About
Stability comes before ability.
ChalupSki is Oscar Chalupsky's range, built on five decades of designing, racing and winning. This is where it comes from.
Where it began
A first ski, built at fourteen.
It is a philosophy that has shaped a journey from building a first surfski at the age of 14 in 1976 to designing a new generation of surfskis for paddlers of every level.
The original ChalupSki became the world's first mass-produced long-distance surfski, carrying Oscar to seven Molokai World Championship victories and helping redefine the sport. He has twelve world titles in total.
Innovation continued from there, including a collaboration with Olympic champion Greg Barton on some of the sport's most influential surfski designs.
Every lesson, every race and every design has led here: a range built on five decades of experience, combining stability, performance and confidence so that every paddler, from first-time adventurer to elite racer, spends more time on the water.
In his own words
Where it all began.
Long before carbon, autoclaves and computer-designed hulls, there was a young paddler with a dream, a garage, and two incredible people who believed in me.
This was my very first surfski. I designed it myself, and with the help of my dad, Paul, and the legendary Tony Scott, we built it together in my garage. It wasn't perfect, but it was ours, and it taught me a lesson I've carried throughout my life: if you believe in an idea, don't wait for someone else to make it happen.
That little ski exceeded all my expectations.
As a junior, I won the Scottburgh to Brighton Race in 1977, the oldest surfski race in the world. A few years later, in 1981, I won my first Port Elizabeth to East London race on this very ski.
What made it even more special was that this design went on to become the world's first mass-produced long-distance racing surfski, helping shape the future of our sport.
Those victories were just the beginning.
From 1983, I went on to win seven Molokaʻi World Championship titles on skis that evolved from the same philosophy: stability, speed, innovation, and a relentless desire to keep improving.
Looking back, it's amazing to think that it all started in a garage with a dream, and with the support of my dad and Tony Scott. Without their encouragement and willingness to help a young paddler chase a dream, who knows where the journey might have led?
Today, seeing the new ChalupSki range being built with world-class technology is incredibly rewarding. The materials and manufacturing may have changed, but the passion and philosophy remain exactly the same.
Never be afraid to start small. Sometimes a garage, a vision, and people who believe in you are all you need to begin something extraordinary.
No Retreat. No Surrender.
Archive
Manufacture
World-class design, world-class construction.
Every ChalupSki is perfected by Oscar Chalupsky and precision manufactured by PEI SHENG in China, one of the world's leading composite manufacturers.
Each ski is built using advanced aerospace and Formula 1 grade autoclave prepreg carbon technology, produced to exacting standards for consistency, strength and performance.
The result is an exceptionally light, incredibly strong surfski that delivers durability, responsiveness and efficiency on the water, and the confidence to perform in every condition.
The range
- Tarifa
- Waikiki
- Maui
- Molokai
- Gorge
- M2M
Where technology meets performance.