Chiara Nordio focused and ready for 2018

22 Jan 2018

Tagged: 404, Luigi Reghitto, Chiara Nordio

The Gla Gla race attracts paddlers from all over Europe, it is a chance for paddlers, spectators and connaisseurs of the sport to spot talent for the next season and also to meet paddlers who are addicted to paddling.

TotalSUP speaks to Paddler Chiara Nordio following her great result in a very large field. Chiara Nordio, 19, from Chioggia, Italy, came an outstanding 2nd in the womens 14km race, but also posted 1st in the womens 12.6ft class.

How long have you been paddling?

I’ve been dedicated to stand up paddleboarding for the last six years, five of which have been at a competitive level, using race boards.

Where do you paddle?

I am studying at the moment and I chose a degree course that would allow me to move to Livorno, where I can train with the best Italian athletes, and where the condition are usually rough. Now I train at the Sailing Club of Antignano.

Excellent finish today how did you prepare for the race?

The GlaGla race is known to be one of the coolest but coldest race of the season, so I knew that the harsh weather would be a problem. To learn how to endure the cold I did specific workouts. I got up early each morning to train in 4°, at my hometown (Chioggia) which is much colder than Livorno; I also paddled in windy and foggy conditions in order to get out of my comfort zone. Also my coach Luigi Reghitto helped me with my SUP training and Jacopo Querci in the gym.

How was the race?

The race had alot of changing conditions: flatwater, choppy, it was a downwind, upwind and crosswind. The hardest part for the first 15 minutes, it took me a while to reach my opitmal performance level. For the downwind my board 404 went by itself, almost without pushing, In the crosswind I gave it my best and managed to recover my position. The strong conditions ignited my fire. 228 riders where involved in the 14 km course it’s a crazy number!

What are your plans for season 2018?

The plan for 2018 is to attend more international races in Europe and achieve qualification for the World Championships in Brazil this year. The plan is to focus on preparing for every single race and is also to improve on my world ranking of 44.