While the surf was small, it was definitely clean and more than enough to deliver some World Class Surfing on Day 1 of the US Open of Stand Up Paddling over the weekend. With a truly international field of stellar athletes stepping up to do battle, the scene has been set for not only a climactic finish to the Trials, but a fiercely contested Main Event for the Men over the coming days.

World explorer and Starboard SUP ambassador Bart de Zwart just finished up a 2-day self-supported expedition race on the Muskoka River. Bart de Zwart took part in the Muskoka X Coureur de Bois challenge which he describes as a "race different from anything else." See his story from the race here.

Starboard Apparel is proud to announce the release of the All Star SUP Suit, a brand that is part of the ongoing evolution of modern day water-sports as pioneers and innovators. Developed with the most advanced ultra flex technology on the market, this suit is set to change the way people paddle in cold water climates.

After two months of deliberations and intense evaluations we are pleased to announce the winners of the 2015 Supconnect Editor's Choice Awards. After nominating 30 or so men, women, groms and blogs per category, and an abundance of brands and shops in the stand up paddle industry we've finally narrowed down the extremely talented pool of nominees to the final chosen winners.

Kai Lenny and Candice Appleby take top honors at stop #2 of the 2015 Stand Up World Series at the Victoria Cup Hayama Pro. Check out the full report, photos and highlights courtesy of the Waterman League.

Watch as Titus Kodzoman of SUPNorway and Sean White of WESUP explore the endless beauty of the Sognefjord. They saw sea-eagles and porpoise everyday, hundreds of perfect waterfalls, and a one-meter long salmon leaping along with many other exciting and beautiful joys that the Sognefjord has to offer.

The World's best are heading to the land of the rising sun in two weeks time for the next stop on the 2015 Stand Up World Series.

Want to know what goes into making a award winning paddle board? We caught up with none other than stand up paddle surfing pro Sean Poynter to get the scoop on the 7'4" Pro, the Starboard SUP that he's been working on for years, which by the way, just won the Supconnect Gear of the Year Award for best Surf SUP in the 2015 Supconnect Editor's Choice Awards.

The 5th Annual Naish Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge scheduled for this weekend August 22-23, 2015 will feature a weekend of exciting Stand Up Paddle Board Racing. This event will draw recreational and professional competitors from around the world including the continental U.S., Hawaii, Canada, and Australia.

For the second consecutive year stand up paddle athletes crossed the channel between the islands of Pico and São Jorge. The SãoJorge2Pico race, an oceanic event between islands that integrates adventure, effort, navigation and concentration, was held this past July 11th, 2015.

Werner Paddle's stand up paddle athlete, Fiona Wylde, may be one of the most talented water women in the world. But what means the most to us is that she is one kindest, friendliest people you will ever meet. These and all of her positive traits were on display at a recent "Paddle with the Pros" clinic hosted by Big Winds in her home town of Hood River, Oregon.

Over the past 15 weeks professional stand up paddle surfer Sean Poynter has provided the world of stand up paddle boarding a series of tips for those looking to better their SUP surfing skills. Recently, Sean's tips have gone on a hiatus so we've reached out to him to see what he's been up to. Take a look: