Mike Simpson

 

Mike Simpson

Mike has been surfing his entire life and when introduced to stand up paddleboarding it was the perfect hybrid of kayaking and surfing for him. He has paddled countless miles and introduced hundreds of individuals to the sport. From surfing big waves to paddling any distance in any conditions, stand up paddleboarding has become his life and his passion to share with others.

Expedition paddling is now Mike's new passion. He has paddled the East coast from the Florisa Keys to Maine. Threaded his way past barges and tankers down the Hudson River to Manhattan. Paddled the Connecticut River from source to sea, 420 miles. Most recently fought challenging winds and seas in a circumnavigation of Puerto Rico.

Mike is an ACA Level 2 SUP instructor, a BIC Ambassador and a Werner Team Paddler. When he is not paddling hundreds of miles you will find him working at Mac Sports Rep.

 

 

 

Interview :

When and where did you start SUP ?

Maui was the first place I stepped onto a SUP in 2005, then when I went back home to Rhode Island I found an old windsurfer and started paddling on the Westport River. It wasn’t long before I headed back to Hawaii and dove head first into the sport.

 

Which sports did you practiced before? And now?

I grew up surfing, then moved to Colorado when I was 20 and started snowboarding a ton, then discovered whitewater kayaking in the summers when the snow melted. When I went back home I got into sea kayaking and instructing.

 

How have the sports you did before help with SUP?

Backcountry snowboarding has helped me understand how to pack and prepare for expedition style SUP trips. Of course paddling and surfing helped since SUP is a combination of the two.

 

What attracts you to SUP?

The connection to the water and exploration.

 

SUP RACE, SUP SURF or something else?

SUP Surf but also SUP Adventure. I seem to keep finding myself planning out another multi-day trip whenever I can.

 

 

SUP is booming, do you think this is a fad or a change in attitudes over the long term?

If SUP is a fad, so is snowboarding.

 

Results/Accomplishments: Paddling around Kauai and cutting my teeth in Hawaii lead to my trip up the entire eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine. Since then I’ve paddled the 200 miles of the Hudson river in New York, 420 miles of the Connecticut in New England and plenty of epic shorter trips everywhere I go.

 

VIDEO : Videos online at Stand Up Paddling TV