The Waterman League has cancelled the remaining two events of the Standup World Surf Tour, due to be held in France and Morocco.
That means this week's US Open was the final event in the series. As a result Caio Vaz & Izzi Gomez claimed the championship titles after three men's events and two women's events. The Brazilian leg of the tour was cancelled a couple of months ago.
Bad news given this was the major elite series for SUP surfing.
As far as I can tell, the remainder of the Standup World Racing Series, also run by the Waterman League, will still be run.
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That big news and bad news..
World surf league needs to take over the Sup surfing tour. How good is the short board, and big wave tours. They run a world class tour.
Maybe we just have to accept what SUP surfing really is - bloody great fun, but not as good as short-board surfing at the elite level...
The WSL runs a great comp because there are zillions of people watching Kelly and Mick etc. do what they do so well (and even with that I think they almost went broke a couple of years ago). The guys you see surfing SUP are either essentially short-board surfing (but not as well as Kelly/Mick) with a paddle in their hands (e.g. in a barrel or on a BIG wave), or they occasionally do something with the paddle that enhances the ride - but something that is not appreciated by non-SUP riders.
It may sound cruel, but when I see the great (young) SUP riders in vids, I think they are only on the video because they are not good enough to be on the surfing world tour. They are 100X better than I am, and they inspire me, and I love watching, and it makes me want their board - but I am not the general viewing public. (But most of them are on tiny boards that you hardly recognize as a SUP.) And when 95% of proners don't like SUP riders (putting it politely), there goes a big chunk of the market (unless there is a chance of the competitors being taken by sharks
).
So it seems to me that unless the SUP makers bank-roll the event, they won't be viable at the international level. Or SUP riders need to find new things to do with the paddle that get the attention of the general viewing public.
To set the record straight I am a 53 year old SUP surfer who started SUPing because of a dodgy back, but who would never go back - SUP surfing is way more fun IMO.
Sign of the times , the guy that runs the show might be the Don King of sup.
But at least he is having a crack and no doubt the exposure for the likes of Kai , Conner ect have helped put sup oon the map. I hope he sticks with it and it keeps growing.Its easy to criticise i guess but you can argue he Has been great for sups exposure , and im sure some of the top paddlers surfers wouldnt be enjoying the lifes they do without his have a go spirit.
Select to expand quotecantSUPenough said..
Maybe we just have to accept what SUP surfing really is - bloody great fun, but not as good as short-board surfing at the elite level...
The WSL runs a great comp because there are zillions of people watching Kelly and Mick etc. do what they do so well (and even with that I think they almost went broke a couple of years ago). The guys you see surfing SUP are either essentially short-board surfing (but not as well as Kelly/Mick) with a paddle in their hands (e.g. in a barrel or on a BIG wave), or they occasionally do something with the paddle that enhances the ride - but something that is not appreciated by non-SUP riders.
It may sound cruel, but when I see the great (young) SUP riders in vids, I think they are only on the video because they are not good enough to be on the surfing world tour. They are 100X better than I am, and they inspire me, and I love watching, and it makes me want their board - but I am not the general viewing public. (But most of them are on tiny boards that you hardly recognize as a SUP.) And when 95% of proners don't like SUP riders (putting it politely), there goes a big chunk of the market (unless there is a chance of the competitors being taken by sharks ).
So it seems to me that unless the SUP makers bank-roll the event, they won't be viable at the international level. Or SUP riders need to find new things to do with the paddle that get the attention of the general viewing public.
To set the record straight I am a 53 year old SUP surfer who started SUPing because of a dodgy back, but who would never go back - SUP surfing is way more fun IMO.
so true.
The SUP tour is just short boards with a paddle…95% of SUP riders would never ride boards as the pros use. I would love a minimum liters that at least floats be used..make it more like SUPping in general. The pros sink to their knees and deeper if they stop paddling.
Select to expand quotecantSUPenough said..
Maybe we just have to accept what SUP surfing really is - bloody great fun, but not as good as short-board surfing at the elite level...
The WSL runs a great comp because there are zillions of people watching Kelly and Mick etc. do what they do so well (and even with that I think they almost went broke a couple of years ago). The guys you see surfing SUP are either essentially short-board surfing (but not as well as Kelly/Mick) with a paddle in their hands (e.g. in a barrel or on a BIG wave), or they occasionally do something with the paddle that enhances the ride - but something that is not appreciated by non-SUP riders.
It may sound cruel, but when I see the great (young) SUP riders in vids, I think they are only on the video because they are not good enough to be on the surfing world tour. They are 100X better than I am, and they inspire me, and I love watching, and it makes me want their board - but I am not the general viewing public. (But most of them are on tiny boards that you hardly recognize as a SUP.) And when 95% of proners don't like SUP riders (putting it politely), there goes a big chunk of the market (unless there is a chance of the competitors being taken by sharks ).
So it seems to me that unless the SUP makers bank-roll the event, they won't be viable at the international level. Or SUP riders need to find new things to do with the paddle that get the attention of the general viewing public.
To set the record straight I am a 53 year old SUP surfer who started SUPing because of a dodgy back, but who would never go back - SUP surfing is way more fun IMO.
Very good point. I think you are spot on.
writing was on the wall as soon as boards went under 9 ft.
it wasn't sustainable then or now imo.
its a no brainer which one people will watch- short board every single time x 100.
sup surfing is like rugby . better to play it then have to watch it
make it ten ft and forget the rest
I think Lacey has a point.
Since the boards went sub 9, it has pretty much narrowed the competitive field to little/young guys that weigh less than 80kg. Doesn't leave much hope for us average sized folk.
Have to agree board size should be limited , remember Dave Muir he was a big unit , no way he could compete now.
Select to expand quoteAndyR said..
That big news and bad news..
World surf league needs to take over the Sup surfing tour. How good is the short board, and big wave tours. They run a world class tour.
sorry but you did make me laugh....it was only a few threads ago peeps complaining that surfing australia and that their own state groups could not run a chook raffle properly...now you want the WSL to run sup bahahahahahaha.
sup is a fun thing and i really enjoy it......BUt i keep my opinions to myself as not to upset the hardcore lovers about most vid posted. They are boring and crap to watch,unless you want to pick up pointers on how you better yourself on a board,or just want to share the stoke with a brother.
the big wave boys and the shredders,well they hold a paddle and that is the only thing they have in common with sup. Otherwise they are doing a sad interpretation of riding a shorty. They cant get deep in the barrel,they cant smack the lip hard like a shorty and now the air game is big....no chance.
so instead of caring or getting to upset,just embrace why you love sup...because its fun
Select to expand quoteAndyR said..
That big news and bad news..
World surf league needs to take over the Sup surfing tour. How good is the short board, and big wave tours. They run a world class tour.
Like the Olympics,never gonna happen.
That's a shame as they tried their best to put it together and I used to tune into the webcast, this years Huntington was crap though with all the 65 kg kids riding 7 ft SUP,s in 1 ft beach break, not good tv and 99% of us can,t relate to the riding. Funny event where because of the board choice they were struggling to catch anything, I guess they don't have a board over 7 ft / 70 lts in the quivers.
phil
Pity, I was even enjoying watching the odd bit of this year's Huntington comp. While I am not a big fan of the tiny SUPs, a few of the competitors were pushing some really nice moves. I was also enjoying Dave Kalama's commentary.
What Sup surfing probably needs is for things to start moving at the club level with a circuit of club run weekend comps. SUP/paddle judging criteria, open division, 10', age ladies, good social events and prize draws ....., This is where people are going to start getting interested and board sales are going to start moving. Eventually things might work there way upwards?
It would be perfect if the comps were as friendly as longboard comps were back in the turn of the 90's when the East Coast clubs ran some excellent weekend long events.
To me everything went downhill when longboarding became mainstream and the glossy magazines appeared, certain "judges" broke off and Surfing NSW got involved. When the money started moving the comps lost their spirit, and became mechanical money spinners.
It would be so nice to this minute to be having a few beers after the now defunct October Longweekend Steel City Malibu Club Classic (Newcastle) with the typical bag of goodies laughing about some healthy sportsmanship.
Wouldn't be hard for SUP to break free and become something of its own. If it relagates to "underground" so be it. Beats going too big too fast, turning plastic and collapsing again?
I'm stumped as to why SUP needs exposure and I could not care less about the lifestyle enjoyed by the pros most of who, as been eloquently pointed out, would seem to be on the sup tour or competing in sup at that level simply because they can't cut it against the talent that abounds in prone surfing on shortboards. Well said, cantsupenough.
Of course we are all beneficiaries of the board development curve which is pushed furth by the pros, but the effects of the exposure are really starting to kick in. Every week we see a new sup rider or three at the local here, and 9/10 of them would appear to have no prior surfing experience nor a desire to learn the basics before heading out into a busy lineup. I'd argue we need less exposure rather than more - unless you have a vested or financial interest. What surfer of any persuasion in their right mind wants to increase the number of people in the water? It's already getting beyond silly and there really is no concrete case for an increase. I don't quite follow the logic of promoting it just so someone can make a living out of it and then wrecking it for everyone else. Underground and uncool is definitely the way to go.
I would break the competition into classes that formulate the rider weight verses board volume.
I echo the concerns some have in pushing this sport and I was thinking about this earlier in the week between sets on a super clean chest to head high+ day. What I was thinking is how my wave count was easily *10 to 1 verses the prone surfers and how that would change radically if most of us were on sups.
*In spite of the tons of waves I got, I swear I wasn't being a hog or cutting anyone off because most of the prone surfers would park themselves in one place and never move.
A client of mine a few years ago made a doco following the World Surfing Tour.
The big sponsors of the tour told him that they make most of their money from their female clients.
Selling stuff like swim suits and dresses etc.
All the other stuff they make and sell like wetsuits and boards etc. cost too much to make, transport etc. and there is too much wastage from unsold stuck etc.
So they probably need to start attracting females to the events.
Select to expand quoteMacaha said...AndyR said..
That big news and bad news..
World surf league needs to take over the Sup surfing tour. How good is the short board, and big wave tours. They run a world class tour.
Like the Olympics,never gonna happen.
I would be surprised if the WSL is able to maintain itself at the present level unless they find a way to monetise their product ASAP. I spend a lot of time travelling for work and most ad breaks are non existent in most places - it's just pauses for a commercial break but there is no commercial ! As a consumer it's better than wan watching 20 Samsung ads an hour. They have spent a huge amount of cashola on the WSL and I would be very surprised if they are even remotely close to breaking even.
So the chances of the WSL picking up sup would be about as high as the Olympic Dream one would imagine.
Select to expand quotelaceys lane said...
The first step is to admit your a wave hog
When I was prone surfing pretty much all i was doing doing was watching others hog all the waves so it's nice to be on the other side of the fence...the surfers complaining about being called off are not concerned about sharing the waves around only about themselves...
My two Bobs worth on the whole deal... Like the old days just run all the events out of Hawaii. All the money and infrastructure is already there. Winter in Hawaii is the surf hub of the world and most riders are generally there or close by. Better waves , locations and guaranteed crowds. Sponsors will be much more willing to put their money towards this and it's cheaper for team riders to get there who are given a $5,000 travel allowance for the year. All the remote locations world wide just make it so hard for small team riders to go to each event. Let it run like this for a couple of years then maybe spread it's wings.
Select to expand quoteZeusman said..
I think Lacey has a point.
Since the boards went sub 9, it has pretty much narrowed the competitive field to little/young guys that weigh less than 80kg. Doesn't leave much hope for us average sized folk.
Hardly say you're average size mate!!!
Select to expand quotePiros said..
My two Bobs worth on the whole deal... Like the old days just run all the events out of Hawaii. All the money and infrastructure is already there. Winter in Hawaii is the surf hub of the world and most riders are generally there or close by. Better waves , locations and guaranteed crowds. Sponsors will be much more willing to put their money towards this and it's cheaper for team riders to get there who are given a $5,000 travel allowance for the year. All the remote locations world wide just make it so hard for small team riders to go to each event. Let it run like this for a couple of years then maybe spread it's wings.
You post is entirely sensible, reasonable, and logical but unfortunately 100% unfeasible according to the business plan behind this tour. The organisers are only willing to take the tour to locations where local promoters are prepared to stump up all costs and prize money ahead of the event. That takes priority over waves, locations, crowds, or travel challenges and costs for competitors. The tail is wagging the dog.
SUP racing should be included in the Olympics rather than that strange drop knee kayak thing you never see anyone actually doing in real life, just make it 12'6 and off we go, people high up in the industry should be working to make this reality.
I surf on a SUP nearly everyday and quiet frankly I really am not interested in watching sub 60kg young kids in SUP comps where as in real life its guys like me over 40 who actually ride surf SUP's at the local beach.
Give me WSL any day, just concentrate on getting SUP racing into the Olympics where it belongs
