From June 6-8, 2025, the beautiful southwest coast of Gran Canaria will come alive as top stand-up paddle athletes gather for theGran Canaria PRO. Among them is Alba Frey, ISA 2024 Sprint World Champion and Starboard Dream Team rider. As a rising star from the Canary Islands, Alba has already left her mark in previous editions of this event.
With her strong connection to the Gran Canaria PRO and her passion for the sport, Alba shares her insights on what makes this competition so special, the gear she’ll rely on, and how she approaches the exciting two-day format.
Let’s dive into her story and hear how she plans to tackle the race at home, surrounded by family, friends, and the stunning Atlantic backdrop.
You’ve already taken part in several editions of the Gran Canaria PRO, what makes this event special for you?
I’m from the Canary Islands, so having an event at home is always something special. The Gran Canaria PRO is an incredible event in paradise. The conditions are always great, and we Canarians are very welcoming people, which makes it a super fun race and gives all the riders a really beautiful experience.
What are your best memories from previous Gran Canaria PRO events?
My first international event was the Gran Canaria PRO in 2022, a technical race with two heats that got me completely hooked on the sport and made me want to compete at the highest level. I guess that first Gran Canaria PRO marked the true beginning of my journey in this sport, which is why I have such a special affection for it.
What kind of conditions do you expect? And what gear are you going to use?
I believe it will be a no-wind race with relatively calm ocean conditions. A long-distance course where you’ll sweat and give everything. That’s why I’ll be using the best board in the world, the Starboard All Star.
The event now spans over two days, with both long distance and sprints. How do you approach this format physically and mentally?
The Gran Canaria PRO will be my last race of the first half of the season, and it’s happening at home. Honestly, I just want to enjoy it. I want to close this first chapter of the season surrounded by family and friends, with a really fun race. I’ll give my all in the long distance and in the sprints, but without any pressure. Just enjoying this final race in the best place in the world.
As a role model for younger paddlers, what advice would you give young girls looking to start SUP racing?
Give it a try! Get into the sport and try racing too, but without pressure. Just enjoy the amazing vibe this sport offers, and take the opportunity to meet people from all around the world. Stand up paddling has brought so many good things into my life, and I truly encourage young people to step into this wonderful sport.
Starboard has shown us over the years that new launches usually come with a clear shift in direction. This time, the hints were subtle but noticeable – a hybrid dugout outline appearing in early previews, a few prototype shots circulating, and one question quietly surfacing among paddlers: are we done with blue? The sneak peeks […]
The ISA World SUP & Paddleboard Championship 2025 is kicking off in El Sunzal, Surf City, El Salvador, bringing together 161 athletes from 27 countries for a week of world-class SUP Surf, SUP Racing, and Paddleboard competition. Despite being announced on short notice, the event has drawn an impressive lineup of the world’s best. Among […]
What a weekend on the Costa Blanca! The VII Gran Carrera del Mediterráneo SUP Race 2025 once again turned the coastline of Alicante into Spain’s epicenter of Stand Up Paddle, bringing together over 120 paddlers from 18 clubs across the country. Organized by Club Deportivo Parres, led by Daniel Parres — the same powerhouse team […]
Following the early September launch of the new Airline range, Starboard has now released its latest SUP lineup. This new collection features refined shapes, upgraded constructions, and fresh designs across both hardboards and inflatables. From high-performance surf shapes like the all-new TwinFin with Acute Custom Carbon construction, to improved inflatable racing boards featuring the Quick […]
Welcome to the dedicated 2025 ICF SUP Worlds page! The 2025 ICF Stand-Up Paddleboarding World Championships are making history in Abu Dhabi from 29 October – 2 November, as the UAE hosts the event for the very first time. TotalSUP, the official media partner, is bringing you all the latest updates from this landmark championship […]
Four hundred and seven athletes are now registered for the 2025 ICF SUP World Championships, set to take place in Abu Dhabi from October 29 to November 2. The stage is set for a very competitive edition, bringing together returning world champions and rising stars. After last year’s thrilling showdown in Sarasota, Florida, USA, all […]
We just caught up with Linus Karlsson at Planet Baltic SUP Race in Poland (7-9 August), 11-time Swedish National SUP Champion and Starboard Team Rider, who recently returned to the race circuit while balancing a busy professional life. That meant less racing this season, and Linus was refreshingly open about the challenges of limited training […]
One of the events that have been sparking some serious FOMO* for a while now, both for elite athletes and SUP enthusiasts is Planet Baltic SUP Race. I may be biased – it’s in my homeland, Poland – but with rave reviews and striking photography, Planet Baltic stands out as an experience any SUP fan […]
The difference between paddles is probably the most common question in the SUP world, and when brands put real science behind the answer, interesting things happen. Starboard has just completed a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) study comparing two of its best-selling race paddles, the Lima and the Velocity, working in collaboration with Aubin Petit, a […]