Chris Tietz

Five questions for Chris:

1. Explain the feeling you get when you’re on the board?

Whether it’s early in the morning on Town Lake or half way through a 5 mile sprint on my board, I always have this sense of freedom and being at peace the water. Everything else just seems to fade away. There’s a connection that’s difficult to explain. You truly feel as though you’re one with the water and your board.

2. What’s the hardest part about preparing for the races?

I’d say the hardest part is the training, and mentally getting ready to compete at a high level against other strong paddlers. Training for races equals being out on the board, rain or shine, cold or hot for hours at a time. Also, diet, I sure do miss french toast, fries and cheeseburgers.

3. When did you realize that SUP was more than just going slow and soaking up the scenery?

I got the SUP bug in 2010 after visiting one of my favorite surf spots; Sayulita, Mexico. I watched my 1st contest there, came back and started paddling and have been doing it ever since.

4. You also spend a lot of time on a surf board, how has that helped you in your SUPing?

Surfing the swells in Mexico has helped a lot when it comes to balance and being able to transition smoothly up and down a SUP board.

5. Do you think pickle shots would make you go faster or slower?

The thought of enjoying a pickle shot would definitely make me paddle fast to get to Kung Fu. Without the alcohol, pickle juice is actually really helpful for muscle recovery and getting ride of muscle cramps.