Rise and Glide – The podcast from the team at Paddle Logger

Podcasts are a great way to get more information on a topic you are interested in and here at TotalSUP we are, of course very interested in paddling. Through the summer we have all been listening to the Paddle Logger podcast, Rise and Glide and here is the TotalSUP look back at the first season of this entertaining and interesting series.

Rise and Glide – The Paddle Logger Podcast

The Rise and Glide series is brought to you by the Paddle Logger team, produced by David Walker and hosted by Holly Pye in the UK and Maddie Leblanc in Canada. Over 11 episodes these two interesting and entertaining hosts open up the world of SUP with a varied range of guests. 

In this article, we look back at the first 5 episodes but before we start, TotalSUP asked David Walker about the inspiration behind the series.

For years we have toyed with the idea of a podcast, as far back as 2018, however, Lewis and I never found the time nor format to work. Then at the ICF Championships in Poland in 2022 we asked Holly and Maddi to put together some content for us.

From that, the podcast question got raised again and we have spent the last year working on Rise and Glide. The goal of the series is to introduce listeners to people from all over the paddling world and the wider water sports world.

Hopefully, non-paddlers will find themselves inspired by our guests to try these sports. Just as current paddlers may be inspired to try racing or adventuring or other ocean sports.

And that wait from 2018 was worth it, the Paddle Logger team have produced a great series of interviews.

Rise and Glide – Your Hosts

Holly Pye is a name that many European SUP racers will know, one of the top female paddlers in the UK she has had some great results including a EuroTour podium and multiple successes in the UK domestic scene. 

Maddie Leblanc is a top SUP racer from Canada, the current Canadian champ in a number of SUP disciplines and was voted SUP Woman of the Year in 2020. 

Not only is the podcast available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify but the team has also published transcripts of every episode for those quieter moments, or when you’ve misplaced your headphones!

Rise and Glide Podcast – Season 1

Mr TotalSUP – Mathieu Astier

Mathieu Astier – In the middle of July, the team hit the water paddling fast with an interview with Mr TotalSUP himself, Mathieu Astier. Did you know that Mathieu was a track and field athlete, and an actor and now he is the driving force behind the world’s best Stand UP Paddle website.

Rise and Glide Episode 1 transcript

Anthony Vela – is a paddle athlete who has been involved in watersports for a very long time! A former lifeguard, SUP athlete and now performance coach he comes to this podcast with more SUP stories than you could possibly squeeze into an hour! 

Rise and Glide Episode 2 transcript

Sarah Perkins in action. Image – Jamie Elliott

Sarah Perkins – Episode three features a paddler you might not know, Sarah Perkins is a wildlife biologist at Cardiff University in the UK and she has a passion for stand-up paddle boarding. She is a SUP racer, SUP surfer and windsurfer and in this episode, Sarah shares how she combines her love for the water with her scientific research.

Rise and Glide Episode 3 transcript

John Hibbard – The fourth episode features someone who has really shaped the sport of SUP. John is one of the founders of Red Paddle Co and this episode covers the creation of the brand 15 years ago, how John made the change from windsurfing to starting the brand most associated with the development and popularity of the inflatable stand-up paddle board. 

Rise and Glide Episode 4 transcript

Caroline Cook, SUP Racer. Image – Warren Won

Caroline Cook – Off to Canada for episode 5 and a fascinating insight into some of the challenges facing a deaf paddler. Caroline has been a serious paddler for over 20 years, initially specialising in sprint kayaking she’s paddled a huge range of craft before finding SUP. 

Caroline’s story was, for me, the most inspirational episode of the series. Learning a little about the difficulties faced by a paddler who cannot always hear because Caroline cannot always use her cochlear implants on the water. If you only have time for one episode, choose this one. 

Rise and Glide Episode 5 transcript

Here at TotalSUP, we have certainly enjoyed listening to Holly and Maddie and their guests covering a huge range of topics and we hope you enjoy them too. The second half of the series will be featured on TotalSUP soon, giving you enough time to listen to the first 5 episodes. If you cannot wait then all of the episodes are available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Paddle Logger is an award-winning iPhone and Apple Watch app used by a huge number of paddlers around the world and is available free to use or with a subscription to access more Paddle Logger features.

You can find out more about Paddle Logger on their website, Facebook Page and Instagram channel. The Paddle Logger app is available from your local Apple App Store for the iPhone and Apple Watch.