Speed, Power, Precision: Christian Andersen Unveils NSP’s Ultimate 2025 SUP Setup

When it comes to SUP racing, few athletes embody dedication and passion like Christian Andersen. Representing the prestigious brand NSP, he recently showcased NSP’s latest innovations that continue to set benchmarks in the sport. With the release of the 2025 NSP range, the brand introduces game-changing equipment, including the Vivace paddle, Performance Race FSL Inflatable, and the expanded Omni range in the new, durable Elements construction – designed to bring paddlers of all levels into the race arena. In Latin, “Omni” means “all”, reflecting NSP’s commitment to creating gear that is accessible yet high-performance, helping new racers make strides.

Known as “Polar Bear”, Christian Andersen recently proved his skill by defeating Shuri Araki in Korea with the Vivace paddle and the NSP Cheetah Pro Carbon race board – an ideal setup for stability and power. Notably, in India, the NSP Performance Race FSL Inflatable, which Christian Andersen used to beat carbon race boards, pushes inflatable race performance to new levels.

Photo by Jacob Helbig

Hi Christian, great to have you with us! This September, you defeated Shuri Araki in Korea using the new NSP Vivace Paddle with the NSP Cheetah race board. How did this setup help you outperform the competition?

First of all, thank you for having me! Korea was an awesome event for me. I was in great shape, and the conditions suited me well. The competition was not easy, and there were a lot of great athletes. I went into the event with confidence, and I believed I could go out there, put on a great performance, and come out on top.

That’s right, I was riding the Cheetah 14’x21” in combination with the brand-new Vivace paddle. Since joining NSP in early 2023, I wanted to help design a board specifically for races like the one in Korea – a board that’s excellent for sprinting, beach starts/beach transitions, buoy turns, choppy conditions, and waves. It’s a very good feeling when you help develop the board you’re riding and then go out and win on it. Now I am always confident in the equipment I’m racing with. That also means I can never use my equipment as an excuse if I don’t do well!

Photo by APP World Tour

The NSP Vivace’s double dihedral design is known for minimizing blade flutter and ensuring a smooth, powerful stroke. How does this feature impact your performance in races and in your training

The entire team and I have been working on the Vivace paddle for a long time now, and I am very proud of the final product. I’ve tested so many blades, shafts, and handles over the past year. The Speedster is still a great paddle, but we wanted to improve the catch and make it more efficient, so you can use a smaller blade without losing power. That’s why the sizes are 2 sq. inches smaller compared to the Speedster.

For me, the new Vivace paddle really helps when you start to feel tired during training or during a race. The blade has an efficient catch, so your stroke stays stable even when you’re tired and can’t maintain a perfect catch. The same goes for sprinting with a high cadence -you can place the paddle in the water and feel confident that the blade is stable during the stroke. The blade basically does some of the work for you, so you can have a more efficient stroke overall.

We also made the handle slightly smaller; it’s more comfortable than before. The shaft stays the same – light and stiff – and comes in two diameters, 26mm and 29mm. On top of that, the paddle is extremely light.

Photo by Jacob Helbig

This year in India, you beat carbon race boards with the NSP Race FSL Inflatable. What makes this board unique, and how does it compare to carbon boards in racing?

India was such a cool experience! The reason I raced on an inflatable was because it was tricky to get my race board to India, so the team at NSP and I decided it would be a fun challenge to do the race on an inflatable. Racing on an inflatable against hard boards is not an easy challenge, and I honestly went into the competition with no expectations. Luckily, it went really well, and I was surprised to see what was possible on an inflatable.

There are many things that make this inflatable special. But for me, there are two main features that really make the NSP Race FSL Inflatable stand out. The first is the double-chamber nose design. Most inflatable boards don’t have a lot of rocker, which makes them hard to use when the conditions are rough. With this nose design, there’s a lot more volume in the nose, which helps a ton in choppy waters, waves, and downwind conditions.

The second feature that separates this inflatable is the Air7 V3 fin box. This fin box feels like a regular one you would have on hard boards. It’s strong and light, and I find it creates a lot less drag compared to anything I have tried before on an inflatable.

You can find more information about this race with the NSP Performance Race FSL Inflatable at TotalSUP: Christian Andersen’s Outstanding iSUP Performance in India.

Photo by Venkat Balaji

What stands out to you most about NSP’s new 2025 range?

That’s a good question. Since I have mostly been working on the SUP and Foil range, for me, the new surfboard range looks super cool! I like the new designs and colorways. I can’t wait to try them out in the future!

Photo by Jacob Helbig

How does the collaboration process work when refining new NSP equipment? What role do athletes play in shaping the design, and what’s the back-and-forth like between the team and the athletes during development?

Alain Teurquetil is the main designer of the NSP equipment. He communicates with me and the other team riders all the time. Alain has been shaping and designing equipment since the very beginning of SUP, alongside Travis Grant and Titouan Puyo. Alain has so much knowledge when it comes to designing equipment, as well as race strategy and tactics. It’s a pleasure to work with him, and I’m learning new things all the time.

On top of that, there are a lot of very talented people working at NSP in Thailand and Australia. I was lucky enough to go visit the warehouse last year.

The communication is clear between the athletes, Alain, and the rest of the design team. But we never communicate among ourselves as athletes during testing, because it can influence each other’s feedback.

Photo by APP World Tour

If you had to choose one NSP paddle and one NSP race board as your all-time favorites, which would they be and why? What performance qualities make them your go-to choice?

Choosing one board is not easy, but I would pick the Cheetah. It’s good in all conditions. I can take it out in big rough ocean conditions and feel confident on it. But I can also take it out in flatwater conditions, and the board still maintains a great glide. For the paddle, I would go for the new Vivace. Again, it does everything really well. I can feel confident with every stroke.

I’ll add my favorite SUP surfboard that I have been using a lot lately: the High Roller 10’x26”. It’s such a fun SUP surfboard! It surfs well in so many conditions, from tiny knee-high waves to above-head-high surf. It’s a super fun board overall!

Photo by ISA Surfing

For more information about the new NSP 2025 range, check out their website, facebook or Instagram.

To follow Christian Andersen, go to: @christian_k_andersen on Instagram or Christian Andersen / PolarBear on Facebook