Naish 2012 Alana 9.5 and matching carbon paddle

I have the pleasure to add to my quiver of Naish boards the two new 2012, gorgeous,  high performance boards designed to grab the attention of those who appreciate fine quality, great lines and wow, shaka throwing graphics. This one featured here (left) is called the Alana. It’s designed for women as it’s easy to carry too. Dimensions: 9’5″ x 31″ x 4″ 3/4   The construction is a sandwich wood composite.

This three fin or tri fin board compliments the already extensive line of 36 boards manufactured by Naish International, based here on Maui. If you want stability, effortless wave riding this board rocks it.  The pad is very comfortable and the kick-tail pad is handy when you’re carving deep on larger waves.

Second in the line up of the Alana series is the way cool, single fin, 10’10″ by 32″ wide super stable great all around board for strapping on snorkel gear, dry bag and can also impressively handle the waves. I couldn’t believe how well this board tracked and allowed me to paddle 13 times or more on each side. This board is perfect for first timers, those seeking a smooth elegant ride. Check out Robby Naish in the video below as he explains all the features!

I think Naish has done a fine job bringing these boards to the forefront of the stand up paddling world that gives women what they want. Ease of use, fun wave riding or cruising and exploring with friends and family. The Alana Series is beauty and versatility.

If visiting Maui, you can rent these and try them out from the Naish Maui Pro Center located in central Maui on Hana Highway. Call them at 808-871-1500. Or go to their website here:

 Thanks for stopping by and if you’d like to post your comments, questions, please feel free! We’d love to hear from you.

Suzie Cooney, CPT owner of Suzie Trains Maui
Naish Team SUP Rider  I also ride the 14′ Glide, 9’0 Hokua & 9’0 Mana.

Also, check out my SUP Fitness Articles written for Naish. Keep in tip top SUP paddling shape: http://www.naishsurfing.com/2012/lifestyle/sup-fitness.html

Follow @SuzieTrainsMaui     For more info on SUP training, events, clinics, people, friends and of course more Naish stuff, go to my other website:

Stand Up Paddling Fitness

Kai Lenny!

The event  attracted over 55 participants men and women and was hosted by Naish International and Suzie Cooney, fitness specialist, Naish Team Rider and owner of Suzie Trains Maui. To wow and inspire the crowd local Maui resident and recently crowned 2011 SUP World Champion, and Naish Team Rider, Kai Lenny also demonstrated his skills on the water and then

Suzie and Kai

showed off his nose riding techniques atop of the Indo Board gear that was available for people and the public to try. In addition to the Indo Board demo by Suzie Cooney and Indo Board Team Rider, Leighton Nakamoto , a TRX Fitness Rip Trainer demo was also conducted to show how it can be incorporated into one’s stand up paddling fitness training.

Suzie Cooney TRX Rip Trainer Demo

Stand up paddling is drawing great attention world-wide but is also helping people of all fitness levels to embrace a more healthy lifestyle. This non-competitive event was designed to challenge, inspire and bring people together in an environment that offered something different than racing without any pressure. The mission of Suzie Cooney and Naish and all of the wonderful volunteers was to provide a fun venue that offered a sort of bonding experience through a little literally, heart pounding action.

The course: 3 buoys in a triangle format marked the water action as a mass start began at the sound of a horn! Off to the first buoy paddlers were met by Maui’s own downwind champion, Jeremy Riggs who cheered and helped people navigate, some for their first time ever near a buoy, around turn number one. Then as paddlers began to spread out with some of the more experienced paddlers, such as Donnie McGean, Bill Hoffman and a few more in front,  it was time to land on the beach and begin the crazy fitness obstacle beach course that consisted of 4 stations with volunteers to cheer, encourage and assist if needed.

Donnie, crawling left, writes, ” As for the funniest moment it had to be trying to stand up and run after the taco rolls.  As for what I enjoyed the most, it was meeting new people that were interested in SUP.  My goal is always to give 100% and still have fun. As for what I found inspirational, it was that some of the best in the SUP world came out to help and share their knowledge and love of the sport.  Thanks again for a great event.”

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Donnie On the beach, participants hopped off their boards and ran to station number one, a 20 foot long  by 8 foot wide crawl area. Here people had their own unique strategy and style as they crawled, dove on their bellies or some on all fours under yellow caution tape.  Then up to their feet to run a zig-zag cone course, then drop immediately at the pushup station where Coach Leighton Nakamoto, resident of Makawao made sure people did 10! Boy,  was he tough!

The most spectacular entertainment of the day, was the sandy taco roll. Here, immediately after the pushups, participants had to drop and roll for

taco rolling

about 20 feet while trying not to get dizzy or roll into the ocean. Tommy Callan, creator of this station cheered and helped people up to their feet and guided them to the two Naish flags where one then had to run through and then run or jog back down the beach to get their boards and hit the water for one final lap and then one final spin through the course.

Although this was marked as a non-competitive event, one had to take notice of Maui’s Donnie McGean who managed to stay in front and finish in the lead. My other buddy and downwind training partner, Bill Hoffman of Pukalani was hot on his tail and finished 2nd. Everyone finished and everyone at this event were winners. Anyone who could simply finish this grueling course deserves a round of applause. I’m totally proud of all of them. People were laughing, grunting and looking at me with the look of  “you’ve got to be kidding”, but they kept going. It was great.

Visitors, spectators and anyone who happened to be on the beach that day could not believe what they were seeing and stuck around to join in on the cheering.

Salma

After the final finishers joined the others rinsing off all the sand in the ocean, all registered participants and volunteers had the chance to have their name drawn for wonderful prize raffle by companies and brands who support the sport and lifestyle. Naish, Indo Board, OluKai Premium Footwear, Kaenon Polarized Eyewear, TRX Fitness, Watermans Applied Science Sunscreen and Maui Ripper clothing company all generously donated fantastic gifts!

Lisa with OluKai Premium Footwear

Sam Bittner TRX Rip Trainer Winner

Alfred Kaeon Polarized Eyewear Winner

Leighton Loves Kaenon

I want to thank all the volunteers who got up before sunrise to help welcome everyone and greet everyone

Bill Indo Board Trainer Winner

with a huge smile and encouragement. Also a huge Mahalo to Kai Lenny for being you and an incredible inspiration to the sport and to us. In addition to the talented, brave photographers Simone Reddingius and Tracy Kraft Leboe for capturing so many awesome moments. Coach and Martin from the Naish Maui Pro Center for providing all of the cool 2012 new Naish boards for folks to try and to Tommy for helping me dream this event up. It’s his fault if some of you are still dizzy from the taco rolls.

Bill Hoffman ( 2nd person to finish ) writes:

“I wanted to say thanks for a great event and all the work you did. There were a lot of happy smiles there. I think it might be because it was none competitive. I enjoyed sharing the experience with my friend Alfred and winning a prize. At most events the guys out number girls 3 to 1 but at this event there were more girls than boys. It was nice to see them getting into SUP. The funniest moment was trying to walk straight after the Taco Roll.”

Stand up paddling is here to stay and it’s so cool to see it grow and offer a way to stay healthy, meet new people and enjoy the water. As some are still learning, it’s important to learn about water and ocean safety as well as how to be safe in a line up with other paddlers and especially surfers. Always be courteous, check your equipment, wear a leash and share the waves and throw a shaka now and then.

I also want to thank Naish International for helping me bring this idea to life and also to the Maui County for allowing us to offer an event like this to the public. We hope that our community and the island of Maui will continue to support and embrace events such as this.

Follow @SuzieTrainsMaui
If you or someone you know is visiting the island of Maui or if you live here and want to check out or rent the new line of Naish boards, contact Coach at the Naish Maui Pro Center at 808-871-1500 or go to their website:    Also, if interested in fitness training and especially SUP specific training while on Maui, you can reach Suzie Cooney of Suzie Trains Maui at http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com/contact/

Our talented Maui photographers Simone Reddingius and Tracy Kraft Leboe share their works here:

Simone: http://beachgirlmaui.blogspot.com/      Tracy: http://www.tracykraft.com/

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Sponsor Links:

Naish International

TweetTaken from the Maui Breakfast Club August 9th, 2011: Suzie Cooney of Suzie Trains Maui, Health & Fitness Segment every Tuesday morning at 7:38 am on KNUI 900 AM.  Listen here: Radio Segment

Throw away the diet books,  thigh blaster or ab roller and if you live near any body of water, hop aboard and paddle to shed unwanted pounds now!

It sounds like an infomercial but I’m really serious. I’ve been helping people shed unwanted weight here on Maui and spreading the word for some time now, on how thousands of people are, as I wrote this article for ATHLETA; are literally  “Sweeping Their Way to Health”. It’s really true. I’m hearing from so many people, besides seeing my clients and others around the world completely transform their bodies; paddling away the fat.

I wanted to share with you a couple nice entries of the many of received on how SUP has literally shaped their lives and bodies. It’s so inspiring and I hope they inspires you or someone you know who would like to enjoy losing unwanted weight. It is possible and it’s fun!

Here, my dear friend and avid paddler Lucija Kordic, from Alameda, California,  braves the chilly waters of the Bay Area and shares, ” My pants fit much differently now and I fit into some of my set-aside size 6 pants. SUP and intervals on the treadmill both make a difference!” Lucija is now training with me with her new SUP Endurance Program designed to help her improve her paddling strength and endurance for long distance racing.  Go Lucy go! See you on Maui soon!

If you live in the Bay Area and want to get to know some paddle buddies, Lucija organizes casual paddling groups and is the ultimate host. This I’ve experienced myself. You can hook up with her group at: http://Meet.Up.com/East-Bay-SUP

I’ve received so many emails on how stand up paddling, also known as “SUP” is changing people’s lives and it just so happens that one of the keen health benefits is amazing weight loss. I’m not just talking loss of pounds, but more like shedding their old ways.

I’ve always encouraged my clients and everyone to find a sport, especially SUP, to enhance their current training as a cross training tool. What happens more times than not, is it becomes an obsession!   Wow.  Besides having to throw away hard earned money on marriage counselors, maybe a new pair of $80 Spanx, the moderate investment of one or two boards, paddles, leashes and some sunscreen can also result in relationship bonding. SUP is so easy, couples are losing weight together AND getting quality time paddling off into the sunset.

I’ve always found that most of my clients and people who write me, have had the light turn on in their lives with SUP. They have found their calling and are so taken with the sport, it consumes every waking hour. Now they have racks on their cars, very cool, hang out at the local SUP shop and talk “board talk” or what event they may register in, or simply enjoy the “healthy” camaraderie that develops along with wonderful new friendships.

This sport is very contagious and what comes along with is the healthy lifestyle. What a great bonus. As one develops their love for SUP, unknowingly, because your total body is getting a continuous workout; one can easily start to notice remarkable changes in their body. What is commonly noticed first, is one’s core strength. I’ve written so many articles about the power of the core for SUP, and how to train your core to get stronger to paddle stronger, it’s truly the first thing that people always say, “Wow it really works my core.”

In Redding, way North of my hometown, Sacramento, California  lives Matt Ivey, very new to SUP and boy does he have the stoke and has he

Matt Ivey Looking Great!

gotten in great shape!  He says he was his wife’s ginny pig and suggested he do SUP with her while she was pregnant and suggested that he join  her too. Read the rest to see how he lost 10 lbs and also learn how SUP helped him manage some pretty serious injuries he had. He’s got big plans to grow SUP in his life and business.

Matt writes:

Suzie,

I just got into SUP about a month ago and I am totally hooked.  I have lost about 10 lbs and my core/lower back are feeling the increase in strength.  I love is so much my wife and I are adding SUP rentals, ecotours, lessons, and fitness/yoga classes.  My wife is 20 weeks pregnant and she is a manager of a gymnastics gym.  She has been using the SUP to stay in shape while she is pregnant and has been working on a fitness program.  So that means I have been her ginny pig when it comes to testing her exercises on someone.  I also like my alone time so every other day I have been paddling upstream on a local river for a hour.

I come from a background of playing sports and lifting heavy weights.   Over the past 6 years I have broken and dislocated my left ankle, separated my right shoulder, tore one of the heads of my left bicep, broke my right thumb, and sprained my right mcl.  I also have several degenerative disks in my back so needless to say I can no longer  play the sports I once loved.

But what that also meant is that I could no longer lift weights in the gym.  This lead to me becoming frustrated and out of shape.  After relocating to a new town and stumbling on SUP (we had seen it on Maui 3 years ago but were more concerned with surfing) I was instantly hooked.

In fact I even had my wife take a before photo so I have something I can compare it to after I feel like I have reached my goal.  I have also been incorporating a slackline into my balance and core training.   Between the SUP and Slackline I feel like I have found a great routine that works for me.

I could chat all day about SUP and what it has done for me mentally and physically.  Both my wife and I have out degrees in Recreation Administration and Business so we are looking forward to putting our education and experience to use helping others share the passion we have for SUP.  We have been following you and all that you have done for the SUP industry.  Thanks for all of the inspiration and knowledge you share so well.

Matt Ivey
Adventure Recreation LLC
530-255-4505 Business
707-321-7224 Cell
adventurerecreation.co  ( this is not a typo )

Thanks so much Lucija and Matt, and to the many others that wrote me and shared their SUP weight loss stories. As SUP grows so does the opportunity for more people to get fit and healthy. I really encourage those new to the sport to take the opportunity and feel and experience what all the buzz is about. As I always say, SUP will change your life.

To see all of my articles about how to get stronger for the sport of SUP, go to:

http://www.naishsurfing.com/sup-fitness/

If you’re on Maui in early November, stay tuned for more details on my SUP Cross Enduro Beach and Water Fun Fitness Challenge!

Paddle in good health friends,

Suzie Cooney, CPT owner of Suzie Trains Maui

See Naish SUP Team Profile here: http://www.naishsurfing.com/team/suzie-cooney/

I ride Naish boards. The line up for 2012 is  unreal! We’ll have up to 31 boards like last year and the lines, designs and graphics are killer. I’m so stoked for the winter, monster swells and for some exciting Maliko runs. Check out the current line up here:

http://www.naishsurfing.com/boards/

Pick up your issue of  my SUP Fitness Guide in SUP Stand Up Paddler Magazine, Summer 2011, and turn to pages 58 & 62 for a few tips to keep you up and paddling strong. With tips on body endurance, leg strength and more. Carve your turns stronger, drop into bigger glides with confidence and improve your SUP race performance!

TweetTake a peak get your copy of SUP Stand Up Paddler Magazine, Summer Issue 2011:

Suzie Cooney Page 62 of the Fitness Guide photo Darrell Wong 2011 All Rights Reserved

Follow Suzie on Face Book: http://www.facebook.com/suzietrainsmaui

In this photo, I’m on the INDO Board Gigante disc with my big wave rider,  Naish Hokua 9’0″ quad fin.

Jenny Ryan, my charging friend from down under; trains rigorously back in Australia and just won her age division here at our OluKai SUP Race May 14th,2011. Like Kevin, her training is intense, planned and has an end, and anticipated result.

Congrats to you both for applying what we’ve talked about and just being the fierce, disciplined competitors you are; and all the while being two wonderful humans to know. It’s  a pleasure to see you both doing doing so well and inspiring us all.

Jenny Ryan photo courtesy of OluKai Premium Foowear

First up Jenny: I really enjoyed training with her and watching how she get’s into her “real” zone. Man can she paddle in a mighty way. I asked  Jenny to write a follow up for us, so you can enjoy through Jenny, what it feels like to train, prepare and then win! She confesses that she actually just came to have a few good “runners” as she calls them, but she paddles to win!

Jenny writes: “After arriving on Maui and getting a few Maliko training runs under my belt race day had arrived! I jumped on Kelly’s Maliko shuttle – filled with fellow pumped and excited competitors! The closer we were getting to the Gulch, the stronger the winds were getting! This only meant one thing, the race would be fast! When we all got to the Gulch and registered it was starting to hit me. I was back and I was about to race again!  I kept seeing faces from last year’s Naish race, with fellow paddlers Andrea Moller, Devon Blish, and T surprised to see me! It was great knowing that some of the top Maui paddlers were stoked to see me back!
 
After the Pule (prayer ceremony) we all started to enter the gulch and get ready for the start of the race and before I knew it the race started!
 
The first 3/4 of the race was amazing! Dodging turtles, flying fish, and catching some of great runners! Everything was going great till I noticed something the runs

Jenny Ryan photo courtesy of OluKai Premium Footwear

 were getting further and further apart. The wind was dropping which meant the last 1/4 of the race was all paddle power! I started paddling hard and was getting closer to Kanaha. Before I knew it I could see the yellow OluKai buoys and it was time for the 300 yard dash! I jumped off my board and started sprinting to the finish behind 2 other competitors. I finished the race in a time of 1:08:17 which placed my 1st in the 30-39, wahine 14ft class and 2nd place 14ft class overall! I was stoked!! It was my best result in an international race!
 
The vibe after the race was amazing. Everyone was congratulating one another, new friendships were made. The lunch provided was great and so well earned after an hour of solid paddling! The OluKai race brought everyone together. It was great to witness a Luau in a non commercial environment – something I personally have always wanted to see!
 
This trip back to Maui was better than I could have imagined!
 
I have to thank so many people – as they were my support! A huge thanks to my mum – she is my biggest support, my friends – love them lots and ALWAYS supportive, Iron Phil – my trainer, ALL the Maui crew – especially Suzie Cooney, Kelly Moore, and my sponsors Laguna Bay Stand Up Paddle, and Secret Agent Sup.”

Kevin Vangritis 2011 Carolina Cup!

Kevin Vangritis, I want  you to know, trains like an animal. With his grueling 24/7 on call schedule guiding orthopedic surgeons in cutting edge technology in surgical instrumention,  he still can be seen in any type of weather conditions putting in his board time. If the weather conditions are a serious health hazard, Kevin will invent new time zones to hold his dedicated course in intense training. 

Like many, he has the bug. His first exciting win was the Cold Stroke Classic. ( read more here ) Recently, he took a real strong

Kevin leading the pack!

lead in 1st place and was up against a talented pack in the very popular Carolina Cup. He finished an impressive 3rd place in the men’s open 6 mile class.  Nice job Kevin!

Kevin took a moment from his hectic schedule to write about his training style and his commitment to himself and to the sport:

“In life, I have excelled in many different areas.  My desire to excel in standup paddling is no different. Many of my friends and coworkers have seen my achievements both on and off of the water. Often commenting “You are the luckiest thing I have every seen.” However, it has nothing to do with luck.  It has to do with a strong drive, determination, and commitment to excel.  I have held the same job for 20 years and have won every top honor within my company at least once. What many people don’t realize is all of the hard work and planning I put into my achievements. Being in the medical device industry, as Suzie knows from her former life working in medical sales, you are married to your job. I am on call 355 days a year and the only time I am not on call is when I am out of town or on vacation. For this reason, everything I do outside of work has to be well planned with a contingency plan in place just in case things don’t quite work out. My schedule changes so often with just a moments notice. This really affects how I plan everything I do in life including my leisure time on the water, my training routine, and even my race schedule.

 I begin each day with a workout. I think it is really important to find the time of day that works best in your daily routine to get your workout in and make a commitment to get it done. For me, I prefer to get my workouts done early in the morning for several reasons. In the morning, I feel fresh and ready to get my day going. When I am done working out, I feel great and ready to take on the day. It’s personally satisfying to know I have taken time for myself and my health.  Additionally, there are noworries about procrastinating later in the day. If I were to wait until I got home from work, I am much more likely to have many distractions that could keep me from getting a really great workout in or none at all. I may be either too tired, too hungry, still have work to knockout, have to make dinner, complete household chores, run errands or just want to spend quality time with my wife. The excuses are endless. 

 My workouts average an hour or so. On days when I am really pressed for time, I do one of two things. I either try and do a fast paced workout where I super set several exercises and focus on just two muscle groups, or I do a quick workout in the morning and then try to do another quick one when I get home in the evening. My workouts include 30-45 minutes on the treadmill to get a little cardio and a core workout using either the BOSU Ball and/or a balance ball. Then I target two to three muscle groups using free  weights. On days when I have a little more time, I simply add a few more exercises to target additional muscle groups.

 In addition to my daily workouts, I try to get on the water every chance I can. My time on the water is spent practicing and crafting my technique, doing distance paddling for endurance or just going out for a fun paddle with my wife to enjoy nature or relieve a little stress. I believe if you want to excel in life, you have to put forth a greater effort than what you actually want your reward to be. Or, you could be just plain lucky as many people think I am. I truly have SUP fever and am happy to say there currently is no known cure.”

 Kevin, thank you! This is very inspiring and very helpful.  You’re awesome and so is your lovely, Jenney. See you soon my friend.

Training Tip: Next time you step on that board and before your blade enters it’s first catch, visualize yourself as a strong, fierce competitor.  You must feel it and see it before you make that first reach. Winning isn’t everything, but it sure feels good and gives one a sense of terrific accomplishment. You just may surprise yourself. Set your goals and hold your course.

Keep an eye out on the leader boards for both Jenny and Kevin. ( no pressure!! ) See you on the water!

Aloha, Suzie Cooney   http://www.standuppaddlingfitness.com

Jenny & Suzie photo courtesy of OluKai Premium Footwear

Maui: 2011 Third Annual OluKai Ho’olaulea: Ohana Fun Paddle & Pre SUP Race highlights and interviews:

Maui: 2011 Third Annual OluKai Ho’olaule’a Ohana Fun Paddle & SUP Pre Race Highlights from Suzie Cooney on Vimeo.

photo courtesy of OluKai

Maui’s N. shore attracted over 400 total participants in ocean adventure excitement and adrenaline pumping paddling action. This year was unique with the first inaugural Ohana Fun Paddle which I helped host, to encourage new paddlers to experience a non-competitive 3 mile down wind paddle. Anything you could humanly paddle was welcomed. SUPs, kayaks, one mans, six mans and the special OluKai sailing canoe; Kamakakoa launched from Paia Bay to Kanaha. This was an event within the event. Over 100 paddlers entered the water with a big finish.

photo courtesy of OluKai

Then on up to Maliko Gulch was the big SUP race. The momentum was building as more and more boards began to fill the valley as the paddlers got ready for their 8 mile, more serious race. And what a race!

Thanks to Matthew Murasko, OluKai’s Hawaii Ambassador and team, and to many friends and volunteers this event was over the top. It was so organized, from the start to the finish. The luau, entertainment and award ceremony welcomed not only the racers but our entire island and the world. Join us next year!

Suzie Cooney

Read:  “The Magic of Maliko“  Article written for Makai Hawaii’s Ocean Lifestyle Magazine

Suzie is available for SUP instruction/private event hosting and special events. Contact  suzie@suzietrainsmaui for more information.

Video work: Carl Royzcki  InVision Productions.

Also be sure to check out www.OluKai.com to learn more about OluKai.  To see more photos taken by OluKai’s Photography team, click here

I had the pleasure of doing a few training runs last year with her when she was here training for another event, and asked her to write about why this event, the Ho’olaule’a and why it meant so much to her.   Her story is heartfelt and expresses her thoughts on how Maui and our community here has embraced her, as the ocean and land embraces everyone.  She will inspire you and others to hopefully make the same journey to Maui!

Jenny writes: I can remember as kid I LOVED the beach! We lived so close and my mum would take me almost every day. I can remember playing in the ocean and getting tossed round by the waves never being scared. I can remember very vaguely, around the age of 4 having to go to the doctors. Something was wrong with my ears. Little did I know it spelled the end of my ocean love for a decade..

From the age of 4 to 13, I had several ear infections and grommets all was going okay until I was 7. One grommet came out early leaving a hole in my ear drum – and until it healed. I couldn’t dive, swim, etc. So I was always swimming with my head above the waves. I got to the age of 13 and was old enough to have a skin graph operation on my ear to close the hole. The operation was a success and for the first time in many years I was free to swim again. Until about 2 weeks later where I caught an unknown tropical ear infection. My ear would weep nonstop and this continued for about 12 months. Doctors, specialists, Ct scans, bone scans, referrals; no one knew what to do It wasn’t until my specialist suggested an old wife’s tale of Aluminum Acetate that it stopped in 3 days . I was 14 and had lost 70% of my hearing due to scar tissue, but I had the all cleared and within a month I picked up a surfboard.

I started surfing and loved it straight away and it was freedom. I could leave all my problems at the shore go for a surf.and somehow everything would be better.

I have been short boarding on and off for 10 years and gradually over time would see more and more SUPs. I was curious and a close friend was getting into it. He was telling me how awesome it was. Doubtful and curious I had to give it ago.

It was a 10ft Bonga Perkins. I lost count of the number of times I fell in. Persistence paid off and in a few months I was entering SUP surfs comps. Due to the small number of women entering these events..we were always up against the Men. We continued to enter the events and only recently have women surf sup has its own division in all the main surf contests. It’s great to know that in some way I’ve contributed to the progression of Women’s SUP in Australia alongside my fellow competitors/ friends. My proudest moment was placing 2nd in the first Women’s Australian SUP Title and this result enabled me to be sponsored by Laguna Bay Stand Up Paddle.

As SUP started exploding in oz races were starting to become more frequent. After a small fun race, Phil Gregory (aka Iron Phil) approached me – saying I was a weapon of a paddler and that I should really think about getting into racing. If it wasn’t for Phil that day i don’t know if I would be racing now. I started training with Phil for local races and started to build my confidence and strength.. it was during these training sessions I started to hear about how amazing the race scene is in Hawaii.. and about all the races, the people, and just the sup scene in general..

It was NYE 2010 when I decided that I was going to do the International Naish Race. I had only been training one month barely doing 10km and this race was 16km. I set myself a time of 1:40:00 and decided to go for it. Six months of solid training was my lead up and before long I was heading to Maui.

When I first got to Maui the first thing I noticed was the wind! I couldn’t believe how windy it was all the time. We hardly get over 15knots at home. This was something foreign. I did my first Maliko run. I couldn’t believe the runners. It was an amazing experience surfing the swell bumps, seeing turtles, and taking in the amazing coastline of Maui.

It was so inspiring and I was so excited to keep doing these runs. Race day came round so fast. I was nervous, and excited but enjoying every moment. It really started hitting me. This was it. Everything I had been training for was here and now! The prayers were said before we raced. This tradition is something I really admire. It gave me goose bumps. I felt instantly the energy at Maliko.

The race was amazing. I caught some of the most amazing runners of my life and hit my target time of 1:40:42. To say I was happy was an understatement! For me I learned that if you really put your mind to something you can make it happen. It was after this race that my whole belief system changed. I started to believe more in myself and wanted to come back to Hawaii again.

The Maui experience for me was more than racing. I got to meet some amazing people, and also see/ meet some amazing athletes. I had an overwhelming feeling that I belonged. I didn’t feel out of place. I knew I had to come back to spend more time with the beautiful people I had met. The people I met in Maui really made my last trip memorable. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming with open arms. The whole SUP scene in Maui is incredibly different to that back in Australia. There is a very strong competitive edge in Australia. This is not a bad thing, just different.

I didn’t know at the time but during my time in Hawaii, I had anemia. It was only once I got back to Australia that I couldn’t handle the fatigue anymore. I was burnt out, emotionally drained, over trained so I took a break from paddling to make a 100% recovery. This took 5 months. I got back into surfing and started getting into Pilates.

I started back at training in January with Phil. We decided to mix training up a bit. We did lots of ocean training and also flat-water distance. My body was coming back and my desire to compete came with it. I really started to enjoy training again. I started to enjoy training in the ocean.. I got to see so many amazing sunrises, dolphins, and surf great waves on my 12’6 Secret Agent SUP. I also enjoyed the early morning long distance training. Getting up before dawn and hitting the water.

We paddled in the canals on dawn, through several housing estates and also through swamp land. The swamp land was my favorite part – I would often see Kangaroo’s, Wallabies, Cockatoo’s, and other wildlife. It was a great way to start the day. I started to look at races back in Hawaii, and I recalled hearing about the OluKai race.

I started researching this race and started feeling that this was the race I should be entering. This race wasn’t only about competing but it also focused on the tradition that is Hawaii, something that I never got to really experience on the other islands or other races. I wanted to be able to learn about the Hawaiian tradition. For me the OluKai Race was the best opportunity. I decided to make the OluKai race my main race of focus for this year. This event is a measure of how far I have come in the last 6-12 months; a measure of the my strength, and my soul.

Its apart of my journey and I’m following my dream of becoming an athlete. I want to be able to inspire other girls to get out there and give it ago and to be able to follow their dreams and to be able to make them happen. Not just in SUP, but in all aspects of life.      Jenny Ryan

Sincere thanks Jenny for sharing this great story and I look forward to seeing you the morning of the race in our circle of prayer. I wish you all the best in the event and with each race you enter in the future. May Maui and the Ho’olaule’a be as special to you as it to me and thousands of others.  See you on the water!

Suzie Cooney

Jenny’s Accomplishments

Results

2009- 1st – Kirra Surf Stock Paddle Race
2010- 3rd Noosa SUP Race
3rd Roar Industries SUP Race
6th Naish International Paddle Race
2nd Australia SUP Surf Titles
2nd Kirra BOP Race
2011- 2nd Wild Women’s Surf Day
4th Noosa SUP Women’s Division
3rd Noosa SUP Race
3rd Malfunction Sup Surf

by Suzie Cooney, CPT of Suzie Trains Maui and Naish Team SUP Rider

You can click here and go directly to the full article: http://www.naishsurfing.com/sup-fitness/

Whether you’re new to the sport of stand up paddling or preparing for an exciting Maui Maliko downwinder, having upper body paddling endurance and excellent balance will get you through the deepest troughs, maybe help you pass a competitor or help you enter bigger waves and swells with extra confidence and success!

I like to be as efficient as possible when training, so combining the two is perfect. The following exercise is just a sample of what you can do to get stronger, develop faster reflexes, increase the rapid firing of your finite muscles that stabilizes your larger muscles, improve your timed runs and possibly reduce fatigue and/or risk of overuse injuries.

It’s well known that SUP requires the entire body to perform and respond in unison. You’re never isolating one muscle group at any given moment. As you paddle, your entire shoulder complex, upper/lower back, feet, ankles, knees, hips and core (everything excluding your extremities) are executing each short or long stroke in a smooth, connected motion. Conditions can and do change, so adding some balance work is also a huge plus. I totally can tell that when I balance train, my reactions are sharp and quick.

Based on your current level of fitness, ease into some of these more advanced moves and change the variables accordingly. You can simply start with your own paddle or select one of the suggested weights. I usually start light and advance to heavy, to fatigue.

 Read the entire article here, and see all of the exercises /photos and progressions here

Suzie Cooney, CPT   

To learn more about Suzie go to http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com

You can also follow her on Face Book at: http://www.facebook.com/suzietrainsmaui

Suzie Trains Maui