So the Tokyo Olympic Committee has recommended to the IOC that shortboard surfing be included in the 2020 games. However SUP racing, which was also up for consideration, did not get recommended.
I think many of us recognised the ISA's interest and support for SUP was largely based on the belief that SUP racing was their best chance of getting their foot in the door at the Olympics. Now that they have managed to do it without SUP, it will be interesting to see whether their support and dedication to SUP wavers or drops away. That might not be such a bad thing, especially if it flows through to Surfing Australia and the state bodies, as it will mean we have to organise and run state and national events ourselves instead of relying on half-baked efforts held in the wrong locations at the wrong time of year using the wrong equipment and in wrong formats of racing.
Still only early days for sup. The olympics is loosing relevance anyway i think. ISA are all for sup as far as i can tell our national bodies seem to be getting better each year , the water maze sponsored by redbull was a great initiative , hipefully a company like that embraces sup and sponsers some big events in OZ.I dont think sup is anyware near its peak yet.
dam. I have to agree with pt
I feel aweful 
.
personally I don't give a frogs but the sports' users' need to take ownership of the sports principals aims and future direction instead of outsiders dictating the terms
There is a former Olympic athlete of this country was invited to become part of the IOC. After a few meetings they resigned from the IOC saying something like "I didn't really know what organised crime looked like until now."
I've heard several people involved at the organisational level of the Olympics say they're as corrupt as FIFA, but far more skilled at hiding it.
Nothing to lose sleep over really...
Prone surfing deserves to be in it. you reckon Kelly will still be around in 5 years time to take the first ever gold medel in the sport?
Too easy to rig the judging, on the plus side perhaps we will see more innovation and development of wave pools
Select to expand quoteMacaha said..
Dream on it was never going to happen.
vibe killer 
Select to expand quotemagillamelb said..
There is a former Olympic athlete of this country was invited to become part of the IOC. After a few meetings they resigned from the IOC saying something like "I didn't really know what organised crime looked like until now."
I've heard several people involved at the organisational level of the Olympics say they're as corrupt as FIFA, but far more skilled at hiding it.
Nothing to lose sleep over really...
I have heard similar stories.
Most surfers didn't want or care about surfing being in the Olympics anyway.
You might as well start another thread entirely when it comes to a State or National body.
It is kinda like when snowboarding joined the 'Olympic family', especially half pipe riding, as it gave the sport a mainstram acceptance it didn't want.
Where is a decent short board wave in Japan that will be firing during the Olympics!? The competitors will end up surfing some crappy wave that does nothing for the sport, like windsurfing suffers having to compete in light winds.
SUP racing is ideal to include for the paddle sports at the Olympics. The IOC are just stupid and corrupt like FIFA!!!
Select to expand quoteNNSUP said..
You might as well start another thread entirely when it comes to a State or National body.
Nah here is good enough NNSUP, can I have a chat?
Here in Vicco,this year we have a State Team consisting of 6-7 members out of a possible 20 allocations, its either miscommunication by the State body or lack of interest but its very disappointing that after all the efforts of Sup Vic and a band of very committed suppers here in Victoria to build a competitive team, that interest in travelling up north for the nationals has fallen away so quickly...
Going to take some very committed planning and sound communication from both State and National organizations in location and timing for next years event that may help bring back the status worthy of year round training, financial commitment and for most people taking time of work required to compete.
At the risk of sup alienation here in Vic, I'm really unsure what the State body here in Vicco actually does for Sup in Victoria?, can someone let me know please... but I do know there is room for them to be more active in the running of a number of events at the best locations for each genre around the State given their event infrastructure and also there could possibly some financial help to Sup Vic who are in effect the peak club for Sup in Victoria....
I think there is plenty of scope for improvement and I feel positive that 2016 will be the time for that to be seen...
I wonder what's happening in the other States?
MJ, NSW was very different. Surfing NSW have been excellent the last 3-4 years running our State Titles. They actively seek support and advice from the paddlers and actually ring us to discuss ideas etc. This year they came up with a number of courses we weren't happy with is and they then went out of their way to run the race in excellent DW conditions on a course suggested to them.
On the surfing front they do pretty much the same. I know the team is pretty representative of the competitors apart from those who cant make it due to work commitments.
I do think Surfing Australia should be running a DW event at Nationals, not the course race they ran last year. Some would argue that the ISA Worlds is not a DW event but selection of the Aussie Team doesn't seem to be based on Nationals anyway. I can't understand why they don't run the event as conditions suit. 2 years ago they ran the BOP in perfect DW conditions and then ran the long distance race with no wind. They talk about permits etc but we seem to be able to get permits for multiple days in NSW. If the Qld authorities can't handle that sort of organisation it's time to move the Nationals away from Queensland.
As far as a total governing body goes, AuSup is working closely with Surfing Australia so only time will tell. I think insurances could end up being the deciding factor. At the moment we've had to join Surfing Australia and Canoeing Australia for different events which tends to be expensive.
If its anything like the winter Olympics, most high level riders won't attend.
This either due to:
1). Countries having to many athletes, so some miss out.
2). The IOC drug test, so most guys won't choose to change in order to attend
The Xgames is a prime example of this.
Not just short board surfing, but they are also considering skate boarding, both sports being around for a very long time.
Select to expand quoteMastbender said..
Not just short board surfing, but they are also considering skate boarding, both sports being around for a very long time.
I think that's a good point. As much as we don't want to even admit it, we may be in the middle of a fad that will be the Rubik's cube of this decade. It may well be that SUP racing has already jumped the shark, and this is indicated by all the collapsing major events on the world stage this year, along with the sudden and dramatic downturn in interest at a local level. As Ockanui says above, the Victorian team going to nationals comprises just two racing competitors across all categories. Two! This coming off the last Summer season when for various reasons, there were virtually no competitive races in Melbourne. But of course, as Ockanui also implies, mistakes have been made by state and national peak bodies,and admittedly, at club level too, which have all contributed to this sad situation.
Nevertheless, it is fair to say that SUP racing needs to weather this storm of dwindling opportunity and interest, and prove its long term viability before anyone commits to an Olympic Games opportunity 5 years into the future. Because at this point, you wouldn't bet your life savings on the survival of a competitive global SUP racing scene 5 years from now.
Maybe sups mistake was getting to serious and competitive.
Maybe paddlers are voting with their paddles.
Maybe this isnt the fit the industry was hoping for.
Maybe like if there are no races you dont need this years fastest board every year.
Maybe I know jack sh1t about anything
Select to expand quotelaceys lane said..
Maybe sups mistake was getting to serious and competitive.
Maybe paddlers are voting with their paddles.
Maybe this isnt the fit the industry was hoping for.
Maybe like if there are no races you dont need this years fastest board every year.
Maybe I know jack sh1t about anything
Maybe you're onto something and for that, you're going to have to be silenced.
I'm starting to think Stand up , surfing and racing styles is more and more like the prone surfing scene.. Yeah there will be events and racers but the majority of the people who own a board will be social free surfers/racers/down winders
There is a market for competitive prone surfing in the world and a very healthy one in every country with waves but the majority of people who own a surf board have never and will never compete in the sport. It's all about exercise fun and enjoying the ocean.
I really think if SUP keeps close to the lines of that this sport will be around for ever just like surfing. A handful will compete but most will just do it for the fun.
At the risk of throwing a hand grenade into the conversation, who is it that is actually asking/promoting/wanting SUP into the Olympics in the first place - is it manufacturers, or national/international organisations pushing for inclusion?
I've watched the decision(s) about one form of kiting (kite racing) being included as a demo sport for Rio; then that decision was over turned; now, apparently, it might be back in as a demo sport.
IMO, the decision makers chose the wrong kiting discipline as a demo sport for the Olympics, but the entire process was a joke.
IMO (again), SUP, wonderful as it is, is like kiting - too new, too fresh, not as well known for inclusion into the Olympics - and then there's the decision about which discipline.....
2 cents worth.
Select to expand quoteJuddy said..
At the risk of throwing a hand grenade into the conversation, who is it that is actually asking/promoting/wanting SUP into the Olympics in the first place - is it manufacturers, or national/international organisations pushing for inclusion?
It's not manufacturers. It's national organisations who can secure substantial government funds and sponsorships by being an Olympic sport.
I'd like to see it in the Olympics..
We we might finally get some good live coverage with multiple cameras and in ful HD.. 
BOP style event.. Downwind race.. and even surfing and whitewater.. 
I'd love to see it all in the Olympics one day..
Select to expand quotePTWoody said...Juddy said..
At the risk of throwing a hand grenade into the conversation, who is it that is actually asking/promoting/wanting SUP into the Olympics in the first place - is it manufacturers, or national/international organisations pushing for inclusion?
It's not manufacturers. It's national organisations who can secure substantial government funds and sponsorships by being an Olympic sport.
Rubbish. Its all starboards fault
The lack of inclusion in the Olympics may well come down to the only really competive age group in sup are the over 40's and 50's...may not be the ages group that gets the ratings....
Are there any youngsters involved in sup?
Select to expand quotePTWoody said..Mastbender said..
Not just short board surfing, but they are also considering skate boarding, both sports being around for a very long time.
I think that's a good point. As much as we don't want to even admit it, we may be in the middle of a fad that will be the Rubik's cube of this decade. It may well be that SUP racing has already jumped the shark, and this is indicated by all the collapsing major events on the world stage this year, along with the sudden and dramatic downturn in interest at a local level. As Ockanui says above, the Victorian team going to nationals comprises just two racing competitors across all categories. Two! This coming off the last Summer season when for various reasons, there were virtually no competitive races in Melbourne. But of course, as Ockanui also implies, mistakes have been made by state and national peak bodies,and admittedly, at club level too, which have all contributed to this sad situation.
Nevertheless, it is fair to say that SUP racing needs to weather this storm of dwindling opportunity and interest, and prove its long term viability before anyone commits to an Olympic Games opportunity 5 years into the future. Because at this point, you wouldn't bet your life savings on the survival of a competitive global SUP racing scene 5 years from now.
Maybe it's a Vic thing PTWoody. There are too many races in NSW. The guys organising the events are having difficulty organising their events on different dates. There is either a race or surf event on every weekend from Oct to January and then in the early part of the year there is the big event in Forster, another one in Newcastle and a big one in Pittwater as well as a couple of other smaller races.. The Forster and Newcastle events were extremely well run and both saw the biggest participation numbers ever seen in Australia.
The State body in NSW I think is Surfing NSW and they ran a good State Titles. On the club level The Sydney Paddle Surfing Club is organising more contests, even focusing on 10 foot boards to attract the punters. I believe they even have a couple of training groups running for the race guys. The other clubs in Sydney are expanding in the surf and race scene also. NSW certainly doesn't have the issues that Vic seems to have. I heard you're into wearing tights when paddling. Maybe you're scaring potential paddlers away.
Why are their only 2 competitors going up to Nationals? Don't you think you're competitive enough? WA seems to even have a crew coming over.
All you naysayers , for it to even be considered is a big win.the sport has only been around for maybee a decade or less.I dont see it slowing down any time soon.Its just to much fun
back in the day I got on to sups to escape the rat race competitive crowd on the goldie surfing scene.
I got to say I wasn't that fussed on the new sup surf comp scene. I mean why.
I kind of still think that.
I mean sup was getting to the very first thing it was trying to get away from in the first place.
so I,m offering another prospective on why do we need to be
