What is SUPIA?

Stand Up Paddle Industry Association (SUPIA) is the trade organization of all stand up paddle businesses: Manufacturers, Retailers, Service Providers (Instructors, Guides, Race Directors, Event Planners, Certifiers), Media, Sales Reps, Distributors, Suppliers, etc. The SUP Industry Association will strive to move standup paddling forward in a positive direction, while improving each members individual businesses.

   

OUR VISION: To be the stewards of the paddleboard industry and community, fostering healthy and sustainable growth for generations to come.

OUR MISSION: To unite and strengthen the industry through open communication and networking, legal services, safety and regulatory issues, education of best practices, all in the name of fostering a safe, vibrant and sustainable industry that enhances opportunity for all stakeholders to participate and prosper.

OUR FOCUS: The pillars that define our organization:

NETWORKING | EDUCATION | A UNIFIED VOICE

CORE INITIATIVES/MEMBER VALUE CREATION:

– Funding SUPIA (Membership and Sponsorship)

– Trade Shows 2017 and Beyond

– Networking and Trade Education​ (Best Practices)

– Community Development/Consumer Education

– Legal/Safety/Regulatory Services

HISTORY: Starting in 2010, just when stand up paddle boarding began making headlines across the globe and being featured as the world’s fastest growing sport, a small group of passionate stand up paddlers initiated the efforts to form a trade organization. They organized a meeting held at the Surf Expo in Orlando, Florida, drawing hundreds of business men and women with an interest in the sport.

The growth of SUP kept that group quite busy and it wasn’t until 2012, with the help of Kristin Thomas, that the group began being formally founded and started accepting members. Through the collaborative work of its membership, we seek to advance the sport of stand up paddling.

Be educated, be connected, be inspired, belong to SUPIA. Because your voice matters.

JOIN SUPIA TODAY