Kateřina Trdlová – The Silent World Champion Who Appeared Out of Nowhere

As the 2025 ICF SUP World Championships begin this week in Abu Dhabi, one inspiring paddler will be watching from afar. Kateřina Trdlová, from Czechia, will not be on the start line this time, but her story from last year’s Worlds in Sarasota still deserves to be told. In 2024, she claimed gold in the women’s 50+ long-distance race, finishing so fast she caught up with the 40+ athletes’ top 10 who had an earlier start. With no tracker and no distinctive lycra, it took several minutes to realize that this single mother, widow, and woman of extraordinary courage had just become World Champion. Now a SUP coach, Kateřina continues to inspire others with her determination and humility. What follows is her own story, written in Czech and translated into English, in her honest and heartfelt words.

Paddleboarding as a Sport, a Mindset, and a Way to Travel the World

The 2024 SUP World Championship gold medal , hosted in Florida, USA — this once seemed like a dream, if not a utopia. Especially from the perspective of a woman in her fifties, a university lecturer and interpreter living in a small village at the foot of the Jizera Mountains. Mountains!

Sport — particularly extreme and endurance disciplines — has been part of my life since the beginning. My need for endorphins to maintain mental balance has grown in proportion to life’s increasing demands.

But the story of my medals began when I realized my younger son was unbelievably energetic. When you have a restless child, you must run for your well-being — and the side effect is the titles and medals you collect along the way. I have tried many sports — judo, sailing, skydiving, mountaineering, ski mountaineering, and ultra-marathon trail running in the mountains — and accepted every challenge that came my way. I didn’t do badly — in fact, I won quite a few events. The last sport I picked up was SUP.

Stand Up Paddleboarding is a relatively young sport but one that is growing rapidly, especially because it offers so many ways to enjoy active leisure. Holidays by the sea no longer have to mean roasting on the beach, playing cards, and endlessly hearing “What can we do? There’s no Wi-Fi?!”

And that’s exactly how my career as an athlete — and later, as a representative of the Czech Republic at international events — began. Exactly five years ago, with no ambition, no information, and absolutely no technique. Just a way to survive a lazy seaside holiday with kids.

Coincidence, Fate, or Boldness?

I became the proud owner of an inflatable stand-up paddleboard bought from a chain store, and a week later — with no experience whatsoever — I didn’t hesitate to enter a race in the Czech Republic Cup series… and I won.

That was just the first step. Then came more and more races, and I became completely absorbed — not only for myself but also with my son. We started exploring new destinations, both in the Czech Republic and abroad. Weekends were spent by the water. Rivals became friends. A whole new, amazing SUP life began to spin.

Selection for the 2023 ISA World Championships, France — and the Untamed Ocean Waves

I happened to meet the selection criteria for the ISA World Championships, which became a perfect 50th birthday gift. I trained like crazy — in the rain, on frosty mornings at my local reservoir — conditions that couldn’t compare to those of athletes from France, Spain, or Greece. I wanted to keep up with the young, talented competitors on the waves of the Atlantic Ocean of Les Sables d’Olonne — waves I had never experienced before. They were so high you couldn’t even see the boats and buoys.

Yet when I faced the ocean, I stayed calm — no panic, no fear. I knew I couldn’t even leave the beach properly on my board, let alone paddle at race pace, but I had four days to learn a few tricks from experienced racers — and my friend Luci.

Start. The world’s best female paddleboarders go into battle — Spanish, French, Italian, Ivka (the Czech number one), young and talented… and me. Eighteen kilometers of rolling waves — paddling, not upwind but literally uphill, to the height of a first-floor window, then down again, over and over. Some girls got seasick. I managed to finish — to my own and others’ surprise — in 20th place, just seconds behind Ivka. The feeling was indescribable — pure enthusiasm and euphoria. I had finished successfully.

2024 ICF World Championships — Sarasota, Florida, USA

After a year of hard training and structured preparation, my coach had tears in his eyes — perhaps moved that I was finally following instructions.

At Nathan Benderson Park, a venue purpose-built for canoe racing — where huge turtles and fish could be seen beneath the water — the battles of the ICF World Championships unfolded across three disciplines: sprint, technical, and long distance.

I was especially looking forward to the distance race — the final start of the season, meant to be enjoyed and celebrated.

At the start line, I checked the conditions, waited for the signal, and then — I had a perfect start, quickly leaving the others behind and shaking off anyone trying to draft me.
“Keep the pace. Don’t get fooled. Push harder. They’re behind you — but how far?” I thought. “Don’t rest on your laurels. Don’t trust the feeling of victory. Go. It hurts. Keep going. The finish line is near…”

After 11.5 km, I crossed the line — certain I had won. But there was silence. No cheers, no applause. Nervous, I wondered if I had miscounted the laps. “Maybe one more?” I hesitated — but then saw the others slowing down and sitting on their boards. The race was over.

Okay then — I was the World Champion, and the world hadn’t even noticed. That happens sometimes.

Eventually, the commentator announced the surprising fact that the women 50+ had finished faster than expected, and then came the celebration — hugs with the team and fellow competitors.

What Am I Most Happy About?

My dear rivals, now friends — all the amazing people I’ve met at starting lines around the world. I’m so grateful to call you my friends.

The world championship in Abu Dhabi is coming soon, but I won’t be there. I’ve learned my lesson:
The more you train, push your limits, and focus on your goals, the narrower your vision can become.

The gold medal is just one small thing, but there are so many wonderful people, experiences, and values around you that you should never forget.

And if you don’t win — so what? Even the world’s applause fades quickly — but the rest, the journey itself, remains.

You have to train hard — not just to win, but to earn the privilege of being part of these great events.

Katerina Trdlova’s top SUP Race achievements

– Les Sables d’Olonne, France – 2023 ISA World Championships: 20th place, Long Distance Open Women
– Pattaya, Thailand – 2023 ICF World Championships: 3rd place, Technical 50+ Women
– Szeged, Hungary – 2024 ICF European Championships: 3rd place, Long Distance 40+ Women
– Copenhagen, Denmark – 2024 ISA World Championships: 26th place, Long Distance Open Women
– Sarasota, Florida, USA – 2024 ICF World Championships: 1st place, Long Distance 50+ Women; 3rd place, Technical 50+ Women
– Costa Blanca, Spain – 2025: 1st place, 15 km and Technical Race 50+
– Czech Republic – 2025 National Championships: 1st place, Distance Race (Open); 2nd place, Technical Race (Open)
– Nominated for the 2025 ISA World and European Championships

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