Scottish Surfing Federation confirms that it will send its first ever stand-up paddleboard (SUP) team to the World Championships in Copenhagen next week
Thousands of spectators will attend the International Surfing Association (ISA) SUP and Paddleboard World Championships, taking place in Copenhagen city centre and a nearby beach venue from the 16 to 22 September.
With 116 member countries of the ISA, it will represent Scotland’s first time competing in this discipline.
Alasdair Findlay, from Glasgow Paddleboarders, will act as Team Scotland’s Manager, hoping to inspire Jonathan Sherwin, Glen Sloss, Alison Rennie, Angela Kerr, Jennifer Armstrong and Dean Dunbar to peak performance across the various SUP and paddleboard disciplines.
Alasdair Findlay said:
“This has been a long time coming and it’s super exciting to finally put Scotland on the world stand up paddleboarding map. It’s great to have such a talented and enthusiastic team going to Denmark and we can’t wait to see how we do against the world’s best.”
There are estimated to be around 600,000 paddleboarders in the UK, with at least 40,000 paddleboarders in Scotland. The Scottish Surfing Federation hopes that Scotland’s attendance at the event will raise the profile of the sport in Scotland and inspire those who paddleboard for fun to get more involved in events and competitions.
Paul Stark, Chief Executive of the Scottish Surfing Federation, said: “Paddleboarding is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and Scotland is one of the most beautiful places to paddleboard.
“We have seen a significant rise in the number of people paddleboarding across Scotland and we hope that Team Scotland’s attendance at the ISA World Championships will act as a catalyst for transformational change, providing the inspiration to get involved in the sport and showcasing the pathway to elite performance.
“Ultimately, we want everyone to enjoy the sport safely and to highlight the physical and mental health benefits that participation in SUP and paddleboarding can bring to our lives.”
Demonstrating the inclusive nature of the sport is Dean Dunbar. Dean, from Blairgowrie, is registered blind and will be taking part in the Paddleboarding Tech discipline.
Dean will compete against his able-bodied counterparts without any additional assistance, providing an additional significant challenge in what is likely to be an already very competitive field.
Dean Dunbar said: “Life is all about challenges, and this is certainly going to be a good one! The bonus is that this time I will be flying the flag for Scotland in the sport that I love.”
