Really!?

[SoCalSupper]

Sport cant come up with 50K?

Feel bad for guys like colin-appleby etc...

aplogies if this was previously posted...


http://www.supthemag.com/news/team-usa-withdraws-from-isa-games/

[SURFnTURF]

Lame excuse.   When I was involved in kayak surfing, competitors paid their own way, and had fundraisers to help out.  I paid my own way when I went to Most recently OBX and  The Basque Country, as did others to Portugal, Ireland, Brazil,  Costa Rica, Santa Cruz, and now to Australia.   In addition to picking themselves up by their own bootstraps if they really wanted to go, members of  ESKA (Eastern Surfk Kayaking Association) as well as WSKA,  had to deal with lost wages from their days jobs unless they had 3 weeks vacation coming.
       Me thinks that there is another motive behind their withdrawal.

[StandinDan]

There is one very well known and universally respected board designer and shop owner here in town whos lead shaper I approached to design a custom SUP based on one of their short board fish designs that I have and dig on. I was summarily blown off in short order by the lead in house shaper and sent packing. If I wanted a SUP there were plenty of places that sold generic Asian pop outs that would fix me up, so see ya. I was stumped, isn't cash king? Turns out the shop owner refuses to get into SUP design, he is convinced it's a passing fad that will fade out in due time, (like those admittedly weird recumbent bikes that only Squidward rides.) There is a resistance out there to give the sport it's due, or provide the funding support it needs. But I tell the nay sayers that they are witnessing evolution in progress: there is a new animal in the water who is faster, stronger and more capable in nearly all respects. We are just beginning to realize the potential and open up the territory. The notion of Boludo's 7-3 Simmons would have been inconceivable a year ago.  "Better" is debatable, but SUP certainly is a hell of a lot more fun and, like the hoky pokey, that's what it's all about.
Apologies to anyone who digs those goofy bikes.

[Strand Leper]

Dan,

Isn't it amazing?!?  You would think that the opportunity to paint on a new canvas... apply his years and years and decades of knowledge with a new twist (and show those SUP shapers what is what) would be both invigorating and liberating.  Unfortunately, he has to worry about his street cred for his core business.  The rag trade and Surf Inc. has made it so that shaping one, will harm the customer base for another... especially in San Clemente.  Note that Tim Stamps no longer shapes SUPs... oddly, Timmy Patterson now shapes SUPs... but I think it was a strong push from his wife that made that happen.  (His initial negativity towards SUPs still lingers in my mind, however).

Roger Hinds was a bit reluctant to shape my first SUP, despite our (over a) decade relationship... Now, he calls or e-mails me every two weeks or so with a new tweak or idea... and tells me "Oh, you should throw that one I shaped you in the trash... not my trash, maybe Harbor's trash... cuz the new one in my brain is going to blow the old one away..."

I guess it depends on your perspective... what makes you tick... what inspires you...

SL

[PonoBill]

It's the legacy problem writ small. People always hang onto the stuff they know until circumstances overrun them.

[SoCalSupper]

There is one very well known and universally respected board designer and shop owner here in town whos lead shaper I approached to design a custom SUP based on one of their short board fish designs that I have and dig on. I was summarily blown off in short order by the lead in house shaper and sent packing. If I wanted a SUP there were plenty of places that sold generic Asian pop outs that would fix me up, so see ya. I was stumped, isn't cash king? Turns out the shop owner refuses to get into SUP design, he is convinced it's a passing fad that will fade out in due time, (like those admittedly weird recumbent bikes that only Squidward rides.) There is a resistance out there to give the sport it's due, or provide the funding support it needs. But I tell the nay sayers that they are witnessing evolution in progress: there is a new animal in the water who is faster, stronger and more capable in nearly all respects. We are just beginning to realize the potential and open up the territory. The notion of Boludo's 7-3 Simmons would have been inconceivable a year ago.  "Better" is debatable, but SUP certainly is a hell of a lot more fun and, like the hoky pokey, that's what it's all about.
Apologies to anyone who digs those goofy bikes.

classic...
Drive on up to DP and talk to the Boehnes-youll get a much different response.

Didnt know that Stamps was not shaping sups anymore?-he was all over it for a while?-advertising on Ashleys Blog etc...-wonder what happened?

Pattersons shaping for Tommy Lloy/Riviera-nice looking shapes but TL could ride an inflatable raft and shred.

I hope it does turn out to be a fad

[Old School 213]

As I understand Stamps retreat from SUPs was do to glassing, not being able to do it himself (time not ability) and not having control over that portion of the process(quality).

[surf4food]

As it turns out the US WILL send a SUP surf team to the ISA though no SUP race or prone paddleboard teams.  


http://www.supracer.com/isa-sup-championship-team-usa-2013/

[Strand Leper]

As I understand Stamps retreat from SUPs was do to glassing, not being able to do it himself (time not ability) and not having control over that portion of the process(quality).

I understand that was the stated reason as well.  Tim makes great boards.  A shame that he is not doing SUPs anymore.  If he really wanted to make them, he would find a way to make them.  No aspersions cast on Tim... he is a great shaper, a really good surfer and a good guy.  He just decided that he doesn't want to make SUPs anymore.

Like So Cal said... I hope this whole SUP surf thing is a fad too.

SL

[TomKat]

I would have paid my own way

[Easy Rider]

In my life I have been a competitive swimmer / BMX racer / motocross racer / snowboarder / mountain bike racer and most recently SUP racer. While never at the very top of the sports I have made a few national teams in my life - and I have never had anyone pay for anything. What ever sport I was involved in ALWAYS had fund raising as a part of the sport, and it was the athlete (and or their parents) who were responsible for raising the money.
Take responsibility for your own actions.

[Bean]

Aren't these atheletes trying to make a living at stand-up through sponsorship and doesn't the fact that the sponsors are not making the ISA event happen, speak volumes about their overall impression about the event's significance?

[Sup-position]

So how does One get on the Team?

Also who runs it?

Ian Cairns is the Coach.

I know that there is a USA Sup Surf Event shaping up for Huntington Beach
this Spring...Ian is involved.

Perhaps the resources are going there?

I suppose it does make sense to have contests all around the USA and have the top
athletes represent the USA on the International Level.

If they can create a profitable business through the contest circuit with some big sponsors
they will have a spring board to the International Level..

Ralph
Sup-position
Huntington Beach, California, USA
(714) 899-3020

www.Sup-position.com