.
exactly...Sparky (I don't know him) apparently made a 12'6 box to check in the guys boards for the BOP and that's where it got stuck...but thats hardly an argument for why it should stay that way?
A 12'6 is marginally easier to ride waves with for lighter riders, for bigger guys it makes no difference, we've done all our in outs on 14's and we have the same amount of carnage and fun....
From sup racer , this is the only way to see whos the best paddler , same board for all.
BIC Launches World¡¯s First ¡°One Design¡± SUP Race Series
Christopher Parker | August 28, 2012
BIC SUP have just announced plans for a ¡°One Design¡± Stand Up Paddle race series, which they¡¯re claiming is a world first.
The French outfit, best known in the SUP racing scene for sponsoring European #1 Eric Terrien, will be debuting their one design SUP race series at next week¡¯s surf trade show in Orlando, Florida.
All competitors in BIC One Design SUP races will use the exact same board: the new 12¡¯6¡å Wing. Each event will also feature the same course (roughly 800m long), with races consisting of short, knockout-style, one-lap sprints.
According to their North American head, Chris Decerbo:
¡°We¡¯ve had great success with One Design events in windsurfing, surfing, and Jr. Sailing. SUP is a perfect sport for One Design and the new 12¡¯6 WING is the ideal board. The WING is extremely durable and affordable, you shouldn¡¯t have to pay $2,500 or more for a fragile carbon-fiber race board to enjoy Stand Up Paddleboard racing¡±
The Wing SUP race board is 30 inches wide and weighs 15.5kg. Not exactly up there with the sub-10kg, ultra-narrow boards coming out of Starboard, Naish, Surftech, Fanatic and all the other top SUP race board manufacturers. But that¡¯s not the point. BIC SUP isn¡¯t going after the ¡°hardcore¡± SUP market. Even their own website claims the Wing is for ¡°recreational racers¡±.
And that seems to be whole idea of this new One Design race series. BIC isn¡¯t trying to compete with the top brands, they¡¯re going after the much larger recreational, mainstream market.
But how successful is this SUP race series going to be? Could it become anything more than a pure novelty?
While BIC SUP has only just started getting into SUP racing, the brand is part of the massive Soci¨¦t¨¦ Bic corporation, which earns roughly $2bn a year. So while they don¡¯t have the brand recognition of a Naish or Starboard, they¡¯ve certainly got some cash behind them. BIC showed they were serious about SUP racing when they signed Eric Terrien on a lucrative deal, even though at the time they didn¡¯t have a single SUP race board available for retail sale. This BIC One Design SUP race series is another step in that direction, and while it may not appeal to the hardcore paddlers, it may just grab the attention of the recreational SUP racers.
We¡¯ve also heard another major SUP brand is about to launch their own ¡°one design¡± race series, but based on inflatable SUP race boards. So it¡¯ll be interesting to see if either of these series take off. They¡¯re obviously not directed towards the hardcore paddlers, but it could be a great way of getting paddlers to try SUP racing for the first time, which is pretty important for the future growth of the sport.
A one-make inflatable race? I just vomited a little in my mouth. Only thing worse than an inflatable race would be a 15kg 12'6" x 30" one-make race. What a barge that would be.
SUP WA have an event in the pipelines that looks to compare paddlers competing on the same board at the same time. There will be a 12'6 and 14' division, it will be held on an enclosed body of water to minimise any outside influencing factors. Aim of it all is to find the best paddler on a level playing field and no there won't be an inflatable in sight.
Stay tuned for more to come.....
we downwinded the Lake on Friday on a 12'6 Fanatic and a Bark. Had a ball, now probably not the ideal boards for it but at one stage I was surfing in the lake so I was stoked. I have a simple attitude to all this, whatever gets you in the water and smiling is ok.
Not indoors but on a protected rowing course (not where we have our SUP 5000). It can only happen due to a very generous supporter of SUP in Perth and across the country, but I shouldn't say too much as the finer details ate still being worked out.
It will be close for spectators to watch with shorter distance races, repecharges and knockouts and truely put paddler against paddler and eliminate the arms race.
The 12'6" BOP board length limitation definitely is not a level playing field IMO. How about little blokes say 65kg and 5'7" paddle an 11' and see how they go. Would be the same as a 6'2" 110kg bloke on a 12'6". Maybe the best idea in BOP style races would be to ride what you want that way everyone would find the fastest most manoeuvrable board for thier size/weight ratio.
Why is weight/size of the paddler not an issue in events such as Canoe/Kayak sprint where all craft are the same length?
Surely a 12'6' with more volume compensates for extra rider weight. If they are 'overweight' then tuff, lose some kegs.
Isn't there two sides to this discussion?
1. Racing and going fast.
2. General leisure and exercise paddling.
I can't comment on what is required for racing, what is fastest and performs best, because I am not into that side of the activity.
However, I can comment on general paddling both in the ocean and in still water.
Obviously waterline length is a function of glide and speed as is the strength and ability of the paddler.
Not all paddlers are competitive (yes that is correct) many paddle for the exercise, as an adjunct to their surfing and to be on the ocean.
I paddle a 12'6" board because:-
1. I can carry it more easliy.
2. I can put it on my carry more easily.
3. I can store it more easily.
4. It does pretty much what I want it to do.
5. it gives me a good workout.
6. I smile when I am paddling it at sea.
7. I have no intention of going way out to sea in heavy winds.
Your board chioce (in my opinion) is a function of what you can afford and what you want to do with it.
Cheers. ET. 
They do have weight classes in rowing i think , anyway different body types will be suited to different distances and styles of racing. If flat water or ocean sprints become an option the heavier set guys wilth more strength , power will have an advantage over the little guys. You dont see to many 90kg plus marathon runners.Even bop which is called a sprint is not a sprint its an endurance event , endurance events will always favour the lighter rider.
Sorry but it has nothing to do with how heavy your body weight is.
It's all power to strength ratio! Always has been and always will be.
If u feel under strength well go do some weight training or strength training simple.
The whole I can't paddle a 12'6 as good as lighter people is a farse.
I can then say at 65kg paddling a 14ft isn't fair for me as I have push more board.
Nope not true.
Power to strength ratio is what it's all about.
X Angie
There is one mitigating factor that was recently brought to my attention, which is that height is actually an issue in terms of stability on a shorter or narrower board particularly with a power stroke as the taller paddler leverages more weight forward. This is not a factor in rowing, canoes or kayaks.
Being a short-arse feather-weight, none of this stuff bothers me personally. I'd be happy to race 12'6" but as a race organiser, I worry that half the field wouldn't turn up.
Most of the top C1 sprinters are big units, height would be a disadvantage in terms of stability but better for reach.
But even with C1, the kneeling position means height differences are reduced. Stand Up Paddle is unique in the way height and weight balance is displaced across the board.
Nevertheless, I can see this sprint racing format that surf4fun is hinting at will provide a race option for bigger bodies. When that comes about, we may see the anxiety levels relax as people come to realise they don't have to be competitive in all forms of racing; they simply choose the format they are suited to. And when that happens, board restrictions that best suit the race format will hopefully become standardised worldwide.
My 2 cents'
lots of sports or activities are weight size specific and Lance armstrong is looking for a new sport
Phill
Allegedly. 
Allegedly.
Yeah I think the irony of basing a one board quiver for all racing on BOP rules is that first of all, the majority of people involved in racing are not able or willing to race genuine BOP conditions, and secondly, if you are racing in BOP conditions with your one and only board, chances are your board won't remain in one piece for very long and you'll be off to buy another.
On the other hand, if you were to remove BOP racing from the equation and then asked what is the best stock board length for all other racing, then Lacey is right, 14' is where it's at.
