IF you needed any evidence of the rise in the popularity of the sport of stand up paddleboarding (SUP), you wouldn’t have to look any further than the recent Dusi Canoe Marathon. Ten intrepid paddlers challenged themselves to complete the three day course on the uMsundisi River and uMngeni Rivers.

This included Durban North residents and SUP novices, Zanie Cawood and Dominique De Beer. Though she missed out on this year’s epic race, uMhlanga resident, Shelley Bradfield, said she is pleased with the growth of the sport.

“Paddleboarding offers an amazing full body workout and gives you a great cardio and core body workout. But the popularity of the sport, I feel, is also down to the camaraderie and support among us. We are a close-knit group and we are always looking for new faces to join the SUP community,” she said.

Bradfield recently returned from Hong Kong where she competed in the HKSUPBA league race, where she outgunned and outclassed the field to be crowned the winner. Not only did she become the first woman to cross the finish line but she also beat the men’s field.

“I was in Hong Kong for business and I asked the SUP federation if they’d allow me to compete, which they did. Going into the race I expected to do well, but not win. The scenery was magnificent and it was awesome to win. I don’t think the organisers knew what to do when I crossed the finish line,” she laughed.

The former Danville Park Girls’ High School pupil took part in two races: the 8km distance race, which she won, and a 200m sprint, in which she finished third. Now Bradfield is gearing up for a new challenge.

She will be taking part in the SUP 11 City Tour in August. The tour is a five-day race held annually in the Netherlands, going through 11 cities. Covering 200km across the five separate stages, the race is probably the longest (and definitely the craziest) stand up paddle race in the world.

“It’s like doing a double Dusi. I’ve already begun my preparation for the race, and I wanted to do it last year, but I wasn’t as prepared. My first prize in participating in the race would be to finish, and second prize would be to be in the top five in the women’s field,” she said.

Bradfield will also be making history in the process along with two other Durban SUP padldlers who will become the first South African’s to compete in the epic race. If you would like to be involved in the SUP movement visit the Facebook page (SUP Durbs).