Hawaiians were stand up paddle surfing (known as SUP) in the '50s and '60s, but the sport was first seen on the U.S. mainland in the early 2000s, when surfers Laird Hamilton and Rick Thomas brought it to California. Now you see SUP popping up everywhere - it's ranked as the fastest growing sport in the U.S. by the Outdoor Industry Association and it has spread across the Atlantic to the UK. The inaugural UK SUP championships were held in 2008 and this is now an increasing popular branch of water sports in the UK. Longtime stand up paddler and instructor Rob Casey has authored the first and only comprehensive guide to the sport. From choosing the right gear to stroke techniques (j-stroke, Tahitian, sculling brace) and fitness advice, Rob will have you stand up paddling in no time. Specific chapters focus on flat-water paddling, paddle surfing, and river paddling to show you exactly what you need to take your SUP skills and knowledge to a specific environment. Whether you want to learn about fitness or expedition planning in flat water, how to forecast waves and current for surfing, or how to use river eddies to your advantage - it's all here in this easy-to-reference guidebook from a SUP expert.