zealand.

For its 4th consecutive year the Air France Paddle Festival has delivered a spectacular show. Spirits were high, the crowd came in full force and competition was fierce. With the new venue, a maxed out 8k amateur race and extra fun added this year it’s easy to claim this has been the best year yet. It wasn’t all fun and games though as the weather this year was both your worst enemy and best friend.

With just three events remaining and 498 points separating the top four, athletes in The Ultimate Waterman will spend the next day preparing for a big final weekend of competition in Southland, New Zealand.

Fiordland has turned on spectacular conditions on day four of The Ultimate Waterman, resulting in plenty of change in the overall standings after five of eight events.

Hosted at an all new venue for 2017, the beautiful Enoshima Beach in the Kanagawa Prefecture just south of Tokyo, the Japan Pro-Am presented by Hawaiian Airlines will take place from the 5th - 7th May, as the World's very best athletes descend upon this picturesque seaside town for a battle to remember.

Eight world-renowned international watermen were welcomed to Invercargill by Ngai Tahu tangata whenua today (Friday 31st March) marking the start of the 2017 Ultimate Waterman.

Athletes will put preparation for the start of The Ultimate Waterman briefly on hold on Friday, March 31st, as they team up with Cystic Fibrosis New Zealand, the Mauli Ola Foundation from Hawaii, and the Southland Boardriders Club to offer a unique experience for children living with CF.

About the board: The Touring Zen is an inflatable board great for paddlers of all skill levels. Primarily designed with touring in mind the board is great for paddling mid-range distances up to 3-5 miles max. It has some nice looks with a mix of bold colors, blues and greens that are very eye-catching. This paddle board is easy to carry being that it weighs slightly over 23 lbs and the glide feels fast which is very surprising since inflatables aren’t usually fast. The board comes with a tool-less FCS II fin which is a perk and also has an FCS adaptor on the deck of the board which is unusual to have on an inflatable. The board has premium features at an affordable price thus deserving Supconnect’s “A” grade. Read more HERE.

About the board: The Freeride is a stable, non-inflatable board that is suited for intermediate-skilled paddlers. It has some really nice looks featuring beautiful Australian Pine and with pops of color. This paddle board is pretty easy to carry since it’s only 26.4 lbs and the glide feels fast. And although the width is a bit narrower at 29 inches, it does feel very stable when paddling. The board is best suited for mid-range paddling between 3 and 5 miles. A premium look and feel give the Freeride a well-deserved “A” grade. Read more HERE.