Gran Canaria PRO 2025: Fernando Pérez Shares the Secrets Behind His Winning Performance

The 5th edition of the Gran Canaria Pro delivered spectacular racing at Anfi del Mar on June 7-8. With challenging wind conditions and world-class competition, the event showcased everything that makes SUP racing captivating.

Fernando Pérez Starboard dream team rider and one of the best paddler from Spain, dominated the weekend with a commanding wire-to-wire victory in the Elite long-distance category. The Andalusian’s performance was a masterclass in race craft and mental strength, cementing his status as one of the sport’s most formidable competitors.

Following his impressive victory, we caught up with Fernando to discuss his preparation, the challenging conditions, and what’s driving his exceptional 2025 season.

Hi Fer, you’ve started 2025 with some incredible results. What’s been the key difference this year that’s allowed you to elevate your performance to this level?

Without a doubt, one of the biggest changes has been moving to Mallorca. I now train at Mar Balear (Port Adriano Club), a hub for elite paddlers, where I’m surrounded by a high-performance environment. Being coached and guided by Manuel Simoncelli and Laura Quetglas, who have developed so many top athletes, makes a huge difference. I also get to train daily with people like Aaron, Lluis, and Duna,  it’s incredibly motivating and pushes me to improve every day.

This weekend at the Gran Canaria PRO, the conditions were quite challenging. Can you share how you managed them and what gear you used during the races?

It was definitely a tough race. We started with an upwind section, followed by strong side winds, and ended with an epic downwind, honestly one of the best I’ve ever experienced. For both races, I used my Starboard All Star, which is always my go-to board. It performs great in all types of conditions.

Can you share some tips on how you managed to stay in top form throughout both days of competition?

I felt really good over the two days. I think it all comes down to the training behind the scenes. When you’ve put in the work consistently, it shows up when it matters most. That preparation helped me stay strong across both the long distance and the sprint.

What motivates you to keep pushing at this level of competition? Are there specific events or goals you’re focused on this season?

What keeps me going is the fun I have with friends and the drive to find out where my limits are in this sport. Of course, there are key events on the calendar that really matter, like the Spanish Championships, EuroTour races, and the World Championships. Each of them carries a lot of weight for me.

Challenging long distance

Saturday morning started with perfect conditions for racing. The wind picked up early at Anfi del Mar, making the races more exciting and challenging for everyone. Athletes had to paddle through different types of conditions, some parts with crosswinds, others against the wind, plus dealing with ocean swells.

Racing started in the morning with different categories taking turns on the water. Crowds gathered all around the course to cheer for the paddlers. The sunny weather and excited fans created an amazing atmosphere on the beach.

Fernando Pérez had a perfect race day. He took the lead right from the start and never let anyone catch him. His smart racing and strong paddling showed why he’s one of the best. David Leiro also made a great  performance reahing the second place.In third place we´ve got the young man from Galicia  Antón Sanz.

Alba Frey won the women’s race with another strong performance. She showed great skills in adapting to the changing conditions during the race. Young Bianca Toncelli had an excellent second place finish, while Erica Revil from France took third place.

The Liga Federación races were also very competitive. Rubén Salgado won the men’s category, followed by Jared Guerra and Jaime Morales. Bianca Toncelli also won this category for women, with Claudia Luchetta and Alba García finishing second and third.

Saturday Afternoon Fun

The afternoon was all about fun activities. Ocean 4 Life gave a talk about protecting the environment, and Second Reef organized SUP Yoga classes . But the highlight was definitely the Big SUP races. These involved huge boards with multiple people paddling together, creating lots of laughs and spectacular crashes that had everyone on the beach cheering and laughing.

Sunday: Sprint Racing

Sunday was completely different with sprint races. These short, fast races test speed and quick reactions instead of endurance. The format was simple: start on the beach, sprint 100 meters to a buoy, turn around quickly, and race back to the beach as fast as possible.

Many heats ran throughout the morning for all age groups. Spanish paddlers showed they are very good at this type of racing too. The races were intense and exciting to watch, with every second counting.

This was especially important for the Canarian Surf Federation to see how their local athletes perform in sprint racing.

Long distance result:

Liga PRO Elite
1 Fernando Pérez
2 David Leiro
3 Anton Sanz

1 Alba Frey
2 Bianca Toncelli
3 Erica Revil

Liga Federación
1 Rubén Salgado
2 Jared Guerra
3 Jaime Morales

1 Bianca Toncelli
2 Claudia Luchetta
3 Alba García