SUP Mag UK October 2016 issue 11 | Page 44

switch off from real life. Or in the words of Paul Gauguin, “The biggest challenge in life is to overcome the boundary in yourself and go to a point you never would have thought you would ever go.” I invest so much time and energy hiking all the way up mountains just for short paddling periods. As a passionate surfer and extreme paddler, I’m used to spending a lot of time on the water. So why carry a SUP for hours up the mountain, while you could paddle on any other lake easily reachable by car? I actually ask myself the same question sometimes. The answer is quite simple: It takes me out of my comfort zone and takes me to where I can unwind and Some might look for the perfect wave whereas I am looking for the perfect moment high up in the Alps. In the shadow of the mountains each paddle stroke brings me closer to life. About the author Always looking for new challenges in sports and everyday life, Thomas Oschwald strives to hit his limits. His inner conviction is what brings him bigger and smaller challenges in life. They make him acutely aware of experiences away from daily routines. As an extreme paddler he does not want to go the easy way. A journey or an adventure should never lose the uncertainty and always give opportunity to make the impossible possible. This pursuit of trying new routes and never standing still makes him complete. s t a n d u p p a d d l e m a g u k 44