Paddleboarders represent Scotland in world competition for the first time

They're taking part in a whole range of disciplines of the sport.

Author: Callum McQuadePublished 17th Sep 2024
Last updated 17th Sep 2024

Paddleboarders are in Denmark this week representing Scotland in a global competition for the very first time.

They're taking part in the 2024 ISA World SUP & Paddleboard Championship for the next week which involves a number of different disciplines of the sport.

Glen Sloss lives on the Isle of Arran and took up the sport just a few years ago while living in Australia.

He told Tay FM: "When I came home, I wanted to keep it up and I got a paddleboard and kept getting stung by jellyfish.

"I only started training in 2019, not long before covid hit, which meant I wasn't able to race properly until 2022.

"This sport is becoming more popular here in Scotland, but in countries like Spain there are already clubs with hundreds and hundreds of members who take it very seriously."

Ally Findlay is the Scotland team manager.

Dean Dunbar from Blairgowrie is registered blind and is taking part in the paddleboarding tech discipline.

He lies flat on his stomach and performs a front crawl to the finish line.

He said: "I am fortunate because I can often get out in conditions which stand up paddleboarders can't get out in.

"I am less affected by the wind because I am so close to the water.

"January, February and March are often tricky for me as my arms are in the freezing cold water which can leave me with painful nerve damage."

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