About the team...

Please show your support for the New Zealand Stand Up Paddle (SUP) and Prone Paddle Board Team to represent New Zealand at the World Stand Up Paddle & Paddleboard Championships (WSUPPC) in Denmark in September, 2017. This is the pinnacle of paddle events and, as in previous years, we are confident we have a team capable of bringing home medals for New Zealand. We just need to get them there!!

The New Zealand Team has continued it's rise up the world rankings with a fourth place finish in 2015 followed by a bronze medal in 2016 when the event was held in Fiji.

Our SUP athletes are Annabel Anderson (Womens' World #1 since 2012);Pea Strickland (defending her 2016 ISA World Championshps Technical Race Title); former sailer and talented waterman Marcus Hansen who placed in the top ten in both his races at the 2016 ISA World Championships; Trevor Tunnington who has been in the top 5 in every race in the current Euro Standup Tour; and Ollie Houghton whose NZ and overseas achievements in his short 17 years are too many to list.

Our SUP Surf athletes are Sean Hovell who brings a seriously impressive track record in surfing, Surf Lifesaving (16 medals and two NZ titles) and SUP Surfing (3rd at the 2017 Nationals); 15 year old Stella Smith who is NZ's #1 female SUP surfer with a string of impressive achievements including titles at the 2017 SUP Surfing Nationals; and Lucy Te Moananui who has won several SUP surfing titles at the Duke Festival of Surfing and placed 2nd in the National Open SUP Surf Women's Champs.

Our Prone athletes are Sam Shergold who has vast competitive experience and is defending his gold medal from the ISA World Paddleboarding Champs in Fiji, 2016; Cory Taylor who won double medals at the ISA World's in Mexico in 2015 and won the open male Distance race at the NZ Prone Championships; Jasmine Smith who placed 4th in the ISA World's prone technical race in Mexico in 2015 and in 2016 was 1st woman in Queensland's 16km 12 Towers paddle race; and Jessica Miller who captained the NZ Surf Lifesaving team recently in Japan and has several 1st places and podium finishes in her career.

Every member of the team is highly motivated by this opportunity to represent New Zealand with pride, determination and skill. This truly NZ team is drawn from Gisbourne, Mount Manganui, Kaikoura, Auckland, Queenstown and Whangarei with a number of team members currently competing and/or based overseas.

If you are a proud Kiwi and love to see us competing, punching above our weight and winning on the world stage, then please help support YOUR team in this year's ISA World Championships.

If you are interested in becoming a partner of the team please contact Rosie Houghton for additional information (021 623 952 or rosie.houghton@harcourts.co.nz).

Who is competing in which events at the 2017 ISA World Championships?

Annabel Anderson (SUP distance, technical and sprint racing)

Penelope Strickland (SUP distance and technical racing)

Trevor Tunnington (SUP distance and sprint racing and SUP surfing)

Marcus Hansen (SUP distance and technical racing)

Ollie Houghton (SUP technical racing)

Stella Smith (SUP surfing)

Lucy Te Moananui (SUP surfing)

Sean Hovell (SUP surfing)

Jasmine Smith (Paddleboard technical race)

Jessica Miller (Paddleboard distance race)

Sam Shergold (Paddleboard distance race)

Cory Taylor (Paddleboard technical race)

The Team Manager is Rosie Houghton.

How can I help the team?

Please buy a leaf! Replace a number on a fern leaf with with your own or your business' name and own a piece of the team behind the team.

Our nation's fern along with your support will help to inspire and motivate the team as they paddle for victory in Denmark. So secure your very own leaf on the the team's silver fern which will feature on racing equipment inclusive of the board (one metre decal) and paddle. A flag featuring the fern will be carried to and displayed at the event acknowledging your support as an integral part of the team.

You'll receive a high resolution photo of your name on the fern featured on each team member's board.

Why?

As a nation with a proud watersports track record, we need to be in Denmark and make our presence felt with a view to securing World Championship hosting rights for New Zealand in the near future.

Associate with the New Zealand SUP and Prone Paddle Board Team and leverage your support through your own social media and networks. Your support will be acknowledged on the team's Facebook page. The team has secured media coverage to hopefully give a national audience to the team's efforts in Denmark.

When and where are the World Championships?

They are scheduled for 1-10 September in Denmark with the venues being split between the capital city, Copenhagen, and the small town of Vorupor on Denmark's famous surf coast known as Cold Hawaii.

What are the ISA World Championships?

The ISA World StandUp Paddle and Paddleboard Championship (WSUPPC) is an ISA World Championship that features a number of disciplines - SUP Surfing, SUP Racing Technical, SUP Racing Distance and Paddleboard Racing Technical and Distance.

Within the SUP and Paddleboard disciplines, athletes will be competing in up to three events including the technical (SUP and prone), distance (SUP and prone), sprint races and SUP surfing.

The competition crowns one Gold Medal National Team.

strong>What is the ISA (International Surfing Association)?

The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for Surfing, Stand Up Paddle (SUP) Surfing and Racing, and all other wave riding activities.

Who are we competing on behalf of?

Ultimately for New Zealand...so the team are racing for you and the pride of wearing the silver fern.

None of this can happen of course without the sporting organisations that make it possible including:

New Zealand SUP (NZ SUP) that organises the national race championships and teams for international events, oversees SUP schools and instruction, and campaigns on behalf of all paddle boarders in New Zealand on matters of safety among other aspects liaising with other governing bodies.

Surfing New Zealand that selects a the New Zealand Stand Up Paddle and Prone Paddle board Team annually. The team competes at the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Stand Up Paddle and Paddle board Championship.

The World Stand Up Paddle and Paddle board Championship is an IOC (International Olympic Committee) recognised event which attracts approximately 150 paddlers from over 20 countries. Paddlers compete for both individual and team medals.

The Fern and rates per leaf

Fern leaf illustrated on a board...