WHAT`S THE LATEST BEACH CRAZE?
Standing on a large broad and propelling yourself over the water with a long paddle.
That`s the scene, whether you`re in Chile`s Maule Region, where locals skim acros Lago Vichuquén; on the tranquil waters of Laguna Garzón, 19 miles from Punta del Este in Uruguay; on the Miraflores coast near Lima, Perú; or anywhere at all in Brazil. Say hello to stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) a close relative of surfing and canoeing and the fastest growing nautical sport in the world.
Hawaiians may claim the origin of the sport - Waikiki "beach boys" were padding their surfboards standing up in the 1960s - but since 2012, the world SUP championship han been held in Lima, attracting large numbers of competitions from dozens of countries.
So, why is SUP booming? "you don`t need special weather conditions to practice the sport, just a foot of water" Say Philip Muller, a Belgian photographer who lives in Pichilemu, Chile. In collaboration whit fellow Belgian and devoted SUP shredder, Arnaud Frennet, Muller founded Stand Up Latino, the world`s most- visited, Spanish- language SUP website. SUP has other advantages, too. you can learn it in just 15 minutes, and there are no age limits to this sport, which strengthens the body and helps prevent hip, knee and back problems, burns calories and improves your balance. Even better, there are styles for all tastes. You can run the waves like a surfer, race against other SUPpers, paddle around, fish, enjoy a sunny outing or even do SUP-yoga. And almost any location will do. You just have to know how to swim and either own or rent the basic equipment: a board (hard or inflatable), paddle and leash.
So whether it`s Miraflores or Chicama, in Perú, the rivers and lakes of Argentinian Patagonia or the Brazilian coast ( in Paraty, there`s even a lodge specializing in SUP), or perhaps you fancy the beaches of Nuquí, in Colombia, the waves of Arica, Chile, or the Mexican bays of Puerto Vallarta... Don`t worry. Wherever you go, stand-up paddleboarding will be waiting for you.
