The good paddleboard racers who didn’t grow up surfing generally come out of competitive paddlesports; sprint canoe and kayak jocks who spent decades hitting the gym and learning how to really paddle fast. Seeking help from a SUP racing master Sick of SUP racing driving me to tears, childlike temper tantrums and various phases of self-flagellation—blaming myself, blaming my equipment, blaming the wind, blaming everything—I decided to eat some humble pie, put my head down and train with a little help from the master himself. SUP racing is a privilege to participate in In a post on his PaddleMonster coaching forum, he writes, “I am a firm believer that as adults we should all be mature enough to leave the medals and ribbons to kids’ races.