The new fourth Challenge this year is stand-up paddleboarding. The benefits of SUP - according to Billabong pro-surfer, Sam Hammer - are, “It’s one of the most complete full body exercises you could imagine. Your core is being activated at all times to stabilise. You’ll work your legs, arms, back — even your feet and toes will be sore if you do it for long enough. Your calves and quads will be on fire.” 

Much more importantly, it’s pretty easy to do. The host team needed a Challenge that would make them look competent. How easy is it? Well, there are three basic rules. 

1. Kneel first before standing
2. Stand in the middle of the board facing one side, with your knees hip width apart and slightly bent.
3. Don’t fall off 

It’s so easy that celebrities can do it and because there’s a paparazzo behind every tree, towel and sandcastle we can confirm that Julia Roberts, Alessandra Ambrosio, Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, Michelle Rodriguez, Pierce Brosnan, Matthew McConaughey, Rihanna, Ben Harper, Jennifer Garner, Denise Richards, Kate Hudson, Cindy Crawford, Nicole Scherzinger, Avril Lavigne, Ben Stiller, Sting, Matt Damon and Nicole Richie can SUP.

Even Kim Kardashian can SUP.

Laird Hamilton gets to own inventing Stand-up Paddleboarding, because he used it to cross train for big wave surfing in the early 90s. It is, in fact, thousands of years older – even than Hamilton and is how ancient Hawaiians, Peruvians and Africans got around on water. The ancient Hawaiians were the first to turn it into with a sport and they created a word to describe surfing with a paddle - Hoe He'e nalu. 

The SUP Challenge is not about standing on a paddleboard looking good, even if your butt is better than KK’s. It’s a 1km race. Luckily, it’s the hot new trend so there are places all over Sydney where you can hire a board and practise:

1. Let’s Go Surfing. Lessons, hire and real surf. It’s on Bondi Beach.
2. WATSSUP - Watsons Bay Stand Up Paddling,founded by Bondi Rescue’s Terry. [Mums and dads: Check out WATSSUP Kids Camps]
3. Manly Kayak Centre. These guys also run a SUPBall comp (a combination of netball, water polo, lacrosse and rugby, played on stand up paddle boards) and registrations are open.
4. Rose Bay Aquatic Hire
5. Balmoral Paddlesurf / Balmoral SUP School
6. Cronulla Stand Up Paddleboard school
7. Tony Henry's Avalon Stand Up Paddle, Avalon