Bali To Host International Stand Up Paddle Series

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The Bali Stand Up Paddle Community is preparing to host the International Stand Up Paddle Series 2022. The event will be held in Bali from the 4th to the 6th of November and is the first of the series to be held on the island. Some of the world’s best SUP athletes come from Indonesia, and the sport is increasing in popularity. 

The Indonesia International Stand Up Paddle Series 2022 will be held in Les Village, Tejakula, in Buleleng, next week. The event also aligns with the Indonesian Tourism Board and Tourism Ministry’s goal to promote less popular areas of Bali. North Bali is home to some of the island’s most quiet and beautiful beaches, as well as stunning waterfalls, eco villages, and temples.

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There are hopes that the SUP event will not only shine a light on the island’s sporting talents but promote Buleleng as an area worth exploring. Adventurous, active, and sporty travelers will find plenty to love in North and West Bali. 

The Indonesia International Stand Up Paddle Series 2022 is designed for SUP athletes and is the closing event in the 2022 series. The last rounds of the series were held in Lampung in August, Jakarta in September, and West Java last October. Gede Eka Sandi Asmadi, the Chairperson of the Indonesia International Stand Up Paddle Series 2022 Committee, told repairers that the competition is about more than paddle boarding. 

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Asmadi said, ‘We created this competition with several objectives. The first is to contribute to the advancement of marine tourism in Indonesia. With an international-scale event like this, we hope to raise the name of Indonesia in general, and Bali in particular, in the eyes of the international community. A competition event for stand-up paddle athletes in Indonesia, and the third is as a medium for breeding and searching for the talents of potential young athletes as well as raising local wisdom’. 

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Athletes, organizers, and spectators will come together on Pembangkringan Beach, Les Village, for the event next week. Asmadi explained, ‘We also chose this location to further raise the name and image of the coast of North Bali so that domestic and international tourists will be more interested in coming here’. He also shared that the community is excited to host the event and is looking forward to welcoming everyone. 

The head of Les Village, Gede Adi Wistara, said that the community gives their full support. He shared that organizers and the district will ensure that the SUP competition will not impact the coral reefs close to Pembangkringan Beach. He shared his hopes that events like this will positively impact the local economy, primarily through promoting tourism, creating supporting infrastructure, and encouraging tourism businesses to level up their services. 

Wistara told reporters, ‘We provide full support for sports tourism-based events but still pay attention to the ecosystem and the environment so that they are maintained naturally’. Asmadi also told reporters that the promotion of the SUP Competition in North Bali aligns with the government’s initiatives to promote sports tourism on the island and across the country.

Asmadi said, ‘This [event] is in accordance with President Jokowi’s statement that sport tourism has the potential to be able to contribute positively to the economy and the welfare of citizens. We are determined to be able to hold this competition on an ongoing basis from year to year, so that it can make a positive contribution to various lines of people’s lives’. 

In July, Bali celebrated a local hero who became the first person to circumnavigate the island on a stand-up paddle board. Lukas Gallu Beko, 26, originally from Sumba Island, works as a watersports instructor for SUP Bali. On an epic 16-day journey, Beko tackled tricky tidal currents and heavy storms to become a world record holder.

Beach and watersports will become more and more of a talking point in Bali in the coming year or so. The island is preparing to host the second-ever Olympic World Beach Games in 2023. The organizing committee has now signed official paperwork to host the event from 5th-14th August next year. Athletes from over 40 countries will perform a total of 14 different sports.