Organized by Clube Naval do Funchal, the 2024 Madeira Island SUP Challenge showcased thrilling action across two days of competition, drawing top athletes from across Portugal and beyond to the picturesque Funchal Bay. The event, part of the 5th stage of the National SUP Race Championship, began with an exciting long-distance race on Day 1, where Paulo Freitas and Emily Evans emerged victorious in their respective divisions. Athletes braved a challenging 12-kilometer course, navigating through iconic landmarks like the São Tiago Fort. Day 2 shifted to fast-paced sprints, where Lourenço Viveiros and Barbara Cunha took the top spots in the men’s and women’s categories. Each day brought a lively atmosphere, with enthusiastic spectators cheering on the paddlers, and culminated in prize ceremonies awarding a total of 3,400 euros.
Paulo Freitas and Emily Evans are the big winners of the Madeira Island SUP Challenge 2024!
The MISC long distance race brought excitement to Funchal Bay on this first day of competition, part of the 5th stage of the National SUP Race Championship, organized by the Portuguese Surfing Federation. With challenging conditions, namely strong winds and a heavy chop, the athletes delivered a high-quality, thrilling spectacle.
In the 12-kilometer course, which passed by the iconic SĂŁo Tiago Fort, Portugal’s Paulo Freitas claimed victory with a time of 01:19:53. Fellow Portuguese Lourenço Viveiros took second place with 01:25:01, while Rui Ramos secured third, finishing the race in 01:34:53. LuĂs Vicente Ramos came in fourth.
In the women’s division, British paddler Emily Evans shone, completing the race in 01:40:29. In second place was Spanish racer Izaskun Martin Del Campo from OR Training, with a time of 01:55:11, followed by local racer VerĂłnica Silva from Clube Naval do Funchal, who finished in 02:25:37.
In the amateur category, Matias Freitas emerged as the winner.
The Madeira Island SUP Challenge crowned the champions of the 5th stage of the National SUP Race Championship in the Sprints category: Lourenço Viveiros and Barbara Cunha.
The202, ended in celebration with Day 2 of the competition which was dedicated to the sprints, a speed race featuring a technical buoy turn. The races began at 10:30 AM, and the awards ceremony filled the Race Center once again at 2:00 PM.
Throughout the morning, there were many exciting moments on the water, with athletes battling for their best performances, supported by a crowd of spectators who gathered to watch.
Results after the combined scores from both events (Marathon and Sprint):
Open Men:
Lourenço Viveiros
Paulo Freitas
Rui Ramos
Sub18 Men:
Lourenço Viveiros
Francisco Vieira
Aron Ramos
Sub15 Men:
Gonçalo Silva
Aron Ramos
Paulo Vieira
Sub12 Men:
Martim Vilaça
Jonah Siaussat
Leonardo Sousa
Open Women:
Barbara Cunha
Veronica Silva
Clara Erra
Sub15 Women:
Barbara Cunha
Francisca Costa
Margarida Faria
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