SUP champion comes to teach paddling in Phuket

PHUKET: Champion standup paddleboarder and founder of the Stand Up Paddle Athletes Association (SUPAA), Chase Kosterlitz, starts a five-day standup paddleboard (SUP) clinic tomorrow.

“Chase has a wealth of paddling knowledge and has competed at the elite level for a number of years. His depth of paddling experience and his ability to teach offers a great opportunity to learn. Whether you are an experienced paddler looking to improve or just getting started, this clinic will help,” explains SupThai.com

The five-day event, powered by Phuket’s very own Longtail Paddlesurf Company (story here), is the run up to the Thailand SUP Festival 2016.

“Phuket has to be one of the top paddling destinations in the world. Warm weather and clear water make it a great destination to paddle year-round. Longtail Paddlesurf is a leading SUP business and helps with the organization of the Thai SUP Festival. All of these factors make Phuket a great location to hold a workshop,” Mr Kosterlitz told the Phuket Gazette.

“My biggest goal when working with SUP athletes is to teach them to paddle in a way that will help them prevent injury. This way they can continue to enjoy the sport they love and paddle all the way into old age,.” he said.

SUP has exploded in growth over the last five years, with paddle communities popping up all over the world. Though the community in Phuket remains small, the ideal paddling grounds surrounding the tropical island provide a base for enormous growth.

“I’m looking forward to exploring Phuket and teaching some new paddlers the correct way to paddle, so they can maximize their time on the water,” Mr Kosterlitz said.

The Thailand SUP Festival 2016 will start on Saturday at Bliss Beach Club. Events are scheduled from 11:30am until well into the evening.

— Isaac Stone Simonelli