Paddle Queensland proudly congratulates the Queensland State Team athletes who competed at the 2026 Paddle Australia SUP Championships in Canberra, with the event showcasing the strength, diversity and growing community of stand up paddleboarding across Australia.
Held alongside a vibrant festival atmosphere, the Championships brought together paddlers from around the country to compete across a range of disciplines including technical racing, sprint racing, distance events and inflatable board categories. The event highlighted not only high-performance competition but also the strong sense of camaraderie and inclusiveness that continues to define the SUP community.
Queensland athletes delivered strong performances throughout the Championships, competing with determination and sportsmanship across multiple events and divisions while proudly representing the state on the national stage.
2026 Queensland SUP State Team
Janet Buchan (Team Leader)
Loz Stephenson, John Zirilli, Nick Yates, Peter Horton, Graham Shield, Paul Menhinnit, Julie Smith
Throughout the Championships, Queensland paddlers demonstrated resilience, versatility and a positive team culture, supporting one another across the weekend of racing and community activities.
The event also reinforced the continued growth of SUP within Queensland, following the recent affiliation and development of dedicated SUP clubs across the state and the increasing momentum toward future pathway opportunities and national championship events.
Paddle Queensland congratulates all athletes, officials, volunteers and supporters involved in the Championships and acknowledges the important contribution of the broader SUP community in helping grow participation opportunities for paddlers of all ages and abilities.
We also extend our thanks to Paddle Australia, the organising committee, event staff and volunteers for delivering a welcoming and successful Championships that celebrated both competition and community spirit.
The Championships highlighted the important role SUP continues to play within the broader Paddle Forward 32 strategy, helping create accessible, inclusive and engaging pathways into paddlesports across Queensland and Australia.
Paddle Queensland looks forward to continuing to support the growth of SUP participation, events and athlete development as the sport builds toward Brisbane 2032 and beyond.