As the week heats up and the inaugural European SUP League (ESL) stop is about to kick off, we caught up with Maria Laura Metta – one of the founding members and advisors of SUP Academy Taranto, hosts of the European SUP League (ESL) Stop #2 in Taranto, Italy.
A 23-year-old from Taranto, Maria Laura is a professional SUP athlete, Italian FICK National Champion and has represented Italy at the 2022 and 2023 ICF World Championships as well as the 2024 ECA European Championships. Today, she plays an active role as an advisor within the academy, supporting both the event and the local SUP community.
Just one week after the season opener in Santa Pola, Spain, the European SUP League circuit heads to southern Italy, where from 1-3 May, Lido Gandoli in Marina di Leporano will host three days of top-level stand-up paddle racing. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Ionian Sea, the event will feature over €7,000 in prize money and bring together some of Europe’s best athletes.
Hi TotalSUP, I still remember the first time I tried SUP at the beginning of 2017 – just for fun and to experience something new. I loved it instantly, and Mario and I clicked right away. That same year, I started competing in the Apulia regional championship while also helping at our school in Lido Gandoli.
The following year, I moved on to the SUP Race National Championship, and my passion kept growing stronger and stronger. It grew so much that I earned my instructor’s license to help share and promote this wonderful discipline.
The local SUP community here in Taranto is amazing right now, and my biggest gratification is knowing I contributed to it and have seen it grow year by year. Clearly, we have some of the world’s strongest young talents in our team, and they’ve grown up with us. I still remember some of their first lessons – like Sveva and Serse Sabato’s – and starting to train together.
Going from that to where we are now is extraordinary. Today, our community is a real family for us, not just in words. We are there for one another – from the young kids who bring joy and freshness, to the masters who always keep an eye out and support everyone in the group with whatever they can offer.
I am one of SUP Academy Taranto’s founding members, and I currently play the role of advisor. For the upcoming competition in Taranto, my teammate Roberto Ventriglia and I are handling the communication side – planning, programming, designing social media posts, and much more.
Having an ESL stop in my home spot is really exciting, especially thinking back to when we used to host regional competitions here or just gather as amateurs… and now we are here! It’s safe to say it’s something really special for me, considering how much the ESL circuit is growing and improving.
Everyone who does this sport and paddles here in Lido Gandoli easily falls in love with the place. It will be a great exchange – having international paddlers bring their presence and energy here, and hopefully giving them a truly positive experience in return.
Lido Gandoli is a bay, so we generally have good conditions unless there is strong wind from the south-west. We are also positioned very far south, which allows for mild temperatures.
For the competition courses, we designed them together with Daniel Parres to ensure consistency within the circuit. However, in the case of unexpected extreme weather conditions, we reserve the right to make adjustments if necessary.
It’s clear that I want to do my best and enjoy myself in the competition, and I want others to do the same. But it’s only natural that I also want to achieve the best result possible.
The youngsters are the stars of the show! We have world champions Sveva Sabato and Claudia Postiglione, as well as the amazing 2025 bronze medallist Velia Pisanelli, who will debut in the Open division this year. We also have another rising star in the team: Preziosa Chiarelli, only 15 years old, but getting stronger fast.
The boys are not to be underestimated either, with Serse Sabato and Matteo Pernisco ready to show their worth!
And don’t forget the masters! They are also ones to watch, with 2023 Long Distance 50+ silver medallist Anna Occhiogrosso, along with many other men in the 40, 50 & 60+ divisions who train hard every day and are eager to show it.
This is the first ESL event in Italy and the second stop of the international circuit. The spot, due to its natural shape and layout, really enhances the competition experience for both athletes and spectators, ensuring a unique atmosphere.
The natural setting is truly breathtaking and definitely worth visiting. We also tried to think of everything possible in terms of welcoming athletes, so we hope everyone has fun and is eager to come back to us!
*Images courtesy of Maria Laura Metta and SUP Academy TarantoÂ
17 Apr 2026
Inside the European SUP League, a new continental circuit is taking shape with the ambition of bringing structure, visibility, and long-term growth to SUP racing. Built on collaboration between organizers, federations, athletes, and media, the ESL aims to professionalize the sport while keeping its community spirit at its core. From standardized race formats and inclusive […]
16 Apr 2026
At just 19, Nicolò Ricco represents a new generation of stand-up paddle athletes – one that, despite its young age, can be defined by a more methodical approach to training and competing, dialling in every factor and optimising performance over time. A multiple Italian champion based in Bari, Italy, and the holder of several SUP […]
3 Apr 2026
The 2026 SUP race season is officially on! In today’s episode, we take a deep dive into the first major Stand Up Paddleboard events of the year. Whether you lined up on the start or followed the action via the livestreams or TotalSUP’s Facebook and Instagram pages, we break down the key tactics, equipment choices, […]
2 Apr 2026
Putting the spotlight on the next generation of SUP talent, Mario Tagarelli has transformed junior racing and athlete development in Italy. As Coach and President of SUP Academy Taranto, based at Lido Gandoli in Taranto, southern Italy, he is the mastermind behind a training programme that cultivates young paddlers and elevates clubs dedicated to developing […]
27 Mar 2026
 Welcome to the very first episode of the TotalSUP.Training Podcast! Let’s be honest right from the start: this is our debut episode, and we’re very much in trial-and-error mode. We’re figuring things out as we go — format, rhythm, tone — and we’re learning in public. We don’t even have an official name for […]
22 Mar 2026
Like every year, Spain will become the center of the international SUP race scene this April, as the World SUP Festival Costa Blanca returns from April 24 to 26, 2026, in Santa Pola, Alicante. Now in its sixth edition, the festival has established itself as one of the world’s largest SUP events, bringing together extensive […]
19 Mar 2026
We caught a glimpse on social media inside the shaping process of a new custom board – where shaper JÄ™drzej Klafkowski spends most of his time when he’s not on the water, refining designs and pushing performance forward. This time, he had a sidekick: 16-year-old talent Jakub Kubiak from RacibĂłrz, closely involved in the creation […]
13 Mar 2026
Following its successful launch in 2025, the European SUP League (ESL) returns in 2026 with a broader international footprint and an expanded competitive structure. The inaugural season featured four events across two countries — three in Spain and one in Portugal — and marked the first step toward creating a unified professional circuit for SUP […]
14 Feb 2026
One of Italy’s most versatile pro SUP & surf athletes, all-round waterman and Coach, Tommaso Pampinella, is now celebrating a decade of competitive racing. Signing with SIC Maui marks a full circle for the athlete, who has firmly stepped into the world of ocean endurance racing. With an impressive roster of ocean events under his […]
