The history of standup paddle boarding traces back to thousands of years across many continents. Records of ancient forms of SUP have been found as early as 3,000 B.C.
The ancient civilization of Maui used to travel on the boards with the help of stick. They used it primarily as a method of catching fish.
There are many people who believe that the world’s first surfers were Peruvian fishermen who lived about 2,000 years ago. They make a strong case for the first ever surfers and standup paddle boarders.
Modern history of Stand up paddle boarding
The current form and popularity of this sport originated from Hawaii in the 1900s. Modern surfing began in the 1940s in Waikiki. A local Hawaiian named John Ah Choy used to surf. As he got older he was unable to get up and down from his board and started standing on it from the break and paddle out with a canoe paddle to catch waves. His sons started to mimic this while they taught surfing to the tourists. They utilized the vantage point of being out in the water and started taking pictures.
In the 1990s, Laird Hamilton redefined and modernized stand up paddle boarding. In the year 2004, it was added as a category in Big Board contest. The sport was documented in 2017 as a proper sporting activity with the most participants in the United States that year. Since its modern day start, it has emerged as one of the most popular water sports and events are organized in different parts of the globe, especially in America and Australia.
