H20 Sports demo weekend
Great weather and over 200 new SUPers hit the Water at the BSUPA/H20 Sports
Demo weekend over the weekend of 8 & 9th June.
Fantastic fun racing on Bic One design boards. Big thanks to the Easyriders SUP crew, top job fellas!
Loads of kit to try and some top level racing for inspiration organised by local club Baysup
Big party night with big burgers
That’s what I’m talking about..
British Stand Up Paddle Board Association
Annual General Meeting
16th May 2013, Poole Dorset
Present; Simon Harrow (Chairman), Richard Marsh (Events Co-ordinator), Andy Gratwick (Training), Simon Basset (Training), Roger Turner (Treasurer), Ollie O Reilly (Communications)
Previous meeting
Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a true record
Chairman’s Report
A more in-depth report will be published shortly
Simon Harrow reported that it has been a difficult year with a lot of external criticism and a high BSUPA work load. However Simon Harrow mentioned that at the lengthy General Meeting that preceded the AGM that substantial progress has been made in coming up with a strategy to deal with the main issues that face BSUPA
These issues were identified as ;
o Encompassing the rapidly growing SUP club scene
o Providing a range of events
o Improving communications (website etc)
Membership Report
Simon Harrow said that the membership stands at 200, with 308 individuals having been trained as instructors. There are 100 pending (lapsed) members
Treasurers Report
Roger Turner reported that BSUPA currently have around £3,000 in our Current Account, with around £2,000 of recently accrued debt and outstanding credit of less than £200
Roger Turner mentioned that the main source of BSUPA income derives from training and memberships driven from new instructors courses. The main cost is Insurance at approximately £3,400 per year
Roger Turner said that BSUPA now pay suppliers and expect payments rapidly
Events Activities Report
Rich Marsh mentioned that BSUPA intends to run a number of events in 2013 and beyond. Richard Marsh said that the organisation of events is a time consuming activity and that many factors need to be considered in producing a successful and safe event.
The following events list was presented
o Watergate Bay Joint BSUPA/BKSA event (held in April with enhancements from lessons learnt from similar event last year and reconfirmed for 2014))
o H20 Sports Demo Day, Poole in June. BSUPA will organise taster sessions, and fun racing with BAYSUP running the technical and high level racing
o Bray Lake duathlon (running and SUP) and adventure race on the Thames. Joint event with Simon Frost
o Action Van, Hamble. Joint event with charitable connection via Wave 105 Radio Station
o Paddle-Round-the Pier, Brighton. Joint event with organisers
o Southampton Boat Show, format TBC
o Boscombe, Bournemouth. Joint event with Surf Life Saving
o Watergate Bay, Wave Championship
o Continues as the qualifying event for World championship
o Kingsbridge, Devon, Race Championship
o (National Watersports Festival, Hayling Island, TBC)
Richard Marsh and others mentioned that at this stage it was impossible to organise a National Series of events due to the complexity of organising events. It was also discussed that in the future BSUPA may be able to organise additional Club level events, sanctioned by BSUPA and with a prescribed structure as long as funding and infrastructure are in place. Richard Marsh and Simon Harrow said that appropriate insurance needs to be in place for any BSUPA event.
BSUPA will continue to focus on structures, safety and delivery with Richard Marsh to help organise and (if required) run events.
Richard Marsh said that, for 2014, a list of events should be finalised by November
Training
Andy Gratwick said there are now 20+ schools, forecast to double again and possibly there will be charge to schools for the administration requirements increasing
Andy Gratwick also listed training activities
o 21 ITCs
o 308 total trained instructors
o 140 instructor in last year
o estimated 6,000+ individuals accessing SUP in centres in last year
o Level 2 courses
Andy Gratwick mentioned Sam Ross’s substantial activity with Nielsen as a useful development
Andy Gratwick said that in the future Level 2 instructors will be required for BSUPA schools
Simon Basset said that various manual and certificate updates will be done
Andy Gratwick said that logbooks would be a useful development
BSUPA branded clothing will be provided for instructors and trainers
Any Other Business
Simon Harrow announced that it has been agreed to fund the development of a new website. This will allow OO-R (and others) to regularly update the website (and Facebook) to provide a hub for information
The ongoing relationship with AALA was discussed and considered as beneficial to BSUPA
Simon Harrow and Andy Gratwick led discussion around how to address the criticism from SUP clubs that there is no relationship with BSUPA.
BSUPA will offer SUP club members full BSUPA membership (including insurance) .
o £12 joining fee
o for clubs with more than 10 member
o £50 joining fee
Simon Harrow said that the low price should attract SUP clubs to engage with BSUPA for our mutual benefit. Clubs using this scheme will have to follow the BSUPA requirements.
The new role of a BSUPA Clubs Co-ordinator will help in developing links with SUP clubs and explaining the BSUPA offer. Simon Harrow mentioned that Sam Ross (BSUPA Trainer) has agreed to take this role.
Rich Marsh said that inclusion of SUP clubs with BSUPA will greatly enhance the social aspects of SUP .and bring the sport together.
BSUPA will have to have further discussions with Insurers to finalise the best agreement for these needs
Roger Turner said that discussions with the Environment Agency and Canals and Rivers Trust about SUP access to inland waterways had stalled. However Roger Turner said that BSUPA would continue to pursue these discussions in the hope that a block licence agreement can be reached. Members Martin Tillman, Simon Frost and Dave Jackson may be able to gain support and help with these negotiations.
Call for Trustees/Committee members
Simon Harrow resigned and was re-elected as Chairman
Richard Marsh proposed and elected as Vce Chairman and Events Co-ordinator
Ollie O Reilly to continue as Communications Co-ordinator
Sam Ross (in absentia) proposed and elected as Clubs Co-ordinator
Martin Tillman to work with Sam Ross on Clubs co-ordination
OO-R and Simon Harrow to continue to act as Membership Secretaries
Roger Turner to continue as Treasurer/Secretary
Andy Gratwick and Simon Basset to continue as Training Managers
Simon Harrow and Dave Jackson to take roles in Youth Development
Date of next General Meeting
TBC October at Crabshell Inn
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Lagoon Watersports Opening – Stand Up Paddle Boarding Lagoon Watersports has opened its doors for the season of 2013! For all the Paddle Boarders out there 2013 looks to be a very exciting season. New this year is Brighton and Hove SUP Club, which aims to get people out on the water paddling in new and exciting places. There will be 2 Club sessions per week, Thursdays and Sundays. Sessions will include paddle trips to Brighton’s West and Palace pier, Shoreham harbour, Adur River and some local SUP Surf spots. Further afield locations are also being planned! Brighton and Hove SUP Club aims to create a social SUP scene to get as many people SUP’ing as possible. We are pleased to announce they have some very exciting SUP events coming up including the successful Super SUP Sunday event which is now in it’s second year, and a SUP Demo day on the 19th May to support the local university’s decent of the Amazon, in order to raise funds for 3 Amazonian charities. As well as a varied SUP Programme they also offer SUP Race training sessions through their fitness branch Lagoon Fitness, so if you have a race to prepare for get down the Lagoon and be put through your paces, and get Race fit! To get involved with the SUP scene on the south coast visit www.lagoon.co.uk. For more information email [email protected] or call 01273 424842.Lagoon Watersports Opening – Stand Up Paddle Boarding Lagoon Watersports has opened its doors for the season of 2013! For all the Paddle Boarders out there 2013 looks to be a very exciting season. New this year is Brighton and Hove SUP Club, which aims to get people out on the water paddling in new and exciting places. There will be 2 Club sessions per week, Thursdays and Sundays. Sessions will include paddle trips to Brighton’s West and Palace pier, Shoreham harbour, Adur River and some local SUP Surf spots. Further afield locations are also being planned! Brighton and Hove SUP Club aims to create a social SUP scene to get as many people SUP’ing as possible. We are pleased to announce they have some very exciting SUP events coming up including the successful Super SUP Sunday event which is now in it’s second year, and a SUP Demo day on the 19th May to support the local university’s decent of the Amazon, in order to raise funds for 3 Amazonian charities. As well as a varied SUP Programme they also offer SUP Race training sessions through their fitness branch Lagoon Fitness, so if you have a race to prepare for get down the Lagoon and be put through your paces, and get Race fit! To get involved with the SUP scene on the south coast visit www.lagoon.co.uk. For more information email [email protected] or call 01273 424842.
BSUPA AGM May 16th at 5.30pm in Bournemouth area. For details contact [email protected]
I have come to realise a couple of things.
I’m not an adrenaline junky and I’m not massively competitive. Hope that’s OK.
I know we’re all supposed to be-thrill seekers and extreme all the time,
I should be boasting about the size of the waves, my speed, how many bottom turns, etc etc. I should be showing off and claiming it too!
But it’s not me, not my style.
This was all brought home to me by this afternoon’s paddleboard trip (session sounds too aggressive). Gloomy, cold (60C), breezy (10 knots) and no waves (1ft), not an exciting prospect. But always better than the telly or shopping. And it was.
So off to Sandbanks with my new12’6†Bic Wing Cruise/Race board. Nobody else out, Oh well ‘Go For It’ I thought, any hesitation would mean doom. So quickly on the water, and paddling hard (for me) into the wind, practising a few pivot turns and starting to feel warmer.
Now catching a few little waves and learning to get my weight back quickly on these boards with hardly any rocker. Beach walkers huddled in warm coats hardly notice me, there’s no wooping as I pull into the micro waves! It’s a great sensation sliding on the little swells on such a big board, so smooth and stable.
Things are definitely looking up.
Paddle on up to Canford Cliffs for a bit of shelter from the wind and simultaneously the sun comes out and the water is glassy.
Catch another ten 1foot waves and two 2 foot waves, fall in but getting hot now! Fleecy hat off.
Awesome!
Time to head for home, so back out into the wind for a bit of free assistance.
Can’t believe my eyes when I see a couple of dorsal fins, or is it just cormorants?
No right the first time. A pair of Harbour Porpoises join me for my cruise back down to Sandbanks, I’m so close to them that I can hear their squeaks as they surface. I gently follow them and then as they head off towards Old Harry I turn right for the beach.
What a fantastic way to spend a couple of hours. No adrenaline, no moves to boast about, just a relaxing cruise, but I loved it.
RT
Footnote
Paddleboarding has very quickly developed into an extreme sport. We’ve got the wave guys paddling into Jaws and Teahupoo, epic down-winders, ultra-long distance events, white-water on rivers etc. I think that we paddleboarders have to be careful to present our sport to new comers as one that has extreme aspects, but at its core is a family friendly, healthy, accessible and EASY sport for all.
How many potential SUPers are intimidated by the imagery so often associated with our sport? Perhaps we need to learn lessons from windsurfing which is perceived as such a difficult and expensive sport. In fact it is ironic that many SUP boards offer an excellent way back to the ‘fun-for-all’ roots of windsurfing.
My next bit if kit could be a ‘SUPbrella’(Patent Pending) – a light golf umbrella that I can tie it down as I go upwind and then unfurl for a downwind sail. Is that cool?
It is to me! Perhaps I could even lie down for a quick kip as I slide along downwind. That would be cool!
Waterways accessBSUPA have made efforts to negotiate Block Licence agreements for our members for inland waterways access with both the Environment Agency and British Waterways (now Canals and Rivers Trust). However they was felt that Paddleboarding was not a big enough sport at present to be granted a Licence Agreement having assumed that we are working with the British Canoe Union. Many inland paddleboarders do use their BCU membership for this purpose. BSUPA believe that SUP is a distinct sport from Kayaking/canoeing, with different risks and considerations. BSUPA have made it clear that we wish to revisit this issue in Spring 2013 and it was agreed that negotiations might start again. We need to persuade EA/CRT of the distinct nature of our sport to build our case, and any assistance, especially from inland clubs would be appreciated.
It was with much anticipation that Ollie and I turned up to a blustery beach at west wittering to undertake the new BSUPA Level 2 Instructors course. The course has been over a year in the making and is tailored to those instructors who are looking to expand their portfolio of teaching into waves, distance & touring.
We were warmly welcomed to the ‘Hut’ for a get to know one and other followed by an outline of the two day course ahead of us. Despite the angry seas, dark clouds & 20 knot winds we then ventured into the peaks & troughs of Witterings finest surf (reminiscent of Watergate Bay Final) and were given the opportunity to demonstrate our ability & agility required. The session was followed by an introduction to the Level 2 manual and on flicking through it is evident where all the hours and hours of Simon Bassett & Andy Gratwick’s time has been spent over the last year.
The two day course was executed by Simon & Andy in a polished format that far exceeded ours and our co-students expectations. The inclusion of an exam at the end of the two days kept us very attentive throughout.
I know I speak on behalf of all those who attended when I say that this course lifted our knowledge and ability to new levels of teaching and coaching practices and it is hard to believe that ours was the first course they had delivered.
If you are serious and passionate about your teaching of SUP then this is an absolute must have qualification.
