NorthCore are a British firm that produce surfing accessories. They are also very eco aware and plant 750 trees to off set thier carbon emissions each year. They have now started to produce some accessories for stand up paddle surfing

We have got news from Hawaii that the Stand Up World Tour and the set up of the Association of Stand Up Paddle Professionals (A.S.U.P.P.) has taken place. The events are invite only and take place in three locations, Teahupoo, (Tahiti), Ocean Beach (California) and Makaha (Hawaii).

Once again the Surfers’ Environmental Alliance have organised a 28 mile paddle around NYC in August 2009. The event looks set to be have legends from the surf and SUP world attending.

The first European stand up paddle distance race with a large prize purse (€10,000) is taking place on July 10th -12th 2009 in the harbour district of Hamburg. Entries are now open.

Roberto Ricci Designs (RRD) have released an SUP board called the Stand Up Eleven, which you will not be suprised to realise is 11 feet long ! I managed to take this board for a quick distance paddle at West Wittering last month. It is a very stable board, absolutely perfect for beginners to get to grips with paddling, and for them to take into the waves once they have mastered the paddling basics. It has a forgiving softskin deck, which feels good underfoot, and it has a 8.5 inch fin, which means it works well in the surf.

While cruising the internet for information about the Gold Coast Festival in Croyde, Devon, I stumbled upon what I thought was a familiar name opening up the music on Saturday 20th June in the form of Zervas and Pepper.

Australian Titles will this year be decided for the first time in the rapidly growing and now well established discipline of Stand Up Paddle (SUP) Surfing.

Surfing Australia announced the inclusion of the Open SUP division into the Country Energy Australian Surf Festival to be run at Port Macquarie during August.

Johanna Shiu continues to look at fitness and performance, this month she considers a vital topic, hyrdation. With so many people training for stand up paddle distance races, taking part in a race or even just out for a recreational paddle hydration is an important topic to understand.