STAND UP PADDLING with Mark Jackson

Take The Corporate Channel SUP Challenge

Our regular Stand Up Paddling (SUP) contributor is the energetic Mark Jackson, North Shore native and owner of Stand Up South Pacific Ltd. After 25 years competing and teaching in Hawaii, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, Mark Jackson has brought Standup South Pacific to New Zealand. As a water sports instructor he has taught for many well known sports stars and celebrities. Some of his competitive results include: 1987 Wailea Speed Crossing 1st Place; 1988 Maui County Slalom Championships 1st Place; 2nd 3rd & 4th places in the Papa He’e Nalu Tandem Maui Surf; 2007 Maui Canoe & Kayak Club S.U.P. Division Champion; 2007 SUP Starbucks Maui to Molokai Challenge 1st Place.

Take The Corporate Channel SUP Challenge

Recently, Stand Up South Pacific offered English language students of New Zealand Institute of Education (NZIE), based in Anzac Street Takapuna, a collegiate Channel Challenge.

About two dozen international students took up the gauntlet and had their first Stand Up Paddle lesson with Mark Jackson of Stand Up South Pacific.

Nothing was lost in translation, there was no failure to launch, sign language ruled, and it didn’t matter who said Tom aye Toe or who said Tom Ah Toe, we all used different strokes, enjoying being different folks whilst test messaging rather than text messaging.
Here is what some of the participants had to say about his/her collegiate channel challenge...

I had this liberty feeling while I was on the surfboard. I felt the sea, the wind, everything around me, and there I was, alone with the nature, a wonderful experience. I definitely will do it again and again! – Thiago Linhares, Age 22 from Brazil.

It was an amazing experience. I recommend it to everyone! Mark helped us and gave to us all the instructions! Easy to start, but hard to stop! – Luis Marcello Soares, Age 20 from Brazil.

My mahalo nui’s (big thanks) to NZIE recruitment advisors Sue Brash and Alberto de Freitas for coordinating the challenge and most of all to the international students who decided to; Loshanen, déle un intento, and report back that chúng tôi đã có niềm vui. That’s Dutch Spanish and Vietnamese for – Hangloose, give it a try and we all had fun!