The launch of She SUPs Sydney Expedition
So last week I launched She SUPs Socials, a female-only meet-up group to connect like-minded women who want to try SUP, go further with their SUP or simply meet new SUP-loving people. The response to the meet-up and the whole concept has been incredible! I’m beyond excited to meet everyone at the first Meet-Up paddle in August!
Today, I launch part two of the She SUPs initiative, and that is the She SUPs Sydney Expedition.
This 'SUPtember' (September) I am embarking on an expedition/challenge named ‘She SUPs Sydney’ where I will be stand-up paddleboarding 30 waterways of Sydney in 30 days covering over 300km of rivers, creeks, harbours and bays. On my journey, I hope to visit as many Girl Guide units, school groups and clubs as possible to share my story and my experiences.
My goal is that this challenge will help inspire women and girls across Australia to try new things, face their fears and find empowerment and strength through adventure.
I moved to Australia almost 5 years ago and within a matter of months, I was hooked on paddling. Paddleboarding has enabled me to find comfort and confidence on the water, it has helped me find peace and calm in my mind, and has become my vehicle for adventuring into the most remote locations, connect closely with nature and discovering beautiful secret corners of the planet.
Unfortunately, I have found that sometimes being a solo female adventurer can be tough, and yet, it really shouldn’t be. We see incremental steps towards complete gender equality across Australia, however stereotyping, gender discrimination and ultimately safety fears still remain huge barriers to participation in adventure and outdoor sports for women and girls. I have experienced first hand during physical adventure challenges, courses or experiences, my male counterparts taking one look at me and immediately questioning my ability and strength, all just because I’m a girl.
Additionally, many of the unique gender barriers women and girls face on a daily basis when considering adventurous activities are invisible or have unfortunately become the social norm; from having to take extra safety precautions when venturing out alone to anxiety and internal conflict around body image and how you will be perceived by others.
Over the past few years, I have hiked thousands of kilometres for charity, climbed the 10 highest peaks in Australia, kayaked down the Murray River and spent 10 days trekking on the Great Wall of China all raising money and awareness for causes I care about. Through adventure, I have challenged myself to face my fears, push my limits, live life to the fullest, and use my voice and actions to support others.
This September, I am embarking on my biggest challenge yet and hope to use ‘She SUPs Sydney’ as a vehicle for a change I wish to see in our society to impact women and girls today and in the future.
Make sure you’re following my instagram @shesups_ and Facebook page to get all the updates from training over the next couple of weeks and eventually the paddle itself!
Want to get involved? If any of the options below tickle your fancy, click here!
Arrange for me to visit your local Girl Guides unit or sports/schools club
Paddle with me - I may go mad talking to myself for 30 days!
Adopt a route and offer to be my emergency contact for a day
Follow my adventure on social media and don’t forget to subscribe, share and re-post!
Donate me gear, supplies, food or anything you can offer
Refer a friend - tell your friend, family member, stranger at the bus stop about what I’m doing and help me spread the message!
I’m excited to share more about my route and the challenge over the coming days. In the mean time, I had better get back to training!
Happy paddling!
Vikki