Watch SurfSUP Adventures on Start Up Television Show!
Learn about how SurfSUP Adventures came to be on the Start Up Television hosted by Gary Bredow! The show provides an in-depth look at the fascination of standup paddleboarding and how Ian Smith uses the pursuit as a catalyst to inspire conservation of waterways and mentorship for underserved youth throughout Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania.
5Point Adventure Film Festival + Premiere of First Waves Pittsburgh
You are invited to join us on Friday, September 16th for the 4th annual 5Point Film Festival in conjunction with the celebration and premiere of the First Wave’s and the Watersmith Guild’s latest film! The event is held in conjunction with Ascend Climbing Gym and 3 Rivers Outdoor Company at their Regent Square Location. The event will also include sweepstakes, prizes, food from local Regent Square Eateries and drinks from Goodlander Cocktails and Old Thunder Brewing!
PA SUP Championship Race Recap and Results
The 8th Annual Pennsylvania SUP Championship Race was held in conjunction with the Moraine State Park Regatta on August 6th, 2022. While the racers gave it their all, the events ethos held true to its roots in providing an inviting atmosphere that promotes the paddleboarding community and raises awareness for the Watersmith Guild’s First Waves program for underserved youth and watershed conservation.
As Seen on "Finding Adventure" with Kinga Philipps
Season 1 of the Very Local television show, “Finding Adventure,” featured a variety of outdoor experiences in the Pittsburgh region. SurfSUP Adventures had the pleasure of guiding show host, Kinga Philipps, and guest, Daniel Johnson on a river surfing and whitewater SUP session in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania!
SurfSUP Founder Delivers Keynote Presentation for Student Research Symposium
Watch now as SurfSUP Adventures Founder and Watersmith Guild Executive Director, Ian Smith, provides a keynote presentation for the Allegheny College / Creek Connection Student Research Symposium! The Creek Connections program has forged an effective partnership between Allegheny College and regional K-12 schools to turn waterways in Northwest Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh area, and beyond into outdoor environmental laboratories. Emphasizing a hands-on, inquiry based investigation of local waterways, this project annually involves over 40 different secondary schools and the classes of 50 teachers.
Earth Day Film Premiere
Prep for Paddleboarding Pittsburgh!
With warm weather and sunny skies in the forecast, surely you are thinking the same thing as us - time for paddleboarding season! Whether you’re looking to plan a fun family outing, a safe, socially-distanced group activity, or just escape for some time on the water in and around Pittsburgh, we are ready to provide you with the standup paddleboarding experience you’ve been dreaming of all winter!
Ian Smith Earns Master Instructor Title With PSUPA
SurfSUP Adventure’s founder and lead guide, Ian Smith, was recently awarded the title of “Master Trainer” by the Professional Standup Paddle Association (PSUPA). With this designation, Ian becomes one of only four Master Trainers internationally. He teaches instructor certifications in the disciplines of Flat Water, SUP Camps, and Whitewater SUP / River Surfing. Here’s an excerpt from the PSUPA press release:
Valley Falls - Waterfalls on a SUP
With the heat of summer, minimal water leaves Pennsylvania and West Virginia a graveyard of dry rivers and creeks. Only a few destinations with either dam releases or sustainable summer flow can offer relief for whitewater paddlers. Valley Falls in Fairmont, WV might be the best place in the region during these times. A series of spectacular waterfalls with multiple lines of varying difficulty make this a paradise for intermediate to expert paddlers.
Surfing the Frankenstorm
Though Halloween was approaching, the eerie warnings flashing across the TV, Internet and from friends and family were real. Hurricane Sandy was moving in from the Atlantic and threatening devastation throughout the North East. As the weather turned grim, most people were staying indoors and watching the “Frankenstorm’s” progress on the news. For whitewater enthusiasts, however, it was like getting week-long private admission to an amusement park. The creeks and rivers that had been dry from the summer’s drought were finally open for exploration.
A Quiet Excitement - A Paddleboarding Adventure Through Butler County
The official launch of “A Quiet Excitement,” a film by Wild Excellence Films in conjunction with Butler County Tourism and SurfSUP Adventures. The film explores a multitude of ways to explore Butler County’s array of stand up paddling. Everything from fly fishing float trips, sunken forests, standing river waves and nighttime adventures are featured.
SUP Yoga and Eco Adventures with Alison at Moraine State Park
Making History with Envision Blind Sports
SurfSUP Adventures has been working with Envision Blind Sports for a little over 3-years now, but this year marks a milestone of accomplishment. Thanks mostly to executive director, Wendy Fagan, and the incredible volunteer network from Slippery Rock University’s, Adaptive Sports program, Envision has become the largest blind sports camp in the country. In total, 70 visually impaired youth ages 6 to 18 participated in 20 sports over the course of the week-long program in June of 2018.
Film Premiere: The Current to Conserve
SurfSUP Adventures started with the mission to provide Pittsburgh with standup paddleboarding adventures in the amazing waterways of Pennsylvania. While that objective is still our top priority, it has expanded to include the conservation of these watersheds and introducing these experiences to the local teens.
On Moraine: A Paddleboarding Journey at Moraine State Park
SurfSUP Adventures Named Pittsburgh's Best Outdoor Experience!
We are heading into our 8th season of providing standup paddle boarding experiences in Pittsburgh! In that time, we’ve been honored to introduce thousands of people to standup paddleboarding (SUP), river surfing, watershed conservation, and whitewater SUP. Our love for paddling got us started, but it’s been the people we’ve met on this journey that have truly inspired us. You are the ones we have to thank as we celebrate being named Pittsburgh’s “Best Outdoor Experience” in 2018 by the Manual Awards!
First Waves at 5Point Film Festival Pittsburgh
There’s something about outdoor film festivals that makes you question what you’re capable of. The combination of immaculately captured places, harrowing adventures, and a cast of characters only conjured by sports involving leaps from cliffs, vertical climbs, or skate boards hurdling down mountain roads at 70-mph. But why are these festivals so moving?
BREAKING WAVES AT MOUNT ARARAT
Nestled in the urban sprawl of Pittsburgh’s East End, The Mount Ararat Community Activity Center provides innovative programs and experiential learning to the area’s families and youth. Earlier this summer, the Center debuted a new program for a select group of students, part of which involved teaching them to surf in whitewater rivers.
FIRST WAVES FEATURED IN WPXI “PROUD PITTSBURGH”
WPXI’s, "Proud to be from Pittsburgh," is a program designed to highlight people who are doing good in our communities.” SurfSUP Adventures and First Waves founder, Ian Smith, worked with Channel-11 News Anchor, Peggy Finnegan, to document a First Waves event on the Pittsburgh Riverfront for the segment earlier this year.