The S at the 2018 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship at Riyue Bay in Wanning, China. The Men’s and Women’s Semifinals ran to qualify athletes for the Finals to take place on Wednesday, set to award the first racing medals of the event.
Photo Credit: Sean Evans
Two qualification slots for the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima are up for grabs for the top finishing man and woman from the Americas in the SUP Technical Race Finals. Three ISA SUP Gold Medalists, USA’s Connor Baxter, Denmark’s Casper Steinfath, and France’s Tituoan Puyo, took the top qualification spots in the Men’s Semifinals.
Photo Credit: Sean Evans
“The course was really fun,” said Baxter. “We got downwinds, upwinds, a surf break, and a beach run. It’s really technical.The competition has gone up and up every year. All the nations are getting more serious about SUP and training their teams, so the Finals tomorrow will be packed with talent. A win tomorrow will not only be a Gold for the team, but also a spot in the Pan Americans. It’s not just a personal Gold Medal, there is much more at stake.” Steinfath’s time of 32:19 was the fastest of the day, giving him a strong push heading into finals Day.
Photo Credit: Sean Evans
The womens technical race saw the big guns pass through to the finals recent PPG champion Candice Appleby took first place in her race, Candice finished the day with the fastest heat time for the women with 36:51. Australia’s Shakira Westdorp, who won an unprecedented third consecutive SUP Surfing Gold Medal on Monday, won the second Women’s Semifinal and Japan’s Yuka Sato won the third Semifinal. Great Britain’s Marie Buchanan put on a gutsy performance after stepping on an urchin during the SUP Surfing rounds. Despite her injury, Buchanan managed to finish fifth in her SUP Technical Race Semifinal to qualify directly to the Final.
Photo Credit: Pablo Jimenez
“I’ve been hobbling around after stepping on an urchin,” said Buchanan. “The adrenaline definitely got me through. I was determined to qualify and not have to compete twice in the Repechage Round.This is my sixth time competing at the ISA Worlds. I’ve made the top six, but I have never won a medal. I would be totally stoked to place on the podium.”
Photo Credit: Pablo Jiminez
The top five finishers from each of the three Semifinals qualified for the Finals on Wednesday, with the rest of the field competing in a Repechage heat that would qualify an additional five athletes for the Final. The repechage offered a second chance for Caterina Stenta, British rider Ginnie Odetayo plus 3 other riders.
Photo Credit: Pablo Jiminez
A grand total of 20 competitors will be competing in the SUP Technical Race Finals. Notably, Team Iran and China made their first SUP Racing appearances in the history of the event today in the Women’s and Men’s SUP Technical Race. None of the Chinese and Iranian athletes qualified for finals day, however their participation marks a watershed moment for the growth and development of SUP in Asia.
Mens Technical Race Results
Connor Baxter
Martin Vitry
Daniel Hasulyo
Sam McCollough
Caludio Nika Casper Steinfath
Bruno Hasulyo
Leonard Nika
Travor Tunnington
Harry Maskell
Titouan Puyo
Kenny Kaneko
Christian Andersen
Oliver Houghton
Vinnicius Martins
Kota Kayashima
Rafael Sirvent
Guilherme Cunha Aaron Rowe
Tyler Bashor
Womens Technical Result
Candice Appleby
Terrene Black
Amandine Chazot
Takayo Yokoyama
Marie Buchanan
Shakira Westdorp
Laura Quetglas Fiona Wylde
Tarryn King
Tara Hope
Olivia Piana
Jessika Matos De Souza
Caroline Kuntzel
Shelia Sirvent
Caterina Stenta
Ginnie Odetayo
Nicoline Rasmussen
Laura Dal Pont
Ariel Amaral
The final will take place tomorrow at 10 AM local time, as well as for the junior and prone paddleboard racers. Tune in with TotalSUP!
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