Why We're Racing 14' for the First Time
We announced at the end of the season that we’d be making a change at our races next year. ICYMI: we’re making the switch from 12’6 boards to 14s!
Now, if you’re an avid SUP racer or follow the industry, you know this isn’t some big revelation. In fact, you probably think this change is long overdue. We agree.
So, what prompted the switch? To start, we need to take a moment to rewind.
When we first started SUP racing back in 2011, it was pretty common that both men and women paddled 12’6 boards. 14’ boards were paddled by the elites - the pro paddlers. Sure, there may have been a handful of local racers paddling 14s in the beginning, but the 12’6 division was always stacked.
In a few short years we watched more local men jump to 14’ boards. We have some theories as to why, but your guess really is as good as ours. Women, on the other hand, generally stayed in the 12’6 category… until a few years ago.
It started with the European female racers, then we watched more women in the U.S. make the same transition. With today’s technology, material, and board designs, women are just as competitive on 14s. In fact, we think it’s safe to say 14s are far more commonplace for both male and female competitors.
It’s been a big industry shift, and we’ve most definitely been slow to adapt. Here are the main reasons we didn’t follow suit right away.
Money & storage. Quite frankly, neither of us wanted to invest in a bigger (read: more expensive) board when the 12’6s were working just fine and we were successful on them. You don’t need to point out that we’ve amassed three 12’6 race boards between the two of us, so our budgeting skills could use some sharpening. Oh, of course we also used the excuse that we have limited space in our DC home for a bigger board, which, to be fair, is still true. But, when there’s a will, there’s a way!
Technology. At least one of us (Meredith) never found a 14 that really “worked” or that we felt comfortable on. Sticking with the tried and true 12’6 felt like a faster choice when the 14s we demoed had just too much volume. Updated technology + new companies making custom boards at more affordable prices has solved this dilemma for us. (We’re really stoked to be riding Flying Fish boards. Their operation is really changing the game in terms of customization!)
Fear of change. The other one (Scott) is kind of like an old school surfer - not quite comfortable with change and what it could bring. Stick with what you know, ya know?
It’s easy to see that these are pretty silly reasons not to go with the flow and take a cue from the industry we follow. But, better late than never, right? And just in the nick of time too. We think we’ll find that most races, especially the local ones, will go to 14’ and under categories for both men and women, especially as fewer people enter the 12’6 division.
Keep in mind that our experiences are ours alone and our description of the evolution of the race scene is how we’ve lived and viewed it. We’re sure there are loads of other opinions out there, and we want to hear them! Share your views on this industry shift in the comments below.
And check out 1 of 2 new 14’ race boards we’re paddling next race season! We bought this 14x23 Flying Fish board from our friend, Kat, and took it out for the first time when we were in Tennessee for Chattajack. We have another brand new custom board in the works that’ll be here mid-Winter! Stay tuned!
