SUP, Wellness, and Adventure: Experience Rachel Cantore’s Nosara with Stand and Paddle

Meet Rachel Cantore, a passionate SUP athlete, coach, and founder of Stand and Paddle, where she combines her love for the water with her mission to inspire others. Splitting her time between South Carolina, USA and Nosara, Costa Rica, Rachel leads transformative SUP and paddle surf retreats that immerse participants in the sport while promoting wellness and adventure. Her Costa Rica camps offer a unique opportunity to paddle in stunning locations, learn new skills, and embrace a vibrant, active lifestyle. With small group settings, local activities, and tailored coaching, these retreats are designed for paddlers of all levels to connect with nature and enhance their abilities. Today, Rachel shares her journey and unveils the inspiration and unique experiences that make her Costa Rica SUP retreats unforgettable.

Hello Rachel! Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Where are you from, and what is your background in sports? Where do you currently live?

Yes! I’m from the Chicagoland suburbs where I was born and raised.  I did competitive club gymnastics there through high school then went on to Coach while in college at UIC. I coached club gymnastics teams for 12 years.  I moved to Southern California in September of 2013 then to the Lowcountry a year later in September 2014 where I’ve resided for 10 years. I’ve always wanted to “help others”and live on the (West) Coast where I could ‘be near the ocean, wake up and surf’ (even though I had no idea how to surf at the time). I ended up studying Movement Sciences and Nutrition in College, became a personal trainer and nutrition coach, and have a significant background around health, fitness, psychology and wellness. These days I split my time between the Lowcountry – Bluffton and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and Nosara, Costa Rica but also travel to other states and countries for personal and professional opportunities.

How did you first discover stand up paddle boarding? What drew you to the sport, and how has your journey evolved over the years?

I first experienced SUP during IDEA Worlds, an annual fitness and wellness conference, held in San Diego back in July 2012. We were briefly taught the basics of paddling and allowed to paddle in the bay as an ‘add-on’ activity.  I wanted to pursue SUP further but still was living in the Midwest at the time and had little options to do so.  A few years later, when I moved to California I was living in Dana Point and my family friends told me about Battle of the Paddle.  I remember watching the athletes and racers in awe and was interested in learning and racing too, but I did not have the resources to buy a board and pursue SUP at the time.  When I moved to the East Coast, I had done some paddling via some of the local Watersport companies, and did end up buying myself some inexpensive iSUPs and then a rec hard board, but I was not familiar with the waterways.  I remember I took my girlfriend out on a warm winter day and not knowing any better under inflated my iSUP and was right over an oyster bed.  I ended up falling in and cutting myself up.  That’s when I decided that if I wanted to really get into SUP I’d have to get certified so I took a course in Spring 2017.

I ended up being at the right places at the right time.  I met Roddy, who then owned Stand and Paddle and really got me into SUP.  He sold me my first three SUPs – first 2 iSUPs then a used NSP Ninja that won me my first three consecutive races. Roddy and I also started Paddle Fused Fitness – a SUP fitness class I created in the Lowcountry.

I was drawn to stand up paddling as a way to get active and spend time outdoors and on/in the water.  Even though I was a personal trainer, I never saw myself solely in the gym and I wanted to help those I worked with beyond just the gym setting.  Paddle Fused Fitness gave me that means of doing so.  I also have always envisioned waking up and getting on the water to surf. Though the Lowcountry doesn’t have the surf conditions I’d envisioned, SUP allowed me to get on the water and fulfill that dream and vision of mine.  Taking up SUP Racing has further opened my eyes to the fun, community and brings out my competitive nature.  Learning to Paddle Surf in Nosara in 2023 opened my eyes up even further and allowed me to more fully live out the dream I’ve had.  After that SUP surf retreat, I returned back to Hilton Head and every high tide I was free I would be on ocean teaching myself to paddle surf.  Then I returned to Nosara the end of last year and have continued to pursue that, racing and exposing others to SUP and paddle surf.

My Retreat vision really came from the combination of wanting to help others, my personal experiences traveling and with SUP and paddle surf, and melding it all together.  So the Retreats serve to take you out of your everyday life, immerse you in SUP, paddle surf, and areas of wellness, active living, lifestyle around which I educate and empower people, then working with those attendees to implement and integrate all the amazing skills and practices they had during the retreat back into their every day lives.

What inspired you to create “Stand and Paddle”? Can you tell us about the scope of your activities, such as coaching, retreats, and camps?

So, I am blessed to have had the opportunity to take ownership of Stand and Paddle back in 2020 after the former owner who was also a mentor to me decided he no longer wanted to run it after over 10 years in business. The creation of Fusion Fit and Fusion Retreats, and what I’ve done with Stand and Paddle since then has been my vision for quite a while. Really it’s been my way to work with people in the areas I am both passionate about and skilled/educated in (SUP, wellness, fitness, nutrition, paddle surf, etc) while also getting to have fun, pursing the sport as a lifestyle and professionally/competitively. I’ve never seen myself as just a ‘personal trainer’ or ‘business owner’ who has a gym and works with clients for an hour a few days a week.  I want to be out there in real life with my clients and customers, experiencing it all together, connecting, empowering, etc. 

SUP and Paddle Surfing has changed and impacted my life in many positive ways! From the community and connections I’ve built, to the therapeutic and mind-body benefits of being on the water paddling and surfing, to the competitive, athletic and aesthetic part of the sport.  I want to expose and immerse as many people as possible to SUP and paddle surf and what it can do/be for them.

I am a Coach, not only in SUP and paddle surf, but Fitness/Personal Training, Nutrition, Wellness, Life Coaching as well.  So I don’t only teach people how to stand up paddle or how to lift weights but I work with them to create a balanced lifestyle, optimize their wellbeing, and pursue their goals and visions.  That’s really what it’s all about.

I do SUP coaching and SUP lessons. I work with clients both in person and virtually including video analysis and training programs. I have an online Coaching Platform that will take you through how to SUP from fundamentals, safety, choosing a board, to drills and advanced skills, plus members can access nutrition, and wellness resources and DIY training programs.  There’s also a community section for members to connect and support each other.

My Retreats, Camps, and Clinics are ways I bring my energy and education to others in person.  People can come to me – in Nosara – I have two Fusion SUP and Paddle Surf Retreats and one SUP Training Camp scheduled in January and February 2025.  Or the Lowcountry, or I am working on partnering with other paddlers and athletes to come host events by them including in Chicagoland, Florida, and the West Coast in 2024.  I love curating events and experiences that bring people together to educated, empower and enlighten their lives!

Fusion Retreats are week long all-inclusive events that encompass SUP and paddle surf, wellness and active living activities and local adventures, and are for all paddle levels.  SUP Training Camps and Clinics are going to be more focused on SUP itself (not paddle surf) and anything interconnected with it around training and lifestyle. Beginner to elite paddlers are welcome, and you will be spending plenty of time on the water or on land learning and practicing.  These may be 1,2, put to 5 days long and don’t typically include accommodations, food/meals, or transportation though we do provide recommendations for attendees.

Why did you choose Costa Rica, and specifically Nosara, as a base for your retreats? What’s your history with the area, and what makes it so special to you?

I’ve been drawn to Costa Rica for years.  Its culture, beaches and surf, photos, lifestyle, and nature.  I have a few friends who are from Costa Rica and another friend who lived here and I visited during my first trip to the country back in 2016.  I grew up outside of a major city, and as much as I enjoy some time around city life, I don’t want to live there.  I also don’t believe too busy of a city/town is conductive to helping others get a full Retreat like experience. Nosara is a nice balance, you aren’t secluded from people and life, but there’s enough space and nature. Nosara is in the Nicoya Peninsula and Guanacaste Province, which is one of the world’s 7 Blue Zones. A Blue Zone is a region where people live longer and healthier lives than average. Though there are many areas of Costa Rica I’ve not yet visited, Nosara I feel is the best out of where I have been to date.

I’ve also been working on some projects and collaborations with people in other towns in Costa Rica, as well as in the US and other countries, so it’s completely possible to see future Fusion Retreats and Camps in other places as well!

What does your setup in Nosara look like? What can participants expect in terms of accommodations, facilities, and activities? Can you describe the local conditions for SUP surfing, touring, or racing?

My Retreats and Camps in Nosara are small groups, 5 people, 8 tops. I love social connection and community which you get, but I don’t want to take away from the feeling of having your own space and place during an event. Retreat accommodations are in either Garza, Guiones or Playa Pelada (all within Nosara) depending on event/dates and group size. There’s a community kitchen, pool, and the space in Garza is just steps away from the beach we SUP and sometimes paddle surf at!  Attendees have the choice between a private or shared bedroom with bathroom.  Local activities may encompass hikes, fishing, snorkeling, quad and waterfall tours, half/day trips to one of the local beach towns, a trip to the Farmer’s market, a group dinner at one of the local restaurants with sunset beach view, salsa and latin dancing, ziplining, horseback riding and more.

There’s a variety of local waters we get to paddle in. Garza is a fishing bay with flatwater, small beach breaks, tide pools, and inside and outside reef breaks that are perfect for SUP surfing. There’s also 3 other beach and reef breaks within Nosara, as well as a few other breaks and flatwater bodies of water within 30 minutes.  Where we SUP or paddle surf on a given day will depend on the groups skill level, what we are focusing on that day, winds, and tides.

What are the dates for your upcoming retreats and camps? Could you share more details about what’s included, the price range, and who these are best suited for?

I have two Fusion SUP and Paddle Surf Retreats on the calendar in Nosara to start 2025; January 12-18 and February 9-15.  There’s one SUP Training Camp January 20-24 in Nosara, and another I’m doing in Florida in April (details TBA soon), as well as some other events in 2025 within the US and possibly Costa Rica.

There’s a SUP race event in Costa Rica on January 25—how are you involved in it? Could you tell us more about the event and the Costa Rica SUP circuit in general?

Yes!! We are hosting the first SUP Race of the Costa Rica National 2025 Circuit! The Race will be held here in Garza on Saturday, January 25th, 2025.  There will be a technical course followed by sprints.  It is open to all levels of SUP from new to experienced paddlers with three categories: recreational, touring, and elite.  We’ve had athletes both within Costa Rica and outside the country race in the circuit.

Thank you very much Rachel and keep enjoying the Costa Rican Pura Vida! For details, you can visit www.standandpaddle.com, follow Rachel Cantore on Instagram @paddle_racer and for Stand and Paddle and Retreats follow @stand_and_paddle and @fusion_retreats. There’s still space open for the upcoming 2025 Retreats and Camps. Registration is open for the Race in January as well.  Email contact@standandpaddle.com, WhatsApp: +1-630-300-8289.