What’s SUP Gower…?

Written by thecolourmill on Saturday 14 Jun 2008

When there is wind we kite but when the wind stops blowing we stand up!Imagine a sport that can be a relaxing cruise along the coastline taking in the wild-life, a thorough cardiovascular work-out or a heart pounding adrenaline ride in equal measure – and you’ll know what’s SUP. Stand up paddleboarding, or paddlesurfing, is the latest adrenaline water sport to hit the U.K shores and there is no better place to try it out than at SUP Gower on the stunning Gower peninsula in South Wales.The revived sport was started by the ancient Hawaiians and gained recognition in the 1960′s when the Hawaiian Beachboys used to paddle out into the surf to take pictures of the tourists when they were surfing. It involves standing up on a large long board and propelling yourself along with what is essentially a canoe paddle. Today it has been adopted by surfers world-wide as an alternative offshoot of the real thing, as well as a core fitness activity. Even Hollywood A-listers such as Cindy Crawford, Jennifer Aniston and Kate Hudson have been spotted with a paddle.SUP Gower was launched this year by Matt Barker Smith as part of Gower Kite Riders, a water sports school specializing in kite surfing. Its prime location, in the seaside village of Mumbles gives it access to unlimited stretches of beautiful coastline, from mile upon mile of golden sands to limestone cliffs and marine nature reserves. Says Matt, “As well as being lots of fun, stand-up paddling is a very good aerobic and strength training exercise. Depending on how vigorously you attack it, SUP can be anything from a comfortable cruise down the coast to a heart-pounding, calorie-burning workout for your core muscles.”Stand-up paddle surfing gives your whole body a work-out, and any weaknesses – whether it is your abs, legs, shoulders, back, arms or even your wrists – will be targeted and made right. As with any new sport, you will be sore at first, but those sore weaknesses will soon be turned to core strengths.”Because of the size, you can stand on a paddle board and feel very stable, unlike a surfboard. A lot of people give up on learning to surf, but this is a happy medium. The people I have shown how to do it picked it up the first time they tried it and were even catching waves.”Take these boards into waves of consequence and your eyes will open to the possibilities of surfing untouched uncrowded waves and getting the best buzz!So…what’s SUP Gower? Why not come and see for yourself. SUP is a great all round sport and the Gower peninsula provides a stunning backdrop for it. Just stand up, add water – and the possibilities for fun are endless.Stand up paddleboarding Reviews