Annabel in winning form

Annabel training on East London's Regents Canal with top UK paddler Bobby Thatcher

Our top Stand Up Paddler and Starboard Poster-Girl Annabel (29) left NZ after winning by a long shot the first race of the North Shore Beach Series last December.  Since then she has competed in a whole summer of British National SUP events (winning every one) and has been invited to compete in the Pro Race of the Jever SUP World Cup in Hamburg next weekend (27-29 August).  We are proud to see Annabel still flying the Starboard NZ colours and wish her power, strength and love for next week's 1km sprint and 10km long course.

Annabel is one of the most positive, energetic and motivated people you will ever meet.  She has a winning attitude, and no fear of hard work, that will see her landing on the podium for Gold in whatever she puts her mind to.  With a sporting background in International Ski Racing and Ocean Yacht Racing, Annabel is perfectly equipped with both physical strength for SUP, and an ability to read swells, currents, wind and tides that put her ahead of the game.   She is a strong paddler, holding forth with the best of our male paddlers in NZ, and despite numerous setbacks on arriving in London last December with a will to paddle, such as transport, board storage and weather, she is now charging ahead.  Annabel has found a niche for herself and others, already growing recognition for the sport throught organizing SUP water safety support at a London triathlon and getting out regularly on the Thames River and local Canals, as well as contributing to SUP clinics and motivating others to grow the sport in the UK.