SUPAA launched – rulebook

SUPAA-Banner

Just in time for the start of 2014 the SUPAA (Stand Up Paddle Athletes Association) launched their website and rulebook. Needless to say it was more than necessary for an international consortium to make rules crafted by paddlers for paddlers. Now under the presidency of Chase Kosterlitz the SUPAA is starting to take shape with a well versed board of directors:

– Bart De Zwart (Holland – Hawaii)
– Lina Augaitis (Canada)
– Eric Terrien (France)
– Travis Grant (Australia)
– Terrene Black (Australia)
– Belar Diaz (Spain)

MISSION

SUPAA is dedicated to promoting excellence in the sport of stand up paddling. In pursuing this mission, SUPAA will (a) establish organizational standards to improve the quality of events and instruction (b) promote rules to ensure fair competition and (c) endeavor to establish a standard of excellence in all aspects of stand up paddling. These initiatives will produce a uniformly positive experience for stand up paddle constituent groups, including but not limited to: athletes, officials, sponsors, spectators, volunteers, media, consumers and manufacturers.

There are several different areas where the SUPAA will start to put more organization into our growing sport:

RACE OFFICIAL CERTIFICATION

One of the goals of SUPAA is to help give direction and organization to the sport of stand up paddle racing. A key ingredient to positive growth is a universal set of rules and race officials educated on implementation.

We have been working extensively with the top race directors and athletes to help form a program that will have the greatest benefit to everyone. In 2014, SUPAA will host Race Official Certification Courses to educate race officials from around the world. SUPAA Race Official Members will receive 10% off Race Official Certification Courses.

SUPAA MEMBERSHIP

Welcome to the SUPAA membership section. SUPAA’s membership program includes athletes from around the world.

SUPAA Member benefits include exclusive access to training information from the world’s top paddlers, discounts on stand up paddle products and services, exclusive SUPAA member decal, monthly e-news updates and the knowledge that you will be helping to support programs that will work to ensure the positive growth of stand up paddle boarding worldwide. Click here to view a full list of SUPAA Member benefits.

YOUR SUPAA MEMBERSHIP WILL SUPPORT:

  • Ensuring safety and equality at events.
  • Board restrictions to keep competition fair and inviting.
  • Youth development programs.
  • Comprehensive race regulation and systems of enforcement.
  • Race Official certification programs.
  • Positive growth for stand up paddle racing worldwide.

ATHLETE MEMBER – $49 ANNUALLY

  • Over $1,000 in savings with SUPAA partner discounts.
  • 10% off the SUPAA Paddle Coach Stroke Analysis.
  • Up to 30% off United Airlines travel to select destinations. Pay for your membership with the savings from one flight!
  • SUPAA membership board decal: Exclusive membership decal to place on your board for recognition as a SUPAA member.
  • Exclusive stand up paddle e-news updates from SUPAA.

RACE OFFICIAL MEMBER – $49 ANNUALLY

  • 10% off Race Official Certification.
  • Over $1,000 in savings with SUPAA partner discounts.
  • SUPAA membership board decal: Exclusive membership decal to place on your board for recognition as a SUPAA member.
  • Exclusive stand up paddle race management information and tips from SUPAA.

CORPORATE MEMBER – $1,000 ANNUALLY

  • Logo display on our banner at all SUPAA events and functions.
  • Logo feature on the homepage of SUPathletes.com, website footer and on our Corporate Members page.
  • Logo display and special promotions in bi-monthly e-news updates to our mailing list.
  • Your brands promotional discounts sent directly to our member list through e-news updates.
  • Recognition on our social media outlets (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter).
  • Global recognition as a supporter of positive stand up paddle boarding growth.

Sign up now!

Rulebook

We may suggest for all serious SUPracers to download the 22 pages PDF Document and read everything carefully. There are many rules and regulations and they are very precise and detailed.

For example:

Board width restriction
2.01 – No 12’6 board shall be less than 23.5’’ inches wide and 14’ board less than 23’’
inches wide, as measured at the 3’’ inch rail mark at the midway point of the board.

Board weight restriction
2.04 – 12’6 boards shall weigh no less than 8 kg (17.64 lbs) and 14’ boards no less than 9 kg
(19.84 lbs).
2.07 All boards that are currently in production or that have already been made will remain
legal until 2016.

Board Class Definitions
3.01 – The ‘12’ foot 6’’ inch board class’ is defined as any board equal to or less than 12’ feet 6’’ inches.
3.04 – The ‘surfboard class’ is defined as any board that is 12’5 or less. Boards in the
surfboard class may not have displacement or concave hulls.

Drafting
19.01 – Not allowed out of board class or gender.
19.02 – A paddler will be deemed drafting when within 1 meter of the tail, or sides of another
competitor or any water craft on the racecourse for more than 10 seconds.
19.03 – If there is a combined male and female start, either sex will be given 200 meters from
the start to clear each others draft.
19.04 – If the boundaries of a race course do not allow competitors to get outside of the
drafting zone then no drafting rules will apply at that time.
19.05 – A competitor must make an effort to exit the drafting zone immediately when
boundaries allow. Examples of natural boundaries include rocks, canals, submerged
objects, bridges and vessels.
19.06 – Competitors will be disqualified for drafting any water craft on the racecourse that is
not in the same class or gender.

After going through the website and the rules we talked to Bart de Zwart to clarify some questions:

What is your role in the SUPAA?

Regional representative and link to Stand Up World Series.

How can a race director become SUPAA certified?

Please send an E-Mail to your regional representative via info@supathletes.com and pay the fee online – Europe: Eric Terrien – Australia: Travis Grant, Terrene Black referre to SUPAAs website for the board of directors

Will there be a SUPAA World Title?

No the SUPAA decided to sanction the Stand Up World Series for the World Title.

Your rule book is a very detailed 22 Page document. How long did it take to hush that all out?

We started working on this in the early 2013 in France, followed by many phone calls and meetings. Most rules are common sense, but once you get into the details things go further.

I also like to ad that we are progressing along with the sport and in some cases adjustments to policies and rules might have to be made as our association is only 3 days old right now.