RIVER SUP SURFING

Once the sole realm of kayakers and canoeists, rivers around the world are seeing a new kind of enthusiast. SUP surfers are discovering the magic of standing river waves as an often closer and less crowded alternative to ocean breaks. With the abundance of moving water close to metropolitan areas, and the ongoing creation of artificial play parks, the sport of SUP river surfing is on the rise. Here, Dan Gavere, pro kayaker turned professional SUP paddler, gives us an introduction to this exciting new niche in the world of stand up paddling.

Words: Dan Gavere / Photography: Zach Mahone, Mike Tavares

Access to river waves has changed dramatically in the last 10 years, and along with that the demographic of the wave seekers has also shifted. From almost exclusively whitewater kayakers, now we see boogie boarders, SUP paddlers, and surfers exploring river waves. The world of river surfing is blowing up all around the world. One reason for this shift is that whitewater parks and waves are being built where once there was only moving water or small featureless rapids. Additionally, the Internet now makes it very easy to assess flows and wave quality with live webcams and real time flows. In terms of SUP equipment, better boards designed specifically for river waves have made it more fun and exciting, drawing more paddlers to the sport. Currently, river surfing occupies a small…

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Kayak Session (Digital) - 1 Issue, SUP World Magazine 2015

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