Venao Beach in Pedasí is known for its waves, warm waters, and growing water sports community. For stand-up paddlers, it also offers something very special: the chance to train year-round in a variety of conditions under the guidance of one of Panama’s top paddlers.
Edonays Caballero, Panamanian and Central American SUP champion, has made Playa Venao in Pedasí his new home and training ground.
After years of competing, representing Panama internationally, and developing as a SUP and SUP surf athlete, Edonays is now embarking on a new chapter that combines two of her greatest passions: continuing to grow as an athlete and sharing her experience as a coach.
Why did Edonays choose Playa Venao, Pedasí?
For many years, Edonays lived and trained in Panama City, where the calm water conditions allowed her to develop much of her skill as a SUP athlete.
However, moving to Playa Venao in Pedasí opened up new possibilities for him. Here, he has access to the ocean practically every day, with waves year-round, warm, crystal-clear waters, and an extensive coastline to explore and train on. For an athlete who practices both SUP and SUP surfing, having a variety of conditions available is a huge advantage.
Edonays sums it up simply: Playa Venao offers “waves all year round and a spectacular atmosphere full of good vibes.” But his decision to move to Pedasí wasn’t solely for sports. Having family and a home in the area, being closer to nature, and leading a more peaceful life were also important factors. Today, she can combine her training with a lifestyle that’s much more connected to the ocean.
Venao Beach as a destination for SUP training
When we think of Playa Venao, we usually think of surfing first. But the very same conditions that have made this area of the Azuero Peninsula a destination for surfers also offer exciting opportunities for SUP paddlers. In SUP, we don’t always want to train under exactly the same conditions.
Flat water allows you to work on technique, efficiency, and speed. Rougher conditions force paddlers to improve their balance, board control, and ability to read the water. And waves open the door wide to SUP surfing. For Edonays, that combination is precisely one of the appeals of training here.
A competitive SUP athlete can benefit from learning to navigate more technical conditions, while someone interested in SUP surfing can develop their ability to read waves, position themselves, and control the board. All of this takes place in warm waters that allow for plenty of time training in the ocean.
Who is Edonays Caballero?
Edonays didn’t start playing water sports as a child. In fact, he had no connection to the ocean during his childhood and didn’t start exercising until he was around 20, after deciding he needed to get in shape and improve his health. First came the gym, and later CrossFit, a discipline in which he went on to become a certified athlete and coach.
In 2017, she discovered stand-up paddleboarding during a group class on Lake Gamboa. And everything changed. What began as a recreational activity quickly turned into a passion and then into a competitive career.
Through years of training, discipline, and countless hours on the water, Edonays went on to become a six-time consecutive Panamanian National Champion and one of the leading athletes in Panamanian SUP.
In 2025, he achieved another major milestone in his career by winning the gold medal in the Men’s SUP Race at the Central American Surfing Games held in Guatemala, becoming the Central American champion.
He has also represented Panama in international competitions, including the ISA World Championship and the Pan American Games.
But for Edonays, winning championships doesn’t mean it’s time to stop learning. Competing against international athletes taught him exactly the opposite: there’s always another level to reach.
From SUP Athlete to Coach
The experience he has gained through years of training and competition is now a tool that Edonays wants to share with other paddlers. From Playa Venao in Pedasí, he offers training for different skill levels, ranging from people who want to learn stand-up paddleboarding to experienced SUP paddlers and athletes interested in improving their performance.
His approach is based on an important principle: not all rowers have the same needs. When someone comes in knowing exactly what they want to improve, the training can focus directly on that goal.
But often, a rower knows they want to row better without being able to pinpoint exactly what is holding them back. In those cases, Edonays prefers to observe first.
Paddling together allows you to analyze how the person moves on the board, their technique, physical condition, and behavior in different situations. From there, you can identify strengths and areas that need work. The goal is to tailor the training to the paddler, rather than trying to adapt the paddler to a generic program.
Training in and out of the water
One of the advantages of training in SUP at Playa Venao with Edonays is that her athletic experience isn’t limited to SUP. Her background in CrossFit and functional training continues to be part of her preparation as an athlete. She currently continues to do functional training sessions several times a week.
For him, improving as a SUP paddler isn’t just about racking up kilometers on a board. Strength, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, nutrition, and recovery are just as important as sessions on the water. This allows him to approach training from different perspectives.
One SUP paddler may need to improve their paddling technique, while another may need to build cardiovascular endurance, strength, or stability. For others, the goal may be to learn how to handle the board in more challenging conditions or to start exploring SUP surfing.
SUP Racing and SUP Surfing: Two Disciplines That Complement Each Other
Edonays competes in both SUP racing and SUP surfing and believes that, although they are very different disciplines, they can complement each other. SUP racing requires considerable physical conditioning, especially cardiovascular endurance, technique, and efficiency.
SUP surfing requires different skills: learning to read the ocean, understanding the waves, positioning yourself correctly, and performing maneuvers on the board. Training in SUP at Playa Venao in Pedasí allows you to experience both of these situations.
Even if your main goal is to compete in SUP races, learning to control a board when the water isn’t perfectly flat can make you a much more well-rounded paddler.
You don’t need to be a competitive athlete
Training with a Panamanian and Central American champion doesn’t mean you have to want to compete. Edonays works with paddlers of all skill levels. You might come to train at Playa Venao without having ever tried SUP before, have some experience and want to improve your technique, or be an advanced paddler looking to take your training to the next level.
For Edonays, there is one quality that is far more important than technical skill. The ideal SUP paddler is someone who is passionate about stand-up paddleboarding, who enjoys the ocean, and who respects it.
That respect for the ocean is especially important as we begin to venture beyond controlled environments and learn to paddle in different conditions.
Travel to Playa Venao, Pedasí, to practice SUP
For a SUP paddler visiting Panama, Playa Venao in Pedasí can be more than just a stopover during your vacation. It can also be an opportunity to spend several days improving your SUP skills.
People can schedule sessions based on their skill level and goals. Some may want to perfect their paddling technique. Others may be interested in SUP surfing, fitness training, or learning to feel more comfortable in different water conditions.
And even those who have never tried the sport before can start from scratch. The idea isn’t just to go home a better paddler. Edonays wants those who train with him to also take away the experience of having discovered a special place, enjoyed the ocean, and learned something new.
Building a SUP Community in Playa Venao, Pedasí
Edonays’ vision for this new phase goes beyond individual training. One of his goals is to help build a stand-up paddle community in Playa Venao, Pedasí, and the surrounding areas.
SUP still has plenty of room to grow in Panama, both as a recreational activity and as a competitive sport. Building a community means having more people learn to paddle properly, train together, share experiences, and discover different aspects of the sport.
Edonays wants to continue competing and training at the highest level, but she also wants to share everything she has learned along the way. When we asked her whether she currently considers herself more of an athlete or a coach, her answer perfectly reflects this new phase in her life:
“A combination of both. I still enjoy training 100%, but I also enjoy coaching 1,000%.”
Discover SUP at Venao Beach, Pedasí
It doesn’t matter if you’ve never set foot on a board, if you already paddle regularly, or if you’re looking to improve your performance. SUP training at Playa Venao in Pedasí offers the opportunity to learn in a completely different setting, surrounded by nature, warm waters, and conditions that can help you become a more well-rounded paddler.
And doing so alongside an athlete who went from discovering SUP as a hobby to becoming a Panamanian and Central American champion brings something that’s hard to find in a conventional class: real-world experience gained over years of training and competition.
For Edonays, the goal is simple: to share what SUP has taught her and to help others enjoy, improve, and grow on a board. Because sometimes improving your SUP skills isn’t just about learning to paddle faster. It’s also about discovering how far you can go.
