Ed ’ s note
SUP safety
The last few years have seen unprecedented amounts of new paddlers take to the water . This is great for the paddle boarding industry and the wider watersports world . Anybody discovering SUP will be suitably pleased by how accessible it is . We all can appreciate how simple it is to get afloat , grab an affordable inflatable board and paddle and get stuck in . Unfortunately , here lies the problem .
With SUP ' s perceived ease , many of the aforementioned newbies have little to no prior water experience . Whether heading for the coast or inland waters , any seasoned rider will tell you there ' s more to paddling environments than meets the eye . Experienced eyes will spot hazards straight away . Not so much with newbies .
A number of SUP incidents have occurred since SUP ' s boom , ending in tragedy . In some of those cases , the end results could possibly have been prevented . In all circumstances , understanding your environment and how to keep safe is paramount .
In recent weeks SUP industry movers and shakers have been on the hard charge to identify ways of raising SUP safety awareness . Some brands already do good work within this area , but there ' s still more to be sorted out . The big problem is reaching end users who sometimes don ' t even know they ' re missing vital intel .
I don ' t have any answers , but I will try and help those I see who look in need of guidance whilst out and about . It ' s hard not to come across as patronising sometimes , but I ' d rather be told to do one , having tried , than let them get on with it . And I ' d encourage the same for all of us during floats . This may be a small part of the puzzle , but hopefully , some of those we educate will grow and prosper within SUP .
As far as the industry approach to SUP safety , there ' s now set to be a unified voice . Which is a great start . There ' s plenty more to be done , and I ( as a lot of us ) will be watching to see how things unfold .
Have fun in the water this summer . But do keep SUP safety in mind . The last thing any of us wants is more statistics .
On a lighter note , we hope you enjoy the latest issue of SUPM . As always , there are loads to sink your teeth into . Pull up a pew and have a read . The door ' s always open for anyone with questions , queries , feedback or submissions . From all the SUP team : have a good ' un !
Thanks as always to our many contributors and those who get involved with the mag . It might just be a loaned ear when a bit of venting is needed . Alternatively , it could be one of the many scribes and photographers we work with . There are many levels to making a magazine . Big up to all of you - we couldn ' t do it without your involvement . Massive thanks !
Tez Plavenieks – August 2022
004 GBSUP reports By Scott Warren 010 A natter with …
Guinness World Record holder Samantha Rutt 022 Paddle Her Way By Sarah Blues
030 Norwegian fjord SUP
By Dave Brown
036 Don ’ t stop moving
Rob Britton ’ s Parkinson ’ s story
044 Caz Dawson Q & A By Tez Plavenieks
052 # ShePaddles chats
Emma Love interviews Lina Patel
058 SUP freestyle
BBy Tez Plavenieks
064 Seated SUP
By Will Behenna
068 Coast to coast SUP
By Adrian Angell
076 Battling the Broads
By Alexandra Tyrer
084 Lake Sylvenstein SUP
By Valentin Illichmann
090 Gear shed
Cover photo : Samantha Rutt and Mark Walton completing the North Channel crossing Photo : Steve Rutt
Additional thanks to : Red Paddle Co , Paul Payne , Paul O ’ Garra , Hari Corp , Ray Goodwin Collection , Graham Woollven , Tim Angell , Stephen Angell , Chris Lowe , Moira Barson , Scott Turner , Adrian Lomas , Oliver Farys , Oli Lane-Peirce , Darren Farrar , Sarah Thornely , & Pistyll Productions
Not all contributors are professional writers and photographers , so don ’ t be put off writing because you have no experience ! Next issue is October 2022 with a deadline
of submissions on September 5th 2022 . Technical Information : Contributions preferably as a Microsoft Word file with 800-1200 words , emailed to tez @ supmaguk . co . uk . Images should be hi-resolution . SUP Mag UK encourages contributions of any nature but reserves the right to edit to the space available . 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 from the publisher is forbidden . contents issue thirty-four 08-22
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