Major stops for Kjell De Bruyn in the 2024 Belgian SUP Tour ahead of the ISA Worlds

“If you want to grow you need to surround yourself with people who can challenge you and from whom you can learn”, claims Kjell De Bruyn, Antwerp based 12-time Belgian National SUP Champion, Starboard Team Rider, Coach, and sport advocate, who’s already on the road, training, coaching and set to compete in international races (Poland and Sweden) before the second leg of the Belgian SUP Tour (BST), kicks off in August.

TotalSUP caught up with this accomplished and influential all-around waterman, who thrives in tough race conditions, to discuss the key stops of the Belgian SUP Tour (BST), growth of the local SUP scene and the upcoming ISA Worlds in Denmark.

Hi Kjell, welcome back to TotalSUP! What are your season’s highlights so far?

Up until now I didn’t race too much on the international scene since I was busy getting an extra Bachelor Degree, so my focus has been mostly on that. But my season highlights for now are placing 5th during the Gla Gla Long Distance Race, 2nd place in the Sprint and Technical races at the recently held Dutch Championships, and the first place and a new time record at the Round of Haarlem Race. And hopefully we can add a few more highlights to that.

Photo by Siebe Meijer

You’re heading to Poland for the Planet Baltic and Coaching sessions – Could you tell us more about your link to Poland? (Curious as I’m Polish myself😉)

Well, my girlfriend Beata is from Poznan so I have spent a decent amount of time there already over the past eight years. When I’m there I do my daily training on the local Kiekrz lake. It only felt natural to also offer SUP clinics when I’m there since there are a lot of recreational paddlers. It would be great to see some of them make the transition to racing or just get them that little bit of extra confidence to go out more often.

Then Skrea Strand PaddleRace in Sweden – Are these the key stops before the second part of the BST 2024 kicks off? Is this the qualifying event for the ISA Worlds in Copenhagen?

These are indeed my two highlighted races this Summer in preparation for the Belgian Championships at the end of August and the ISA Worlds in Denmark in September.

Could you tell us more about the Belgian SUP racing scene? How are athletes supported, and where do you usually train and gather?

The Belgian race scene is alive and kicking, last year Vincent Claeskens really made a big effort backing the races and setting up the scene for the future. So now we have the Belgian SUP Tour (BST) and the cooperation with the Dutch Scene BNST (Belgian-Netherlands SUP Tour).

This really blew the races wide open and that way we see other big guys like Donato Freens and Joep Van Bakel make regular appearances. Next to that I just have to say that we’ve got a young girl Loranne Vlemincx from Kempen SUP who is really starting to kick ass in the women field, I’ve got big hopes for her. Now we need some more young guys to take it serious like our Dutch neighbours’ Maximus Sijrier and Benyam Bossack.

Talking about support and training we are all under the BSF (Belgian Surf Federation) and again it’s Vincent who made it possible together with the Federation for us to attend last year’s big Championships and get some support for us. The rest of the season is off course funded by the athletes themselves, we are not pros, we are regular working people. There are a few who are lucky enough to get some support here and there, like myself being supported by Victus Sport Nutrition, Starboard, Supfever with QB paddles, CloudIX foils (Haikusports) and BOOTH Training and I am very thankful, cause all those bits make it possible for me to perform at an international level.

Training wise it’s kind of scattered and mostly individual. But if we talk about competitive training there is the Kempen SUP who are doing a great job with their group, SUPfever also have a few younger and older guns. Next to that there’s also me, I provide athletes with weekly schedules to work towards their goals and through SUP clinics I share my knowledge and love for the sport. Maybe in the future I would like to set up a dedicated youth training group.

The Belgian SUP Tour and Vincent Claeskens are instrumental in the sport’s development in the country, attracting international talent. What makes the Tour compelling to athletes?

There are races for everyone, athletes and  recreational paddlers, kids, masters or Grand kahuna. We’ve got Sprints, Technical, Long Distance, Downwind, Ultra, Flat water, open sea, you name it! We have it all on the tour so everyone can make a selection of events that fit their skills and qualities, because for the BST it’s a 6 out of 8 races and for the BNST it’s a 4 out of 6 races that make up the final results.

Could you guide us through the upcoming Belgian SUP Tour stops?

After Sweden I’m taking one weekend of. Then the first stop is the Belgian Tech Race Championship, finally again on the North Sea in Sint Idesbalt. This is a spot with big tidal changes, so current will make things interesting. The weekend after that we race Sprints at the Internationally know kayak track of Hazewinkel. This event coincides with the Belgian Championships Kayak Sprints so it’s super nice to show our sport. There’s also the Long Distance Championship the weekend after that in Kessenich, with the location to be confirmed but looking forward to it.

Then I’m off to the ISA Worlds. After that it’s the pinnacle of the Tour for me at the end of September we have the BIG downwind race of the season, The Belgian Coast Race. Originally a Surfski race backed by the ICF, but since a few years also open to SUP. We race 21km from Ostend to Seabruges or the other way round depending on the wind. I’m really looking forward to this one. The week after that it’s not a BST stop but we have the Bruges SUP Classic also a must attend. Then it’s quiet for some time till we finish off the season in December with the SUP For Life Race in the city centre of Ghent. Probably one of the prettiest races if you like historical sites and scenery.

We’ve seen remarkable results when elite athletes from around the world train and compete together. Have you noticed a shift in training dynamics, with international athletes attending national races to compete and learn from each other?

Honestly I don’t think it’s new in sport. It’s something I have always been doing from the start of my racing career in sailing when I was just a kid in Optimist to my days on the Belgian National Windsurf team, T293 and RS:X, to now competing as a SUP racer.

I would always try to go to the Netherlands and train with their athletes and go for their national races since they’ve always had strong watersport athletes. If you want to grow you need to surround yourself with people who can challenge you and from whom you can learn. Building on that, we are also in the ongoing process of professionalisation of training and backing it by science. It’s something not solely seen in SUP but in all sports, it is that our training is a lot more science and research based instead of just paddling laps as fast as we can.

What do you focus on in your role as a Coach? And how can paddlers get in touch with you?

As a coach I try to be analytical and open in my approach and make the athlete understand why we’re going in a certain direction in order to achieve the goals we set together based on their current capabilities and living situation. It does not mean I will teach them hours of biomechanics and physiology but I’ll make them understand the basics and why they need to work on certain areas to make them stronger. Right now people can contact me through my Instagram, there they can find my email or ask for my number.

How about your paddling – What’s your favourite race format?

I love all of them but technical ocean racing is my favourite format since it showcases best what skills, strength and endurance you need and what the capabilities of SUP are. Who doesn’t love those images of multiple riders coming in with a wave trying to go around an inside buoy. Next to that I also love long distance on open water since it’s something that really fits the waterman spirit of playing with the elements to go from A to B.

What’s the fastest way to progress in the sport and start competing?

Enjoy what you’re doing, focus on technique and skills, be consistent in training, share and reflect on your experiences.

What’s in the pipeline? Will we see you at the upcoming ISA Worlds in Copenhagen?

I will for sure be at the ISA Worlds. My training is set on it and my planning is done. After that maybe some foil racing 😉.

Thank you Kjell, good luck with the BST and see you at Skrea and in Copenhagen!

Upcoming events in the Belgian SUP Tour:

• Saturday, 24 August: Open Belgian  Championships Technical Race, Koksijde Yachting Club, (Technical, open water)
• Sunday, 1 September: Technical Race in the morning, Hazewinkel (Technical Race, flat water)
• Sunday, 1 September: Open Belgian Championships Sprint, Hazewinkel (Sprint, flat water)
• Sunday, 8 September: Open Belgian Championships LD, Kessenich (Long Distance, flat water)
• Sunday, 28 September: Open Belgian Championships Downwinder; Oostende to Zeebrugge. Open for regular SUPs and for SUP Foils! (Downwinder, open water)

To find out more and register for the Belgian SUP Tour, visit belgiansuptour.be

Join the Belgian SUP Tour (BST) group on Facebook and follow BST on Instagram 

Follow Kjell De Bruyn on Facebook & Instagram 

*Images courtesy of BST and Kjell De Bruyn