Next time you can’t be bothered waking up for training or making it down to support your local SUP race, watch this video. This highlights reel of the 2013 Danish National Titles appeared online last week and shows just how much more hardcore the paddlers in the colder parts of the world really are.

The race went down in the little town of Klitmøller‎ on Denmark’s west coast, which is affectionately known as “Cold Hawaii” due to the fact that a) it’s bloody freezing for most of the year, and b) the town is full of surfers, windsurfers and paddlers (not exactly common sports in Scandinavia).

I visited Klitmoller a couple of years ago and can say that the level of stoke shown by the locals makes those of us living in Australia, Hawaii or Southern California look rather spoilt and lazy. Do you know how hard it is to do a buoy turn in 35 knot winds? Try doing that in a full suit with the knowledge that if you fall your face will freeze off as you get battered by non-stop Atlantic swells.

Cold Hawaii can actually produce some nice paddling conditions and fun, clean waves and it’s actually a rather beautiful little town. However it just so happens that a big Atlantic storm hit the Danish coast the same time as the national racing championship was due to be held.

Watch the fun and chaos that ensued above.

You won’t understand a word unless you’re one of the 0.11% of visitors to this site that come from this frigid part of the world, but either way you’ll get an appreciation for paddling in extreme conditions. There’s even an appearance from world-beating superstar Casper Steinfath, who just happens to be a Klitmøller‎ local.

---

Can’t get enough cool SUP vids? Browse through the SIC Showreel: