Hermann Husslein: Canoe slalom Olympian turned pro racer on the SUP Alps Trophy & Light Board Corp culture

Photo by Andy Klotz

We’re getting an inside look at the SUP Alps Trophy, the legendary race series drawing paddlers from across the globe since 2014. With stunning alpine lakes and a festival-like atmosphere, each stop is unforgettable – and as the series motto goes: “The SUP Alps Trophy is a matter of the heart and is organised by paddlers for paddlers.”

We caught up with Hanau-based Hermann Husslein, former canoe Olympian (and pioneer of canoe slalom in Thailand!) turned pro racer, German SUP Champion, and a key member of the Light Board Corp squad. Dubbed by the brand’s boss, Gerd Weisner, the “Army of Amateurs,” these Light Riders are impossible to ignore – fierce, fast, and riding the uber-hyped PARADOXA boards.

Friendship and camaraderie fuel their races, spilling over into the series itself, with the Lake Rocks Festival already established as a flagship must-attend on the SUP racing calendar. Known for his powerful paddling technique, Hermann is ready to keep the pressure on as the team heads into the final leg of the SUP Alps Trophy series and the ICF World Championships in Abu Dhabi.

Photo by Andy Klotz

Hi Hermann, welcome to TotalSUP! We’re excited to have you. You’ve gone from a standout pro canoe career to competing at the elite level in stand-up paddleboarding – how did that transition happen?

I have been a canoe slalom athlete back in the days racing for Thailand, the home country of my mother. Due to sport politics and the help of the German Federation (a longer story) I swopped during junior age to Thailand and brought the sport of canoe slalom to the country. Earning the first international medals, Asian Championship and various medals in Asia and topping it with a spot for the Olympics in London 2012, history has been written. The result hasn’t been as I hoped, but the impact of the achievements have ended up in a wonderful venue of watersports with a canoe slalom, canoe flatwater / rowing venue and facilities where the ICF SUP World Championships in Thailand were hosted.

How did I end up in SUP? Actually, a good question. Well, I first got in contact with SUP after missing out on the Rio Olympics in 2016, at my club in Hanau, where my mates Peter Weidert and Gerd Weisner from the Light squad are also based.

Image courtesy of Hermann Husslein

You’ve been an integral part of the Light Board Corp squad for a while now – how did that connection first come about?

Back in the days, I was at the PADDLE Expo in Nuremberg, Germany, where I first got in contact with Gerd Weisner. The rest is history – the beginning of a friendship and a family.

We call you all the “Light Riders” – arriving in numbers, on super slick Light Board Corp boards with serious vibes and powerful paddle strokes. How would you describe the squad’s culture and energy from the inside?

Well, as I am turning 40 in a couple of days, I will stay with Gerd’s words: „We are the army of amateurs!“ We are not professional athletes and everyone is working full time beside our beloved sport.

It’s about friendship, training and travelling together to the competitions. We train together, we win and fail together. We are a big family and that’s what might make us that special… but luckily the young guns are joining us and we are growing all together.

Photo by Andy Klotz

You’re a regular at the SUP Alps Trophy series, and Andy Klotz’s photos always cause serious FOMO for those not there. From your perspective, what makes this race series so unique?

What makes the SUP Alps Trophy so unique? Well, first of all the SUP Alps Trophy is a big family affair which is growing slowly year by year. Racing in Austria, Slovenia and Germany makes the series so interesting for all the SUP lovers in central Europe. The beautiful surroundings of the mountain lakes in Germany and Austria and the Slovenian Adriatic Sea create a wonderful atmosphere which makes those events family friendly.

Events look like family holidays combined with SUP racing for all kind of level skills, from fun classes, to elite racing and of course our youngsters.

At the end Alps Trophy reflects an authentic ranking, especially in the amateur sector. Nothing is distorted by results from supposedly less competitive events, as it is for example in the SUP World Ranking in other than elite classes. If you compete in races that are supposedly less competitive, it is entirely possible to achieve a better final ranking even though you wouldn’t be able to achieve this in reality.

In the end, everybody has to decide for themselves what it’s all about. For me, I can say that I love the familiar atmosphere while still being competitive.

Photo by Andy Klotz

The Lake Rocks Festival is one of the most recognised stops on the circuit but what should people know about the other events in the series?

Every venue has its own beauty – from the stunning Alpine lakes to the Adriatic Sea in Koper (Slovenia) with its culinary delights. The SUP Alps Trophy Series offers a family-friendly atmosphere and is always a big coming together. It’s the perfect stage for racing in competitive fields across all ages and classes.

at the 2024 Adria SUP Challenge | Photo by: Uros Kekus Kleva

The Light Board Squad has introduced exciting young talent like Benyam Bossack, Selwyn Pritchard, and Elin van Der Sar – it seems like you now have the perfect blend of experience, expertise, power, and next-gen energy. How does this mix influence the team dynamic? Do you have time at events to paddle together outside the competition?

To be honest, I’m not racing that many competitions these days because of my little son, who just turned three. But it’s great to see the young guns showing up. It’s important for our sport, and I hope we can teach them a lesson or two on their way to the top. Well, I guess we might learn from them too – though everything does get a bit harder to pick up when you’re getting older :).

We’ve had a chat with Gerd that Masters and Junior divisions are often the most overlooked. How do events like the SUP Alps Trophy serve as a springboard for recognition and development in these categories?

Yes, I agree with you. The senior class is probably one of the most underrated classes, even though it has the largest starting field. Why? Good question as still the 40+ are capable to challenge the elite class.

For youngsters, on the other hand, the races can be a great springboard into the elite class, earning racing experience in big fields.

Photo by Andy Klotz

Will we see you at any of the upcoming events (Adria SUP Challenge and LEGENDOFOX  – Season’s Finale)?

I have planned to join the Adria SUP Challenge as Slovenia is a wonderful country. I love the food with the Italian influence and I got lots of good memories from my canoeing career where I spent lots of time training in Tacen,  Ljubljana. The big final hasn’t been confirmed yet as I might be in China for work.

Hermann Husslein at the 2024 LEGENDOFOX | Photo by Wolfgang Stadler

The Light Board Corp squad is heading to the ICF World Championships: how is the team preparing for the unique challenges of this event, and what are your personal goals for the competition?

Most of the time, everyone trains for themselves. Normen Weber is focusing on whitewater sprint and the upcoming World Championships in Budweis (Czech Republic) at the moment, and will return afterward to prepare for the final stages in Abu Dhabi. Peter, Gerd, and I only train together on weekends because we all work during the week and fit training around our schedules. On weekends, it’s game face on, and everyone rides how they can and want. We challenge each other and learn from each other.

My expectations? To be honest, it feels a bit strange to start in the Masters 40+ category after competing in the elite category year after year. But we are getting older, and that’s okay. It’s hard to predict how and where I’ll end up. I certainly know some of the best guys, Joep Van Bakel, Manuel Lauble, Francisco Giusti, Tomas Varnas, Chris Stinger, and others, but I hope I’ll be competitive in some way and maybe annoy the title holders and their contenders a little along the way.

Photo by Andy Klotz

To find out more about LIGHTBOARDCORP® designs, visit lightboardcorp.com  and check out our full interview with Gerd Weisner

Follow Light Board Corp on Facebook and Instagram   

Follow Hermann Husslein on Instagram