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By Jo MoseleyHands up, I didnt see the point of electric pumps for years. I was happy to inflate my board manually, considering it an integral part of the experience and often extolling its virtues for a good warm-up in winter. I didnt want to rely on being near a vehicle for the power source, especially if I travelled by train to a launch point.A few years into my SUP journey, I was given an electric pump and started using it whilst researching my second book, Stand Up Paddleboarding in the Lake District Beautiful Places to Paddleboard in Cumbria. It was handy but still not great it only pumped to 15psi, it was noisy, I had to be close to the car, and, in all honesty, it took a long time to inflate. I could get myself ready, but I still had to wait around for a while to get on the water.So when SUP Mag UK invited me to test and review the Shark 3 Rechargeable SUP Electric Pump, I was excited but also a little bit sceptical of the claims, which included fast pumping to 20 psi, including four paddleboards in a row (to 15 psi), the option to use it away from a vehicle, and that it acts as a power bank. It charges fully in two hours using a 45 W fast charger.It felt too good to be true!The Shark 3 Rechargeable Electric Air Pump can be used for iSUPs, mats, and kites. It has a battery 12 V DC power supply and eight versatile nozzles, making it compatible with other equipment, which could be very handy. Its a smart-looking piece of kit in black and orange with clear instructions for the inflation and deflation option and power points, which are protected, too. It comes with a clear instruction manual rather than relying solely on customers using a QR code online. Most importantly, it works! It really does inflate the board very quickly so much so that I inflated it twice in a row to the 20 psi I needed in case the first time was a fluke! Its a lot quieter than I am used to, as well. It can inflate for 35 minutes of continuous inflation without overheating.I would say it is larger than other pumps I have seen on the market and is heavier.The screen is clear in the shade, but it can be tricky to read in the bright sun.That said, I think this is a very impressive piece of kit, and I would recommend it, especially if you are a family or group of friends who want to inflate and get on the water as soon as possible. I have never used Outdoor Master Shark products before, but based on this pump, I would definitely look at other products in the future. I also stand 100% corrected on my opinion of electric pumps now, too!Preorder 135.28https://outdoormaster.com/products/shark-3-electric-sup-pump

BIG MONDAY: THE WITTERINGS, ISLE OF WIGHT AND WORTHING!BIG MONDAY: THE WITTERINGS, ISLE OF WIGHT AND WORTHING!Nuclear winds, heaving swell and sailors clinging on to their smallest rigsMonday delivered a south coast classic. We have reports and crazy action photos from The Witterings, the Isle of Wight and Worthing as riders braved 4050 knot winds and wild seas during the Monday madness!HENNING VON JAGOW: Big Monday at Jolliffe RoadIt was a Big Monday on the south coast of England. Down at Jolliffe Road, the crew gathered with big smiles. The forecast had promised a proper storm: southwest swell, a layer of wind swell on top and a strong west wind already blasting by breakfast.Messages in the Jolliffe Road WhatsApp, intensified and created an early work finish before lunchtime. Names like Ian Whittaker, Max Metcalfe, Oliver Randall, Timo Mullen, and the Audsley Brothers all turned up. By noon they were flying across the bay, hanging on to their tiniest sails. Three-seven was the weapon of choice. By midday the gusts were over 45 knots.From the beach it looked like a fun day out. From the water it was survival training. Every ramp was a gamble: launch into glory or disappear in spray. As the tide filled, the waves lined up cleaner, offering proper ramps and rides. With my water camera set-up, I found myself swimming non-stop. Once past the sandbank, the current dragged me through the bay like luggage on a conveyor belt. Catching a rider mid-jump was more about luck than skill. Still, it was the best work-out of the month.The afternoon turned into a blast. The crew pushed hard, grinning through the chaos. The only sad note came from jump hero Chris Audsley, who had to quit early with a leg injury. Spirits dipped for a moment, but he left with a smile, already planning his comeback. By sunset the team was buzzing. Big Day Monday had been wild, windy, and a little insane. More than just a session, it was perfect training for the upcoming 2XS West Wittering Wave Classic and the final event of the UK BWA Tour this year. The south coast delivered. The Jolliffe Road Crew survived, laughed and left the beach hungry for the next storm.Text and pictures by Henning von Jagow / www.henningvonjagow.comAlso on hand at The Witterings to capture the drama from the land were sr.offshore photography.ROSS WILLIAMS: BONCHURCH DTLISLE OF WIGHTMeanwhile, on the Isle of Wight, JC managed to hobble the beach for the first time since snapping his Achilles back in July. Ross Williams was on hand to provide the action down at Bonchurch for a solo morning and a bonus late afternoon session.Sunny and windy, great day to get back in the game!The morning was wilder and Ross was on a 3.6m and 82L, while for the evening, he switched up to the 4.4m.ROSS WILLIAMS: I have had a few sessions lately but nothing as full on as Monday. I saw the forecast abut a week out. The Island has a few nooks and crannies that can handle those conditions. I was in a 2mil wetsuit and on small gear and it was full power sailing. It helped me reconnect with windsurfing and get me fired up for the rest of the autumn and winter!It was pretty rad! I had to go pick up Carter because he is wearing a boot and unable to drive! I think I have fallen in love with windsurfing again after those sessions and I am now pumped for the winter. It was pretty wild out the back and it definitely ignited a little fire in me. MONDAY MADNESS! WORTHINGBILL SHORT: I turned up at Worthing and the tide was already on the groynes, but it was too windy for me. At 2.30pm there were big guys on 3.4m sails and I saw one 3.1 rig and that was Loopy Steve (best nickname on the beach) But Id probably have needed a 2.8m. So, I put myself on half an hours camera duty, trapped in that chilly wind tunnel by the Sea Lane rock groyne.Nik Baker showed up for the late show!Monday Madness!The wind never eased off until the 5pm rain came, plus then the wind filled back in. And then Nik Baker turned up, so I thought Id stick with the photography plan, if for old times sake. Im always amazed hes still on the water at his great age. I was just a nipper when we all used to sail off Shoreham beach. Or at least thats how I like to remember it. Nik was sailing with his son today.Nik Baker out on the new 2026 Duotone gear! (No jumps due to previous back injury!)So, it was gusting to 45knots this afternoon and the sea was wild. The waves were overhead big out back, but the camera doesnt show thatand for Worthing photos you really need a longer lens than I have.The waves however did get better as the tide rose, with the deeper water allowing in the big swelland it was arguable that the late arrivals had the best session, plus the wind after 5pm was less manic.STOP PRESS: EPIC SHOTS LATE IN FROM MAZZA!!Down in Cornwall the sun was also shining and the wind was howling. Fast Jan grabbed his camera and caught a few epic shots of Ian Ross and the local crew tearing it up at Mazza!The post BIG MONDAY: THE WITTERINGS, ISLE OF WIGHT AND WORTHING! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

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JORDY VONK: DOING THE TIME!JORDY VONK: DOING THE TIME!If you want to break into the elite ranks of PWA racing, theres no easy route. Winning a round or making the podium isnt just about being the fastest on the water. The journey to mix it with the big guns is all about doing the time, and that means hours of training, endless testing and years on tour to gain that all-important experience and knowledge. To stand on a PWA podium takes relentless hard work, sacrifice, and an unstoppable drive to keep pushing forward. Few athletes embody that spirit better than Dutch racer Jordy Vonk. From humble beginnings on the lakes of Holland to lining up against legends on the PWA World Tour, his story is a masterclass in persistence. And hes done it his wayby putting in the time while making sure to enjoy the experience along the journey.Winning races and making podiums did not come overnight for Jordy. It meant years of road trips with his parents, grinding through youth races, juggling supermarket shifts and studies and gaining every ounce of experience he could find. Now firmly established among the fastest names in the sport and fresh off breaking into the worlds top three in Slalom X, hes proven that talent alone isnt enough. Success takes hours on the water, smart equipment choices and the right mindset. In this exclusive interview, Jordy shares the highs and lows of his careerfrom partying his way through his first PWA event to the breakthrough moments that finally placed him among the elite. This is the story of a racer who has not only done the time but continues to put in the work to chase the ultimate goalbecoming PWA World Champion.Photos: John Carter / PWA. Rafa Soulart / PWA, andWINDSURF: Tell us how your career as a racer got started?JV: My journey feels like such a looooooong road so far, it makes me feel old! 2005 was the first year I tried windsurfing, didnt get straight away fully hooked. Until I started planing the summer after. Late summer 2006 I straight joined my first race at the legendary The Mission event in Holland. Maybe crashed every gybe along the way, but having a lot of fun. In 2007 we decided to do more races and after winning one event in the youth class, I had my complete focus on one thing: winning as much as possible!In these years there were a lot of events happening on a national level, my parents had to drive a crazy number of kilometers to get me everywhere, it was only later that I realized how much they did for me those years I couldnt drive myself!Fast forward it was 2009, I did my first international event in Germany (IFCA youth Europeans) where I met guys that turned out to be my competitors for many years to come, like Maciek Rutkowski and Basti Krdel. After doing a lot of IFCA events I decided in 2012 it was time for the next step, the PWA World Tour. I did my first event in Sylt 2012 and from 2013 on, I only skipped a couple of events which were too expensive at the time.WINDSURF: What were your early ambitions?JV: I always had my eyes on the PWA world tour, my dream was to become a professional windsurfer: Travel around, having a windsurf van and become one of those main guys going crazy fast on the videos.I would say goal achieved! But it was also my goal to become PWA World Champion.that one it still in progress.WINDSURF: Did you have any racing idols?JV: Not specifically one, but I was looking up to a couple of names for sure: Bjorn Dunkerbeck, Antoine Albeau or Dutchies Peter Volwater and Ben van der Steen And now, Ive raced against all of them, which has been an absolute privilege!WINDSURF: When did you decide to turn Pro?JV: It feels more like the question should be: when did windsurfing allow me to turn pro? Since the age of 15, I was giving everything for windsurfing, all my energy went into this. Whether it was working in the supermarket to earn a bit of cash to spend on windsurfing or studying to be safe after my windsurfing career (as my parents told me so). To me it was always clear that I would become a professional windsurfer! Until I was 23, I was still working at a transport company, next to my study, to earn enough to make it happen. Finally I think in 2018, my results became good enough I could let go of the job and really be a full-time windsurfer.WINDSURF: What was it like at your first PWA events were you a complete rookie?JV: I felt like a small boy in a big mens world. I travelled in 2012 together with Ben van der Steen to my first World Cup in Sylt. At the time the event was known for its good parties and every day I asked Ben if it was okay to go to the party (maybe he knew better if we raced the next day) and after 5 days of partying, I asked him again: Youll just keep telling me to go to the party or what? And he replies: Yes, you wont get a good result here anyway, so better that you party a lot now, so when you come back next time and youre ready for a good result, youre not distracted anymore! .. Honestly, amazing advice ha ha! There were so many incredible fast guys in those years way harder for the young guys to prove yourself!WINDSURF: What are the most common mistakes for a rookie racer?JV: Consistency is the hardest for rookies usually they take a lot of risk at the start because they for example need to compensate being a touch slower on the straight line. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesnt. as long as you analyze and learn, thats what I always did (and still do!).WINDSURF: Were you there for the fun or were you already serious and competitive?JV: I guess my Sylt story says enough ha ha. Of course, I cared about the result and I always took it seriously, but with my share on fun!WINDSURF: When did you start doing training camps in Tenerife and how much difference do they make?JV: Winter 2014 was my first camp and it was a game changer. I think the training camp started there the winter before: with all guys stepping up and especially Alberto Menegatti shooting up the ranks, it felt like a must to go there and try to make the same step! With so many experienced guys on tour, the new generation had to do something to gain experience in short term. The Tenerife training camp definitely showed it was the way to go and thats why still now lots of riders do the TWS Pro Slalom Training!WINDSURF: How important do you take gym and diet as part of your training?JV: Its super important for sure! I used to be very skinny without a lot of gym sessions and food, I would never been 100+ kg like I am now. Im still doing 4-5 non-windsurfing training sessions a week!WINDSURF: Should you take racing totally seriously or try to make it a good time as well?JV: In my opinion, it should be the right balance like everything in life! Should you take it seriously? Yes, it would be a shame sponsors support you in something you dont event take seriously but at the moment windsurfing is not a sport that will make you rich even when you are on top So, you better have a good time also otherwise its all for nothing!WINDSURF: What did it take to work your way through the ranks in the racing?JV: Everything? Hours on the water, hours analyzing, hours tuning gear, hours in the gym, developing equipment, mental training, travel to different places and so on. Hard to point out what really made the difference, but it will be a combination of everything.WINDSURF: How many years on tour would you say it would take a new racer to work their way into the top five?JV: In Foil Slalom I guess you can get there quicker than in Slalom X, you can see in general youth catching up quicker on a foil than with the fin. Because I still believe on a Fin the rider can make more difference. But to become top 5 in a year? Would still take plenty of years I guess! The only exception weve seen is Johan Soe, I think from the whole new generation hes been an absolute stand-out.WINDSURF: Was there a breakthrough moment where you felt you were up there with the elite PWA racers at last?In 2018 was my breakthrough year I would say. I had my first PWA podium back in 2017, but I was still pretty inconsistent. In 2018, if I remember right during the 4th event of the year, I was the only sailor who didnt miss a winner final yet.. I was not the quickest, but I was all the time there. I finished 4th in the overall ranking and showed that I can perform in both light and strong winds! But, I also have to mention, in Fuerteventura this year, I felt on another level again compare to all my years before! Sadly, I couldnt finish off the event but the feeling was amazing!WINDSURF: How do you learn how to control your emotions and mental side when dealing with pressure?JV: Ive seen a mental coach a couple times years ago which has been a huge help to me. I dont see him anymore, but funny enough I still think back to the sessions a lot and still have the notes that we made together. They still help me to get my mind in the right mindset when I have to.WINDSURF: How much difference does it make to work closely with a brand like Duotone?JV: It simply makes your life easy, I would say. This is my 10th year with Duotone and since a long time Im mainly doing all the board testing with Dani Aeberli and helping Marco Lang testing the sails. Therefore, I know the gear incredibly well, which makes tuning very easy, as I basically dont have to get used to it anymore.WINDSURF: What it takes to win racesfitness, gear, experience talent?JV: Your gear needs to be good and perfectly tuned, you need to be strong and heavy, you need to be mentally strong and have enough experience. Those are things you can have influence on, but there are some aspects, you cant work on. Talent! I think you need talent, but Hard work beats talent, if talent doesnt work hard. (saw this on a wall one time, I love this line) and last but not least you sometimes need a bit of luck!WINDSURF: Tell us about the joy of winning a race and earning that respect in the fleet?JV: Its a moment you will never forget. 2019 in South-Korea, I won my first elimination and I was fist pumping all the way to the beach, probably its one of my most memorable moments on tour! I still have the live stream recording and will safe it on a good place!WINDSURF: What other life lessons has being a racer on the PWA tour taught you?JV: I have now been on the PWA tour for 13 years The tour has basically shaped me into the guy I am today and taught me a lot of life lessons. Biggest lesson? Maybe its pretty hard to explain, but to a good friend I always said: I want to get on the podium, but I want to do it my way. Meaning I dont want to sacrifice everything and do stuff I dont like, in order to get the result I want. I want to have fun, enjoy and still try to see if I can get there. Looking back, I would not have wanted to do it any other way!WINDSURF: What advice would you give a rookie racer for their first event on tour?JV: Dont expect to come and fight for the podium. Just have fun, enjoy the moment and learn as much as possible. This way you have a good time and know what you have to work on for the next one!WINDSURF: What racers do you still look up to for their work ethic on tour?JV: Not sure if I look up to riders for their work ethic, but what I really think is cool that the main guys Im still fighting with are still Pierre Mortefon and Matteo Iachino. They were on the podium back when 64 men fleets were full all the time and the amount of amazing riders lets say was bigger. So even when fleets are smaller now and theres less full-time windsurfers I look up to the fact that they are still there and Im proud that I can give them a run for their money sometimes!WINDSURF: Now you have broken into the top three, what is it going to take to become world number one?JV: Dont crash and injure myself is the most important thing ha-ha! I think what is so nice for me is that the podium pressure is gone now, Ive done it and with that I mind I feel like I will enter with less pressure, which usually is good for my mind. And to be honest I really look forward to race on my new Duotone 2026 race gear that just got launched. Im very excited about it!The post JORDY VONK: DOING THE TIME! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

By Sarah Thornely www.supjunkie.co.ukWe have long loved the Red Equipment brand, which constantly provides us with well-made and innovative designs, not only of paddleboards but also of changing robes, deck bags, and now a Spring collection that includes their new Outdoor Adventure Blanket and its little brother, the Sit Mat.Sustainability is a big part of Reds identity. As a certified B Corp (www.bcorporation.net), they champion high social and environmental performance standards, transparency, and accountability. In a simple nutshell, this means that what you purchase from Red has been constructed with recycled materials and is so well made that it should last you for years.Adventure BlanketThe Adventure Blanket is lightweight, packable, and waterproof. It is made to withstand any terrain, and the plush groundsheet is backed in abrasion-resistant recycled ripstop nylon with a soft, recycled polyester top. The 3M Thinsulate quilting will keep you warm and cosy, and its a generous size at 1.8 x 1.4 metres. On each corner, there is a peg-down loop for those windy days, and in one corner, there is a built-in zipped pocket.Its also sand, dirt and dog-hair proof, so when you are done, give it a good shake and pop it back in its stash bag, which has a handy carabiner. It weighs just 840g.Sit MatThe Sit Mat is a smaller version of the Blanket, sized at 60cm x 82cm, weighing 220g, and is perfect for you and your kit bag, or a couple of kidsoryour dog! Its stash bag is sewn in, so there is no danger of losing it, and again, it comes with a carabiner. Weve used this whilst hiking, and its great to pop it onto the grass, perhaps a wet log or seat, so you are never in danger of getting damp!Designed to be used shoreside, these blankets will be a welcome addition wherever you arekeepthem in your car or van or hang them from your rucksack when out hiking.After17 years in the business, you would like to believe that the team at Red Equipment know what they are doing they have an incredibly low returns record and are quick to forward the odd spare should you need it. These blankets have good design and quality construction and will undoubtedly be used by our family a huge amount. We love technical kit that is designed for purpose, no more soggy bottoms or blankets that are covered in doggie hair or sand! Good job, RED!Adventure Blanket RRP 78.95Sit Mat RRP 27.95https://red-equipment.co.uk

THE ALOHA CLASSIC 2025: THE LEGACY CONTINUES!THE ALOHA CLASSIC 2025: THE LEGACY CONTINUESThe countdown is onthe 41st Aloha Classic is just one month away! From October 1324th, the worlds best wave sailors will gather at Hookipa Beach Park, the iconic stage for windsurfings most prestigious event. Check out the official event website for updates and dont miss this incredible video that celebrates the Aloha Classics history and legacy.Are you ready to witness the greatest windsurfing show on the planet?Welcome to the 41st Aloha Classic, the grand finale of the Windsurfing World Tour, happening October 13-24, 2025, at the legendary Hookipa Beach Park, Maui! Watch the worlds top 100 windsurfers from over 30 countries across six continents battle it out in Amateur, Professional, Youth, and Masters divisions, riding Mauis iconic waves and winds. Celebrate 40+ years of windsurfing heritage with cultural blessings, beach clean-ups, and a $2 million economic boost for the community. Featuring stunning aerial footage, live action, and highlights from past champions and heritage, this video showcases the thrill, diversity, and aloha spirit of the sport.Dont miss your chance to join the actionvisit AlohaClassic.com for schedules, volunteer or sponsoring opportunities, and more!The post THE ALOHA CLASSIC 2025: THE LEGACY CONTINUES! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

Your essential read for SUP this summer! New August SUP Mag UK available nowPay by credit card with Stripe or Paypal. SUBSCRIBE HERE and receive your first issue of the full 2025 subscription of four magazines yearly starting with the April 2025 issue 44. Coaching and adviceQ&AsTravel and adventuresPaddle UK featuresEnvironmentRegularsSUPM supports and gives airtime to the UK SUP scene 100%. And were the only mag that does.The latest August 2025 issue of SUP Mag UK in print is available to purchase now Digital edition available @ https://joom.ag/sfwdFeaturing a huge array of SUP stories from across the planet and the crme de la crme of UK stand up stories, its a must have read for anyone into the art of propelling themselves forward on a board with a paddle.Available to order now.Any questions? Give us a call on 01480 465081 we will be glad to help.

Words: David PartridgePhotos: SUP 11 Cities TourThe SUP 11 Cities event took place for the 17th time in Friesland in what has been renamed SUPtember by the event organisers.This year, once again, there was a pretty good entry from the UK with the indomitable tandem duo of Allistair Swinsco and Alison Rennie racing both in the non-stop (their 4th) and the 5-day event (their fifth). They achieved an incredible 27 hours and 36 minutes on the non-stop run in good weather over the weekend. They followed this up by winning the battle of the tandems over the 5-day event to enable a UK podium moment.Nottingham paddler Suzy Rigby also participated in the non-stop and 5-day event. Unfortunately, she missed a cut-off time in the non-stop and retired after an excellent 88km or so paddle. However, she came back to complete the 5-day event.There was an eight-strong team from Nottingham who certainly livened up the briefings and massage queue with their team, which included a good few supporters and assistants. Their feedback highlighted similarities between the event and their home Race to The Castle event, noting a great sense of encouraging participation.Other UK entrants included Fabio Barbosa (a UK south coast paddler entered under his native Portuguese nationality), Ryan Adams, Scot, and Niall Colquhoun.So, how does it feel to take part in one of the classic SUP races, rubbing shoulders (literally) with some of the worlds best distance paddlers?The first thing you notice is the volunteers. A huge team of people make up the Race committee, land logistics and water safety with a fleet of safety boats. Portaloos and tents appear at each of the destinations as if by magic. Volunteers, many of whom take a weeks holiday to support the event, create lunch stops, transport bags to the midpoint and finish, look after administration, check trackers, and everywhere the media team is lurking in bushes and on bridges, capturing the action.The volunteers are incredible; several have officially retired from duties but still attend and support us. It was great to see Henk Den Belder cheering on the Brits (and everyone else). Jack Hoving, a retired mariner, pilots a safety boat and sent some wonderful pictures of our upwind battles on some of the open water.The daily briefings are delivered on a chat group, and then a final brief, weather and hazard update is provided. Trackers collected, and paddlers get onto the water for their start times (divided by gender, age, and a separate Tour start).Ritske Merkus summarised the 5-day event at the prize giving, Well, it was windy, the first day not too bad, and you got comfortable, the second day was windy and more windy. I was out in a 2-tonne boat, so I wasnt too scared. However, if I had been on a 14-foot SUP, the situation might have been different. After a good battle, we had tail winds for days three and four. This made the organisation interesting because everyone arrived at the finish two hours earlier; the ground team had never had to move so fast! And today was a shorter day, only 27km, so the headwind wasnt bad, or you have learnt to paddle strongly, and you all made it here!Catching up briefly after the event, Ritske did note that the wind limit for the event is a Force 6, and we hovered close to that on day two. But the organisation has contingencies, and he has already mapped out the potential rerouting to keep us on sheltered canals and off open water. Day two includes a long, very sheltered canal affectionately known as The Jungle. The conditions here were reasonable, and Ritske had imagined using this if necessary.The event is all about the spirit of Ohana family. The organisers just want to put on a safe, fun event, and it is a testament to them that so many people keep coming back. There have been a few changes, including the addition of new Board members and changes at the helm, but the spirit of the event continues to grow year on year.One of the differences has been a growing number of Tour paddlers, and one group in particular stood out. A US charity, Flatwater (flatwater.org), set out to raise money to provide mental health counselling for people living with cancer and their families. Around 20 paddlers travelled to the event, many from Austin, Texas, where they host fundraising SUP events on a local lake. They massively surpassed their fundraising goal, actually raising more than $300,000. Others were fundraising for cancer research or building awareness of rare medical conditions.Whats the paddling like?Well, it depends! This year was super windy, so everyone had to adapt to hugging the windward shores of rivers and canals, swapping weeds on fins for relief from headwinds. Drafting teams quickly evolved in the Race categories. It is amazing how in tune you become with wind direction, trying to work out where youll get the best shelter and when to cross. Downwind, especially on the larger canals, it just became a blast with speeds often up to 10Km/hr.I think everyone will remember the third lake on Day 2! After a crosswind crossing to Galamadammen, you start to paddle directly into the wind up a river, as it widened out, the chop grew, and suddenly you face De Moarre, a paddle across around 3km of windswept water before thankfully lunch and turning to head to the end of the day with a downwind section. The safety team picked up a few who were beaten by the weather, but most just gritted their teeth and went for it!The enthusiasm and support of Friesland, a fiercely proud region, are palpable everywhere: blue and red flags, people on bridges, and residents watching the race on the legends tracking system, cheering you on by name. The paddle itself takes you through 11 cities, where you ring a bell, admire historic houses, churches and wonderful old boats. Safety boats provide music, support and security. The scenery is amazing: windmills, Friesian horses, vast open skies with rainbows and dramatic clouds. Lovely, almost medieval towns where the canals you paddle on are like the main streets. The social media team have captured each day and provided excellent short videos summarising the route and scenes. Please take a look at their work to be really inspired.At the finish this year, the organisers hosted meals in local restaurants or put on buffets with plenty of carbs and options. NGS provided a team of masseurs who definitely have excellent knowledge of SUP sport physio.Accommodation is either on a fleet of traditional wooden sailing barges or in shared houses (with a minivan provided to each for transport).I stayed in a house with Fabio and Ryan, along with SUP legends Peter Mulhauser (winner grandmasters), Andrea Forrer womens winner, Henrik Carston (3rd Grand Masters), Karl Eugster from the US and Dorthe Nielsen (2nd Grand Diva) with husband Lars, a volunteer at the event. The atmosphere is very special with everyone sharing training regimes, nutrition and hydration advice. The mornings in the kitchen resembled an alchemists studio with hydration packs and powders, gels and finger taping.The competition is divided into age groups:In the open competition, winner Tim Oliver (CAN), Paulo Marconi (ITA) and Wietse de Boer (NL) jostled positions day by day. Tim completed the event in 22 hours and 40 minutes. After the event, he posted: WHAT A WEEK. Im still in a bit of shock that I was able to deliver a big performance and get the most out of myself at the Sup11citytour. To say that this event is hard would be the understatement of the century. My @starboardsup Sprint Zero 14 x 23 was the perfect weapon to tackle the wind and water of the Netherlands this past week. After I took the overall lead on stage 2, a super strong and cunning @paolomarconisup threw all he had at me for the remaining three days. An equally strong @wietseb pushed a crazy pace on the final day to keep me honest. Huge thank you to my dad and Margo for their daily support. This win feels really good. I think Ill take a day or two off from training now, ha!In the masters (40 plus), the results were even closer, with just seven minutes separating winner Michael Barron USA from Andras Chlebovics HUN and Arnold den Ouden (NL). Mike is on his way over to Scotland for the Great Glen.In the Grand Masters 50 plus, Peter Mulhauser SUI dominated with a total time of 23 hrs 48 s, followed by fellow countryman Stephane Guillermin SUI and housemate Henrik Carstens (DEN). Niall Colquhon posted an impressive 27 hours 28 minutes, putting him into 7th place in the strong Grand Masters category.Further down the fleet, there were personal competitions each day. In my case, there were three musketeers. Each day, we crossed the finish line in sight of each other. We waited on the water for fist pumps and back slaps, thanks to Martin Luitwieler, NED, and Marcus Pozzetta, USA I think we encouraged each other to keep battling to come in under 31 hours (in my case, just behind Martin and into 10th place).In the womens competition, Andrea Forrer SUI dominated, winning day by day, followed by Froukje Wichgers-Marien NED and Hanneke de Jong NED.In the Divas (a relatively small category this year), Sietske De Wit-Steenbeek NED won, followed by Juliane Neumann GER and Suzanne Den Hollander NED.The Grand Divas (women 50 plus) had a strong field with Emmanuelle Marcon FRA beating last years winner Dorthe Nielsen DEN and Anita Bruins NED. Notably, the UKs own Emma Adams came in 4th.Crown of the UK entrants, Team Loch SUP on the tandem, won the five days in 25 hours 38 minutes (amazing considering they had just done it all non-stop)In the Tour fleet, many competitors were thoroughbred racers. Fabio Barbosa, who is well known in the UK, achieved an incredible 6th in the Tour and under 31 hours on an inflatable SUP. This was Fabios first experience of 11 Cities, so how was it? Absolutely amazing, I 100% recommend this as the best challenge. What a course great views, but mostly the people. I knew it was going to be good, but not this good. This has been my best paddling experience. Its also a great value. Im amazed by the food, support, and excellent massage. Im already coming back next year.Ryan Adams from Sussex, a Red Paddle ambassador, was pleased to compete on an ISUP as well. It is an exciting adventure better than my expectations. I thought it would be gruelling, but each day I seemed to want to paddle more.For the finishers, Anne Marie Reichman, the founder of the event, who had also decided to compete at the last minute, described the Cross of Honour, the finishers medal. This is a tradition from the original 11 cities ice skating event.Every mile we paddle together is important. We are all a family, as someone said, we are the Tribe of 11 cities paddlers.Anne MarieMy thanks go to a great set of housemates, who provided a week of SUP stories and chat, all the fantastic volunteers and organisers, all of whom do this for love and lastly to Marcus and Martin, fellow musketeers, thanks for pushing me along!Full results and loads of detail can be found on the SUP 11 Cities website and socials: sup11citytour.comPersonally, all I can say is if you have ever thought about it, just do it. I hope some of the others will add their thoughts in the comments. Come along and join the Tribe!