+40 Canadian SUP Champion Tommy Buday Forced to Sit Out 2024 ICF SUP Worlds Due to Arm Injury

In a heartfelt and candid letter to TotalSUP, Canadian SUP athlete and SIC Team Manager Tamas “Tommy” Buday announced he will not be competing in this year’s ICF SUP World Championships due to a serious work accident. Just a few weeks ago, a motorboat fell off its dolly, landing on his arm and causing a fracture that is not healing well. The news is a huge disappointment for +40 athlete Tommy, who had been training hard to bounce back from last year’s fall at the Technical Race final, where he was a top favorite.

This setback is especially difficult after missing the 2021 ICF Worlds in Lake Balaton, Hungary, where he grew up, a blow he says still affects him. Tommy’s career is decorated with major achievements in the +40 year old category though, including the 2019 ICF Long Distance World Championship title, a bronze in Long Distance and two silvers for Sprint and Technical Race in 2022,  and another bronze medal last year in Long Distance.

While he won’t be able to race this year, Tommy’s letter below reflects his love for SUP, his respect for the sport, and his plans to cheer on his fellow competitors from home.

Hello Mathieu,

Just wanted to let you know that this year I will not be at the World Championships! Not because of Lack of training and preparation, or not having uncontrollable desire to race and compete, but because of a crazy work accident which left me with a broken arm. Happened exactly 3 weeks and a day ago, which came with a devastating blow that I would not be able to race this year. I was still very optimistic and hoping to juts be there and help my fellow Canadian crew and act as Team manager for SIC.

Last week on my check up and second x-ray we saw that my bone is not healing well and it was in displacement. Therefore the doctor did not think it a good idea for me to go to Florida for a longer period without being able to keep on eye on my developments. So came the “third blow” that I cannot even travel and be at the Championships.

Now I know this is not the END of all and I will recover and be back on my board next spring. I know in the world there are so much more devastations and bad. I am very thank full that I still have my heath and family that supports me. I am very lucky and blessed to be in my position. However as an athlete I am saddened that this year had to go down like this. As a competitor all my life, not being able to do what I love, to travel to the biggest competition of the year, is a huge disappointment. After my fall last year in Thailand at the technical finals, I was determined to come back stronger and train smarter, to have fun during the year with my group and push my abilities even further. 5 weeks to the World Championships I felt stronger and more connected with my SIC RST and Stingray than ever before. I was tremendously looking forward to meet up with my 40+ friends and competitors!

Now I know that WE are 40+ and we are “has been” athletes, but for us this is as much a world championships as for the younger open category. This is why ICF is so respected because it is inclusive for everyone. Developing the JUNIOR event should be priority and keeping the Open event the biggest is the most exciting. Having 40+ and 50+ events added to the racing structure has elevated the SUP scene for so many of us. Adding Junior category should be every race directors main
project from now on to see the sport grow and continue. With a broken heart but full of excitement, I’ll be watching and cheering from home! I was hoping even with a broken arm I could maybe join you in the
commentator booth for some of the races…. I really wanted to do that.??

Have fun and thank you for keeping SUP alive. TotalSUP is awesome and wishing you and everyone the best time!! You know I would have been the one starting the party on stage….. Now I have to learn to find peace in stillness. Trying to listen and learn from all this. It might take a while to figure it out, but I’m up for the challenge.
Tommy Buday, Canada, SIC TEAM Manager.

To follow Tommy Buday and send him your best wishes for a swift recovery:
Instagram: @tamasbuday

For more information on SIC Maui:
www.sicmaui.com