I just want to make a couple of points:

- I think it is great that someone has taken the step to get us our own 'peak body'. I don't want to see SUP remain forever as a 'tack-on' event at surfing or canoeing events. Don't get me wrong, I think it is fantastic that these organisations are including us, but to truely promote SUP we need dedicated SUP events.

- I also think we need to look at the logistics of forming a peak body. It is totally unrealistic to think that such an association would be able to consult with every recreational SUPer on how they would like this 'body' formed and who they want on it. Some one has to take the leap and get it started. As the body grows in membership then we will all get to vote in the next lot of representatives.

- It is the same with lots of other sporting organisations: The Equestrian Federation of Australia did not consult with every recreational horse rider in the country before they formed, and you can bet your bottom dollar that Australian Canoeing didn't either. It's just not feasible.

- From the look of the list of names that have been consulted (and made honorary directors LOL) I think we should all be pretty happy that we will be well represented.

My 2 cents!

Surfrod66 said...


When there used to be only 1 supplier of Insurance for Board riders Clubs I am told the insurance cost was much higher..

It was - much higher.

Casso said...

husq2100 said...

that list of names they are pro SUP-Aus yes? and its non for profit yes? how does that work?? they all volenteer their time and any fees that get paid to SUP-Aus go where?

My name is on that list and I don't mind there being another body to organise more dedicated SUP events. So I guess I am pro SUP Australia.

I am volunteering my services as a surfer/racer representative in an advisory capacity. I do not expect to get paid for this.

I assume the fees will go to putting on the events around Australia - these are very expensive with things like council permits, equipment purchases, fees for qualified judges, administration, insurance, etc.

I have NO horse in this race......

wouldn't surfing Qld and the like have years of experience dealing with councils, working in with surf lifesaving, insurances, running comps etc that are going to be held in places the general public go etc etc etc

as far as them ONLY representing comps....that would be a little short sited would it not? would they not be the main body to represent us punters should rules/regulations/laws try to get imposed that restrict our sup freedom??? these things WILL become and issue with the growth of SUP and the growth of the general population

Im all for SUP to stand alone, but it my be a case of cutting your nose to spite you face when there are groups that already exsist that we can benefit from....at the end of the day, like it or not, Normal surfing is WAY bigger than SUP will be and we will always have to work in with them....

husq2100 said...

I have NO horse in this race......

wouldn't surfing Qld and the like have years of experience dealing with councils, working in with surf lifesaving, insurances, running comps etc that are going to be held in places the general public go etc etc etc

as far as them ONLY representing comps....that would be a little short sited would it not? would they not be the main body to represent us punters should rules/regulations/laws try to get imposed that restrict our sup freedom??? these things WILL become and issue with the growth of SUP and the growth of the general population

Im all for SUP to stand alone, but it my be a case of cutting your nose to spite you face when there are groups that already exsist that we can benefit from....at the end of the day, like it or not, Normal surfing is WAY bigger than SUP will be and we will always have to work in with them....

Some very good points there husq, noted is the complete absents of some regular forum contributors,very quite
I attended the Hurley Pro Junior,with some awesome work from surfing QLD,is this new group going to help develop the young and help out the average punter or is it a case of,don't want to know you until your pro.
Teatea,sorry mate but a lot of people getting into sup is because they know they don't have the skill to prone it mate or could not be bothered putting in the hard yards.I do agree the racing side of sup could be huge if the right people get involved.

not stirring the pot

Ha thats funny funny mate , people getting into sup cause they dont have the skill to prone it , thats very funny.Surfers must think surfing is a hard skill to aquire , its one of the easiest sports to learn!To be very good , now that would take some talent and time.But to stand up ride a wave , blind freedy could do it mate. People get into sup brecause its fun and offers variety , that prone surfing doesent , plus you dont have to put up with all the ego maniacs who think their kelly slater.

I would love to know what others on that list have to say.. Aren't some of them regulars on here?

DJ

* Jamie Mitchell
* Will Anido
* Darren Borg
* Simon Dodd
* Andrew Cassidy
* Stuart Murray
* Paul Jackson
* Jodie Marsh
* Woogie Marsh

I think SUP Australia's national series is a good idea and the more competitions nationally the better. As long as they include events or classes so the average Joe can get involved as well. From what I can tell they have been set up just like all the other local clubs around the country only they chose a name that can go national. Being "not for profit" I'm assuming they are a registered incorporated association under the incorporation's act.

But...IMO the state clubs should be responsible or at least consulted about what goes on in their state. Dealing with local/state issues and at least contacted or consulted if another party like SUP Australia are planning a local event or would like to be involved in any local issue. The local clubs know their state/area better than any interstate body ever will and will always provide the best judgment in relation to local issues. Am I right here?

An example here is SUP Australia and or ASI are/were planning a possible event in Victoria on the same weekend as SUP Vic's only MAJOR distance event the Great Melbourne Paddle. This won't happen. Their event would be welcomed any other weekend with 6 months notice, and the Vic calendar could be planned around it. Maybe I'm a little ahead of myself, perhaps they were going to contact SUP Vic soon?

I think we need to support Surfing Australia and the Surfing state bodies as the peak body. Their reach will always stretch a lot further than any SUP club. The advice and recommendations they have given both the Victorian SUP Clubs is clear proof that their experience is vast in everything we are trying to do! All SUP Clubs should be making more effort to draw from this valuable resource and not take it for granted.

I can't see why SUP Australia shouldn't co-exist but this shouldn't become a turf war between Surfing Australia and SUP Australia.

62mac said...

Bnaccas said...


I can't see why SUP Australia shouldn't co-exist but this shouldn't become a turf war between Surfing Australia and SUP Australia.

So you think in the future that sup events will still run with the Noosa Fest and the Malfunction

To be honest I'm not sure and I'm in no position to comment. I would hope so
and would be surprised if those events were run any different.

Bnaccas said...

I think SUP Australia's national series is a good idea and the more competitions nationally the better. As long as they include events or classes so the average Joe can get involved as well. From what I can tell they have been set up just like all the other local clubs around the country only they chose a name that can go national. Being "not for profit" I'm assuming they are a registered incorporated association under the incorporation's act.

But...IMO the state clubs should be responsible or at least consulted about what goes on in their state. Dealing with local/state issues and at least contacted or consulted if another party like SUP Australia are planning a local event or would like to be involved in any local issue. The local clubs know their state/area better than any interstate body ever will and will always provide the best judgment in relation to local issues. Am I right here?

An example here is SUP Australia and or ASI are/were planning a possible event in Victoria on the same weekend as SUP Vic's only MAJOR distance event the Great Melbourne Paddle. This won't happen. Their event would be welcomed any other weekend with 6 months notice, and the Vic calendar could be planned around it. Maybe I'm a little ahead of myself, perhaps they were going to contact SUP Vic soon?

I think we need to support Surfing Australia and the Surfing state bodies as the peak body. Their reach will always stretch a lot further than any SUP club. The advice and recommendations they have given both the Victorian SUP Clubs is clear proof that their experience is vast in everything we are trying to do! All SUP Clubs should be making more effort to draw from this valuable resource and not take it for granted.

I can't see why SUP Australia shouldn't co-exist but this shouldn't become a turf war between Surfing Australia and SUP Australia.

Couldnt agree more Brendon the concept is great, however the key issue is total transparency if you want credibility / support and in this case its thin on the ground.

Why should a potential SUP national body be directly aligned with either surfing body surely it must be totally independant and be able and willing to work with either IMO.

Its a complete farce to run 2 x state and national sufing / racing tiltes.

Phill

any national body that seems to be formed over night is strange.!!!! like the guys
who are in it !

chrispychru said...

i agree. im sure others on that list have read all this but only casso feels the need to respond. why is that? if either group would like to send me a free shirt or free beer i would love to support you. good to see some passion from you all thou.

Kia Ora, Just reporting in!!!

My name is on the list. I have been helping Tania with a few things that have been happening up here in Noosa - Mainly permits and the routing of council.

This hasn't happened over night it has taken a couple of months to put together.

As a Club we changed over to ASI for insurance for a number of reasons
1. Price they were at least $100 cheaper than our previous insurer.
2. at least 4 members of our club have the ASI SUP Instructors certificate so we only thought it natural to change over to ASI.
3. Tania accurally calls you up and sees how we are going.

The SUP Calendar SUPA has put out is working with the local clubs in the area. Here in Noosa we have been asked to put on an event - we are still working on the logistics of it.

ASI also helped with Insurance for the Coffs Harbour Nationals (OC1, SUP) (SUP Expression Session).

Brendan, I actually gave Tania your contacts not to do another event on the same day as the Coreban Great Melbourne Race but to see if you guys need insurance. They want to help clubs with logistics and running of events.

I can remember a while back that the SUP community asked for its own National Body - now it is here and you seem like you are scared of change?

Not all people on the list read the forum every day we do have other lives and some of us do like getting out on the water for a paddle!

Tania is a very nice approachable person my be you could email or call her to get the low down

chrispychru said...

kiakaha i just wanted to hear what others on the list had to say, so now we hav 2. im not intrested in joining for myself(i was about to join supsa before this all came up) but for my son who is 11 and already an addict. im wanting him and all the other groms to be sorted and with some of those names i feel pretty confident that could become a reality. BUT if they are nominating people who dont know about it i think is a bit more than cheecky casso. clarity is everyones friend. alot of people like drama on here i suspect[}:)] i have realised i dont need the shirt but free beer will gratefully be appreciated. tania im easily approachable aswell. extra dry platinums thanks

I have an invested interested in the groms as I have two of them who both love to be in the water not just on a SUP but also on Surf Boards, OC4, OC1 body surfing.

I will be pushing the kids and youth factor as must as I can.

I know a lot of clubs held off on their insurance this year as there was a big grant that was being handed out. Surfing Qld got it and I would say that is way some of the clubs went that way. Thats all good if they want to chase the money but I hope that Surfing QLD divi's it out to all the divisions and not just the top.

Casso said...

Tang said...


I'd like to add one thing to the discussion - I'm a generally recreational surfer with not a great deal of interest at this stage in competing. I think Casso's comments need to be confirmed in that SUP Australia appears to have competition as its main motivation, and as a recreational SUPer, I am not confident that a competition-driven organisation is best placed to "represent" my recreational interests. I am certainly aware that the overwhelming majority of recreational surfers I know in no way see any of the state or national surfing organisations as representative of them.

I would like to see SUP Australia be very clear on the nature of "peak organisation", and either be explicitly about competition, or explicitly about all of SUP - this would probably involve making Board positions available to recreational SUPers and undertaking a balance of activities, and not being all about competition. Otherwise, it should be called CompSUP Australia or some such thing. After all, with SUP's growth in recent years, it will be an minority of SUPers who actually take up the competitive opportunities. The majority do it just for fun and compete in a largely personal and individual way with their developing abilities and the ocean.

Comps are fine, don't get me wrong, I might even get into it - at least the social side of things. But I reckon there should be a clear and honest statement about the actual representation.

cheers

I don't actually know what SUP Australia's main motivation is (competition or recreational) but why would you start an organisation of this type for recreational purposes? If you want to go for a free surf on your SUP - just go, you don't need to be a member of an organisation for this. If you want to go for a paddle on a river - just go, why would you pay fees to a governing body for this?

Does the Association of Surfing Professionals or Surfing Australia deal with the recreational surfer? I'm pretty sure they are only in place to look after the competition side of that sport.

That's precisely my point, Casso - if they are set up to look after competition and that side of the sport, then it should be explicit and the badge of "peak body" should be limited to that. The debate in Victoria appears to be about PFDs in general and does not seem to be limited to competition.

There are a whole range of other "peak organisations" that are set up to cover a sport/past-time and deal (not exclusively) with recreational things eg Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs, Bicycle Victoria etc. But they also get involved in advocacy for their thing when the chips are down, which would appear to be the actual need in the debate in Vic, which is centred on SUP in general and not just on competition.

I think it's important, as there can be conflicts of interest where comercial/competitive/recreational interests and in conflict and decisions have to be made or positions have to be taken. Advocacy for the whole sport/past-time/lifestyle would be a perfect reason to start up a SUP-wide "peak body", I would have thought.

cheers