STAND UP PADDLING with Mark Jackson

Our regular Stand Up Paddling (SUP) contributor is the energetic Mark Jackson, North Shore native and owner of Stand Up South Pacific Ltd, who is helping to introduce SUP to Aotearoa and especially to his Hauraki/Takapuna home town. Jackson exclaims; “The Hauraki Gulf ! It’s gotta be one of the best, most beautiful waterscapes in the world, and postcard perfect for SUP. In the 25 years of competing in water sports Mark has won several international events including the Starbucks Maui Challenge (37km SUP race Maui to Molokai); Maui Slalom Windsurf Champs; Hawaiian Pro/Am Wailea Speed Crossing Maui to Molokai; Maui Canoe Kayak Club SUP Division Championships; Omaha Boardriders SUP Wave and most recently the ‘old farts’ over 50 division SUP North Shore Beach Series.

Channeling through the channel

As mentioned in last months Stand Up Paddling (SUP) article, North Shore City is the city of serious cruisers, sportsmen and women who are dedicated followers of passion. This article touches on that passion.
With both the existing Takapuna Boating Club that hosts numerous events including the local North Shore Beach Series, and the multi million dollar Ocean Water Sports Centre, slotted for an underground location alongside the boat club on The Strand, Takapuna’s set to become a ‘water sport wishing well’ capable of not only hosting world class events, but also mentoring and molding talented young Kiwis to carry forth the torch ignited by such admirable predecessors as the Kendall’s (Barbara and Bruce), Tom Ashley, Ian Ferguson and Ralph Roberts.
My brother and I grew up playing on Taka Beach and owe much of our successes in water sports competition to our wondrous Waitemata. My question and quest is how to give back? The answer was channeled to me from this very magazine in it’s début edition, (p46 Community News) which touched my compass. Grab a copy, give it a read and if you’re a baby boomer like me you’ll tell yourself… ”Lucky we live North Shore”.
I followed up after reading about the Wilson Home with a call to the director, Russell Ness, to propose a Stand Up Paddle play day for the kids connected to the Wilson Home Trust. Russell was two thumbs up so I called around to see who’d help. WOW! What a response! 2001 Wetsuits director Adrian Budden put his hand up to help fund some of the costs for water wear, and offered his design for a double zippered (front/back) wetsuit perfect for disabled kids. When I asked my team of stand up paddlers, would they help coach the kids, I was drowned by their enthusiasm. Literally everyone I called was stoked and willing to help. So my point here is simple: As contagious as SUP is, the feeling amongst paddlers themselves and members of this great community to support the idea is an epic epidemic to be proud of. It’s exciting to have a vision “To empower the lifestyle of paddling”, its rejuvenating to see the opportunity of the proposed Ocean Water Sports Centre to propel it from vision to mission to completion.
So… Who’s up for It? If you’d like to be part of paddle empowerment for a programme like this and support the idea of us having the Ocean Water Sport Centre to help us all achieve our best then… Get Up Stand Up and let us know.
In closing I’d like to acknowledge one more of the many key players who’s support is as sincere as it is sympathetic. Local Takapuna Beach boy and triathlete Mark Houghton (54 years young) recently won his division in the famed 2010 Battle of The Paddle in Honolulu (Hawaii). His 22 year old son Michael has an undiagnosed genetic disorder which has left him blind and severely disabled. But not enough that Mark can’t take him out on the jet ski and we can’t make a plan to empower him through paddling.
Authors note: Thank you Team Channel. Not just for being a great local magazine, but for being a Channel.