Get ready for the 4th Annual Quickblade Jr Pro & Youth SupFiesta presented by Infinity SUP. In its fourth year, the 2016 SUP Fiesta has outgrown a one-day event and the new format this year will allow competitors to focus on one discipline each day. With the events starting in the afternoon, there is plenty of time for athletes, spectators, and sponsors to attend the Standup for the Cure event in the morning, then make the short drive across the bay to the Newport Aquatic Center.

We’ve known for awhile that Brazilian stand up paddle surfer Nicole Pacelli loved to charge big waves and recently she took it up a notch by heading to Peahi, a.k.a Jaws, on an early spring swell and paddling out on her SUP.

Why do you stand up paddle (SUP)? Is it because it allows you to enjoy nature? Because you love the water? Because it’s fun? All of the above? Here, a few of the BIC SUP team ambassadors Connor Bonham, Matt Hite, Casi Rynkowski and Jimmy Blakeney explain why they SUP and share their motivations and passions for SUP Surfing.

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina has been on everyone’s radar for some time now because of the world renowned Carolina Cup. After this year’s Hobie Salt Life Pro Am, the world’s paddle boarding community now has a legitimate reason to come a week early and watch the world’s best in the surf.

As India’s only female stand up paddle (SUP) surfer, Tapashi Devchoudhury is pushing boundaries and opening doors for the sport of stand up paddling. In a country with over 1.2 billion people, being India’s only SUP surfer is quite the accomplishment and is something to be proud of. To share her love for the sport of SUP with her countrymen and women, Tapashi, with her husband, has opened up Water Walk India, the only surf school in India to teach stand up paddling.

Hailing from El Cerrito, California, Haakon Hoyer-Nielsen is rising the ranks in the stand up paddle (SUP) world in both SUP surfing and racing having become a podium regular in practically every event he attends. Haakon trains in the San Francisco Bay, has already finished his first Molokai 2 Oahu race, is a puppy raiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind, works year round as a lifeguard and consistently makes high honors as a sophomore at Saint Mary's College High School. Get to know this rising SUP star here:

The Bouyer brothers, Julien and Camille, shot this awesome video of themselves having some tandem fun at their home spot île de Ré which is an island off the west coast of France. The boys can be seen charging some overhead surf on their Naish SUP Mana Inflatable and are having so much fun it makes you want to join them! Watch their video and enjoy, wipeouts and all!

At Corners, Carlin Park, in Jupiter Beach, Florida paddle boarder Maximo Trinidad had quite the run in during his lunch break. While SUP surfing, out of nowhere a jumping shark collided with Maximo and knocks him off his board, scaring the living daylights out of him!

Australian stand up paddler Kai Bates recently went on an amazing trip to Papua New Guinea to take a chance at riding the tidal bore that frequents the river Digul in West Papua New Guinea. After a two-day plane trip, eight hour car rides and long boat journeys Kai made it to the river and had a blast. Watch the video from his trip here.

Shark Shield has successfully completed the development of a new shark deterrent for surfers that was part funded by the Western Australian Government’s Applied Research Program (ARP). The company was provided with a $300K grant over 2.5 years to develop new technology to protect surfers following a spate of shark attacks in 2012. As a result the new Freedom + Surf is available for pre-order today.

At only 14 years of age, Dave de Armas has a lot to be proud of. Not only is Dave an excellent student but he is bilingual and a world traveler. Oh, and did we mention a two-time National SUP Surf and Race champion in his home country of Puerto Rico? Dave has also been honored with a nomination by the FSPR (Surfing Federation of Puerto Rico) to represent Puerto Rico as a SUP Surf and Race Athlete to compete in the ISA SUP Worlds in Fiji in November, 2016. With aspirations to be SUP World Champ and to have a career as a chiropractor, this kid has a big and bright future.

Earlier this year we introduced you to an incredible man from Brazil, Jonas Letieri. Jonas holds one of the most inspirational stories of overcoming obstacles and tragedies that are thrown at you in life and overcoming these obstacles against all odds. This short film from Quickblades about Jonas Letieri and his inspirational story is a must watch.