Switching gears: Manuel Lauble joins the Light Board Corp Team

Manuel Lauble, one of Germany’s top pro SUP racers, has had a standout SUP season, with consistent podiums and the latest wins at the SUP Alps Trophy (Erfurt stop) and the SUP Suisse Tour’s stops in Salavaux and Davos, Switzerland.

He has also just embarked on a new chapter by joining the Light Board Corp Team, the  pioneers in hollow construction. The news first broke at the Lake Rocks Festival 2024 where Manuel was for the first time officially competing on the brand’s renowned PARADOXA.

TotalSUP caught up with the Light Rider to chat about his move from Indiana and his killer LIGHTBOARDCORP® PARADOXA race board in neon pink!

Photo by Andy Klotz Photography

Hi Manuel, massive congratulations on your amazing SUP racing season to date and smashing the Erfurt stop of the SUP Alps Trophy series! What are your season’s highlights and what’s the shape of the SUP racing scene in 2024 in your opinion?

Hey Anna, great to hear from you again. Thanks for the congrats on the season so far. I got into the swing of things well after Winter (the season actually started in the middle of winter) and felt fit for the first races. I had a strong start with a 3rd place finish at the GlaGla Race behind Ludovic Teulade and Donato Freens.

Unfortunately, a few weeks later at the ICE Race, I struggled with the conditions in the second half and lost touch with the guys in the front who managed it way better than I did. But that’s racing – I’m having fun and setbacks like these show me where I need to improve my training. I haven’t been in this sport for long and still have a lot to learn.

Photo by Alexander Stertzik Fotografie

You kicked off the season with a major move and joining the Light Riders! Could you tell us more about it?

This step wasn’t easy for me. I was emotionally very attached to my first race team, Indiana, and the Hollow Board we developed together. But life must go on. And Gerd Weisner  and his Team  have really created an amazing weapon with the PARADOXA.

Manuel Lauble (Light Board Corp) with Bastian Grimm (SUNOVA) | Photo by Andy Klotz Photography

What drew you to the Light Board Corp brand?

I did a lot of testing last Winter. Different brands. Different models. My testing criteria were pretty simple – I paddled all test boards against what had been my fastest board so far, the Indiana DHC Hollow 21.5″. Then there was this one test day in Hanau – cold and rainy. It was my first time on the PARADOXA 22″ (I had already tested the 23″ last year). It was love at first sight. I think we paddled 16 km, Hermann Husslein, Gerd, and I. We swapped the boards around (21″, 22″, 23“) too.

Manuel Lauble at the Lake Rocks Festival 2024 | Photo by Andy Klotz Photography

You may just have one of the hottest race boards I’ve seen to date! Could you tell us more about it and the neon pink finish – I’ve heard it’s homeage to Donald Takayama?

I’ll be honest – I had to google Sir Donald Takayama 😬 It’s a nice thought! But my design ideas were different. As a racer (and also a graphic designer, so my professional habits come into play), I wanted a unique colour. A colour that hasn’t been taken by other riders yet. Unique, especially within my own Team. Red, yellow, orange, white, blue… they all already exist.

Did you have an input into the custom design process?

The great thing about Light Board is that you can customize your own board. There are different designs and colour options. Since I wanted my PARADOXA to be as light as possible and colouring adds weight (depending on the painted area, over 1kg), I chose the reduced stripe design. In neon pink 💓

Photo by Andy Klotz Photography

Light Board Corp are the pioneers in hollow construction and the PARADOXA is one of their most radical designs to date. How did you find the PARADOXA when you first stepped on it? Does it live up to the hype?

Haha, it’s actually still underhyped. The performance, acceleration and top speed combined with the extremely high stability at 22″ is just paradoxical. The rounder rails underwater and the softer lines at the nose (compared to my Indiana) help me in choppy conditions and in races, especially when entering and exiting drafts and side waves.

The extremely low standing position in the cockpit is made possible by the drainage valve system, which lets water out but not in, giving taller athletes a low centre of gravity and therefore extra stability.

Photo by Andy Klotz Photography

The paradox in the name of the board comes from the statement that boards are usually either stable or fast. With the PARADOXA, you paddle as fast as you would on a 23″ board but feel as comfortable as you would on a 25″ wide board. Have you put it to the test on your 14×22?

That’s right. No marketing hype. And you can clearly see from the race results of the PARADOXA paddlers that this statement holds true.

Photo by Andy Klotz Photography

Does it handle chop well?

Yes, it does. The underwater section in the middle has a slight concave shape with edges that gradually transition from round to sharp at the tail. This provides more stability without sacrificing the wetted surface area, which creates drag.

The rocker line features a flat midline and a straight, low rocker in the last third, allowing the board to move over and between smaller waves with minimal energy. In choppy conditions, smaller waves can be easily overtaken as the “Vround front bottom” simply cuts through the wave.

Is PARADOXA a board for aspiring SUP racers? Will they progress fast or they’ll have to fight it a bit at the beginning?

Aspiring racers will quickly find success on the PARADOXA. It’s super easy to handle. And let’s be honest – when you’re paddling at your physical limit in a race, there’s nothing better than having your equipment perform as it should so you don’t have to worry about it. My neon pink lady is available for testing at Lake Constance. So come on by, you’re all warmly invited.

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

Not at the ISA Worlds, but at the ICF World Championships. And until then, there are more races in the SUP Alps Trophy and SUP Suisse Tour series. I’ll keep you updated.

As always, thank you Manuel for your time – Keep crushing it!

Photo by Andy Klotz Photography

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 Manuel Lauble on Instagram 

*Images courtesy of Manuel Lauble