Stand Up Paddling (SUP) is the latest thing in waterbased sport and recreation and it’s growing in popularity as punters realise the health benefits as well as the joys of this pursuit. What better way to enjoy a beautiful day on the North Shore than to paddle a long board around the bays? You can do it any time of year (some of the most beautiful, calm days are in the middle of winter), and you set your own pace.

Mark Jackson is a local boy who has spent the past 25 years perfecting and competing in this sport all over the Pacific. He has set up a business importing the special boards for SUP, and you can check out the goods on offer on his website. Mark has recently written an article on SUP in the first issue of Channel magazine which gives a good insight into the sport.

Start your day at a Les Mills RPM class with Olly the trainer! Phew, it’s a bit chilly only 5 degrees, bound to be a frost somewhere but not here on the North Shore, and it’s going to be a beautiful day. There are only 20 or so this morning as the other thing to do this morning is watch the final of the World Cup. Olly works us hard and despite a cold start, the sweat starts to drip off my nose 15 minutes in. I start to strip off and I am breathing hard.

This is a great start to a day, and I end up feeling euphoric as the endorphins flow and as soon as I am finished my tummy tells me it’s breakfast time. There are spin classes at most gyms on the North Shore but Les Mills is particularly well equipped, I think their training bikes are the best there are and the trainers, Olly, Frida, Pete Leo are fantastic. Highly recommended.