Minnesotans love the water, and recently many have been discovering a new way to get out and enjoy it, stand up paddleboarding. 

 

Stand up paddleboarding, or SUP, as it’s known, is a relatively new sport that is taking the water athletics world by storm, growing in popularity so quickly it’s overtaken kayaking as the fastest growing sport.

 

With roots in Hawaii, SUP consists of a large, surf style board users stand on and a long paddle for them to propel and steer themselves. 

 

“What draws people to stand up paddleboarding is that it’s really versatile,” said Trista Paulson, SUP instructor from CW Outfitting (Clear Waters Outfitting) in Clearwater. “It’s the perfect platform for relaxing, standing, sitting, laying down, exercising or fishing.”

 

Paulson explained SUP has a quick learning curve. The board is easy to transport and carry. The paddle is exactly the same as a canoe paddle, only longer, so the same strokes are used. One thing that sets it apart is the boards are easy to get on and off of because they’re so wide and long, which makes them quite stable.

 

“People mistakenly think they’re like surfboards, but they’re bigger and easier to use,” she clarified. “Unlike a canoe or kayak they’re also an easy platform to get back on, which makes it ideal for people who like to go out in the water and jump off to swim.”

 

She said because of their size people also love to put their dogs and young kids on the front while they paddle. 

 

CW Outfitting supplies SUP equipment and has been offering SUP classes in a number of local communities for the past four years.

 

“In the last five years stand up paddleboarding has become popular in the Midwest,” said owner Dan Meer. “It started out on the coast and is now one of the fastest growing sports. People are starting to fish from them, too.”

 

“Everyone of all ages can try and use stand up paddleboards,” said co-owner Sandra Meer. “Part of the appeal with families and kids is that they’re like a mini raft, some people even lay out and relax on them. They’re also good exercise, a good core workout.”

 

CW Outfitting teaches basic SUP classes along with what they call “evening paddle,” which is where they supply canoes, kayaks and paddleboards for people who just want to get out on the water and try them out. 

 

“One thing that is unique with us and we take pride in is we encourage people to test paddle before they buy,” said Dan Meer. “The problem we see now is the big box stores are selling cheap product and people are unhappy with their purchase.”

 

“We try to fit the right person to the right board so they’ll have fun and enjoy the sport,” added Sandra Meer.  

 

People interested in purchasing stand up paddleboards can test paddle right at CW Outfitting on the Mississippi River, or go to nearby Warner Lake. The company also offers rentals for people to try the boards out for longer periods.

 

“They come in all shapes and sizes so you can really see first hand the difference and what works best for you,” said Dan Meer.

 

One of the places CW Outfitting offers SUP classes through is the Becker Community Center. Fitness Coordinator Tracey Otto explained the center held their first classes last summer. They had a good turnout so decided to offer them again this year.

 

“It’s a great class,” said Otto, who has taken it herself. “I was surprised at how comfortable you get so quickly.”

 

She explained anyone can learn the SUP basics in a short amount of time, and it’s a fun, relaxing experience. She believes one of the reasons people are becoming so interested is that it’s such a good core workout, and it’s something different to try.

 

Monday night, Amy Williams and five of her friends experienced SUP for the first time through one of Becker Community Center’s “Walk on Water” stand up paddleboarding classes offered at Warner Lake in Clearwater. CW Outfitting employee Trista Paulson was their instructor. 

 

“It’s a growing sport and people say it’s so fun,” said Williams when asked why the group was taking the class. “This is a nice opportunity to try it without having to buy the expensive equipment.”

 

“It’s a new, fun way of exercising,” added Tera Kasowski. “We get to be out on the water and see nature.”

 

CW Outfitting offers SUP classes through a number of community centers and community education organizations, including Becker, Clearwater and Monticello. For more information visit their website at cwoutfitting.com or Becker Community Center’s website at beckercommunitycenter.com.