I know that in Vicco a semi pro SUP circuit is being established!
Having been in the states in Feb this year, you have no idea how huge it has grown just in California alone.
I believe that due to the nature of the sport people in short boarding and long boarding are already being drawn to the darkside not just for fun but also cross training.
The flat water scene is getting bigger every day and this will be where significant growth will be purely for fitness!
This is also a sport the whole family can do, I can see my wife short board or long board but on the 13th June I bet she will have a go at SUP!
My prediction:Short boarding 1
Sup easily 2 within 2yrs
Longboarding 3
Corporations will pour money into SUP due to its marketing ability the demographic is 8 to 80 its simply a numbers game!
IMHO Longboarding needs to go back to its roots and should not be shortboarding on a longer board. I watch guys like Lee Considine, Bave Boyd, Murf, and Peter Bray down our way rip beautiful drop knee turns, cross step and then purch on the nose with grace that even impresses the local short boarders. That to me is real longboarding and I would pay to watch it and I dream about doing it with that level of skill! Longboarding does not have a big enough differentiator from shortboarding anymore!
Phill
phil,my sentiment exactly,as an old longboarder i reckon the whole longboard thing got lost with performance comp surfing,the roots are gone,it should be judged on traditional style,single fin and judges that know how to call it.
