Meet the Dream Team - LJ

This month we are asking all the members of our fabulous Frangipani SUP Dream Team some cheeky questions and we are sharing the answers with you. Meet LJ

What is your name and what do you love most about SUP?
Laura but most people call me LJ or occasionally “small but mighty”…

What are your favourite uses for a SUP board and why? Surfing, exploring, racing, beer table, sunbathing?
I love my SIC RS, it is so capable of touring, racing, small surf and handling the open ocean. My favourite use is paddling round the coastline of Jersey or putting in the miles on England’s waterways.

As a member of the Frangipani SUP dream team, what role do you play in helping others on their SUP journey, how much of a kick do you get out of it and why? Frangipani SUP Race Team Co-ordinator, local Race Director and chief spreadsheet guru. It’s so much fun organising the events and motivating the participants. Seeing people get so much out of racing, personal achievements on the water and the camaraderie off the water makes the planning and admin worthwhile. This winter we ran the Mince Pie Challenge and I tracked people’s distance which really encouraged people to get out and paddle through winter in a COVID safe way..... and eat mince pies!

What is your funniest Frangipani SUP moment - of course mentioning no names in your answer?! So many epic road trips to races with lots of laughs but one in particular... one of our most experienced paddlers was chatting away during a 45km distance challenge on the River Stour and ended up hugging a tree and the board carrying on down the river!

If no one was watching, what you be eating like a beast right now?
Cake but I don’t hide that fact!

What are your SUP ambitions for 2021 and beyond?
Spend more time on the board! Lockdown has meant limited paddling and I’ve missed it a lot. I’d really like to complete the Great Glenn but training is a bit behind and it’s a very very long distance (across Scotland).

Thank you LJ, you are a legend!