The 2023 Starboard All Star and Starboard Sprint are out!

The wait has been longer than usual but it has been worth it! Starboard’s 2023 SUP Race Range is finally out after another very successful year for the Tiki brand with numerous world titles in many age categories and under different federations and competitions. Starboard’s 2023 All Star and Sprint boards won 7 gold medals at the ICF SUP Worlds in Poland only! They are now out and available to the public at large. Ollie O’Reilly, Starboard SUP Brand Manager introduces both new models as well as a new variant of the Sprint tailored for expeditions.

The all-new 2023 Starboard Race range is here.

Hello Ollie, it is that exciting time of the year when Starboard reveals its new SUP Race collection. What’s the feeling?

Hi Mathieu, thank you for the opportunity. Very exciting time indeed! Every year, the development of the race range gets harder as we move the goalposts in pursuit of the fastest boards possible. As a team, we are always striving to develop the best boards that win and inspire us to push the boundaries. Often, we are striving for the smallest increments in performance to get that edge over the competition. We don’t stop until we are confident that we have improved performance from one year to the next, whether it’s that little extra glide with each stroke over a distance, easier acceleration and torque in sprints, or more control and maneuverability in choppy conditions.

Before we go into specific details about each new board, can you give us a general idea on the changes applied to each model?

As a result, the 2023 Starboard All Star and the 2023 Starboard Sprint have seen refinements and tweaks to the hull shapes that result in a bigger overall performance gap. The All Star’s pulled-in outline improved speed and glide; higher rails made it more forgiving in chop; and the new rounded rail shape gave it more control in bumps and on flats.

The Sprint’s efficiency is further enhanced by the rounded rails at the tail, which improve and extend the glide, and the boxy nose, which is more forgiving in light chop. Furthermore, the new central drainage system and carbon recessed scuppers are implemented in both models, helping to reduce the overall drainage time and efficiency.

What do you make of the last SUP Race season?

Ultimately, these hours of refinements, testing, and retesting have allowed us to stay ahead and lead the way in results, with our talented dream team riders making history in SUP racing. In the 2022 ICF World Championships in Poland, to take just one example, Starboard achieved seven world titles with the All Star, making it the most successful and winning race board in the industry. Huge congratulations to all! The Sprint continues to be the speed machine on flat water, with top results from Caterina Stenta and Ole Schwartz keeping them ahead of th e game, as well as the epic adventures of Bruce Kirkby on the new 29” Wide Sprint Expedition.

How many people have been involved in the development of these new boards?

As always, the results on the surface pay tribute to many hours spent behind the scenes in development. Trevor Tunnington, the previous fastest paddler on earth, has been influential in both developing and testing. Daniel Hasuylo, who has been based in Thailand for many years, has been testing and putting in lap after lap to get time on the water in both shape and technology testing, especially with the Zero tech. This year, we welcomed to Thailand the New Caledonian sparring partners Clément Colmas and Noic Garioud to put the boards through their paces and tweak the boards further.

The speed of development is a testament to our talented team of shapers, who continue to amaze us—thanks to Nimit, Pracha, Tee, and Pop. Following the approval of the new shapes, they are handled by our dedicated product setup team—thank you, Meaw, Ao, and Auden.

Starboard usually makes their launch announcement earlier. Is there a specific reason why the boards have been revealed in January as opposed to October/November?

The new launch timeline means you can race your board for the full season without changing midseason, ensuring you’re confident going into every race.
We hope you enjoy these new models as much as we enjoyed developing them for you.

The 2023 Starboard All Star

You could say this is a WORLD CHAMPIONS’ CHOICE since this very board won 3 gold medals at the 2022 ICF World’s Championship in Poland.

– 1st Long Distance – Michael Booth
– 1st Sprint – Connor Baxter
– 1st Technical – Connor Baxter

From entry level riders, to elite racers; the 2023 All Star is the world’s most winning versatile and user-friendly race design.

Starboard has produced boards with widths for all rider weights and skill levels. 24.5″ and wider are suited for heavier riders, while 23″ and below are for higher skilled and lighter riders.

Available in the light and strong Carbon Sandwich technology and best value Wood Carbon technology.

The 2023 design has a narrower nose and tail outline to give you faster acceleration, higher top speed and greater efficiency.

Starboard claims their new center drainage system increases drainage speed by 50%, while reducing weight by 50%.

Higher rails increase secondary stability and control in chop, while preventing water entering in downwind.

The 2023 All Star summary:

NARROWER NOSE OUTLINE
Slices through the water with a cleaner entry, increasing acceleration and glide.

REFINED NOSE VOLUME
Gives you more pop in choppy conditions, restricts the nose from getting caught downwind and reduces water entering into the standing area.

HIGHER SIDE RAILS
Ensure you have more control in choppier conditions, greater secondary stability and restricts water entering the inside when leaning on the rail downwind.

SOFT RAIL EDGE
At the tail increase overall glide, and is more maneuverable to change direction and steer the board downwind.

NEW CENTER DRAINAGE
Starboard moved the drainage from the rails to center of the board resulting in:

• Less water weight on the rails, reducing the water causing imbalances in lateral stability.
• Faster drainage, Starboard recorded up to 50% faster drainage time (drained in 18 strokes with center vs 39 strokes with rails).
• 50% reduction in weight change from 4 to 2 drainage holes
• The standing area is much drier overall as less water enters when leaning on the rail to rail turn.

NEW PREPREG CARBON FIN
The 3k pre-impregnated carbon biax is an ultra-lightweight weave and creates super stiff performance throughout the fin. The trailing edge features a super sharp 0.4mm for clean hydrodynamics. The new range of fins adds speed and performance like never before.

Full information:
https://sup.star-board.com/paddle-board/hard-paddle-board/all-star/

The 2023 Starboard Sprint

The 2023 Starboard Sprint is without doubt one of the fastest and most efficient race boards for flat-water racing and ultra-long distances.

A new thicker slicing nose design displaces water with a cleaner release so you can paddle faster with less water wrapping and slowing you down.

Rounded rails at the tall feel more forgiving in side chop and creates a more efficient release.

A refined standing cockpit with more dug-out rails helps utilize the full width to give you more stability and control.

The updated center drainage system boasts a 50% faster drainage speed and a 50% reduction in weight due to the decrease from 4 to 2 holes. In addition, you’ll experience increased comfort as your feet stand clear the drainage holes at the rail.

In 2022, Italian Starboard Dream Teamer Caterina Stenta won the SUP Alp Trophy, known as a flatwater circuit, on this board with German racer Ole Schwarz on the podium in the men’s!

The 2023 Sprint summary:

NEW NOSE PROFILE: SHARPER AND THICKER
A thin, slicing nose parts the water efficiently and stops the water from wrapping over the nose to slow you down. It pops faster in chop and gives you more trim control.

ROUNDED TAIL EDGE
The tail has a new rounded tail edge, giving a smoother release and more efficient glide. In choppy conditions, the new round tail is more forgiving.

REFINED INNER STANDING AREA
The inner rails are more dug out in the standing area to utilize the full width inside the cockpit and improve stability.

NEW PREPREG CARBON FIN
The 3k pre-impregnated carbon biax is ultra-lightweight weave and creates super stiff performance throughout the fin. The trailing edge features a super sharp 0.4mm for clean hydrodynamics. The new range of fins adds speed and performance like never before.

CENTRAL DRAINAGE
The drainage was moved from the rails to the center of the board resulting in:

• Less water weight on the rails, reducing the water causing imbalances in lateral stability.
• Faster drainage, up to 50% faster drainage time (drained in 18 strokes with center vs 39 strokes with rails).
• 50% reduction in weight change from 4 to 2 drainage holes
• The standing area is much drier overall as less water enters when leaning on the rail to rail turn.

Full information:
https://sup.star-board.com/paddle-board/hard-paddle-board/sprint/

The 2023 Starboard Sprint Expedition

Starboard have expanded their 2023 Sprint range to include 2 new, wider models with greater stability and crossover ability for long-distance touring.

The 14’0″ x 27.5″ Sprint is designed for riders up to 110 kg who want solid stability and great speed.

The 14’0″ x 29.5″ Sprint is designed for riders weighing up to 120 kg and seeking ultra-stability for long distance adventures.

Both new sizes offer the recessed bag storage area in front of the standing area with bungee tie downs to carry gear and supplies for ultra-distance races and long exploration paddles.

Paddle board explorer & adventure athlete, Bruce Kirkby is the man behind the Sprint Expedition design:

“At last, a true expedition paddleboard!  After three years of testing different designs and prototypes with the Starboard team in Thailand, I simply couldn’t be prouder of the Expedition Sprint. Combining Starboard’s legendary racing hull with massive dugout cargo capacity, this revolutionary board is fast, stable and so fun to paddle. Capable of carrying weeks of gear, it is ready for any wilderness journey. It is the real deal.” says Bruce Kirkby.

The 2023 Sprint Expedition summary:

LARGE FORWARD AND REAR BAGGAGE AREAS
The two larger sizes of the Sprint are designed to crossover as a long distance race and touring model. Designed for Ultra-distance paddling, the recessed forward bag area and recessed rear area feature multiple tie down points for bags, food and supplies.

*29.5″ features both forward and rear bungee tie downs

*27.5″ features only forward bungee tie downs

NEW CENTER TUTTLE BOX ONLY ON 29.5″
The 29.5 model features a center tuttle box in front of the usual fin box. Large tuttle fins can be installed for additional stability if needed. Large fins are great for stability in longer, adventure paddling.

NEW NOSE PROFILE: SHARPER AND THICKER
A thin, slicing nose parts the water efficiently and stops the water from wrapping over the nose to slow you down. It pops faster in chop and gives you more trim control.

NEW ROUNDED TAIL EDGE
The tail has a new rounded tail edge, giving a smoother release and more efficient glide. In choppy conditions, the new round tail is more forgiving.

NEW REFINED INNER STANDING AREA
The inner rails are more dug out in the standing area to utilize the full width inside the cockpit and improve stability.

NEW PREPREG CARBON FIN
The 3k pre-impregnated carbon biax is ultra-lightweight weave and creates super stiff performance throughout the fin. The trailing edge features a super sharp 0.4mm for clean hydrodynamics. The new range of fins adds speed and performance like never before.

CENTRAL DRAINAGE
The drainage was moved from the rails to center of the board resulting in:

• Less water weight on the rails, reducing the water causing imbalances in lateral stability.
• Faster drainage, up to 50% faster drainage time (drained in 18 strokes with center vs 39 strokes with rails).
• 50% reduction in weight change from 4 to 2 drainage holes

Full information:
https://sup.star-board.com/paddle-board/hard-paddle-board/sprint-expedition/

Starboard’s Mangrove Tree program

For every board sold, Starboard plants 3 mangrove trees with Worldview International Foundation. Each Mighty Mangrove sinks down 673kg of VCS certified CO2 during its first 25 years.

Together, the 3 mangroves offset the boards’ Carbon Emissions 10 time over and fund local livelihood projects in Myanmar.

Other useful links:

Prepreg carbon fins:
https://sup.star-board.com/paddle-board-fins/prepreg-carbon-fins/

Zero construction – Starboard’s hollow design technology:
https://sup.star-board.com/hard-paddle-board-constructions/zero-construction/

Carbon Sandwich construction:
https://sup.star-board.com/hard-paddle-board-constructions/carbon-sandwich-construction/

Wood Carbon construction:
https://sup.star-board.com/hard-paddle-board-constructions/wood-carbon-construction/