One to Watch: Canary-Born Starboard Rider Noah Diaz is wired to SUP & rip!

When you grow up in Gran Canaria with a father who’s a local SUP & surf legend, Coach and the Founder of one of the hottest SUP events in Canary Islands, Gran Canaria PRO – you’re practically wired for the sport, and your blood runs salty.

We’ve been following young SUP athlete and Starboard Rider Noah Diaz as he effortlessly switches between disciplines, racking up national titles – securing all three U12 National titles, to be precise – while fine-tuning his skills alongside his father and Coach, Eduardo Diaz, at SecondReef Club, a hub dedicated to growing the SUP scene and supporting local talent.

Hi Noah, welcome to TotalSUP! Can you share how you first got into stand-up paddleboarding? What drew you to the sport?

Honestly, from a very young age – just 2 years old – my father would take me for rides on his board. By the time I was 4, he started bringing me along to Summer surf and SUP camps.

From then on, I had my own paddle, cut to my size, and I started paddling  independently during lessons with the other kids at our school.

Little by little, it became one of my regular weekday afternoon activities, alongside climbing, which I was also very good at.

In 2019, my father gave me my first race board, a 10’6 carbon fibre board, and I started competing in some local competitions with  other kids.

Starting in 2021, I joined the Federation for the first time and participated in my first Gran Canaria PRO. In 2022, I competed in several EuroTour events in Alicante, Mallorca, and Gran Canaria, and by 2023-2024, I had officially signed up for the Nationals.

If my calculations are correct, I’ll have completed twenty-five races between 2021 and 2024.

What really attracted me to SUP was being able to spend time in the ocean with my friends. For me, the ocean became a playground where I could play with my friends and train.

Who has been your biggest inspiration or role model in the paddleboarding community, and why?

Obviously, my inspiration and greatest role model has always been my father – Eduardo Diaz. He taught me that so well since I was little.

But I also  follow and watch a lot of Kai Lenny’s videos. I think many of us would like to be like him. I love being at sea and playing sports, so Kai Lenny will always be a good example to follow, given the variety of disciplines he practices.

At just 12 years old, you’re already a familiar face at EuroTour events and National Championships. What have been your most memorable moments so far?

Despite competing in several EuroTour events, my proudest moment was undoubtedly winning all three National events in 2024: Sprints, Long Distance, and Beach Race.

Another event that stands out in my memory is the World Surf Festival in Alicante, where I competed in two different events over a single weekend: the EuroTour and the APP World Tour.

It’s one of my favourite events, along with the Gran Canaria PRO, as it brings together many athletes my age, including Eric Pérez, Tomás Blin, and Sebas Fernández, among others.

Could you tell us more about your club Secondreef and your Coach 🙂

SecondReef’s journey with SUP began in 2009 when my parents founded it. Initially, my father brought this sport to the Canary Islands, specifically Gran Canaria, by offering introductory courses in flat water and waves.

However, it wasn’t until 2015 that he began coaching his first SUP Race team and participating in local competitions. This marked the formation of the SecondReef Club, which has grown each year, attracting athletes of all ages— and from the very beginning, I was always the youngest.

Today, the Club consists of athletes of all ages who train five to six days a week, preparing rigorously for competitive SUP racing. Of course, whenever there are waves, we’re the first to grab our surfboards or race boards and hit the water.

As for my Coach, I don’t think I could have a better one, although sometimes it’s difficult for both of us. My father doesn’t usually single me out at home or in daily life, but during training, it’s inevitable. As both my coach and my parent, he pushes me to be a great athlete—disciplined, organized, and respectful.

These are the values he instills in me and the entire team every day, and I know we’ll be grateful for it in the future.

What does the Gran Canaria Pro event mean to you personally, especially as it takes place on your home turf and your club competes paddle-to-paddle alongside you?

Gran Canaria Pro is our home event, created by my father, and to which he dedicates more time and effort each year, not only to ensure the event grows each year, but also so that we, the team, and all the athletes who compete can enjoy the event, get to know our course, and Gran Canaria as a perfect destination for water sports.

This year, in June, the event will take a huge leap forward in terms of quality, format and infrastructure. In addition to an extra day for the Sprints, the event will feature LIVE streaming, top international athletes, and the best racers from Spain.

Racing at home and with my team mates makes me feel more confident, stronger and more motivated.
After all, it’s our event, our course and that makes you compete with even more pride.

Can you share more about your board setup and your connection to the Starboard brand?

As I get older, I’ve been looking for comfort and effectiveness in my boards when training and racing.

For a few years now, our school has featured Starboard boards, with models for beginner courses, touring and SUP Yoga. For us racers, we have the All Star in 14 feet or, in my case, the 12’6″. I find it the perfect board for the type of conditions we encounter in the Canary Islands.

When we’re doing Long Distance races or downwind, I ride the board with a dugout, and if we’re doing Beach Race training, I ride the 12’6 flat deck.

What’s the best and then the most challenging part of being a young SUP athlete?

The best part is that I’m still very young and have a lot to learn and enjoy every training session and every race.

For me, the most challenging thing is that we move up in category every two years due to age, and there comes a time when you compete for a year with kids a year older than you, who are physically more developed and stronger than me. For this reason, you must never let your guard down and train harder and better each year.

What are your 2025 SUP goals?

By 2025, I’d like to train more in waves and achieve great results again at the National Championships, this year in the U14 category. For the Beach Race Championship, it looks like we’ll be heading to northern Spain, Cantabria.

Besides exploring Suances, it looks to be an exciting weekend at a prime wave spot, perfect for both the technical race and SUP surfing. I can’t wait!

Find out more about Starboard 2025 range at sup.star-board.com

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Follow Noah Diaz on Instagram 

*Images courtesy of Eduardo Diaz