Who is the best Peak body to represent Stand Up Paddle in Australia?

I am not asking who should represent Stand Up Paddle in Australia.

I am asking who is the best Peak body to represent Stand Up Paddle in Australia.

Please broaden your answers to any existing bodies and to any new bodies that could be formed.

You can answer from your existing loyalty.

However today's thread is a broader question that relates to the future of the sport.

I have had a guts full of the political manoeuvring happening in Stand Up Paddle. I have decided to live my vision through my company Suplove and its core values, respect for the community and the environment and the joy of sharing the ocean and in who I am as a person. I run two Stand Up Paddle Schools on the northern beaches, Sydney. I see my vision in the delight on a first timers as they "get" SUP. I see it in the Suplove community. I see it in adventure and sharing waves.

I am the founder of Suplove, I sat in on the first meeting discussing a Sup peak body now called Sup-Australia. I asked not to be on the board as I started to see the political side in Australia was not in congruence with my vision. I am from a surfing background and a surf coaching background and yet pushed my company to make the naval architect designed and specialised flat water race board the "Stingray". Surfing is one of the things we can do. I am excited of the prospect of Olympic dreams, Rio has a nice ring to it. Kai Lenny smoked us racing on the Ocean yesterday. These are my dreams.

Who is the best Peak body to represent Stand Up Paddle in Australia?

An association of some type that will encompass all aspects of SUP rather than have separate bodies for each discipline, it should definitely be a non profit organization as well IMHO.

Having splinter groups try and run a sport never works, a democratically elected board of esteemed old buggers and some young rippers is what you want.

Just don't let Surf Life Saving get hold of it IMO.

Sup representative bodies are needed for when the powers that be come out with the rules and regulations that govern stand up paddling we have an organized group to put forward our views on these issues and may have a small bit of influence on these decisions because I don't think joe blow sup'r and his mate from a local surf break will get noticed much when they object on there own to wearing a pfd in the surf zone.
I'm happy with the events being run by surfing australia, they already have the infrastructure in place for state and national titles to be held in coastal areas well suited to surfing, bop racing and distance racing and they seem willing to listen to competitor feed back for improving of future events as the sport progresses.

gregc said...
I think someone called Bernie should do it, we didnt have any trouble when Bernie was in charge of the reserve bank and if he can do that then I reckon he could organise a bunch of surfers. He could form a board, with blokes on it with names like Knocker, Trev or Kerry. That would inspire confidence I think.

Would he provide the SUPer of the future.....Seriously, what has happened to SUP NSW???? or SUP Australia, no info on State or Aussie titles on their current website? What's SUP?

62mac said...
I think once you sort out which is the best camera then you can move on.

Bring back makaha he was much funnier.

beerssup said...

62mac said...
I think once you sort out which is the best camera then you can move on.

Bring back makaha he was much funnier.

I agree[}:)]

Makaha said...

beerssup said...

62mac said...
I think once you sort out which is the best camera then you can move on.

Bring back makaha he was much funnier.

I agree[}:)]

got to agree with beers sup running comps is hard work
I say run one at your beach have some fun dont charge too much and just get the guys and girls in the water and beer at the end try it next year at Scotts Head or the beach house Fiji

Sup needs an association to run it just like most sports. Just don't need too many.
Think WBA, WBC, IBF, WBF, IBO, WTF,
WGAF, FMD, FFS, ETC.

I think you guys should be right with a decent Code of Conduct that comes with EVERY SUP sold or rented in Australia.

Here's a couple of ideas to get you started:

1) Just because you CAN paddle for every wave does not mean you should
2) Boardshorts OR a wetsuit, never both

LateStarter said...
I think you guys should be right with a decent Code of Conduct that comes with EVERY SUP sold or rented in Australia.

Here's a couple of ideas to get you started:

1) Just because you CAN paddle for every wave does not mean you should
2) Boardshorts OR a wetsuit, never both

3) legrope

Thank you for your contributions. I hope the picture of who is the best peak body is clearer to all :))

Was this not discussed in a rather heated topic a year ago
Surfing Australia otherwise its like reinventing the wheel.

Clubs and members join there state bodies Surfing QLD,NSW and alike seems
the easy and smart path imo.

I attended both the SUP Australia National Titles and the Surfing Australia Titles this year and if the calibre of entrants is anything to go by the Surfing Australia Titles would win hands down.

Don't be fooled into thinking that 'not for profit' really means anything. Some of these organisations set themselves up like this then just pay their 'executives' a very high salary.

Just like everything else, competition is the only way to go, otherwise fat cat central.

Just to throw another cat amongst the pidgeons with this one, some of my flatwater paddling SUPers belong to Paddling NSW. They seem to do a resonable job with things like flat water stuff. I wouldnt at all suggest they could competently look after a surf event though.