Franz Orsi, SUP athlete, adventurer and one of the official photographers for Starboard embarked on an Iceland trip with 3 friends earlier this year in June. A few weeks later, he shares his instagram memories with us.
This picture was taken at Hamburg Airport. It's always an adventure to pack gear for the next surf trip. Adventure in the sense that I never know if I am going to make it or not.
Luckily we had the support of the cool guys at Prolimit that helped us out providing us with some great lightweight board bags that helped us staying low with the exceeding weight. Without them for sure we would have never make it…
(N)iceland memory #2: Euphoria.
This picture was taken on the first day of our trip. Excited about the sunny and warm weather we immediately started to drive around looking for nice spots to paddle. Eventually we passed by this big lake while driving down south and decided to pull over for a quick flat water session. Stoked to be here.
(N)iceland memory #3: Open country.
These open landscapes made me think about this sentence from a Patagonia movie: “I’m drawn to the open country. It’s where everything is clear, where the world makes the most sense. When I put myself out there I always return with something new. A friend once told me the best journeys answer questions that in the beginning you didn't even think to ask.” – Jeff Johnson.
We really felt like this.
(N)iceland memory #4: Golden hour(s).
Say it's 8pm. Say you have been looking all day for the right spot to shoot some pics. Say you just had a nice aperitif at home. Say you take the car for a ride to the countryside. You would never imagine that the four following hours would be so great. Golden hours. That's Iceland, baby. You better learn the lesson soon. Tomorrow morning you can sleep.
(N)iceland memory #5: Pathfinder.
When we booked our car for the trip I didn't expect our luggage to be so big. Luckily as I arrived at the rental car office they told me that they had a problem with my reservation and that the car I booked wasn't ready, so at the end we got an upgrade and I was given a nice brand new Nissan Pathfinder. We quickly fell in love with our ride.
(N)iceland memory #6: As harsh as it can get.
It's no Iceland without some heavy rains and freezing winds. We move eastwards looking for surf. No signs of civilization for several hundred miles. Are we going to find what we are looking for? So far lots of ice and empty coastlines.
(N)iceland memory #7: This must be the place.
We have been looking at the maps for days looking for the best coastline configuration for the coming swell. We have been doing a lot of research in order to find the best possible location, sceneries and backgrounds. This image pictures me finally getting to the place I have been waiting to contemplate for such long time. Now everything makes sense.
(N)iceland memory #8: Let the show begin.
Wake up at 4.30am. Finally everything is aligning in the right way – all you can do is jump in the water and make the best of what the ocean will throw at you.
(N)iceland memory #9: Nightlife.
Waking up at 4.30am and calling it a day at 1am after a freezing SUP wave session, it’s not something you do everyday. But that’s great! Days are long in Iceland allowing for multiple sessions and late night surf – adrenaline is the only fuel though…
p.s. yes, these ones on the beach are icebergs.
(N)iceland memory #10: never stop exploring.
This picture was taken on a stretch of road that went straight into nothing for a good hundred miles. Of course we passed the speed limits and we got caught by the only police officer we have seen in eastern Iceland…
(N)iceland memory #11: Nothing matters.
It doesn't matter how much neoprene you wear, it doesn't matter how many people have surfed it before you, it doesn't matter how you have been travelling to get to there, it doesn't matter if you share the lineup with seals. You are in the water, playing with the elements. Enjoy it!
(N)iceland memory #12: Bye-bye #Niceland.
It has been an amazing experience. I will hardly forget those landscapes, that sea and that light. A land that struck me with its roughness. Some friends I made I will not forget. See you soon. Call me when the next storm is coming.
Carsten Linnet Sørensen, a pivotal figure within the Danish Surf & SUP Federation, has been deeply immersed in Denmark’s SUP scene since 2012. His journey from competitor to organizer showcases a passion for fostering the sport’s growth. Spearheading the Danish SUP Tour, Carsten orchestrates a series of races spanning diverse water conditions across Denmark. With […]
Last weekend, Mangalore provided the perfect venue for the APP’s first step in India with the APP-sanctioned India Paddle Festival. The India Paddle Festival is the first step for international Stand Up Paddling in the region and Sasihithlu Beach provided the absolutely perfect venue to showcase the sport. A magical mix of Ocean and River […]
Andrey Kraytor, 2 x Sprint Canoe world champion, continues to stir things up in the Stand Up Paddling world both as an athlete and as the manager for the thriving venture Union Paddlers. Not only did Kraytor secure a bronze medal at the last ICF SUP World Championships in the 200m sprints, but he also […]
The long anticipated wait for Starboard’s 2024 new race SUP line up is finally over! We welcome back Starboard’s SUP Brand Manager Ollie O’Reilly to reveal the new and improved race board models – the beloved All Star and Sprint boards. The Tiki brand continues to thrive going into the 2024 season especially with these […]
Presenting the formidable lineup of the Starboard Dream Team for the 2024 SUP season, where champions collide and new talents emerge. Anchored by seasoned SUP Race and SUP Surf World Champions Esperanza Barreras, Fiona Wylde, Connor Baxter, Michael Booth, Noic Garioud, Benoit Carpentier, and Zane Schweitzer this powerhouse ensemble promises thrilling competition and unparalleled skill […]
Il y a quelques semaines, nous vous avons présenté la Ace Foil, la planche de SUP foil downwind par Starboard, avec Clément Colmas. Aujourd’hui, on fait de nouveau escale en Nouvelle Calédonie pour s’entretenir avec Alexandre Rouys, rider chez Starboard Foils et foileur de la première heure. Ou on pourrait même dire : foileur avant […]
Embark on a thrilling journey to the untouched wilderness of Norway’s Lofoten islands with renowned ultra-long-distance paddleboarder and adventurer Bart de Zwart. Last year in May, Bart left his sailboat in French Polynesia and traveled all the way to the North of Europe to paddle through the dramatic landscapes of the Lofoten archipelago on his […]
After much anticipation, we finally catch up with Cecilia Pampinella, a towering figure in stand-up paddling at only 17 with an impressive tally of 5 Junior World Titles under the ICF and ISA federations, 6 European titles and countless national Italian titles. Recently, Cecilia realized her lifelong ambition of joining the prestigious Starboard Dream Team, […]
Mais qui peut arrêter Clément Colmas ? Champion de SUP Race, le waterman performe également en wingfoil et s’envole maintenant vers l’horizon du SUP foil downwind… Pour le suivre dans toutes ses aventures, Clément a la chance d’avoir un sponsor qui lui fourni des jouets toujours plus à la pointe de l’innovation et des tendances […]
Use of cookies
This website uses cookies in order to make it easier to use and to support the provision of relevant information and functionality to you.
Necessary Cookies
Necessary cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.
3rd Party Cookies
We use a set of third party tools to provide information on how our users engage with our website so that we can improve the experience of the website for our users. For example, we collect information about which of our pages are most frequently visited, and by which types of users. Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.
Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!