Alex Vincente, a 33-year-old man from Zarautz, has admitted that Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) has taken over his life. “It started purely as a fitness thing,” Vincente told Surf Europe. “But I became more confident and started using it in the surf. Initially it was just in small waves, but then I started surfing it all the time.”

After only six months Vincente was soon using his SUP as his primary wave riding craft and his once beloved quiver of shortboards started to gather dust.

“I think the turning point came when I traded in my longer heavier SUP in for a lighter model,” said Vincente sheepishly. “I started doing manoeuvres. More importantly I was catching way more waves, being able to patrol the sets about 10 metres further out than the other surfers. I just seemed to be enjoying my surfs a lot more.”

When it was put to him that he was using his SUP in a way that might antagonize the rest of the surfers in the line-up, Vincente reluctantly agreed.

“Sometimes I do think I have caught way more waves than my fair share,” he said. “But when you see a wave, and you are in position, well it’s just so hard not to go. Anyway it’s survival of the fittest, and as an ancient tradition that’s the way it has always been. “

This ancient SUP tradition, dating back to 2002, seems to have taken over all aspects of Vincente’s surfing life. “I even bought a Surf Session mag that was devoted totally to SUP. I also have had quite sexual dreams about Kai Lenny. But fuck it, I can ride my SUP from two feet to 10 feet, and, well I just can’t see myself on a shortboard any more. Prone is for losers. I mean what’s the point?”