Tell us what you think in general of women’s SUP? It’s a
growing area with more ladies coming into the fold each year.
Do you think this upward trend will continue?
The accessibility and versatility of SUP has definitely captured the female imagination. It’s
not just about surfing, racing and downwinding. With the growing popularity of SUP fitness
and Yoga, manufacturers are now producing boards specifically aimed towards the female
paddler. With more SUP clubs emerging and offering social paddling and fun racing at a
local level, I'm sure even more woman will be inspired to take up SUP and hopefully try
their hand at some racing.
Talk us through your prep before a big event like BOP. What’s
your routine and which areas of your paddling do you focus on
most during the lead up?
In the final eight weeks leading up to a big event like the BOP, I focus my practice on race
specific skills and conditions. For the BOP, my on water training concentrated on beach
starts, beach transitions, paddling in and out and manoeuvring and generally feeling
comfortable in the waves. In the two weeks immediately before the race I taper down my
training and use this time prepping my kit. This includes everything from leash system,
hydration pack, PFD, recovery food & drink, board & paddle grips and sponsors logos..
What equipment are you riding at the moment and why?
I mainly race on a 12'6 race board. Thanks to support from Starboard, I have a couple of
race boards to use for different conditions. The Starboard Ace is my choice in the wind and
chop. It absolutely flies up and downwind, it’s almost like cheating! For the BOP I used the
Starboard AllStar for both the elite and distance races. It's great for catching and riding
waves and has fantastic speed on the straight, flat sections between buoy turns – it
enabled me to work my way up the fleet after my terrible start!
For surfing, I have two Starboard surf SUPs; the 7.4 and 7.7 Carbon Pros. My 7.4 is my go to
board if conditions allow. With only 80litres of volume, there becomes a point if it's windy and
choppy where I am falling in more than I am floating; then my 7.7 comes into its own!
Do you have any plans for the winter – either travel trips of
personal SUP goals? Are you planning on taking a break from
SUP and doing anything else or will you push on?
At the time of writing, we are just about to embark on a three week trip to Australia and it
will of course be including some SUP! This is my first trip to Australia and my first
downwind races; we'll be entering the two well-known downwind races, the Dr Race and the
King of the Cut. On our way out to Perth we'll be stopping over in Abu Dhabi for a few days
to see the Grand Prix, which should be epic! Following our week of downwinding and
surfing in Perth we'll be heading to Sydney to visit my brother and his family. It should be
one amazing trip, I cannot wait!
What would you say to any women reading this, thinking
about stepping up and competing? How would you encourage
them to enter an event?
Hook up with your local SUP club (the UK SUP clubs website can help with this), some will
run local races throughout the year. If you haven't got your own race board I would
suggest not rushing into buying one, but try to borrow or rent one first to find a size and
shape of board that you feel comfortable and fast riding. If you are keen to invest in one
piece of kit to help your racing, I'd strongly suggest buying a good, lightweight paddle –
preferably carbon. This will maximise the efficiency of your stroke, whatever board you're
riding. While you may move onto narrower, more challenging boards as your technique
improves, a good paddle matched to your physique should stay with you for years.
Give us three words that sum up stand up paddle boarding for
you personally?
Energising, challenging and limitless!
Any final shout outs?
Yes please! I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supports my racing; Starboard
SUP and Starboard UK, Tideford Organics, Unit 6 Cross Fit and especially to Paul Simmons
whom I love sharing this healthy SUP addiction and lifestyle with!
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