Mctavish - The shortest time I've ever owned a board.

Getting back in the swing of things now - had a few Sunday, sloppy sessions at Gwithian and had my first full fat beating in the middle of the week. An evening session that had overhead surf and blistering offshores put my lack of paddle fitness to the test. Not nice and I should have known better but it's been pretty desperate and as the clocks had gone back I thought I better make the most of it. WRONG!!

One thing that was definitely right though was going to see Joan Armatrading for the start of her latest UK tour - last time we saw her was 25 years ago and we were worried that her voice may have suffered with time. Not a bit - in fact if anything it seemed even stronger and richer than before and if anything more confident on stage, however she don't say much!!! Nice mix of old and the new 'This Charming Life' album which is a bit rockier. Great stuff and totally recommended - Swear that I spotted Billie Jean King there, might be mistaken.

MMMmmmnnnn!!

Now that's how you store boards on holiday
And not a single baggage charge amongst them

It's strange how fast things can go downhill sometimes, and how soon after your highest high's you get your lowest lows. Our Costa Rica trip was amazing, surfed everyday bar one sometimes twice a day and occasionally three times. Totally ace. But I reckon I sort of peaked in Nosara, and everything since has been cold, wet grey and painful. Here's why.

John Zapotocky 91 Years Young and the History of Stand Up Paddling

You may be forgiven for thinking that stand up paddling is a new sport, that has probably been around for 4 or 5 years right? Wrong, in fact the roots of our sport go right back to the man who bought surfing to the world, Duke Kahanamoku. How do we know this? Because the man that is the Godfather of stand up paddling, John Zapotocky learn't from the Duke.

Chris "Guts" Griffiths joins SurfTech Stand Up Paddle Team

Anyone who surfs or stand up paddle surfs in the UK will have heard the name Chris "Guts" Griffiths. Chris is a legend who has been a well known face of surfing for over 40 years, he has won over a dozen Welsh titles, split between longboard and shortboard divisions, he won the Europe pro longboard tour in 1997 and 1999 and had a top five ranking in the ASP in 1996.

Insane Video footage from the Stand Up Paddle Surfing Sunset Pro

The Waterman's League Stand Up Paddle Surf Sunset Beach Pro was eventually won by Maui local Kai Lenny, and some excellent video footage has been surfacing from the event showing how, on day two, how hard and shifty the waves were.

Ku Ikaika stand up paddle surf contest looks good for Monday

With the amazing winter season in Hawaii starting to close it looked as if the Ku Ikaika Big Wave Challenge at Makaha Point might not get the swell it needed for the contest to go ahead, however big wave stand up paddle surfers are getting mentally prepared as the word is out that a big NNW swell in the 12-15 foot range is heading in making conditions look good for Monday.

SAS Challenge 2010 Fitness testing results

Well the verdict is in and the tests are over, well for me and Claire they are anyway. Simon and Jock are yet to be tested. As part of the build up to the stand up paddle across the English Channel John Kelly from the University of Chichester put myself and Claire through a couple of tests to get a verdict on our current level of fitness and in turn that gave us a good idea of how much work we need to do over the coming months.

Corran Stand Up Paddle Surfs Waimea

Corran Addison, the owner of Imagine Eco stand up paddle boards, is currently in Oahu, Hawaii. While most of us spent valentines day in a more sedate fashion, Corran decided to tackle Waimea, stand up paddle surfing. He tells us all about it.