“The most satisfying part of progressing is when you start doing things you never thought you could do,” claims Kristen Moyer, Infinity SUP Team Rider. TotalSUP caught up with this driven, Florida-based athlete to tap into some learnings from Kristen’s own SUP surfing journey and chat about “working your way up” to achieve personal milestones and finally entering that first competition where you paddle with your SUP heroes.
Just want to start with a huge thank you to TotalSUP, I am a big fan of your page! The beginning of my SUP journey is sort of a strange one. I am from a small town in Pennsylvania, USA, where most people at the time have never heard of paddleboarding. I learned to paddle in rivers and lakes surrounded by huge mountains, corn and cows.
A couple years later I decided to move to Florida and that’s when I discovered my true passion for this sport. I quickly became addicted to the rush I got while paddling in the ocean and catching waves. I spent countless hours practicing, (lots of falling in the beginning). I watched hundreds of SUP surfing YouTube videos trying to teach myself. Having no surf background made things challenging at first, but I truly believe if you stick to something, you will reach your goals!
I am now lucky enough to be paddling with my heroes, competing against the women I look up to, and riding for my favourite SUP company! It has been almost ten years since I have picked up my first paddle, looking back now it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made!
I would like to think SUP surfing chose me! When I first started, I never expected to stick with it this long. I was surprised how quickly I fell in love with paddling!
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I would have to say Zane Kekoa Schweitzer. I think he is an amazing ambassador for this sport. I love his style out there and his great attitude to life!
Where to start?
Find the right size board for you and a beginner friendly break!
How to progress fast?
Get someone to video you! Watching yourself on the wave makes it easy to see what you are, or are not, doing correctly.
Riding that first big wave…
Take your time and work your way up to it. As you gain more confidence in your ability, it’ll be easier to relax and enjoy bigger waves. The paddle out is usually the hardest part!
Competing…
I definitely recommend competing! It’s a great way to meet people in the SUP community. Most events have amateur and pro heats, which is perfect for those that have never competed before. It’s a great way to stay motivated and make friends along the way!
When I first started SUP surfing, I was nervous about what type of dangerous marine life I would encounter in the ocean. After falling a few times I realized that I was going to be okay, just extremely exhausted!
The most satisfying part of progressing is when you start doing things you never thought you could do. The paddle out gets easier, you start doing bottom turns, little things like that make it super motivating! I realized how far I’ve come when I saw a Facebook memory dated 8 years ago. It was brutal to watch, but I am so thankful I have been able to document my journey throughout the years!
I met Dave Boehne at the Wrightsville Beach Pro, in North Carolina this year. Super stoked when he reached out, it’s been a dream of mine for years now! I truly believe they have the best boards out there, I’m proud to represent such an amazing company!
I am currently on the BLURRv2. It is 7’11 x 27.5 at 90L.
Right now I am just focussing on constant progress. Working on and off the water to get better. I would love to help organize more sup surfing competitions/events here on the east coast. I am also excited to see what my future holds with Infinity SUP. Stay tuned on my Instagram!
To find out more about Infinity SUP, visit infinity-sup.com
Follow Infinity on Instagram and Facebook
Connect with Dave Boehne via Instagram and Facebook
Follow Kristen on InstagramÂ
*Images courtesy of Kristen Moyer
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