"That First Glide" is the newest stand-up paddle movie from Mike Waltze. The Hawaiian extreme waterman will be in Auckland, New Zealand, for the premier of his new film.
"That First Glide" showcases the history of the world's fastest growing sport, from its Hawaiian roots to the huge industry it has become today. It translates into words and images the sensation of gliding over the waves.
That feeling of speed, flying, and oneness with the ocean that surfers have been chasing for more than 60 years, that has now become instantly accessible to millions more through Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP). Watch the trailer for "That First Glide".
"New Zealander's have really embraced the sport", says big wave surfer Campbell Farrell. "The SUP surf and race scenes are developing strongly, and some of our top paddlers are doing incredibly well on the world stage".
"SUP is so well suited to us geographically in NZ, being surrounded by so much water, but I think the greatest appeal is that it really is so easy for everyone to enjoy. Be it on a beach, lake or river, now anyone can surf."
For the past 30 years, Mike Waltze has dedicated his life to both extreme ocean athletics, and extreme ocean cinematography. He is a five-time world windsurfing champion and was the original pioneer of riding waves on short sailboards.
This trend literally transformed the sport of windsurfing and put Maui, Hawaii center stage on the map for extreme ocean sports in the early 80's. The film is screening at the Berkeley Takapuna on the 28th March, 7.15pm.