"Bookings Full, Paddleboards in Short Supply!"

Red Star Capital Bureau reported on August 11 that as summer heats up, water sports have become a trend. Recently, paddleboarding has surged in popularity in cities like Shanghai and Hangzhou, with some camps fully booked and frequent events. Hangzhou has even seen the emergence of water sports schools specializing in paddleboarding and kayaking.

The paddleboarding craze has driven sales. In early July 2025, transactions for "paddleboards" on Taobao and Tmall increased by over 200% year-on-year. Pinduoduo data shows that searches for paddleboard-related products soared by 190% during the summer of 2025.

"Paddleboarding has grown in popularity this year, and the user base is expanding, but the market is far from saturated," an industry insider told Red Star Capital Bureau.

"Today’s bookings are full, but tomorrow might be available," an outdoor paddleboarding experience base in Shanghai said on August 9. Another base noted that paddleboarding has been extremely popular, especially on weekends.

A manager at a paddleboarding camp in Hangzhou said on August 9, "We have a group of 30 people coming for team-building today, and we might not have enough paddleboards." Red Star Capital Bureau found that Hangzhou now has specialized water sports schools offering paddleboarding and kayaking training, with one currently ranking third on the "Xixi Sports Training Popularity List."

According to CCTV, the Yangtze River Delta region has recently hosted numerous water sports events, attracting large crowds. From July 1 to August 30, the region held eight major water sports competitions and over 20 public events, a 50% increase year-on-year. More consumers are purchasing equipment like kayaks and sailboats, fueling a rise in related orders.