Canoeing SA, Surfing SA incorporates SUPSA

IN a ground-breaking agreement, the discipline of stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), an increasingly popular discipline in South Africa, will now fall under the banner of Canoeing South Africa and Surfing South Africa.

When SUP events take place on flat-water and rivers, the discipline will be governed by Canoeing SA, as SUP boarders continue to branch out into river events such as the Dusi Canoe Marathon, the Push And Pull Paddle, the Fish River Canoe Marathon and the many flat-water races.

When events are ocean-based and wave-based, then the discipline will fall under the jurisdiction of Surfing South Africa.

President of Canoeing South Africa, Kim Pople, believes that the arrangement will benefit all parties involved.

“It’s all about the athletes for us and now the reality is that SUP athletes can go to World Championships, hosted by both World Surfing and the ICF,” said Pople. “The decision made sense and I think it’s going to provide everyone with a great new way forward.”

Robin de Kock of Surfing South Africa is excited by the partnership between federations and hopes these sorts of agreements happen more often.

“Surfing South Africa is very pleased to be working with our friends at Canoeing SA and SUPSA in the best interests of South Africa’s SUP surfers, paddlers and distance racers,” De Kock said.

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“Mutual and constructive discussions between SSA and CSA, the recognised national federations, have led to the decision that South Africa’s SUP surfers will remain part of Surfing South Africa while the SUP paddlers and distance racers will fall under the auspices of Canoeing SA.

“Surfing South Africa, Canoeing SA and SUPSA have an excellent relationship and all three parties believe that this alliance will be of value to the SUP fraternity in South Africa going forward,” he mentioned.

Given that the sport of SUP has two contrasting categories that needed to be catered for, SUPSA’s president, Mandy Scanlen, was excited with what the agreement entails.

“SUP surfing and long distance paddle races and technical are two very different disciplines and, in the best interest of the athletes, it was a great opportunity to have stand-up paddle boarding represented in both Surfing South Africa and Canoeing South Africa. By creating a partnership with both federations, we endeavour to grow the transformation and development of the sport as well as grow the exposure of the sport both inland and in the ocean,” said Scanlen.

SUPSA established itself as one of the top performing federations at international competitions as its members claimed a number of medals at the World Championship event.

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