Mastering Whitewater SUP: Surfing, Downriver, and Racing

Diving into the Exciting World of Whitewater SUP

You can trace the roots of stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) to many places around the world where people have been standing on floating objects, and propelling and navigating them with wooden poles or other paddle-like contraptions, for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Modern stand-up paddling, which has been around since the 1940s, traces its origins to a few dedicated waterman in Hawaii who were searching for new ways to propel themselves onto different kinds of waves, many of which weren’t possible to paddle onto with just a traditional surfboard. SUP has matured and grown exponentially since those early days, and it is now a recreational activity enjoyed around the globe.

Popularity

SUP’s recent growth comes from its surf simplicity and cool factor, as well as its understandable entry-level appeal. Who doesn’t want to walk on water? The SUP craze started to take hold in 2003, and by 2009, it was the fastest-growing paddle sport; by 2012, it had become the fastest-growing outdoor activity, in terms of participation.

With the exponential growth of SUP over the past 14 years, has come the diversification and specialization of the gear and techniques utilized to navigate different bodies of water in different ways. While the sport’s modern origins trace back primarily to the ocean, SUP paddlers can now be seen standing on all types of different water surfaces, from the ocean to lakes, streams, rivers and even pools.

Many Facets

The gear is now specialized for these very different types of waterways. Also, many paddlers today will find a niche of the sport they enjoy, and might not even participate in the many other facets of the sport. Some people surf, some people run hard whitewater; others paddle great distances, while others practice yoga on boards in a pool. All these people are part of the SUP community, which is a very diverse outdoor-recreation category.

Here, we are going to dive in to the action-packed world of whitewater stand up paddle boarding, or “WW SUP.” While a small niche in the broader SUP world, WW SUP is full of passionate people who have fully immersed themselves into the different facets of the sport: wave surfers, down-river paddlers and racers.

The industry has matured so much that, today, each of these different groups has its own specialized gear and techniques.

A diverse group of pioneers has spearheaded the growth and evolution of WW SUP, and it’s important to recognize their contributions and ongoing efforts. People like Dan Gavere, Ken Hoeve, Spencer Lacey, Mike Harvey, Nikki Gregg, Fletcher Burton, Luke Hopkins, Michael Tavares and Corran Addison, have all left their mark on the WW SUP world.

Worth the Risks

You might ask why in the world you’d want to try WW SUP. Yes, it probably means you are going to fall into the water and swim quite a bit. Yes, there are always inherent risks when paddling any craft in a whitewater environment. Yes, whitewater is full of rocks, and rocks hurt.

With all that out of the way, whitewater is an amazing outdoor playground that is well worth exploring. Experiencing whitewater on a paddleboard allows you to have an amazing perspective, as you are high enough over the water to look down at the fish, rocks and currents under the water, while also having a great view of the river features downstream.

If you’re an experienced whitewater kayaker, WW SUP offers an alternative that makes easy whitewater difficult again, and provides an all-new perspective on your favorite playground. If you’re a passionate ocean surfer, you can bring your surfing skills to the river, and forego both, waiting for waves to roll in and getting mowed down by set waves. You might even like it so much that you take your newfound SUP skills back to the ocean with you.

The Gear

WW SUP uses many of the same basic pieces of gear found in all types of SUP paddling: a board with fins, a single-bladed long paddle with a T-grip, a board leash and a personal flotation device (PFD). These basic items tend to be pretty specialized to best cope with the demands of the whitewater river environment.

Boards are made stronger to handle impacts with rocks, whether they are plastic, epoxy or a drop-stitch inflatable. The board shapes are also made unique for whitewater, as they need to be stable in turbulent water, which many times means more volume in the rails and more rocker in the nose. Many times, the fins on WW SUP boards are made of rubber, or are retractable, so they don’t damage the board or make it come to an abrupt stop upon impact with underwater rocks or other obstacles.

WW SUP paddles are designed with stronger shafts, and blades that have reinforced tips, as contact with rocks is a regular occurrence. Leashes are a controversial topic in the WW SUP world, as they can get snagged on underwater obstacles and hold a paddler underwater. Some experts say to not wear a leash at all; others say it is fine, as long as the leash is attached to a quick-release mechanism, like a safety harness on a PFD.

PFDs are also specially designed to keep you afloat and allow you to swim in moving water, where many ocean and flat-water paddlers prefer to not use a PFD, or to use small unobtrusive waist-mounted inflatable devices.

Safety Considerations

Besides the basic SUP setup, WW SUP also requires a few other key pieces of gear. A helmet is important to protect your melon. On that same note, depending on how difficult the whitewater, body armor is often used in WW SUP. Much of this gear can be borrowed from motocross or downhill mountain-biking worlds. Finally, kneepads are probably the most common piece of armor used.

A river environment also means you’ll be around rescue ropes, in which case, you might need a backup quick release for your board leash, which is why you should always carry a river knife on your PFD. Wet slippery, and sometimes sharp, rocks need to be safely navigated in and around the river while WW SUP paddling. This is why it is so important to wear river booties with high-traction rubber soles.

WW stand-up paddling can be enjoyed year-around with the proper gear. While a wetsuit offers good impact and abrasion protection, as well as some floatation, most river paddlers prefer a dry-suit for its comfort, safety and warmth (when used with proper insulating layers).

The Types

Let’s now dive into the various types of WW SUP out there. There are three main styles: wave surfing, downriver paddling and racing, each with their own subset of disciplines. River surfing is accessible to many, as whitewater parks are popping up all around the globe. Downriver paddling is also relatively easily accessible, as there are already established whitewater kayaking/canoeing routes. WW SUP racing comes in a variety of forms, but is generally participated in by experienced paddlers.

River surfing is probably the most relatable form of WW SUP to many, as it uses much of the same technique and style used in ocean SUP surfing. While a wide variety of SUP boards will work for river surfing, there are many specialty short, high-volume boards, with aggressive rails and shapes, which are elevating the river-surfing experience and freestyle river-wave potential.

Artificial whitewater playparks, most originally designed for WW kayaks, are also popping up around the world, which offer easily accessible, safe, quality surfing waves in front of lots of people. Whitewater parks in Boise, Idaho, Bend, Ore., and Buena Vista, Colo., all have waves designed with surfers and SUP paddlers in mind, and have large WW SUP surfing communities because of it. Natural river waves, like those found at Montreal’s Habitat 67, Montana’s Lunch Counter and the Potomac River’s O-Deck, have also developed local WW SUP communities around them, due to their easily accessible quality surf waves.

Downriver WW SUP paddling offers the excitement of running whitewater rapids, and the option to surf river features along the way. There are tons of resources for established whitewater routes around the globe, which offers WW SUP paddlers plenty of options, based on their skill level and desires. Whitewater is rated from Class 1 to Class 5, with Class 5 being the hardest and most consequential. SUP paddlers are running the full gambit of moving water, from gentle rocky streams to tall-walled in waterfalls, and everything in between.

Most WW SUP paddlers can quickly get to a level where they are running Class 3 whitewater with proficiency, while having a great time and being challenged. Class 4 and 5 whitewater on a SUP is a daunting challenge, and comes with great risks of injury. It’s one thing to navigate these tough rapids with the lower center of gravity that a WW kayak offers, and a whole other thing to navigate those same rapids while trying to stay standing on a SUP.

Another aspect of downriver WW SUP, which has been explored in recent years, is expedition or multi-day SUP trips, where you strap all your camping gear to the deck of the board and set off into remote river canyons. Multi-day whitewater classics like the Grand Canyon, Rogue and San Juan river trips have already been navigated by SUP.

WW SUP racing also comes in a variety of forms. Many multi-sport outdoor festivals now feature downriver sprint, distance and boardercross SUP races. Sprint races are usually short, quick sections of Class 2 to 3 river, which have a mass start, or are done strictly for time, depending on the event.

Distance WW SUP events have been going on in the ocean for a long time now, but are just getting established on rivers. Many of them are a new class within classic whitewater kayaking and canoeing races. A great example is the 66-year-old Dusi Canoe Marathon in South Africa, which is a three-day, 75-mile Class 3+ whitewater stage race that now has a quickly growing SUP class.

Boardercross is an exciting head-to-head format of racing that usually requires going in or around checkpoints, gates and/or buoys in a small section of Class 2 to 3 whitewater, with elimination rounds. This style of racing is action-packed and great for spectators.

Start With a Lesson

Once you get your head wrapped around this exciting outdoor action sport, you have to let go of most of that information and just get out on the water. Regardless of what type of WW SUP piques your interest, you’ll want to be sure you do it correctly and safely. It’s not a bad idea to take an introductory lesson, especially if you’re not very experienced around whitewater or stand-up paddling.

Safety is paramount, and having fun is a close second. Be sure to know enough to stay safe, and have enough skills to keep smiling. Now, get out on the water and experience whitewater stand-up paddleboarding for yourself. You won’t be disappointed!