Want to go a little faster? In racing, it's not only about paddling hard; moving your feet and the moment of the start matter too. Let's read Fiona Wylde's three tips as practice topics.
01. Move your feet on the board
The first picture introduces footwork such as the cross step and the shuffle. Think of the cross step as moving by crossing your feet over, and the shuffle as sliding your feet a little at a time.
Don't make big moves right away; learn small steps first with an instructor on calm water. Repeating them within a range where you can recover your balance and stop comes first.
02. Get used to different starts
The original says to practice three starts separately: the running beach start, the start from the water's edge and the start on the water. The start format and rules can differ from race to race.
Check the depth, the bottom and the people around the start area, and follow the actual race instructions. Rather than just running with your board, it's better to learn the moves in lessons or supervised practice.
03. Finish so you want to come back next time
The last tip is to have fun paddling. Work on one thing at a time, footwork today and starts next time, and it gets easier to notice how your practice is changing.
This picture isn't a training plan that prescribes time or reps. Rest when you need to, based on how tired you are and the conditions, and review basic straight paddling and turning too. The goal is practice you can keep enjoying.
Sources and scope
The artwork is Starboard's original infographic of Fiona Wylde's three racing practice tips; the explanation is Starboard Korea's commentary. We don't add training volumes, promises of results or race-specific start rules.
The illustration is Starboard's original artwork; the explanation is Starboard Korea's editorial guide, translated into English here. Sources checked: 2026-09-08.
