SUP Mag UK April 2024 issue 40 | Page 3

58

SUPjunkie reporting

The GlaGla UK

66

Q & A with Jess Ashley

By Peter Tranter

78

The mini guide

North Finistere

86

Meet the designers

By Anni Ridsdill Smith

64

Men ’ s Mental Health and SUP

Jordan Wylie by Jo Moseley

74

The Trent100 2024

By Patrick Cruywagen

80

A chat with … Bruno Hasulyo

By David Partridge

3

Ed ’ s note

Ten years of fun

Ten years is a long time when you look at what potentially lies ahead . And then , just like that , you ’ re at the end of a journey . And ten years seems to have flown by . A wise man once said , “ You can ’ t connect the dots moving forwards . Only going back .” And that ’ s very true .

Looking back on my own personal paddle boarding journey , things have changed a lot from those first forays in 2006 to now . The evolution of stand up and what I once did to how I do things now are very different . The rise of inflatables and , more recently , foiling craft has ( and is ) shaping the industry . COVID was obviously a more recent massively impactful situation . And we ’ re still dealing with the pandemic ’ s fallout and its effects on the sport . It ’ s no secret that the outdoor recreational industry is facing a tough time .

However , one thing has remained throughout the years : getting out on the water , no matter how you choose , is a positive thing . It can serve so many different purposes . From mental health and well-being to physical benefits , SUP ’ s ‘ good stuff ’ is tangible , which is the same for watersports in general .

So , with crystal ball gazing in mind , how does the future look for paddle boarding ? I ’ m no Mystic Meg , and nobody can accurately prophesy the future . That said , trends always emerge . And if you have a handle on the industry behind the scenes , you can make a few predictions . So here goes ...

Brands with a solid foundation and noble ethos will continue to thrive and stick around . Sustainability is a big thing . And without the two , we ’ ll likely lose a few more . But those who remain will come out stronger . I ’ ve mentioned foiling , and that ’ s not going away . The foiling sector is continually innovating and bringing new products to market , making the discipline more accessible and fun .

In recent times , downwind SUP foiling has brought about a call to arms for swingers of paddles to get back amongst it . ( Some riders ditched SUP for prone and wing foil but are back on the paddle trail . Albeit in elevated form ). Sticking my neck out , I see hard paddle boards making a resurgence . They haven ’ t really gone away , but I hear more and more about rising interest . Inflatable technology will improve even further . I ’ ve seen a few bits of info regarding new materials that could impact the iSUP market . We ’ ll have to wait and see .

Additionally , I hope SUPM is around in another ten years to cover the evolution . But that comes down to support , so we thank all our advertising supporters for helping make it happen . We massively salute anyone who ’ s supported SUPM in the past , and any business looking to get involved also gets a big thumbs up from us . SUPM , as with the sport itself , is born out of passion . We do this because we love it .

Lastly , to all the contributors and helpers who ’ ve given their time and efforts to producing great content , we thank you . From all of us here at SUPM ( Pete , Anne , and myself ), I want to give heartfelt cheers . Anyway , I ’ ll stop rambling on now . Suffice to say here ’ s to another successful 2024 and hopefully ten more years of the mag . Enjoy this issue , and maybe we ’ ll see you out on the water . Tez Plavenieks , April 2024

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88 Gear Shed Featuring : JP Australia , Palm Equipment , Isle , SeeCap , Solent Boat Works , The Cold Pod , Vegan Happy , Flyte Wing Wear , FreeWing , AK Nomad , Tidal Rave , EoEPS , Mustang Survival , Engwe , XTRATUF , Saltie Sports , C-Monsta & Oscar Propulsion .

Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishing parent company , 2b Graphic Design Ltd . The publishing of an advertisement in SUP Mag UK does not necessarily mean that the parent company , 2b Graphic Design Ltd , endorses the company , item or service advertised . All material in SUP Mag UK is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved . Reproduction without prior permission is forbidden .