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Paddle Boarding – Some Amazing Fun Facts

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Did you know paddle boarding was initially called “surfing for the lazy”? However, over time it has become one of the most exciting and thrilling water sports , especially in summer. Paddle boarding in Orange County is one of the most amazing water sports you can try. If you are a die-hard fan of paddle boarding, you can invest in the best inflatable paddle boards. However, you can also acquiretake paddle board rentals in Newport Beach if you want to take part in this fun activity.

Before you take out a paddle board in Orange County to on rent, take a look on some of the fun facts about this amazing water sport to make your experience even more fun filled.

Fact #1: Paddle boarding is Thousands of Years Old

Paddle boarding has been there for thousands of years now! You can discover several examples across the world that include Hawaii, Peru, Israel and Italy. Back in the 16th century, Hawaiian surfers used to have boards that were 5 metres long that required paddles for its operation. In the 20th century, life guards stood on wide boards in Tel Aviv to give themselves a view of swimmers in grief.

Fact #2: Modern Paddle Boarding Began in The 20th Century

Modern paddle boarding originated in the 1940s in Hawaii when instructors like Duke Kahanamoku used to stand up on their boards to get better views of the waves and the surfers around them, which was known as Beach Board Surfing. However, in the early 2000s the sport became extremely popular in California. SUP was taught in Hawaii surf schools in the 1990s when there was little swell to surf on. Later it became a popular activity.

Fact #3: Paddle Boarding is Diverse

Initially, paddle boarding was considered as a surfing discipline, but in the mid 2000s it began to expand into numerous disciplines, which further made it more and more accessible to people. Some of the disciplines that became popular include SUP racing, yoga, touring and fishing.

Fact #4: Flat Water SUP Started in 2007

The idea of flat water SUP started in the year 2007 with paddling boards that are being designed specifically for flat water paddle boarding and touring. The boards designed for touring used to have a different shape and could carry extra gear. Tour paddle boarding later became an adventurous sport and offered a deeper connection with nature.

Fact #5: Paddle Boards are Way More Buoyant than Surf Boards

A paddle board has more volume as compared to that of what a surfboard has as it needs the extra volume for buoyancy. You can discover paddle boards of various shapes and sizes that make them suitable for different disciplines. For competitions, narrower and shorter boards were made from carbon fibre and for racing longer boards were used. For touring, inflatable boards are often used as these are more stable and durable.

A SUP Can be Riddene in a Hurricane

Laird Hamilton, a famous hero of SUP in America, went for a ride in 2014 when Hurricane Marie hit the Southern California coast. He took out his SUP board onto the sea to take on waves three times taller than his height!

SUP Can be Seen in the Olympics!

Surfing made its debut at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo with 20 men and 20 women competing on short boards. I And it is anticipated that SUP will also make an appearance in future Summer Olympics. However, for that, the International Canoeing and Surfing Sporting Federations need to approve the sport!

Guinness World Records in SUP!

It might sound surprising but there are a few world records in SUP as well! On 10th September 2017, the largest ever parade of stand up paddle boards took place in Russia with a total of 844, which was achieved by members of the Vladivostok SUP community. Another record includes the longest SUP ride on a river bore by a human and dog pairing which was 1690.5 metres. One more record was set by a female who covered the greatest distance by SUP on flowing water in 24 hours, which was 169.32 kilometres.

Aren’t these facts interesting? Now that you have come across such amazing facts about this water sport, give a try to paddle boarding when you are in Orange County. We at Newport Fun Tours provide the best paddle board rentals in Newport Beach.

Contact us for a paddle board rental in Orange County today.  Happy paddle boarding!