South African Longboard and SUP Race ace Tarryn King sets sights on more World SUP Titles

Photo by Andy Klotz Photography

Hi Tarryn, welcome to TotalSUP and congratulations on your amazing kick off of the racing season in Europe! You mentioned that “the level of racing is through the roof” – With the first international races in the bag, how do you find the SUP racing scene at the moment?

Hey! So good to be here 😉 Yaaaaaas, it is through the roof and SO good to see. I’m loving the racing scene, it’s an amazing community to be part of!

Could you share your experience of your European events?

Battle for Hercules in Benalmádena, Spain was my first international distance race. I have always been very focused on surfing and short distance races like sprints and tech so I didn’t really know what to expect! I knew I had put in a lot of time training at home so I was very excited to see what happened on race day! Racing in the ocean is where I’m most comfortable, this race made for a fun downwind section and then an upwind to the finish. I was happy with my performance for most of the race until I made some silly mistakes at the end which cost me two places. I was still stoked with my results and excited for the next race!

The Lake Rocks Festival – fast, strategic and honest! This was my favourite race! I loved grinding it out on flatwater. The whole race took a lot of concentration from my side trying to stay on the draft and deciding when I was going to make my next move. I was super happy with my sprint finish in the front pack at the end of the race! Can’t wait for next year!

Barcelona World SUP Fest – I was SO excited for one of the biggest races of the year and the EuroTour stop! Unfortunately this ended up being my worst race in Europe! I was not used to the board I was on. The conditions were super tricky and I spent more time in the water than on the board but I learnt so much from being in Europe and loved every minute!

From an active pro surfing career with Championship titles in longboarding to elite stand-up paddleboarding and World Titles – Could you tell us more about that transition and what drove you to the new discipline?

I have never really enjoyed flat water racing to be honest, I would ALWAYS choose surfing or downwinding over training on flat water but the stronger and fitter I have got,  the more I have enjoyed it! The Lake Rocks Festival was one of my favourite races. It was flat, fast and honest –  Something I never thought I would say!

Photo by Andy Klotz Photography

Can you put an equation mark between surfing and SUP surfing, or do you lean more towards one discipline?

I love them both. They’re very different. When the waves are small I prefer to take out the log and cruise on that and when its bigger I still really enjoy SUP surfing.

Training, coaching, travelling, competing, dedicating time to your family and raising two young children… How are you getting on as a young, and shall we say, pro SUP & surf family?

Phew! The juggle is real but I love it! Koa is starting to really enjoy being in and on the water with a feisty competitive streak in him and Izzy is also showing a lot of interest in wanting to surf with her big brother. Cape Town Winters are cold so hopefully when things start warming up she will be ready to get in the water properly.

Travelling is sometimes hard especially when I’m not there for some big moments in their life but Tom is so hands on and I’m always there on video to watch rugby matches or special occasions.  I hope that I am setting a good example to and inspiring our kids by showing them to always follow your dreams and nothing is impossible! Reach for the stars!

Could you tell us more about the growth of the pro SUP scene in South Africa?

Stand-up paddleboarding in South Africa has slowly started picking up again and we have quite a few events coming up in the next couple of months that will hopefully be well attended. Our squad groups and weekly time trials are also growing which is a good sign.

You’re extremely active, training and participating in multi-sport activities with your husband Thomas. Are there any training hacks that you could share when preparing for elite SUP events?

I think it’s just finding the balance between it all. Tom has recently been doing some trail running and mountain biking events so he often trains early in morning before work and then while the kids are at school (when they’re not sick), I’ll fit in some morning training or later in the day when Tom is home from work. Some days are easier than others but that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.

Photo source: Barcelona SUP World Fest

What were the key drivers for you to return to the competitive side of the sport? This comes with a burning World Titles question 😊

I guess you always want more right?! I love competing, I love having goals to work towards and I would love to earn more world titles in different disciplines. Now is the time before it’s too late!

What’s your favourite SUP competition format? Are you training for any specific one this year?

Definitely tech racing through the waves! I loved the tech race at ISA’s in France last year! The first day had fun waves, portage and critical buoy turns! It’s anyone’s game in that type of racing!

Tarryn King competing at the South African Nationals | Photo by Billy Ackerman (Instagram: @pbsurfing2010)

Could you tell us about your collaboration with SUNOVA? What has attracted you to the brand and what’s your board set up?

SUNOVA is a brand I have always loved the look of. I first tried their boards in Thailand last year. Actually the first time I went on one was in the sprint semi final and I loved the feel of it from the moment I got on the board. Not to mention how good they look.

I also love how versatile the brand is, I am waiting for my ‘quiver’ to arrive at home. I have ordered an array of boards, race boards, surf SUPs and longboards! I cannot wait! SUNOVA has been so amazing when it comes to getting boards to South Africa. We don’t have access to many race boards here, they are extremely expensive and there are not many people bringing in boards at the moment so I am super grateful on that front. I absolutely love the SUNOVA flat water Faast Pro 21’3!

What events are in your SUP racing calendar this year?

At the moment I have a couple of longboard events coming up at home which are quite important as well. I would really like to come to ISA in Denmark and possibly ICF but nothing is confirmed yet. I’ll keep ya posted!

Photo by Andy Klotz Photography

Thank you Tarryn and we look forward to catching up with you in Copenhagen!

To find out more about SUNOVA, visit sunovasurfboards.com

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