It is said that there are records of earlier forms of stand-up paddling that date back over 3,000 years, with iterations stretching across various regions such as Peru, Levant, Italy, the Philippines, and China.
It is also reported that John Ah Choy, a Hawaiian who loved to surf but
could no longer stand up on his board due to his advancing age, went out on the
water with a canoe paddle to ride waves while standing. Friends and family in
Hawaii called this "Ku Hoe He'e Nalu".
This was in the 1940s in Waikiki, Hawaii. His sons Leroy and Bobby Ah Choy and their friend Duke Kahanamoku quickly became accustomed to this mode of transportation and often carried a paddle when teaching tourists how to surf. They also used longboards and paddles as camera platforms on the water to take souvenir photos for their students. The locals gave this combination of surfboard and paddle the nickname "Beach Boy Surfing". Until the early 1970s, "Beach Boy Surfing" was prevalent in Waikiki. When waterproof cameras became available and surfboards became smaller, "Beach Boy Surfing" practically disappeared from Waikiki.
The last true "Beach Boy Surfer" who never let go of his paddle until 2012 was John Zapotocky Sr. He went 95 years old and rode the waves for over 55 years, standing and never without his paddle.
When surf legends Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama began experimenting with longboards and paddles in the 1990s, it was the rebirth of stand-up paddling as we know it today. They first used the paddle to maneuver through the waves and gain more speed. Soon they realized that paddling on flat water was a great way to supplement their training and improve their coordination, strength, and flexibility. With a lot of fun...
It's fascinating how the silhouette of a stand-up paddler glides silently over the water in the pale light of dawn. It's no wonder that more and more people are discovering stand-up paddling for themselves. Images of stars like Anita, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew McConaughey, Pierce Brosnan, Rihanna, and many more celebrities who are regularly seen on their boards doing it contribute to the rapid development of SUP as a standalone sport. The first magazine dedicated to the sport, Standup Journal, was founded in June 2007 and published.
In Europe, stand-up paddling arrived in the early 2000s. The two Swiss
SUP board manufacturers Indiana Paddle & Surf (Zurichsee) and Makai Boards (Zugersee) sold
their first stand-up paddleboards in Switzerland in 2010 and 2011. Since then,
the sport has continued to spread, and there are now many SUP rental stations
at various waterways. SUP has evolved from a variation of surfing to different
disciplines, such as SUP wave, SUP racing, SUP touring, SUP yoga, SUP
whitewater and SUP fishing. Its surfing heritage combined with all its various
disciplines makes the sport attractive and accessible to everyone.
In 2021, the
first shortboard surfing competition was held at the Olympic Games.
When I bought my first Makai board in July 2012, tranquility, relaxation, and work life balance were my primary focus. In 2016, this led to the creation of SUPnatural at Türlersee. Here, you can rent high-quality Makai boards and explore the idyllic landscape from the water. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, you're warmly welcome to continue writing the history of stand-up paddling on your next personal paddle round...
Romeo | SUP Natural Experience Türlersee
Source: kalamaperformance.com, lairdhamilton.com, StandUpMagazin, YouTube, Wikipedia, OpenAI
