Casper Steinfath has announced the end of his 17-year relationship with Naish, closing one of the longest and most recognizable athlete-brand partnerships in stand-up paddling. The six-time ISA World Champion was more than a Naish team rider: he became one of the defining athletes of SUP’s formative years and helped carry the sport from Hawaii to Europe and beyond.
From Denmark to Hawaii: Casper Steinfath’s Early SUP Years
Casper Steinfath became an icon of stand-up paddling during the early days of competitive SUP. As a protégé of Robby Naish, the young Dane arrived in Hawaii at a time when the modern SUP racing scene was just beginning to take shape.
Steinfath was part of a generation of European SUP pioneers who regularly migrated to Hawaii to train, race and measure themselves against the athletes at the center of the rapidly growing sport.
At the time, Naish was heavily invested in stand-up paddling. Robby Naish himself had been among the early Maui watermen exploring SUP and downwind paddling alongside names such as Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama and the late Loch Eggers.
For Naish, a company with decades of experience in windsurfing and board development, SUP was a natural progression. The brand quickly became one of the major forces in the emerging industry.
It was in this environment that Steinfath was able to showcase his talent and ambitions alongside athletes such as Kai Lenny, another longtime Naish team rider and Robby Naish protégé.
The Stand Up World Series and the Golden Era of SUP Racing
Around 2011 and 2012, competitive stand-up paddling entered an exciting new phase. The Stand Up World Series brought international athletes together and helped turn SUP racing into a truly global sport.
VIKING ON TOUR
Caspers Vikinghat became iconic. This was a Stand Up World Series SUP Race in Abu Dhabi during the big days of the international SUP Series that sadly has disappeared within the last few years.
Casper and Naish were in the middle of it. The boards in the picture were designed for a Naish One Design World Tour called N1SCO, and idea attempted by Naish and BIC but never took off.
Hawaii remained at the center of that movement.
During the summer months, athletes from around the world came to Maui to experience the famous Maliko Run and compete against the sport’s best paddlers. Later in the year, many returned to Hawaii for the Stand Up World Series Finals at Turtle Bay on Oahu.
Casper Steinfath with Naish teammate Kody Kerbox and Connor Baxter at the Stand Up World Series (SUWS) at Turtle Bay 14 years ago. At the time, Naish had one of the strongest teams of young athletes in SUP. Connor Baxter, in the back, may remain now as one of the longest SUP Team Riders in the industry with Starboard.
📸 @standupmagazin
These were formative years for modern SUP racing, and both Casper Steinfath and Naish were at the forefront.
At the same time, Europe was experiencing its own SUP boom. Races appeared across the continent, participation grew rapidly and Steinfath traveled extensively, promoting both the sport and Naish SUP equipment. He was “The Viking on Tour.”
Over the years, Casper Steinfath and Naish became almost synonymous with one another.
World Titles, Expeditions and an Early Move Into Foiling
Steinfath’s career continued to develop far beyond those first races in Hawaii.
He became one of Europe’s most successful SUP athletes, collecting multiple ISA World Championship titles and establishing himself as one of the most recognizable personalities in international stand-up paddling.
His ambitions also extended beyond traditional competition.
Steinfath completed ultra-long-distance SUP expeditions in the waters surrounding Denmark and increasingly began experimenting with foiling as the technology emerged.
While still riding for Naish, he became one of the early athletes to explore SUP foiling and downwind foil possibilities. One of his standout projects was a crossing from Denmark to Sweden on a SUP foil — years before downwind SUP foiling developed into the rapidly growing discipline we know today.
The project was typical of Steinfath’s career: Part adventure and Part exploration of what was possible with new watersports equipment.
One of our early interviews with Casper 11 years ago. Back then he was often a guest at Kai Lennys house and we conducted an interview on the organization of the sport.
Casper was always very involved in the organization of the SUP Sport to the point where the ISA made him a vice president in the efforts to unify the sport.
His statements are a testimony to the decade long effort to get SUP include SUP in the Olympics.
Casper Steinfath Leaves Naish After 17 Years
Now, after 17 years together, the Casper Steinfath–Naish relationship has come to an end.
The change comes several years after Robby Naish sold the company to European distributor Kubus Sports. Steinfath nevertheless remained with the brand, making him one of the longest-serving team riders associated with a major watersports company.
On August 19, Steinfath announced his departure on social media, describing Naish as much more than simply a sponsor.
“All good things eventually come to an end, and today I’m saying a heartfelt goodbye to Naish.”
Steinfath emphasized how deeply the brand had become connected to his life and career:
“Looking back over the last 17 years, Naish was always so much more than just a sponsor or the boards under my feet – it was family and became a big part of my identity!”
“Thank you for being a true mentor from day one. Your guidance and belief in me helped shape not just the athlete I became, but the person I am today.”
“Thank you Naish for standing by my side through all the highs, the lows, and everything in between. It has been one hell of a ride, and I am forever grateful for every single moment.”
What’s Next for Casper Steinfath?
What comes next for Casper Steinfath remains unclear.
He has not been a regular competitor on the international SUP racing circuit for some time and has not made the transition into the rapidly developing competitive scenes around SUP downwind foiling, parawinging or wingfoil racing.
But that doesn’t mean Steinfath has disappeared from the watersports world.
The Danish waterman remains a Red Bull athlete and continues to inspire the community through his projects and adventures. Away from the water, Steinfath is now a father of two and is also an active pilot.
Whether his departure from Naish signals a new equipment sponsor, a different direction in watersports or simply the next chapter of his life remains to be seen.
The End of an Important Chapter in SUP History
The announcement is significant beyond a simple sponsorship change.
Casper Steinfath and Naish were closely connected during an important period in the development of stand-up paddling. Their partnership stretches back to a time when international SUP racing was finding its identity, European athletes were traveling to Hawaii to learn from the sport’s pioneers, and races such as the Stand Up World Series were helping create the first truly international generation of professional SUP athletes.
Steinfath went from being a young European talent arriving in Hawaii to becoming a multiple World Champion and one of the most recognizable ambassadors for the sport.
Naish, meanwhile, continues to develop equipment across several watersports categories, although the brand that once played such a prominent role in SUP racing has largely disappeared from the competitive SUP scene in recent years.
After 17 years, the partnership between Casper Steinfath and Naish may be over, but its place in the history of stand-up paddling is firmly established.
The Stand Up Magazin has been there since the beginning. We saw the ups and downs of the sport and as of 2026 we depend on our readers support.
Online Subscription
Are you enjoying the content of the Stand Up Magazin?
With a subscription, you help secure the future of Stand Up Magazin.
Become a patron and supporter with your subscription.
Your subscription is an annual contribution and renews automatically.