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GBSUP REPORTING :
GBSUP DIRECTORS REPORT
Words : Scott Warren - GBSUP Events Director Photos : Amanda Roberts - P3T Photography
2022 – the season so far
Successes of the season
Already we have wrapped up our Distance Series and have just one technical race to come in October and our National Champs in September .
The biggest success for me is the community ' s continued support the GBSUP series receives . The sponsors , our competitors , the tireless work of our volunteers , our ambassadors and our spectators make the GBSUP series a success . It ' s so much more than racing , and it ' s too easy to get wrapped up in the details or what can be done better . Taking a moment to stand back and view the collective community and what GBSUP offers everyone is quite something .
Partnerships
GBSUP relies heavily on our industry friends to make the series happen . It ' s not just sponsorship ; it ' s the support for our raffle , hosting events , helping with our operational needs , and much more . Without our partners , we couldn ' t deliver the racing we do at a national level . BSUPA , Surfing England , Water Skills Academy and British Canoeing have all been working with us to deliver specific criteria for international selection and junior participation . We see these alignments as a considerable achievement and a high priority for the future growth of our sport .
New ownership
Many of our followers and competitors are familiar with the original UKSUP series from 2014 . For 2022 however , GBSUP is a brand new formation of an entirely new structure and directing board . Whilst the national series has continued to roll on , it was very much hanging in the balance at the end of 2021 . There was more than one occasion where we thought 2022 might not happen . Certainly , not a full distance and technical series , never mind our National Champs .
This new formation , however , gives us a degree of ownership , and our goals represent this . For me , it ' s a full circle to get here from 2012 and the original UK SUP Club ' s initiative ( UKSUPC ) to being involved in GBSUP with the same ambition to grow SUP racing . We look forward to finishing 2022 with the same successes we have seen and hitting the ground running in 2023 .
Events roundup Northern SUP Beadnell Belter
Kicking off our Tech Series up in the beautiful Northumbrian village of Beadnell , the Beadnell Belter did not disappoint . For years the northern SUP crews have been crying out for an event their way , and they didn ’ t disappoint when they finally got the chance to host a National Series race . With racers coming from as far as Essex , Jersey , Wales and the south west , the event was well attended .
The conditions gave us sunshine and a strong breeze , and with a course laid out right on the beach , it made for exciting viewing for the spectators . Alongside our Tech Series race , we also ran sprints and our second Water Skills Academy Junior Clinic giving the groms the opportunity to learn from two of the countries leading paddlers , Emily Evans and Sarah Perkins .
Blue Chip Battle of the Thames
Hot , hot and well hot were the words to describe this year ’ s BoTT . A staple on the UK SUP racing scene , it never disappoints , representing a challenging year after year . It wasn ’ t all blazing sunshine , though , as , throughout the 16km distance , our paddlers also had showers , wind and the chop from 100 plus paddlers going up and down the course . The 2022 edition allowed two of our young chargers to put their stamp on the Distance Series , with the Euro Tour tempting some other paddles overseas .
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