Spanish Stars Dominate ESL Stop No. 3 as Aarón Sánchez Claims the Double

The 2026 European SUP League reached Switzerland on 20–21 June for the third stop of the season, as the Big Paddle Festival transformed the shores of Lake Zurich into one of the most exciting venues on the European circuit.

Organized by Florian Gander, founder of SUP Kultur and the Richterswil Watersport Center, the event marked a significant evolution from the former Big Paddle Challenge. The addition of the European SUP League attracted some of the world’s best athletes, turning Richterswil into a true international showcase for stand-up paddling.

Held on the final and hottest day of a severe European heatwave, with temperatures soaring above 35°C, the event welcomed close to 100 participants, including six reigning 2025 world champions alongside several former world title holders. Against the spectacular backdrop of the Swiss Alps and the crystal waters of Lake Zurich, elite athletes, juniors, masters paddlers and recreational participants shared the same festival atmosphere that has become the trademark of the Big Paddle Festival.

Aarón Sánchez Claims the Double

The standout performer of the weekend was undoubtedly Spain’s Aarón Sánchez. The Starboard Dream Team rider from Port Adriano, Mallorca, and reigning 2025 Sprint World Champion delivered a flawless performance, securing victory in both the Technical Race and the Long Distance.

The European SUP League competition featured Technical Race courses of 900 metres and 1.8 kilometres, while the Long Distance race covered a fast and tactical 6-kilometre course.

In the men’s Technical Race, Sánchez led an all-Spanish podium ahead of fellow Mar Balear club paddler Lluís Perotti and Fernando Pérez Serra. Dutch rider Donato Freens, who arrived in Switzerland as the overall European SUP League leader, finished fourth, while fellow Spaniard and 2025 Sprint World Champion Sergio Cantoral rounded out the top five.

The Long Distance race produced one of the closest finishes of the season so far. Sánchez crossed the finish line first in 34:44, claiming his second victory of the weekend. Sergio Cantoral finished just two seconds behind, while Lluís Perotti completed the podium only one second further back.

Rubén Cantoral, current leader of the U18 rankings, finished fourth overall, just five seconds behind the winner. Freens, considered one of the favourites after finishing second behind Shuri Araki in Santa Pola and taking a double victory in Lido Gandoli, had to settle for fifth place. Remarkably, the first five athletes were separated by only eight seconds, underlining the exceptional level of competition at the front of the European SUP League.

Alba Frey and Duna Gordillo Split Women’s Victories

The women’s races were equally competitive, with Spain once again dominating the podium positions.

Alba Frey, winner of the Technical Race at the opening European SUP League stop in Santa Pola, controlled the women’s 1.8-kilometre final from the start and successfully held off a strong challenge from her rivals to take the victory.

Behind her, Hungary’s Csillag Kocsis — five-time junior world champion across ISA and ICF competitions in 2024 and 2025 — produced a late surge to overtake Duna Gordillo approximately 200 metres from the finish line, securing second place. Gordillo completed the podium in third.

One of the revelations of the event was Nuria Chiquero. The Parres Watersports athlete won the U18 category and finished fourth overall, confirming her status as one of the sport’s most promising young talents. Spain’s most decorated female paddler, multiple-time world champion Esperanza Barreras, placed fifth overall while taking victory in the Master 40 division.

The Long Distance race featured the same leading trio but in a different order. Multiple-time world champion Duna Gordillo, the reigning Long Distance world title holder, moved to the top step of the podium with a winning time of 35:47 over the 6-kilometre course.

Frey finished second, eleven seconds behind Gordillo, while Kocsis secured another podium in third place, crossing the line just one second behind the Spaniard.

The 2026 Big Paddle Festival Podiums

Technical Race Podiums
Elite Men

1. Aarón Sánchez

2. Lluis Perotti

3. Fernando Pérez Serra

4. Donato Frenes

5. Sergio Cantoral

Elite Women

1. Alba Frey

2. Csillag Kocsis

3. Duna Gordillo

4. Nuria Chiquero

5. Espe Barreras

U18 Men

1. Daniel Senoglu

2. Rubén Cantoral

3. Aetz Ibarloza

U18 Women

1. Nuria Chiquero

2. Bianca Toncelli

3. Eva Díaz

M40 Men

1. Roberto Cañedo

2. Vicente Tortajada

3. Borja Fernández

M40 Women

1. Espe Barreras

2. Claudia Luchetta

GM50 Men

1. Daniele Cani

2. Marc Foraster

3. Tomás Durá

G50 Women

1. Emmanuelle Marcon

2. Carolina Bustamante

3. Silvina Gómez

Kahuna Men

1. Jorge Chiquero

U16 Boys

1. Enzo Ponzó

U16 Girls

1. Lena Nowak

2. Maja Bauerek

U14 Boys

1. Tomás Blin

U8 Boys

1. Wiktor Seweryn

Long Distance Podiums 

Elite Men

1. Aarón Sánchez

2. Sergio Cantoral

3. Lluis Perotti

4. Rubén Cantoral

5. Donato Freens

Elite Women

1. Duna Gordillo

2. Alba Frey

3. Csillag Kocsis

4. Espe Barreras

5. Anna Tschirky

U18 Men

1. Rubén Cantoral

2. Daniel Senoglu

3. Aetz Ibarloza

U18 Women

1. Nuria Chiquero

2. Bianca Toncelli

3. Emilia Daszewska

M40 Men

1. Roberto Cañedo

2. Vicente Tortajada

3. Borja Fernández

M40 Women

1. Espe Barreras

2. Claudia Luchetta

GM50 Men

1. Daniele Cani

2. Marc Foraster

3. Gatien Othon

GM50 Women

1. Andrea Forrer

2. Emmanuelle Marcon

3. Karoline Gross

Kahuna Men

1. Jorge Chiquero

2. Enrique Barrajón

U16 boys

1. Enzo Ponzó

U16 Girls

1. Lena Nowak

2. Maja Bauerek

U14 Boys

1. Tomás Blin

Next Stop: Poland

Following successful events in Santa Pola, Taranto and Lake Zurich, the European SUP League now heads directly to its fourth stop of the season.

📅 26–28 June 2026
📍 Rybnik, Poland

Stay tuned to TotalSUP’s Facebook and Instagram pages for full coverage, race reports and rankings updates as the 2026 European SUP League continues.