Welcome to the website for New Zealand Stand Up Paddling, inc.
the association for all things SUP in NZ
NZSUP inc organises the national race championships and teams for international events, oversees SUP schools and instruction, and campaigns on behalf of all paddleboarders in New Zealand on matters of safety, legislation and all other aspects of negotiation and liaison with other governing bodies.
You may be wondering why New Zealand needs a SUP association. Surely the sport is all about being free, able to go where you want to, away from rules, regulations and organisations! Well, yes it is, and that’s the way NZSUP wants to keep it. However, without a national organisation representing the interests of the sport, those rules and regulations will get imposed anyway. If you’ve ever taken your paddleboard into waves in New Zealand, then you have already directly benefited from NZSUP. Without the society’s hard work in 2013, successfully negotiating an exemption to NZ Maritime Law, you would now have to wear a life jacket every time you went SUP surfing.
Please take the time to join NZSUP – it’s absolutely free to join as a community member, and by adding your voice to our community you help us lobby on your behalf. Joining is super simple, just click here!
NZ SUP is grateful for the support of its corporate members:
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Maui Jim SunglassesMaui JimCreated on the Hawaiian Islands to make the colours shine, Maui Jim sunglasses feature patented PolarizedPlus2® lens technology for brilliant colour so every detail is crisper and cleaner and without glare or harmful UV. Slip on a pair and See The Brilliance. -
Magrette TimepiecesMechanical Heart - New Zealand SoulMagrette Timepiece is a boutique watch company based in Auckland (City of Sails), New Zealand. We aspire to bring the personal touch into all the timepieces we create. We only produce restricted batches at a time so we can focus on creating quality product for our customers. OUR DESIGN PRINCIPLES. STAY MINIMAL, BE BOLD...
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Saxe Coburg LtdOur Goal Is To Produce Positive Returns For All Of Our Clients In All Market ConditionsAt SCL, our ultimate aim is to win the trust of our clients. This feeling of trust may take years to achieve, but it is the true test of a job well done. Our goal is to produce positive returns for our clients in all market conditions. We aim to protect capital first and foremost, and with this underlying objective, to find investments and build portfolios which can generate growth and income above that on offer through bank deposits. Over the last ten years under Mark’s direction, we have been successful in shielding clients’ portfolios from the two major crises which have impacted investors, the GFC and the collapse of the New Zealand finance company sector. None of our clients lost a cent in any finance company debenture or deposit.Contact DetailsSaxe Coburg Ltd19 Como St, Takapuna, Auckland 0622
09 489 4890
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Rosie Houghton - Harcourts Cooper & CoI know what's SUP in property!I will be competing in the race I'm sponsoring this year and look forward to the banter with the girls afterwards. It’s going to be an amazing fun, family, event. When I'm not on the water I`m selling Real Estate for Harcourt’s Cooper & Co so if you are thinking about selling your home or buying your next home or investment then come talk to me.. 021 623 952 or www.rosiehoughton.co.nz See you at 2017 NZ SUP Nationals! -
Northland PaddleboardingNew Zealand's longest running full-time SUP School!The first full-time SUP school to be established in New Zealand, Northland Paddleboarding is a registered and Accredited stand-up paddleboarding school, with a team of highly qualified instructors. Rather than aiming for high throughput and quick turnarounds, Northland Paddleboarding has always been about personal service and ensuring that our clients get what they need. The pace of life is slower in Northland, it's why we live here. We'd rather take a bit longer with your lesson, spend some more time getting to really understand your requirements and give you the best possible service. We coach at every level, from beginners (individuals and groups) through to advanced level race and surf coaching. We're blessed with a location that really is pretty much perfect for paddleboard tuition, at any level. Whatever your requirements we will be able and happy to help!Contact DetailsNorthland Paddleboarding58 Rangitane Loop Road, Kerikeri
0277771035
Meet The Team
Our highly valued committee members. Details about each are shown below, always good to put a name to a face….
GAVIN HOUGHTON – President
To most Auckland paddlers Gavin will need no introduction. He and his wife Rosie are super keen paddlers and their son Ollie is New Zealand’s top male paddler at the age of 16. Gavin runs a scaffolding business and has a useful sideline as an actor in high profile TV commercials. He has donated his time, energy and efforts to SUP events for many years and organized t shirts and trophies for the NZSUP Nationals.
HELEN BLAIR
Helen discovered stand up paddling and a love of the ocean aged 40. Prior to that her career was in Human Resources, as an academic, then as a practitioner with the BBC, Marks & Spencer and Fonterra. Over those 15 or so years coaching and guiding leaders and teams became second nature. Life took a new turn two years ago and Helen discovered being a SUP coach was an amazing way to enable people to balance mind and body on the water. She and the Kiwi boy who brought her to New Zealand 10 years ago, live in Auckland’s Eastern Bays and share their home with two adorable Spaniels. If Helen’s not walking the dogs, or on the water, she’s in the forest improving her mountain biking skills … always something to be learning.
KRISTIN PERCY – Secretary
The founding President of the Society, Kristin is a lawyer, sailor, scuba diver and stand up paddler, and one of the main organisers for the annual Paddle For Hope competition. Working with Bill, Kristin did all the legal work to establish NZSUP as an incorporated society in January 2013. Kristin is a lawyer who has been the Secretary since then and has dealt with all funding applications, Rule changes, agendas, meetings and Annual General Meetings. Kristin has qualified as a SUP instructor and is a board member of Surfing New Zealand, representing the interests of SUP. NZ SUP is affiliated with Surfing New Zealand
BILL DAWES – Treasurer
Bill was the original founder of NZSUP. He conceived the idea for a national organization and was our first President. Bill has been involved with all aspects of the SUP industry, as an importer, manufacturer, designer, journalist, coach and event organiser. He keeps himself busy as the ISA/SNZ instructor course presenter in NZ, running Northland Paddleboarding, NZ’s longest-running fulltime SUP school, the weekly Paddle at the Pear tree race series in Kerikeri, and the “Northern Exposure” 3 day winter SUP tour event in the far north. Bill has also been a huge contributor to the NZ SUP Nationals as a sponsor and organizing all of entries and results in previous years.
NIK SAMS
Owner and operator of one of the biggest SUP specialist stores in New Zealand (Supshed in Orewa), huge range of top branded boards with expert advice and also ISA-qualified SUP instructors. Nik is the main mover and shaker on the Orewa SUP scene.
JONATHAN WOOD
Jonathan is a lawyer and very enthusiastic SUP surfer and racer. He is assisting a number SUP clubs to set up both in Auckland and in other parts of New Zealand and is a member of our sub-committee developing NZSUP’s club and SUP community strategy. Jonathan has been a member of the NZSUP committee since 2014.
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19 Como St, Takapuna, Auckland 0622
09 489 4890
58 Rangitane Loop Road, Kerikeri
0277771035