I may sound like a rookie but WTF??
which association do i join??
i dont comp shortboard surf, just SUP.
I have had a bad run with SURIFNG SA and SURFING AUS in the past but i'm open to ideas
Whats peoples thoughts??
S.U.P.A. Just do sup!! surfing aus. spread themselves too thin ie. too many fingers in too many pies.
Ive had a member contact me from my local club.
Thanks.
The thing that is becoming more obvious is that there are 2 sets of comps, run by 2 different organizations/groups.
After qualifying for my previous state team and having little support form SURFING AUS im wondering if SUPA has been started to do a "better job"??
Just asking the question if one will eventually take over from the other?? and therefore is better to join the superior now??
Its looking like SUPA is going to be the better option.
Have a look at the other thread that was created around this topic. There are a lot of for and against in there.
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/SUP/SUPA-NSW-and-Australian-Titles/?SearchTerms=supa
Don't get confused with SUPSA (Stand Up Paddle Surfers Australia) which is the name of the local club on the Gold Coast.
I didnt start this thread so that people could get fired up.
Im newish to sup comps, and have only competed in surfing aus run events, unlucky i guess, but the event was expensive to enter, was boring, and seemed to be a money making venture and showed no support for SUPs future as a sport. Thus leading to a no show at nats, from my state. Ive been in contact with my now local club, all is chummy and looking swell.
Thanks again.
Good luck competing this summer
Why belong to a club? This seems to be a very Australian thing. Coming from a windsurfing background in the early 80's in Canada and then to a move into surfing in Japan in the 90's, belonging to a "club" has always been frowned upon. After all, aren't we all out there to enjoy nature's gifts and absorb the energy the ocean's waves and wind provide? Personally, I don't want to sit with people to discuss how to go about it. Just get out and ride, people. Peace out.
at the end of the day ,good representation for our sport is what we are after, not a side show when waves are crap throw in the sups or the girls ,or change the already decided rules, like expand state of origin - eg. now we are increasing the numbers already, we did the trials with numbers decided ,those turned up that were interested , now you swap it with your clubs best performer, someone who wasnt interested at the start . Also we want judging from sup surfers , how would you know how hard the turn is if you dont sup . -bop will become big ,so will ocean racing, surfing will be thrown in amongst it. we need our own association, or serious commitment from those already there to move the sport into the future and make it a healthy growth.
this has gone totally the wrong direction.
I understand the situation better now.
Just seems funny that there are 2 totally separate associations/organizations. running against each other.
No other sport im involved in has this problem.
I guess ill have to join both to make use of all the events.
cheers
goatman says That would be OK if they were accredited judges with no industry links - unlikely at this stage of the game. One of the plusses of Surfing Australia running it, is the impartial and quite professional judging IMO. Cant say i have seen that judging in qld , especially if your from sunshine coast and competing at the gold coast . Jobs for the boys ,as long as they do as head judge says , otherwise no more work , -- lets face it up until now SA has had an open run , making buckets of coin. Why do you have to pay to compete at aussies ,you paid to go in state titles , you qualified out of your state , (all those state memberships and all the camps kids get chosen for that you also pay for at cassuarina )- surely that would be the least they could do is not have another entry fee for making it thusfar.
Join a club or free surf and enter whatever you like. Then wait to see who shows the most commitment to the sport development and the SUP community.
Enough talk about it lets see some action and responses from both associations on what they will offer the SUP community, considering they are both nothing without the support of the SUP community.
steady as she goes, there's no need to rush into anything imo.
geez, supping has only barely touched the bottom rung of mainstream in three years.
its taken decades to get mainstream short boarding to where it is now.
local club growth is the key if comp surfing is your bag
cheers
Competition is the key to good service, Surfing Australia would not have gotten into SUP's if SUPA had not done it first. The most important thing is to get involved yourself, many hands make light work and great comp's.
We all got our SUP Instructors accreditation from SUPA about 3 years ago at the time Surfing WA had no such thing. They must have started up with that sort of thing before getting into comps.
