Beachgoers found a new reason to visit Port Elizabeth in South Africa. With the revolutionizing style of local businessman and surfer Jan-Hendrik Coetsee, stand-up paddling has become the talk of the local surfing world.
Stand-up paddling is the newest stunt of surfing in which the surfer maintains his balance on a specially designed board while paddling through the surf in standing position.
Stand-up surfing originated in Waikiki, Hawaii, where surfing instructors needed to stand elevated and paddle beyond the waves. There are still some surfers in Hawaii who practice the style, although there are sleeker boards now for easier maneuverability.
Coetsee affirms surfing is popular around the world and people just keep on progressing with it now. He recently manufactured and launched his own stand-up surfing paddle that captured the interest of longtime stand-up surfer and former national windsurfing champion Ivan van Vuuren.