The official opening of the northernmost SUP-surfing (stand up paddle – surfing) school took place at the Ol-Gul ski base. The Surfing in the City project is being implemented with the support of the Nornickel’s World of New Opportunities charity program.
The idea to introduce the new direction to the northerners belongs to the CrossFit sports federation of functional all-around. The equipment was purchased for the SUP-surfing school: SUP boards, life jackets, paddles and other necessary equipment. The territory of the lake was landscaped, the reservoir itself was cleared of snags and debris, and the trainers were trained. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the opening of the school, which was originally scheduled for July, had to be postponed. The X-hour came in September.
The opening of the school began with a test swim: the athletes, standing on the board, had to overcome a distance of 700 meters without falling into the water or touching fences and buoys.
“Unfortunately, due to the restrictions associated with the pandemic, there was no opportunity to train and go to the competitions, and this affected the rowing technique”, explained Konstantin Kochan, president of the CrossFit functional all-around sports federation. “But we will work on it. You cannot get a high-quality result without leaving your comfort zone and spending energy”.
Now SUP-surfing paddle boarding is gaining more and more popularity among people of all ages. This kind of water sports has almost no restrictions on health and age. It minimizes the risk of injury, and at the same time it is possible to work out various muscle groups. In addition, the mobility and compactness of the equipment allows you to take it on trips, and thanks to this, another direction of water tourism is developing.
Thus, the weight of Konstantin Kochan’s backpack with a full set of equipment and things necessary for outdoor activities did not exceed 15 kilograms. And this is taking into account the weight of the backpack itself, the board, the paddle, the wetsuit, the safety cable for attaching the board to the surfer’s leg and personal belongings. This set is more than enough to arrange swimming and training in any suitable body of water. With such equipment, the team of the paddlers conquered the local waters near Talnah, Kayerkan and Alykel.
“I managed to take part in the Zavidovo SUP challenge in the Tver region”, Konstantin Kochan shared his memories of his first all-Russian competitions. “Now these competitions are considered the largest. They are held with the support of the Russian Federation of Surfing. The first phase took place online in May, at the height of the pandemic. Participants had to row live for an hour. There were lucky ones who had the opportunity to get out into the open water. I didn’t have such an opportunity: I “swam” my distance in the gym, standing on a board with an oar. Attached an expander to create resistance. The second stage of the competition took place in September in Zavidovo in open water. And it was incredible. An unforgettable experience. More than 300 people with boards in their hands simultaneously started from the beach, that is, rushed into the water. This is a valuable and necessary experience. “
The SUP-surfing school in Norilsk is launched, and the head and coaches are now planning the school’s work in winter. Gym exercises alone are not enough to learn how to operate a SUP board. Exercise machines will not replace water. Now the representatives of the CrossFit are making agreements about workouts in the pool.
Anyone who is interested in surfing and who has a desire to practice this sport can find information in the CrossFit functional all-around sports federation’s account in Instagram and VKontakte.
Text: Andrey Grigoryev, Photo: Andrey Grigoryev and Vladimir Makushkin