Ever competed in any watersport?
When did you first see/ride a
SUP? Did you ever believe it would
become so popular?
No, I never have and never wanted to compete,
apart from when I was 17, doing the best dive off
that bridge and into the Thames – that was the level
of my competitive nature!
I first tried SUP in Tobago in 2003, it was just
something to do when there was no wind for
windsurfing, it was just having fun on an oversized
board with a kayak paddle. Then in 2007, Blue Chip
was the first UK store to stock Starboard SUP boards.
One sunny day in late 2007 my windsurfing buddy
Gordon and I took two SUP boards off the shelf in
the store and headed down to the Thames near
Hampton Court to ‘have a laugh’ and it was like a
lightbulb being switched on in my head. It dawned
on me that flat water paddling is where this sport
would be really huge. The following year, 2008, I
started my Blue Chip SUP school. After paddling
around Surrey for about two years as a group of
friends, we decided to create the SUPer Club. The
first official club paddle was on 20th May 2009, so
this year will be or 10th anniversary and we have a
few special paddles organised.
I see my job as introducing and enthusing
newcomers to our sport, showing them how much
fun they can have while standing on water.
Teaching them the basics of how to enjoy SUPing
safely and efficiently, safety being the most
important requisite in any water sport.
Did you have people that you
admired in the SUP business
when you were younger?
No! When I was young, there was
no SUP!
s
t
a
n
d
u
p
p
a
d
d
l e
m
a
g
u
k
34