Stand-up paddling
Stand-up paddling ( SUP , too) standing paddles called, a is water sport in which an athlete upright on a buoyant board ( stand-up paddle-board or standing paddle board ) communicating with a bladed paddle paddles .
Emergence
Stand-up paddling can be traced back to several origins. On the one hand, Polynesian fishermen off Tahiti paddled on the sea in their canoes while standing. In Asia, in particular, one-man bamboo rafts are still in use, where paddles are used in addition to poles when standing. On the other hand, in the 20th century, surf instructors in Hawaii used stand-up paddling as a comfortable way of getting around, using a paddle to get faster from the shore to the breaking reefs and back with their surf boards . Due to the elevated position on the board, the surf instructor also had a better overview of the surf students.
In the 2000s, stand-up paddling developed as an independent sport independent of wind and waves, and it became increasingly popular as a recreational sport . So it has developed into a water sport with its own technology and separate competitions. Stand-up paddling is primarily practiced in Hawaii, the US Pacific coast , Australia , the British Isles and Japan . Stand-up paddling has also recently found its way into Europe.
In the beginning, existing surfboards as well as longboards or so-called tandem boards from surfing were used. They generate enough buoyancy to support the weight of the athlete with equipment (paddles, clothing) and the athlete can stand on them. The board leash , which prevents the loss of the board, also comes from surfing . Various manufacturers now offer special stand-up paddle boards and paddles. In the past, SUP boards for stand up paddling in waves were similar in their geometry to an ordinary surfboard. Boards specially adapted for this sport have now been developed.
With the invention of inflatable stand-up paddle boards (so-called iSUPs or inflatable SUPs), the sport was able to develop further, as the handling and transport of such boards was significantly simplified and was therefore open to the general public. As a result, SUP has become a widespread recreational sport today.
Stand up paddling is combined with surfing in SUP surfing . The speed can be increased by the thrust of the waves. This makes it possible to cover distances faster and with less effort than with pure paddling.
Board and accessories
board
SUP boards can generally be divided into hardboards and inflatable boards (inflatable SUP / iSUP). Inflatable boards are more comfortable than hardboards for transport and storage, but less stiff than hardboards with an internal pressure of up to 1.7 bar . Depending on the application, such as touring, racing, surfing, waves or white water, there are suitable boards in stores. The differences result from the area of application, the paddler weight and your own paddling experience. For example, while touring boards offer stability and attachment options, whitewater boards are very agile. A more pointed board type is used for distance or race stand up paddling. There are also so-called all-round boards on offer, which cover a wider range of areas of application and are especially suitable for beginners.
There are boards on the market in lengths between 1.80 and over four meters, with the volume of the boards between 100 and 250 liters. A longer board can be ridden faster. A board with a lot of volume offers a lot of float. With large boards, the volume is even enough to carry several people. Several manufacturers offer special tandem SUP boards for two people. There are also XXL SUP boards on the market that can carry up to 10 people and are mainly borrowed by companies for team building measures.
paddle
Paddles are available in different designs: Simple paddles often have an aluminum shaft and a simple plastic blade. Higher quality paddles are made of fiberglass or carbon fiber reinforced plastic and are significantly lighter. There are also wooden paddles and paddles with bamboo leaves.
The paddle should be about one paddle length longer than the height of the paddler. In Distance Stand Up Paddling (Race) , slightly longer paddles are often used. This enables longer and more powerful trains and the associated higher top speed on the route. The size of the paddle blade can also be varied in order to achieve different driving characteristics.
technology
The athlete stands upright on the surfboard and paddles with a paddle. The side on which you paddle is regularly changed. The basic paddle stroke can be divided into three sections
- Paddle immersion phase
- Paddle pull phase
- Paddle return phase.
When SUP surfing, the paddle is also used to control the board and to support balance.
Recreational sports
Stand-up paddling is now common all over the world. SUP boards can now be rented at many bodies of water. SUP courses to get started in the sport are also widespread. In addition, there are more and more special areas of application for stand-up paddling such as SUP yoga or SUP fishing .
organization
In Germany, sport is organized in parallel in several sports associations: The German Stand-Up Paddle Association (GSUPA), together with the German Canoe Association (DKV) and the German Wave Rider Association (DWV), form the Stand Up Paddle Alliance Germany - SUP AG. Internationally, both the International Canoeing Association and the International Surfing Association consider themselves to be representatives of the SUP sport.
Competitive sport
The aim of almost all competitions is to cover a certain distance as quickly as possible. The following disciplines are primarily distinguished as competitive sports.
- Beach Race: route near the shore around several buoys. The finish and start of a beach race are on the beach.
- Long Distance: Long distances between 6 and 12 km in length.
- Sprint Distance: Short distances of max. 500 m. Up to 6 participants start at the same time.
- Whitewater: stretches with turning marks. Several participants start at the same time.
- Wave: Evaluation of maneuvers in waves within a defined time window.
literature
- Christian Barth: SUP - Stand Up Paddling. Material - technology - spots . Delius-Klasing-Verlag, Bielefeld 2019, 4th edition, ISBN 978-3667115102 .
- Steve Chismar: Stand Up Paddling. SUP - fascination with a new sport . Delius-Klasing-Verlag, Bielefeld 2013, 1st edition, ISBN 9783768835817 .
- Jan Meessen: SUP travel guide Germany. DKV-Verlag, Duisburg 2016, 1st edition, ISBN 9783937743615 .
Web links
- German SUP Challenge , competition tour in Germany
- SUP in the German Canoe Association
- SUP in the German Surfing Association
- German Stand Up Paddle Association
Individual evidence
- ↑ Andreas Lesti: “Stand-up paddling”: They are on it. In: FAZ.NET . August 28, 2011, archived from the original ; accessed on August 6, 2020 .
- ^ Robby Naish interview . In: StandUpMagazin.com , June 3, 2011.
- ↑ Stand Up Paddling competition regulations of the SUP Alliance Germany (SUP AG) , accessed on April 14, 2019