Shaping SUP Racing: Candice Appleby on Infinity Innovations and the Evolution of the Sport

Infinity Speed Freak Candice Appleby, the undisputed queen of SUP racing, continues to shape the sport both on and off the water. After her major victory at the Pan American Games in Chile last year which followed a new Gold medal at the 2022 ISA World Championships in Puerto Rico, she’s been focusing on recovery and coaching through her Ocean Academy. This year, Candice has also been involved in testing Infinity’s newest boards, including the rocking EverReady and the updated 2025 Blackfish models. Her signature low-volume Blackfish design remains a favorite, with new updates coming up (including an exciting 22” wide version and a fresh blue-and-tiger camo colorway). As one of the charismatic announcers for the 2024 ISA World Championships next week in Copenhagen, Candice will bring her unmatched expertise and passion to the broadcast. We’re thrilled to catch up with her about her coaching, the latest Infinity innovations, and her reflections on the ever-growing SUP racing scene!

Hello Candice! Since your last major international victory at the Pan American Games in Chile back in November last year, how have you been, and what have you been up to?

2023 was a big year for me and left my body pretty beat up. I basically took the excitement from winning ISA in Puerto Rico in 2022 straight into 2023 training without slowing down to recover. Training hard on the water, in the gym, along with a high volume of coaching made me hit a wall physically a few months before the Pan-Ams. I had some bad overuse injuries in my neck and shoulders that affected my daily quality of life, and it was by the grace of God that I came home with Gold from the Pan-Ams.

At the end of 2023 I was totally burnt out, beat up, and needed a break. 2024 started off rough with lingering injuries and some illness, so I didn’t put any major paddle events on my schedule. My goal for 2024 has been to take care of my body and focus my efforts on growing my business Ocean Academy. I’ve enjoyed doing some of the smaller local races while cheering on my Ocean Academy athletes. My neck and shoulder injuries have improved greatly which has been a huge relief. I’ve been dealing with some issues in my feet from being on my board so much, so I’m working through that. Paddling outrigger is new for me this year and has allowed me to get in mileage while being off of my feet, so that has been a blessing.

I’m not putting any pressure on myself to do major races this year, but rather giving my body a chance to recover and see how I can continue to help grow the sport through my coaching. Since I’m not training for SUP races, I’ve also had a little extra time to surf, which has been awesome!

Team Infinity has been very prominent on the SUP Racing scene in the first part of 2024 thanks to athletes recruited over the past 2 years. What do you make of the performances and team spirit of teammates like Donato Freens, Mariecarmen Rivera, Juliette Duhaime, Campbell Carter, Arthur Arutkin, etc.?

I’m so fired up and inspired watching all my teammates crush it this season. Each one of these athletes are so dedicated to their training, hungry for their goals, and so unique in their personalities which makes them so fun to watch and cheer for. The Infinity family is truly something special to be a part of.

Infinity is launching two new boards in 2024: the EverReady, which has seen a lot of action since its release these past four months, and the new Blackfish, set to launch this autumn. Have you been part of their development process like you did with previous models and/or tested these two new board models?

I have had the opportunity to test prototypes of both of these boards at various stages of their development and that process was so much fun. I’m always amazed at the creativity and craftsmanship involved in improving designs to make boards faster and more versatile. Infinity has done such a great job of innovating and then implementing athlete feedback into these new designs. I’m confident that these boards are the fastest the world has seen yet.

The current Blackfish Candice Appleby signature model seems to have been a big success. Are we going to have your signature board model along the new Blackfish too?

I’m so happy with the success of the 2022/2023 model. It is so much fun to see paddlers enjoying these boards. The 2024 is pretty much the same with some updates to the deckpad placement, addition of an arch bar, and new colorway. Yes, we’re continuing with the lower volume design series for 2025 in the new blackfish design with the addition of a 22” wide board. We are also adding a low volume 14’ x 26” wide board for riders who want the extra stability, but not the high volume of the standard 26” wide blackfish. I’m so excited about the updated design, the new sizes and the new colorway is super fun. Blue with Tiger Camo. I can’t wait to get on the new design!

In a recent interview, you expressed very positive comments on the state of SUP Racing, especially in Europe, while being nostalgic about the PPG/BOP days. Could you share more details on your views regarding the current international racing scene including the increased participation of youth and women, and the growing trend of inland water racing vs ocean racing?

It’s so great to see the sport I love continue to grow and thrive internationally and in all types of waters. It’s been really neat to follow the races happening in Europe and to see a strong crop of young women and men continue to challenge veterans and grow the sport. It would be so much fun to be a young person in this sport right now. There are so many opportunities to race at a high level. I just love to see that SUP racing still has a strong heartbeat. I do wish that we had more professional races here in the United States.

It feels as though our sport is still left without it’s “Super Bowl” so to speak, with no big grand finale event at Doheny. However, the recreational racing scene here is thriving across the country and it’s been really fun to be able to coach many age group paddlers here in California. I would love to see more surf races pop up in our sport across the globe. The roots of our sport are racing in the waves and I think it is a discipline that pushes athletes of all levels to increase their skills and water knowledge. Sup racing is such a great sport because anyone can do it, but the waves are what force paddlers of all abilities to challenge their fears, up their skills and ultimately gain more confidence on the water.

Coaching and mentoring are now significant parts of your career through Ocean Academy. What are the most rewarding aspects of working with aspiring athletes and SUP racing enthusiasts, and how do you approach developing their skills and confidence

Everything I’ve done in my career as an athlete has just been preparation for what I’m doing now, coaching. It’s my purpose and I love it. Helping people gain confidence in themselves, face their fears on the water, and build a relationship with the ocean is so rewarding.

My formula is simple; Fun + Encouragement = Confidence. Every person I work with comes to me with a different set of strengths, skills, fears, goals, and life experiences. It’s my job to share with them my knowledge of the water and the technical skills in a way that they can understand. I love the challenge of teaching and adapting my delivery for each person’s needs so that they can learn, grow and become more confident on the water. Ultimately my job is all about building a relationship with clients so that they will trust me as I help them get out of their comfort zone so they can achieve their goals. I genuinely care about each and every person that I work with, and it’s my goal that they truly know that. Ocean Academy isn’t just a business, it’s a family.

You’ve also launched an online course. How does that work?

Yes, my online courses are finally here and I’m so excited! I’ve been asked for years if my clinics and coaching were on video and they finally are. I have two courses that are live and available for purchase; Basics of SUP Stroke and Basics of SUP Footwork. Each course has video instruction, quizzes to help with learning, and drills to practice the skills. I’m already working on producing the next courses to help paddlers up their speed and skills even more. These courses will allow paddlers from all over the world access my coaching and be a part of the Ocean Academy family.

Check out the courses here:
https://oceanacademy.thinkific.com/

You’ve started paddling outrigger canoeing as part of an OC6 team. Can you share some details about this new venture and how it complements your SUP career?

I joined the Dana Point Outrigger Canoe Club this spring and I’m having so much fun. Our women’s program is so strong and it’s an incredible inspiration to paddle with these women who are so dedicated and skilled. My former trainer partner, champion racer, and sup veteran Brandi Baksic had been trying to recruit me for years, and it was finally this year that I joined after my boyfriend and sister both joined. I was having FOMO, and also it was just finally time to go for it. It’s been so much fun to paddle with people and learn the finesse and art of canoe paddling.

The support of the whole Dana Outrigger club feels like I have a slice of Hawaii back in my life. I’m learning so much about paddling. Our women’s boat went undefeated in the SCORA iron racing season, and now we’re gearing up for the 9-man season, with the Catalina crossing as our championship here in California in September. Paddling outrigger has fired up my paddling and challenges me in new ways that will only benefit me as a SUP athlete and coach. It’s really fun to be paddling with other women as my teammates, and not just as my competition. I have an OC-1 canoe on the way as well, so it will be fun to continue challenging myself as I learn a new sport. I have a lot to learn.

Follow Candice Appleby on Instagram:
@applesteeze

Find out more about order the new Infinity board designs:
www.infinitysurf.com/collections/sup-race