SUP Mag UK April 2022 issue 32 | Page 7

plenty of information past and present , it wasn ’ t a hub for all things GBSUP . The new site has been developed with two angles in mind , bringing in all our elements under one roof and being a single location for competitors to interact with GBSUP and our activities . Some critical feedback from the last few years has been the disparate nature of finding entry links and results , which has been a significant factor with the new site . Alongside a dedicated events calendar , you will find all the details about GBSUP and our regional , national and sanctioned events , plus our store , rules and regulations and more .
One of the most exciting things to come out of GBSUP recently is the launch of ‘ Race From A Box ’ - can you tell us more about that Adrian ? With the growth of SUP popularity and the increase in market size , we felt the time was right to take GBSUP to a place it ’ s been desperately lacking in recent years ... out to the masses ! Our Race From A Box initiative brings together a set of tools and standard practices with a regional series model to help clubs , schools and SUP enthusiasts run GBSUP sanctioned races without the admin burden of setting up a race event . The Race From A Box contains everything you need from risk assessments , course layouts , entry templates to added bolt-ons such as operational plans and race-specific insurance . This initiative is already helping us hit our goal of establishing a full regional competitive model to support the national series and bring SUP racing in the UK together in an organised and standardised way .
The Regional Race Series has been talked about for a few years , with many believing it is the future of racing in the UK – can you let us know how you plan to support this idea ? One of our first goals when redeveloping GBSUP was to build a new model that included supporting regional competition . It ’ s a short-term goal with several pilot series already in place for 2022 , including Wales , Norfolk and Kent . Soon we hope to introduce Scotland to the regional race scene . Our Race From A Box initiative supports the Regional Series , with the primary goals to test new systems and crown regional champions .
A crucial part of this initial pilot is developing a competitive model that moves away from solely rewarding the fastest paddlers . We want to push progression through the fleet and make it easier for newcomers to get into racing without needing years of training or the latest 14 ’ race board to be competitive . Within the Regional Series , we are piloting a divisional system whereby paddlers enter according to their time over a 2km distance
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