Major paddleboard event coming to Torbay - as it looks to claim 'home of SUP' status
It's hoped the 'super-champs' will be followed by international events in future years
Last updated 4th Jul 2024
A three-day major paddleboarding competition has been announced for Torbay - which is looking to become the home of the sport.
More than two-and-a-half thousand people are expected in the area for the 'English Riviera Super-Champs' in September.
Torbay is looking to become synonymous with paddleboarding in the same way Newquay is for surfing
Devon's Brendon Prince - who set multiple world records paddleboarding around mainland Britain - is behind the event and is aiming to stage international competitions in future.
He said: "Unlike most people, I've seen every single beach in the whole of the UK and so I know what's good, what's bad, what excites and what is brilliant - and Torbay has all of that,
"We've got 10 beaches so you can do your recreational paddling just off the beach - so there's plenty of places like that.
"There's plenty of adventure paddling just around the corner, we've got big headlands, we've got - out towards Meadfoot and Lyme Bay - which is proper adventure paddling.
"It's exciting to see the caves, different water systems, the huge amounts of wildlife. The fact that we're a bay means no matter what the conditions are you will be able to find some place that you can paddle."
Brendon staged his 'SUP 12' event earlier this year
Brendon says the SUP 'English Riviera Super-Champs 'are targeting 600 competitors and 2,000 spectators from all over the UK and beyond to share in this spectacular three-day event with multiple races for juniors, adaptive, beginners to elite' - which he hopes will inspire more paddlers into racing
In future, Brendon also has other plans adding: "September 2024, is the start of the super-champs journey with truly exciting potential in the following years. We have bid to host a European tour event 2025, World Grand Prix 2026 and the World Championships 2028. All the time promoting the English Riviera as the HOME of Stand Up Paddle boarding in the UK'.
There's more about Brendon and The Long Paddle here, where he broke multiple world records circumnavigating mainland Britain
For more about The Long Paddle click here
For more about Brendon's charity Above Water click here
A new governing body for SUP has now been recognised after a long campaign which Brendon backed.
Safety advice for the sport can be found here