SUP - the pleasure of free people

In the past year, you may have seen images of people gliding nimbly on the water - with just a stand-up paddleboard and a paddle, at West Lake, Saigon River or tourist beaches... That is SUP - a new sport that has been introduced and is popular in Vietnam. Some people play SUP because they love adventure, some because they love nature, some because they want to find peace and freedom. But whatever the reason, SUP is still a sport that anyone can easily access.

To better understand SUP and the wonderful benefits it brings, let's refer to the information shared by Mr. Tran Trung Kien - the first person to bring SUP to Vietnam.

Tran Trung Kien (1977, Hanoi)

Originally a kayak tour guide and adventure traveler. In 2009, he and his partners founded Umove JSC, a company specializing in trading sports and travel equipment. While researching information about kayaks, he accidentally discovered SUP - which was quite developed abroad at that time but was unknown in Vietnam.

In 2013, he started importing a few SUP boards to try out, after a year, the first SUP trial sessions in Vietnam began to be held. Receiving the love of many people, Mr. Kien decided to establish Umove SUP Club to promote and popularize SUP widely in Vietnam.

What is SUP?

SUP (Stand Up Paddle Board) or also known as stand-up paddleboard in Vietnamese. This is a type of board similar to a surfboard but larger in size and uses paddles to move on the water surface. SUP rowing applies the same technique as kayaking, but the interesting thing is that players can be more flexible in changing positions: from kneeling, sitting, lying down or standing up to paddle to the technique of turning the board, turning left, turning right, surfing with SUP.

To paddle SUP, you need a board, a paddle, fins and a leash. SUP boards come in many types divided by material (hard EPS board, inflatable board, plastic board, wooden board) or by design (race board, touring board, all-around board, yoga board, fishing board, ...). Each SUP design also has different sizes (3 m, 3.3 m, 3.8 m, 4.2 m ...) players can choose according to their own ability and experience needs.

What's fun about playing SUP?

At first, you may find the waves unsteady and dangerous. But once you master the board, your body and your movement on the water - that's when you learn to blend in with the movement of nature, with the peaceful and liberal sound of the earth and sky. Therefore, it can be said that the most wonderful thing that SUP brings is not the feeling of conquest or victory - but the feeling of freedom, ease and peace.

Depending on the type of activity, SUP will bring players different levels of emotions: recreational SUP paddling helps us relieve stress and relax, sport-style SUP paddling brings physical movement and challenges your limits, and SUP paddling when traveling brings a feeling of discovery, adventure but is extremely exciting.

In addition to the mental effects, SUP also helps players burn physical energy, strengthen the abdominal muscles, upper body and hip and thigh muscles due to the frequent light squat movements when paddling. The faster you paddle, the more and deeper you have to squat. Players can even practice yoga, meditation or stretching right on the board.

How does SUP develop in Vietnam?

SUP began to be introduced to Vietnam in 2013, when Mr. Tran Trung Kien tried to import SUP boards to Vietnam and organized the first trial sessions. From 2013 to early 2018, the movement mainly developed in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with a modest growth rate. At the end of 2018, Mr. Kien and Umove JSC organized the first SUP race in Hue, on the Huong River, called Vietnam SUP Race. This race gathered about 80 domestic and foreign racers living in Vietnam.

That year's Vietnam SUP Race was more successful than expected and the unexpected thing was that right after the first tournament, the SUP movement exploded like "mushrooms after rain". A series of new clubs were opened across the country such as Da Nang, Hue, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon, etc. Currently, there are 4 SUP races held annually in Hue, Da Nang and Ha Giang. SUP has also become a favorite activity of young people every weekend or during travel trips.

5 notes for beginners

#1.SUP allows players to freely use their skills on the water, so if this is your first time participating in this sport, you only need to learn the basics correctly and sufficiently. SUP does not require advanced learning, but it does require standard learning. The time for "rookies" to get acquainted and be able to play SUP on their own ranges from 3 to 4 hours.

#2.Instead of buying new equipment right away, you can rent or borrow from friends and try it out before deciding if you really love this sport and equip yourself with a really “cool” board. The choice of board is determined by factors: board weight, paddling skills, intended use and local conditions.

#3.Checking your SUP and accessories carefully before getting into the water to ensure your safety is also an important note, not only for beginners but also for those who have been involved with this sport for a long time.

#4.Start with small, gentle waves until you have a better understanding of the current and the power of the water. You can “save” the big waves for when you have more experience and skill with this sport.

#5.Finally, if possible, do SUP with friends as a way to double the fun and experience. Going out on the water with a few companions with the same interests, ideally will definitely motivate and maintain your passion for SUP.

Thanh Thuy, Tran Trung Kien