Shuri Araki confirmed for Koh Chang’s Emerald Challenge, competing & leading an exclusive ocean clinic

The inaugural Koh Chang International Ocean Race: The Emerald Challenge – held on 23-24 May  in Thailand – brings together the ultimate ocean paddling experience across two days of world-class competition and breathtaking natural scenery. Featuring Surfski (25km), OC1 (25km), Kayak (15km), and SUP disciplines including Long Distance (15km), Technical (1km), and Sprints (200m), the festival is designed to showcase both endurance and speed at the highest level.

With a ฿1,000,000 THB prize pool (approx. $30,000 USD / €27,000 EUR), The Emerald Challenge 2026 positions itself as a major new fixture on the international ocean sports calendar, attracting elite athletes to one of Asia’s most spectacular coastal destinations. Koh Chang, recognised among the world’s “Top 100 Green Destinations,” offers not only a world-class race course, but also one of the region’s cleanest and most sustainably preserved natural settings.

What makes the event truly exceptional is the setting itself: the entire paddling route runs through a protected national park area, offering what may be a rare chance to race in waters of this level of purity and preservation.

Adding further prestige to the inaugural edition, the event will be fronted by a 12-time World SUP Champion and Starboard SUP Dream Team Rider, Shuri Araki, who will also lead an exclusive SUP clinic for participants. This brings elite-level knowledge directly to athletes on site, creating a rare bridge between world championship experience and the next generation of paddlers.

We sat down with Supitchaya Punnawiroj – known in the paddling world as Polly – the Project Manager behind the Koh Chang International Ocean Race, to get an inside look at what makes The Emerald Challenge so special and why this may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to paddle in one of the region’s most extraordinary racing environments.

Hi Polly, welcome to TotalSUP and let’s dive right in 😊 Who makes up the team behind The Emerald Challenge, and what inspired the race? What’s the vision guiding this inaugural event?

It all started in Trat province, home to Koh Chang. The original idea was simple but powerful: we want the world to see how stunning this place really is – especially the emerald-coloured ocean that gives the race its name.

What makes this event extra special is that the paddling route is inside a protected national park area, and it has never been officially opened for this kind of activity before. So yes… this is a first!

Of course, that also made it quite challenging. It took strong collaboration from many organizations. Trat province appointed Khun Pornchai Kijjarouk (Nordic Kayaks Thailand & Bangkok Paddle Club) as Event Director, with the Rowing & Canoeing Association of Thailand (RCAT) ensuring fair and standardized racing. We’re also supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and many other partners.

The vision? To create a world-class race that not only challenges athletes, but also showcases Thailand’s natural beauty – and hopefully puts Koh Chang firmly on the global paddling map.

The Emerald Challenge features SUP, surfski, OC1, and kayak events across multiple distances. How did you decide on this variety, and what does it bring to the overall race experience?

The honest answer? Because… we’re all paddlers. And all these sports – SUP, surfski, OC1, kayak – are low-carbon activities, which aligns perfectly with the event’s values.

But beyond that, we love the idea of different disciplines sharing the same playground. It creates a fun, dynamic race atmosphere. We actually tested this once with a beach start race mixing surfski and SUP, with buoy turns in the ocean – and the crowd LOVED it. So we thought… okay, let’s make it bigger!

Who is The Emerald Challenge designed for and how are recreational paddlers able to take part alongside elite athletes?

For everyone who loves paddling. If you’re competitive, go all in and chase your best time. If you’re more into the experience, just enjoy the view (and trust me… you’ll want to).

This might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to paddle this exact route. And hopefully next year, we’ll see both familiar faces coming back – and even more recreational paddlers discovering just how beautiful this course is.

What role do you see Thai athletes playing alongside the international field, and how does this event support the growth of the local paddling scene?

Thai athletes play a really important role – they bring strong regional competitiveness, especially at the Asian level, and they add a unique energy to the race.

While the global level is still highly competitive, events like this help bridge that gap. Competing alongside international athletes gives Thai paddlers exposure, experience, and motivation to step up to the next level. At the same time, many Thai participants are “sports tourists”—people who come not just to compete, but to experience something special.

We also want to make paddling more accessible. We offer free beach-side sessions for beginners, so anyone can try the sport. And for SUP paddlers… well, many of them might head straight to prefer training with Shuri Araki – multiple world champion and Coach.

With top international paddlers like Shuri Araki confirmed, how are you positioning this race on the global paddling calendar – and do you see it becoming a fixed annual event?

Having Shuri join us definitely raises the energy of the Asian paddling scene. Right now, most major competition circuits are based in Europe. But we’ve actually spoken with Shuri’s coach, and we share the same idea – we’d love to see an Asian Tour someday. Something like a series similar to the Euro Tour.

But before that, we need to build awareness of the sport across Asia – and that’s something every country is starting to contribute to. So yes, this race is a step in that direction. And hopefully… the beginning of something even bigger.

What makes Salak Phet Bay a standout venue for ocean racing across SUP, surfski, and paddle disciplines?

It’s honestly one of the most beautiful spots in the Koh Chang archipelago. From here, you can access multiple stunning southern islands. The race route includes Koh Ngam (also known as the “two beaches island”) and Koh Lao Ya – places with crystal-clear water that honestly feel like the Maldives.

And fun fact: Koh Chang has over 50 surrounding islands… so we’re just getting started!

With Koh Chang ranked as a Top 100 Green Destination, how is sustainability built into The Emerald Challenge?

Sustainability is at the core of the event. All race activities are low-carbon by nature, and we’ve implemented waste separation on-site to ensure proper recycling and disposal.

We’re also working closely with local partners to minimize environmental impact, especially since we are operating within a protected national park area. The goal is simple: Leave nothing behind – except great memories.

How does the prize pot reflect the event’s ambition and what does it mean for competitors across the different divisions?

To be honest, this is the largest prize pool ever seen in a paddling event in Thailand. The prize structure and allocation are determined by the senior organizing bodies and supporting authorities and is designed to support both international elite athletes and Thai competitors.

International divisions have higher prize tiers, reflecting the level of high-performance competition. At the same time, we’ve created dedicated prize categories for Thai athletes to make the event more accessible to local and amateur paddlers. Because at the end of the day, we want both: high-level competition and a growing community.

In chat with Shuri Araki:

Hi Shuri, as a multiple World SUP Champion, why did you choose to race at The Emerald Challenge, and what excites you most about its pristine, world-class ocean conditions?

Running a SUP clinic at the event, what key ocean-racing tips or insights do you hope to share with participants?