On the move with the SUP on the long haul

29/07/2022

Ivan Ureta is a long-distance paddler and has realised an extraordinary project in which he has proven that even as a SUP athlete you can keep your ecological footprint small when travelling. His message is to realise adventures on your doorstep and without a long journey - and above all to travel without a car.

Ivan planned the project very ambitiously: He wanted to cross the length of the 7 largest Swiss lakes within 7 days. He planned to spend the nights in a tent:

The ULTRA Fast SUP with luggage on the Reacha trolley.

This means an average of 40 kilometres per day on lakes, which can also offer quite difficult conditions with lots of wind and waves, depending on the weather. The distance on land from lake to lake was to be managed without a car. So Ivan had to switch from his usual Sunova Raceboard - a hardboard, of course) to an inflatable SUP, which is also easy to transport on the train and on the way between the shore and the station.

We were very pleased that he chose our Lite Venture ULTRA Fast iSUP for this purpose. This board offers a high load capacity and many attachment options for luggage such as his Reacha trolley, tent and cargo for multi-day trips. Despite the board's 4.26 metre length, it offers extremely high stiffness - ideal for long tours where you want to paddle efficiently with a lot of luggage.

7 Swiss Lakes in 7 Days

After some tests on how to pack the board optimally, he started his trip at the southern tip of Lake Maggiore. The itinerary: on to Lake Constance, Lake Zurich, Lake Lucerne, Lake Brienz + Thun and then via Lake Neuchâtel to the finale at Lake Geneva.

Starting point on Lake Maggiore - everything is stowed on the board

A rare moment of calm on Lake Lucerne / part of Lake Uri

Tired, but happy: the fully packed board weighed 23 kilos including the load.

What concerned him most on the tour was not the long distance, but the winds and the conditions associated with them. Right from the start at Lake Maggiore, the conditions were fierce, with continuous headwinds and gusts of up to 40 kmh. Due to the strong winds, Ivan then decided to change the direction of the second stage at Lake Constance: So instead of paddling from east to west, he paddled from Kreuzlingen to Arbon. Three quarters of the time with a tailwind, which brought him considerable relief.

Anyone planning a similar project should, if possible, also find out about the local wind and weather conditions and typical conditions when planning the route. Especially with large bodies of water or lakes at high altitudes, the weather can change quickly. Winds coming down from high walls can be very strong.

So the last leg on Lake Geneva was also challenging: to save some distance, Ivan optead for a greater distance from the shore. The start from Montreux towards Geneva was calm at first, but from midday onwards a steady, strong wind from the lake side accompanied him. This meant constant counter-steering from the other side and correspondingly a one-sided load:

Ivan has had this project in mind for a long time and has now realised it. He wanted to show that you can have an incomparable experience without a car, plane or long journeys. The limit is set by the body and you can adjust the route and the workload exactly to it. With 20-30 kilometres a day and a less ambitious schedule, you can also turn the "Eco Swiss Sup Challenge" into a great active holiday ...

Tip: The Stand Up magazine reported on the trip in advance and you can also find an interview with Ivan here: https://standupmagazin.com/

Incl. life jacket worth €135!*

Lite Venture ULTRA Fast 14'0"

Super fast: the Lite Venture® ULTRA Fast is a fast tourer for the long haul or for sporty workouts. The board benefits from Woven Dropstitch, a double-sided continuous carbon stringer and from an absolutely flat rocker. The result: fast, stiff and resilient! Included in delivery: + Inflatable SUP Board Lite Venture® ULTRA Fast made of Prelaminated Woven Dropstitch fabric + Trolley bag + Double cylinder pump with three pressure settings + fin + Curled Leash + repair kit Technical Specifications: Measurements: 14'0'' x 28" Weight: 12,5 kg Volume: 320 l Rider weight: 60 - 120 kg Set offer with lightweight carbon paddle: The Lite Venture Endurance paddle or optionally the Powertrack paddle, each in 2 or 3 pieces, are included in the package for €195 extra instead of €329 when purchased individually. Info about the carbon paddles here: about the carbon paddles . Free shipping to Germany, Austria, Netherlands; other countries on request.

Starting at 1,195.00 €

See details