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One of the missions of KOKUA , the SUP brand created by Kaneko Kenny, is to nurture the next generation of paddlers. "I want to support paddlers with pure passion," says Kaneko Kenny. He accepts them as part of the KOKUA team and supports their growth and achievement of their goals.
Shimazu Nariaki, a member of Team KOKUA , is a first- year high school student based in Minamata City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Having started his competitive career in junior high school, he says without hesitation, "I love SUP and it's fun."
Shimazu will be competing in the ISA World Championships to be held in Puerto Rico in November . This will be his first international competition and first World Championships. With the tournament fast approaching, what are his thoughts? We asked him about his enthusiasm for the tournament and his career so far.
"I want to be like a top athlete." His dream paved the way for him to become an athlete
Shimazu when he first started SUP
Shimazu first encountered paddle sports when he was in the first grade of elementary school. It was when he participated in a canoe polo trial event held in Minamata. What began as a small interest in "paddling is fun" led to him joining a paddle club in the fourth grade of elementary school. He began to canoe and SUP on a daily basis.
"The first time I tried SUP , I thought, what is this? (laughs) I was also canoeing at the time, but the scenery you see is completely different when you paddle while sitting and when you paddle while standing. It was like seeing a whole new world. I was deeply moved by the way I was able to feel the power of nature directly and experience scenery that can only be seen there."
At first, he did SUP as a way to have fun in his daily life, but something happened that made him think about becoming a competitive skater.
"When I was in sixth grade, I took part in a SUP competition held in Minamata. I was in the kids' class, but there was also an adult race. It was the first time I saw active athletes rowing live. I thought they were just so cool. It made me want to try SUP like them."
After seeing the active competitors, he decided to become a competitive SUP rider himself, and began competing in earnest when he entered junior high school.
This is my fourth year in the sport. Rowing has always been fun.
When he was in the second year of junior high school. Shimazu is on the far left in the photo.
Shimazu is currently a first- year high school student. He began his career as a SUP competitor in his first year of junior high school and is now in his fourth year. We asked each of them about the most rewarding and most difficult moments in their careers so far.
"The thing that made me happiest was when I won one of the biggest competitions in Japan when I was in the second year of junior high school. At the time, I had just started SUP and didn't have a complete set of equipment. I had only participated in small competitions and was using a paddle like the ones used for cruising.
Even in that situation, I was very happy to be able to compete in the elite class and win. It gave me confidence. This victory was an opportunity for me to become known by many people."
And as for the difficult parts, he continues:
"Honestly, I have never felt it was difficult. Of course there are times when I feel frustrated or tired, but I have never felt it was difficult.
Of course, in competitions there is always a win or a loss, so when I lose it's a shock and I feel frustrated, but in the end I find rowing to be fun. I think that's because I love the sport itself.
I practice almost every day, but I've never felt like it was too hard or that I didn't want to do it. I really love rowing, and I feel like I could keep rowing forever. That hasn't changed from the past to now."
My strength as an athlete is the ability to enjoy the competition itself, regardless of whether I win or lose.
Shimazu is impressive as he speaks without hesitation, saying, "I love SUP and it's fun." When asked what he thinks his strengths are, he gave the following answer.
"Honestly, I don't think I have any strengths in terms of technique. I think there are many people who have the same skills as me. However, in terms of the way I approach the sport, I don't think there is anyone who has the same style as me, so I guess that is my strength.
I do my best in competitions, but I also have a strong desire to have fun. Of course, if I'm going to race, I want to win and do my best. But I don't think you need to push yourself to the point where you can't have fun just to win.
I feel that rankings and results will only come once you put all your effort into having fun. Results are merely a bonus or a bonus. I have always maintained that stance and have been able to achieve results. Don't think that winning or losing is everything, just enjoy the competition itself. I feel that being able to approach competitions with this stance is one of my strengths. If I have the time, I try to keep a smile on my face during the race.
My first international competition. My first World Championships. I'm enjoying the challenge.
Shimazu will compete in the ISA World Championships to be held in Puerto Rico in November . This will be his first international competition and his first World Championships. He will compete in both the junior and senior divisions.
"In the lead-up to my participation in the World Championships, I received support from many people, including my club team members and the people of Minamata City. I believe I was only able to participate thanks to everyone's support, so I will take on the challenge of the race with gratitude to those who supported me.
It will also be my first time racing overseas. Until now, I have only interacted with Japanese athletes, but at the World Championships I will be competing against top athletes from overseas. I am really looking forward to rowing with people I admire.
In the junior division, my goal is to become the world champion . In the senior division, I will be challenging the world's top athletes. I am looking forward to enjoying this challenge to the fullest.
My goal is to remain active until I die. I want to be an athlete that everyone supports.
Shimazu is currently a first- year high school student. He is both a student and an athlete, so what does he envision for the future?
"My goal is to stay active until I die. I love SUP so much that I would be happy to die on my SUP , so I would like to continue paddling for as long as I can. I also want to be an athlete who can aim to become a world champion, even when I'm 50 and in the Masters category."
He wants to continue paddling SUP . In order to continue on his path as a competitor, he says the most important thing is "respect."
"I learned from top SUP athletes how to behave and speak with respect for your opponents. When I first started, I was just paddling because I loved SUP , but when I started competing alongside the top athletes, seeing how they praised each other whether they won or lost, it completely changed the way I approached the sport.
I think that people who don't forget to respect their opponents are the ones who are supported by many people. I also want to be an athlete who is supported by many people. So, no matter what happens, I try not to forget that feeling of respect. Realizing the importance of respect was a turning point for me as an athlete."
Positive energy, a stance of trying to enjoy everything, and an attitude of never forgetting respect. These "strengths" that Shimazu possesses may have allowed her talent as an athlete to blossom. The World Championships are just around the corner. I hope that she will give it her all, as is typical of Shimazu.
