SUPPAUL Podcast

In this episode I am overlooking Smith Rocks in Central Oregon as I chat with Mike Tavares in his home office in Salt Lake City, UT.

Mike is one of those river SUP paddlers who has helped define the sport, both river surfing and downriver running.

When I give pointers to people getting into SUP surfing rivers, I suggest that they be like MIKE T! Enter the wave on your toe side. This requires an ambidextrous stance which requires training and effort. But all things worthwhile requires those things, right?

Enjoy the conversation!

Find more about Mike at his site: www.rivershred.com

In this episode, we talk with river surfer Ben Smith. Chasing waves throughout the western states, Ben is not your typical surfer. He's passionate about river waves and will travel far and wide to ride the best waves.

We talk about surfing, of course. But also access to and diversity in outdoor recreation.

His gear review site is:https://www.riversurflab.com

Here is a clip of mine featuring Ben surfing at the Glenwood wave in Colorado: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfImr2lBBG0

In this episode, I have the great pleasure to have a conversation with Dan Gavere We learn about his history as a paddler and where he is leading us into the future with board sports.

He was one of the first people to run a river on a SUP board way back in 2007. And he remains a strong influence on the sport's growth.

When I started paddle boarding in 2013, his was some of the only videos featuring the sport. He was dropping big waterfalls at the time. That wasn't going to be my thing, but I was inspired to explore because of his enthusiasm for adventure paddling.

Here is a link to my Vlog episode featuring him earlier last year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcU-i3TAMw8

In this episode, Alan Pace returns to the podcast. We chat about staying fit, surfing on the Wenatchee River, and board design. All with the characteristic personality that is Alan.

In this episode we have a conversation with one of the principal builders or river board sports in the US. Mike Harvey designs whitewater parks across the country, co-founded the river surf board brand Badfish, and has helped create one of the more respected teams of river SUP paddlers in the industry.

Sit back and enjoy the origin story of Badfish as well as learning about whitewater park design.

https://www.repwaterparks.com/

Natalie Zollinger is an inspiration. Hard working, hard playing, and a true inspiration to be a better person, she has been a leading example to the river SUP community for years.

In this episode we get an insight of her life starting on the farm in rural Utah to leading on commercial raft trips, to coaching river SUP clinics.

Enjoy.

In this episode, we talk with Emma Love. She's one of only three whitewater SUP certified coaches in the UK. Awesome accomplishment for a person who's introduction to rivers was entirely standing on a board.

She's based near Nottingham, home of the National Whitewater Sports Center where she trains and offers coaching for people getting into the sport of river paddle boarding.

She is also a contributing writer for British Canoeing organisation and administrator for the Facebook group Whitewater SUP UK.

Here is a link to a couple of her articles:

https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/news/2019/hear-from-emma-love-on-her-journey-to-become-a-sup-white-water-coach

https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/news/2020/looking-to-try-something-new-why-not-try-stand-up-paddleboarding-on-ww

In this SUPPAUL podcast episode we are talking with waterwoman Brittany Parker. She’s a river surfer, paddle boarder, educator, and adventure traveller. And she was one of my influences getting into the sport of river SUP so many years ago.

Enjoy the conversation.

http://bpsurfs.com/

In this SUPPAUL episode we talk with “the River SUP Guy” Davide Sartoni.

Over the last few years he’s retired from his former passion of climbing rocks to hitting the river on paddle boards. And not simply as a recreational pursuit, but as a job where he offers clinics and hosts international paddling trips. He’s teamed up with outfitters providing raft support SUP trips on some of the most sought out rivers in the Western US, and has been broadening his connections to include Costs Rica and Mexico.

http://theriversupguy.com/

In this SUPPAUL podcast episode, we have a conversation with Andy O'Brien. He's a guy who lives life to the fullest. You can find him on rivers and rocks and on the slopes of Colorado. You can also find him in some of the best hair salons in the West. What you ask? Take a listen.

And follow his Instagram @royalblueobrien