There are SUP stories I come across, often by chance, or through a kind of serendipity, that expand my understanding of the sport I write about. There’s also a distinctive trait in endurance and ultra-endurance athletes: a willingness to go deeper, to become vulnerable and to openly share the motivations behind some of the toughest […]

When SUP stands alongside canoe and kayak at a national event of this calibre, the paddling community can both acknowledge its significance and celebrate by joining in. Brought by The Ivan Patzaichin – Mila 23 Association, in partnership with the National Association of Professional Divers of Romania (ANSPSR), the second edition of the Ivan Patzaichin […]

The 2026 SUP race season is officially on! In today’s episode, we take a deep dive into the first major Stand Up Paddleboard events of the year. Whether you lined up on the start or followed the action via the livestreams or TotalSUP’s Facebook and Instagram pages, we break down the key tactics, equipment choices, […]

Putting the spotlight on the next generation of SUP talent, Mario Tagarelli has transformed junior racing and athlete development in Italy. As Coach and President of SUP Academy Taranto, based at Lido Gandoli in Taranto, southern Italy, he is the mastermind behind a training programme that cultivates young paddlers and elevates clubs dedicated to developing […]

Living up to its tagline, both athletes from across the globe and organisers WENT LONG IN BORNEO. From 27 – 29 March 2026, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah made history, hosting Malaysia’s first-ever long-distance SUP race – Borneo International Stand-Up Paddle Marathon (BISM) – on the waters of the South China Sea. With paddlers flying in from […]

Welcome to the livestream of the 2026 Spring SUP Race in Comacchio, Italy, the opening stop of the 2026 ICF SUP Race circuit. We’re broadcasting live on Facebook, YouTube, and right here on TotalSUP.com, where you can follow the livestream players and updated results. Mr TotalSUP Mathieu Astier is on the mic, guiding you through […]

When covering long-distance races and endurance challenges, the goal is often to get to the core of why athletes choose the tougher, more extreme side of the sport. What stood out while working on the story with Ilze Ozolina was not just the physical challenge, but the meditative aspect of long-distance paddling. As she puts […]

 Welcome to the very first episode of the TotalSUP.Training Podcast! Let’s be honest right from the start: this is our debut episode, and we’re very much in trial-and-error mode. We’re figuring things out as we go — format, rhythm, tone — and we’re learning in public. We don’t even have an official name for […]

At just 17, Matei Barbu is already the ICF Junior World SUP Champion and Vice World Champion in sprints (2024 Gold and 2025 Silver), representing the new generation of European paddlers emerging from a rapidly growing Eastern European scene alongside athletes from Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and beyond. Originally from Constanța, Romania, Matei […]