Is SUP ready for the Olympics yet? The battle begins...

[Foilman]

Found this interesting NY Times article so I figured I start a discussion here. What do you guys think, has the sport evolved enough to go Olympic? What should the rules be, what competitions..... Share your ideas.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/16/sports/olympics/stand-up-paddleboarding-surfing-canoeing.html?_r=0

[ukgm]

Found this interesting NY Times article so I figured I start a discussion here. What do you guys think, has the sport evolved enough to go Olympic? What should the rules be, what competitions..... Share your ideas.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/16/sports/olympics/stand-up-paddleboarding-surfing-canoeing.html?_r=0

This isn't the latest news in this story. The latest is that the court of arbitration for sport has been asked to mediate between the two. The outcome of this could change where and how the sport develops so it's a big deal.

[Green Water Sports]

From first hand experience, this kind of nonsense and infighting pretty much killed kiteboarding at the international tour level. Also Second hand experience at the national surf level. Let's hope people see the bigger picture. Money brings out the worst though and being/becoming an Olympic sport means dollars become available.

[surf4food]

All of these reasons are why I would rather it NOT become and Olympic sport.  It will probably do more harm than good.  The fact that both sides feel they are be best qualified to head it is laughable at best. 

[Area 10]

I also don't want it to become an Olympic sport. It will then ossify. Anyway, I don't think it is a realistic aim. The sport is too new.

SUP is a strange hybrid sport that culturally may have links to other sports, but is in effect now developing along its own course. There is virtually no cultural link to canoeing, and the surf community hate us, so that's a strange link to be pressing too. (For that matter, the canoeing community look down their noses at us too.) At some point there will have to be a vote of SUPers and I suspect that given only these two options there would be a strong vote for going with the surfing community, even if this isn't the quickest route to the Olympics. But I suspect most SUPers would prefer their own independent representative body altogether. Why would we align ourselves with communities that don't respect us?

These moves have nothing to do with the good of SUP. IMO. They are more about canoeing and surfing seeing SUP as a threat. They are haemorrhaging their core base to SUP, and do want to grab and control this new threat before it becomes too big. Then they can control us, and the direction in which we go. They can patronise us. If that's the price of involvement in the Olympics, then I think we'd be better off waiting until we have developed our own representative body.

[Tom]

Well   said   a10, I  see no upside  on SUPds becoming  an Olympic  sport

[TallDude]

Stand Up Canoeing?  That would S.U.C.

[ukgm]

I also don't want it to become an Olympic sport. It will then ossify. Anyway, I don't think it is a realistic aim. The sport is too new.

SUP is a strange hybrid sport that culturally may have links to other sports, but is in effect now developing along its own course. There is virtually no cultural link to canoeing, and the surf community hate us, so that's a strange link to be pressing too. (For that matter, the canoeing community look down their noses at us too.) At some point there will have to be a vote of SUPers and I suspect that given only these two options there would be a strong vote for going with the surfing community, even if this isn't the quickest route to the Olympics. But I suspect most SUPers would prefer their own independent representative body altogether. Why would we align ourselves with communities that don't respect us?

These moves have nothing to do with the good of SUP. IMO. They are more about canoeing and surfing seeing SUP as a threat. They are haemorrhaging their core base to SUP, and do want to grab and control this new threat before it becomes too big. Then they can control us, and the direction in which we go. They can patronise us. If that's the price of involvement in the Olympics, then I think we'd be better off waiting until we have developed our own representative body.

Time served has nothing to do with it - triathlon was formalised with its first governing body in 1989 and then hit the olympics 11 years later. Open water swimming didn't even have an established race season and they brought it in. Snowboarding didn't take much more than a dozen years and change. They want to keep the olympics appealing to the youth and that has let them rush a few things in. I agree with you though, having an undeveloped sport in the olympics would,be disastrous.

[exiled]

I remember flipping the channels last Olympics and seeing them running canoe races. I thought I was watching a SUP race for a split second.  I imagine anyone not familiar with canoe racing would make the same mistake. I think they need us more than we need them right now.

[Easy Rider]

The "fight" over who governs SUP, and where it is headed, is very similar as to what happened to snowboarding. 
Snowboarding was the "new kid" on the hill, and no one cared about it in the early days.  The ski industry eventually figured out that they could make money off of snowboarding, so they "took it over".  FIS (ski federation) eventually wrestled away the sanctioning rights to events and took snowboarding to the Olympics - and killed the soul of the sport in the process.

I hope SUP never gets to the Olympics! 

[surfafrica]

The racing disciplines are pretty lined up to being Olympic events.  The IOC is pushing to get new sports that will keep the younger generations interested.  I'm not saying I hope it makes it in or not.  I just think the sport is almost destined to be included. It's a race. Wave riding is a different story but if the surf events pan out, I'm guessing stand up surfing will follow close behind.

[SUPflorida]

Just two pimps fighting to take over a new street corner. Its all about money and control.

[surf4food]

The racing disciplines are pretty lined up to being Olympic events.  The IOC is pushing to get new sports that will keep the younger generations interested.  I'm not saying I hope it makes it in or not.  I just think the sport is almost destined to be included. It's a race. Wave riding is a different story but if the surf events pan out, I'm guessing stand up surfing will follow close behind.

That’s the whole problem.  Both the ISA and ICF want full control of the sport for Olympic purposes.  Even though surfing is slated to be in the 2020 Olympics, I seriously doubt SUP surfing will be included even if SUP racing is added.  Is there even going to be divisions for both shortboard AND longboard?  If not, then SUP surfing for the Olympics are simply dead in the water.  That pretty much leaves racing.  The ICF would probably be the better of the two for that reason but the truth is, the ICS really don’t give two shits about the sport.  It’s all for the money and nothing else.  As I mentioned above, inclusion in the Olympics is not going to do the sport any good what so ever.  I really am gob smacked that anyone thinks it will.  I can't believe surfing has been added.

[surf4food]

I am quoting a post from Steve West.  I don't necessarily agree or disagree with him on this but I think it's very interesting and thought provoking:  "From as far back as 2005, I have been vociferous on the topic of 'definition' in respect of SUP and for all of it implications. The shit is now hitting the fan, as was inevitable, in specific relation to the money grab for the best pathway for Olympic inclusion - frankly the obsession with the Olympics at this juncture, is a massive red herring and blunder, at a time when the sport needs focus at grass roots level. For the ISA to proclaim they have effectively championed single handedly the expansion and popularism over the past 10 years of SUP is utterly erroneous and false - period. To also believe affiliates of the ICF have done nothing in this time, or indeed that the many wide spread independent training organisations and well run, now iconic SUP events of the world (with zero ISA connection) have not indeed been relevant or infact the primary contributers to the growth of SUP, is also erroneous. Regrettably, 'the debate' amongst SUP racers, has been supportive of the ISA largely as a result of a diet of poor journalism and sound bytes in what is presented as a one way view of things, a lack of vision as to the big picture and the minds of these racers wanting to be thought of as surfers, not paddlers because it's 'cool' to be thought of this way. What the hell is wrong in being thought of as a paddler and furthermore, for all those who believe standing and paddling came out of surfing, for crying out loud, grow a brain and try and get past a time line that pre-dates Hawaii. Tahitian paddlers, are uber-cool - they are not surfing when they are racing next to you (and doubtless, kicking your arse) on a SUP - they are paddlers first and foremost and their links with outrigger canoeing (a very cool sport) is not insignificant, indeed it is central to their abilities and talents and of all that they bring to the sport. I will say it over and over . . . outrigger canoeing is your natural link to SUP and indeed, many OC events now include SUP racing, from the USA to Tahiti . . . the clue is right before you - and the International Va'a Federation is ICF affiliated."

[surfafrica]

Chas Smith is pretty upset about all this too.

http://beachgrit.com/2017/06/isa-fuck/

This is our chance to rid ourselves of this hideous curse Laird Hamilton wrought. It is our chance to be forever done with the SUP and it boils my blood, just boils it all the way that the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is being squandered. Give that shit to International Canoeing! Pay them to take it!