Meet the Team
We are all really looking forward to seeing you all on a start line in 2021
Phil Mather
I've been paddling since 2013 and got hooked straight away starting racing within a year of getting on the water.
I've helped out with UK SUP from 2016 and am one of the organisers of the Epic Big Ben Challenge and Race.
I've SUPed across the English Channel and if you want to find me I will usually be out on the Mighty Thames enjoying our Capital City.
By day I pretend to be a Computer Engineer".
Adrian Soper
I fell in love with SUP back in 2016 when I was scratching around Geneva one day trying to find things to do, the bar was shut so I gave SUP a go on the lake until the bar opened up.
It wasn't long before I took up SUP racing after spending many hours and weekends going round and round in circles learning and training @LeybourneLakes. The London APP Tour event @ Royal Docks was my first event, then spending my first full season on the Naish N1SCO GBSUP series and now moving into the 14' classes with SIC MAUI London.
Promoting the SUP racing scene as much as possible across the UK and in Kent helping the community to grow, bringing this amazing sport to many more people.
Competition Committee
Andrea Richardson
I first got on a paddle board in spring 2015 and immediately fell in love with the sport, the training, and the sup community. I enjoy teaching others the joys of SUP as a BSUPA Instructor.
In 2016 I achieved a 3rd place at the Head of Dart and in 2017 after a fantastic year, I won female Champion at both the N1SCO National and European Championships.
In 2018 I joined the Naish UK Rider team and also took on the role of Naish UK Team Manager.
Dr Bryce Dyer
I am an avid SUP paddler and academic whose research field is the philosophy, design or performance analysis of technology used in elite sport.
I have competed to national or international level across 6 different sports.
Fiona Batson
Hi, I’m Fiona and was introduced to SUP more than 10yrs ago. Since 2015 have organised the British SUP Club Champs and more recently taken on the Head of the Dart as well as coordinating the SUP programme for the National Water Sports Festival plus help Bray Lake Watersports with their club racing.
I am keen to help grow participation in the UK race scene by having fun, friendly, well organised events that paddlers enjoy taking part in.
Glenn Eldridge
I firmly believe that everyone is capable of getting out in the sea experiencing things they would never have thought able to when given the right tuition and support – the Ocean Skills Clinic is the perfect way to do this. As a grommet I would take every opportunity to get in the sea, cycling six miles to Fistral beach armed with a boogie board, fluorescent zinc sunblock and enough jam sandwiches to keep me going for twelve hours!
I have spent a life time immersed in the ocean, competing, working as a professional beach lifeguard in the UK and Australia. As a result I have developed a unique set of skills; together with my Sports Science Masters degree I am able to pass on a wealth of practical information combined with the latest in sport science research.
Nick Watt
I founded BaySUP with Matt French & Dennis Mears after a a forum thread where a few guys were talking about setting up clubs in various areas.
We all paddled in the same area and we could see the potential so after a few more posts, we met in September 2009 for our first paddle which went from Durley Chine to Boscombe and back. BaySUP was born.
Myself and BaySUP believe passionately in grass roots level competition. Each year we see people come to our series to do their first races and it’s a great feeling when you see them get the bug and start racing nationally. Now it’s a case of growing and developing it which will take time! It’s a good idea to get a committee as soon as you can so you can steer things in the right direction as well as get help with tasks.
The club network is the lifeblood of the sport and fundamental to the future. It’s not rocket science and we are not inventing the wheel here, we are just doing what is done in other watersports in the UK and around the globe.
Kerry Baker
I’m Kerry and I have been supping since 2010. I started racing during the winter of 2014 at the mighty BaySUP Frostbite Race Series and the welcome was so warm I have never looked back. 2015 I raced 12’6” finishing 3rd with UKSUP 2016 I entered the world of Naish One Design racing finishing 1st 2017 was a dreamy one competing for my adopted country Wales at the ISA Worlds in Denmark as a Naish team rider. My best result was 13th in the Sprints. I also raced 14’ UK SUP and finished joint 1st with my compadre Sarah Thornely.During the last 2 years I have been developing https://www.islandsup.org/ here on the beautiful Barry Island, south Wales. Our aim is to share our love of SUP with our local community and beyond.
By day I go by the name of Miss Baker attempting to pull off a career as a teacher and be mum to my beautiful boy Noah Buzz.
Media Team
Sarah Thornely
Hi, I’m Sarah and I head up the GBSUP Media Team and SUPjunkie which fully supports our race series. I have been paddling since 2012 and although I never took part in any other sports until I was in my 50’s, I competed in SUP for five years. This culminated in 2017, when I jointly won the National Championships in the UK in the 14’ class. I promptly retired and started to volunteer on the Events Team with GBSUP and SUPjunkie evolved from that.I am a qualified instructor with the ASI and British Canoeing and still get great pleasure in getting complete beginners on the water. I have learnt to SUP surf and have been paddling an OC1 for nearly a year. I have met some wonderful friends through this lovely sport.
Antony Thornely
To be brutally honest, as a cyclist and fond lover of land, mine has not been a calling into the SUP world, more like a inevitable submission (due to my wife's love of the sport!) Over the last few years I have competed in sup.bike.run, UKN1SCO One design racing and the Trent100 Challenge.The cycling has now taken over but Sarah and I now run SUPjunkie which covers races with live feed and interviews - we have been lucky enough to travel to all corners of the UK and went to China in 2018 with the GB SUPTeam who were competing at the ISA World Championships.
The one thing that is apparent to me is the community feel to the sport. People are looking out for each other and this is what I want to be part of. Antony
Lauren Newman-Warren
After joining the Bray Lake Watersports team in 2017 it wasn't long before I was getting my first taste of SUP. Being one of their main activities at the lake, my role in managing their marketing activity was focused on building their social audience promoting the lessons, racing and the SUP Club.
Putting my media and sports background together has allowed me to grow their social footprint and help other businesses as well. I run various Instagram and Facebook channels for a number of pubs and my husband Scott's SUP business, Haywood Sports.
It's through Bray Lake and Scott's racing that I become involved in the national racing scene and GBSUP, and I'm looking forward to covering the events in 2021.
Geoff Mather
Hi I'm Geoff Mather and never stood on a SuP paddle board in my life! I'm the guy hiding behind the lens of a camera, having become involved with the sport supporting Philip Mather, my son, at various events.Formally retired, but have been associated with various forms of photography for the last 20 years or so it seemed a good idea to continue my interests whilst campervanning around the country. Based in Worthing, Sussex I try to cover as many SuP events as time and distance allows see http://suptog.sphericalvisions.co.uk/ for the events I've covered over the last few years.
Other interests include Amateur radio (G8DHE), Panoramic Photography and High Altitude Ballooning."
Eugenie Verney
I’m using my background in journalism and marketing communications to lend a hand with media relations and web content.
My love affair with all things SUP began in 2016 with a Fuerteventura intro session and has largely been nurtured at my local lake, Bray, where I also swim open water year-round.
The 2021 season is my third on the GBSUP circuit, and I’ll once again be competing in the Grand Kahuna age category on my trusty 12'6" Starboard Race.
Jade Rogers
I first tried SUP in 2017, and initially said I wasn't going to take it seriously.... just enjoy it as a leisure activity. 12 months later I found myself buying a 14ft race board, taking part in the GBSUP series and UK Paddle Endurance Series, and Round Jersey Island Challenge.
Previously I've trained and competed in running, cycling and triathlon, and its great that I've found a water-based sport with a fantastic community and friendly, inclusive events, which I also now love. Most recently SUP took me all the way to Australia, where I took part in the Massive Murray Paddle Marathon (404km over 5 days).
Apart from sports, my other main hobby has always been photography - mostly landscape for the last 20 years. In 2019 I decided to concentrate on paddling in the longer SUP events and so took the opportunity to join the media team with GBSUP. Very glad I did, as I also enjoy sports photography far more than I expected! I'm now trying to branch out and photograph other events, but am always torn between photographing an event and taking part.
www.jaderogersphotography.com
Events Committee
Anni Ridsdill Smith
Hi, I am Anni and I have been enjoying SUP racing for many years. I was delighted to compete in the UK’s first ever ladies invitational SUP race at the Southampton Boat Show in 2013.I manage the Frangipani SUP race team in Essex and I’m really keen to help people get into SUP racing, particularly women.
I am a Director and Trainer with the British Stand Up Paddle Association BSUPA and a #ThisGirlCan Ambassador for SUP in Essex. I love meeting people through GBSUP and I look forward to meeting you.
Steve Trott
I entered the Head of the Dart to see what it was all about and in 2014 found myself racing a Naish One. Since then I’ve pretty much raced as much as I can both in the UK, France, Spain and of course the true Mecca of SUP that is Jersey. For me, it’s more about the social and funnily enough the more events you enter, the more great places you visit whilst meeting great people from all walks of life. Some of my best friends are the people I've had had the fierce battles with somewhere in the middle of the pack. I’m also constantly in ore, not only of the elite girls and guys who win the events but of the those in there late 50’s and 60’s, who are the truly remarkable athletes.
Anna Little
Hi, I’m Anna 😀. I have had a great season last year racing as part of the N1SCO team. I got such a lot out of all the races last season - improving my SUP technique, racing skills, fitness & meeting some fantastic people. I am passionate to get other people on the water so have set up Northern SUP Race Team with help from Sport England. I’m looking forward to recruiting more people, especially folks from the NE into SUP racing this season. Roll on 2018!
Sam Rutt
Hi, I’m Samantha I might as well be honest upfront I am a complete and utter SUP addict (it’s a real disorder!) If it’s SUP related you can guarantee I’m either involved in it or doing it...I own Barefoot SUP and am hugely passionate about developing Racing and SUP Fitness I guess being a PT helps...I’ve been lucky enough to train with some of the world's best paddlers which really helps my understanding of SUP and race techniques...I hope having a look at GB SUP has tempted you to race...I promise you won’t regret it
Steve Rutt
I’m Steve, I am new to the race scene but loving the training. I train under the guidance of BarefootSUP owned by wife (which obviously helped influence my decision to race) and love nothing more than being on the water no matter what the weather. I’m definitely not a fair weather paddler and very much looking forward to the GBSUP race season. I would recommend this to anyone for the sport, the fun, and friends you make at the events. Hopefully, see you on the water!