The Best Men, Women SUP Surfers from Around the World Showcase Serious Style in Sayulita
Tarryn King (Kyte) dominated her heats performing radical maneuvers, giving Team South Africa a strong start. Photo: ISA/Ben Reed
StandUp Paddle (SUP) Surfing kicked off the week of competition at the 2015 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship Presented by Hotel Kupuri on Monday, May 11 in Sayulita, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico.
The best men and women SUP surfers from around the world took to the warm waters of Sayulita. Athletes showcased supreme style to both the spectators in the sand and the world via live webcast.
Brian Talma, one of two brothers making up Team Barbados, represented his country proudly as a SUP surfer. Talma will surf again in the Repechaje Round on Thursday with the support of his Caribbean Island Nation. Photo: ISA/Ben Reed
The surf ranged from 2-3 feet throughout the day with occasionally larger sets rolling in. These waves allowed the world’s best to perform vertical snaps, wraps and airs to keep the crowd on their toes.
“The first round of guys and girls SUP Surfing has been amazing! The conditions were great. It’s been a perfect day for warming up,” stated ISA President Fernando Aguerre. “We know there is a big swell coming later in the week. It’s going to be huge.”
Aguerre continued, “Yesterday we had one of the best Opening Ceremonies in history, with Jalisco and Huicholes dancers. All the teams together, with the friendships and the flags, all of those things make this is a real world championship. As in all ISA World Championships, the world comes to one place. We get together for ten days, and we go home with new friends, having experienced epic times.”
Day 1 of the event featured the opening Main Event Rounds 1 and 2 of the Men’s and Women’s SUP Surfing. The standouts of the day were U.S.A.’s Sean Poynter on the Men’s side and Brazil’s Nicole Pacelli on the Women’s.
Poynter, the 2013 Gold Medalist, put on a powerful performance in his two heats, which earned him the two highest total heat scores of the day with a 13.20 and a 13.27, respectively. The 25-year-old from San Diego advanced to the next round with ease and is one step closer to the final and potentially a second Gold Medal.
Pacelli, the 2013 SUP Surfing Gold Medalist, scored the highest women’s heat score with 11.26. Count on Pacelli to take advantage of her high placing on Day 1 to rest up and study her competition.
Team Mexico’s Felipe Hernandez was met by cheering and celebration on the beach after entertaining the crowd with the largest air of the day and a heat win. Photo: ISA/Ben Reed
Regardless of the first day’s results, nobody has been eliminated. All the athletes placing 1st and 2nd move on to the next round. All athletes that placed 3rd and 4th move on to the Repechaje Round, where they will get one more chance.
Day 2 of the webcast, will begin with The Morning Show at 8:40am hosted by Beau Hodge and will feature 2013 and 2014 SUP Technical Race Gold Medalist Casper Steinfath representing Team Denmark. Following will be the 20Km Women’s Long Distance SUP and Paddleboard Races.
On the SUP Racing side, defending Gold Medalist from 2014, Canada’s Lina Augaitis will be looking to defend her title. However, Augaitis will face stiff competition against newcomers, Candice Appleby from USA and Terrene Black from Australia.
The Paddleboard Race will feature the ISA’s most decorated athlete, Australia’s Jordan Mercer. 2014’s Silver Medalist, Carter Graves from USA will challenge the Australian for the Gold Medal.
Australia’s Jackson Close, shaking hands with Costa Rica’s Alvaro Solano, showing the spirt of sportsmanship, a common site at ISA World Championships. Photo: ISA/Ben Reed
Tune in to the live webscast of the second day of the 2015 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship Presented by Hotel Kupuri:
Monday, 8:40am Mexico Monday, 6:40am West Coast USA Monday, 3:40pm Paris, France Monday, 11:40pm Sydney, Australia
The 10 things you need to know about the 2015 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship are:
Fernando Stalla, Member of Team Mexico, SUP surfing at his home break of Sayulita, Mexico. Photo: Ed Dorsett/Wicked Fotos
1. The Event The ISA World StandUp Paddle and Paddleboard Championship (WSUPPC) will gather the world’s best SUP Racers, SUP Surfers, and Paddleboarders to compete in an International Teams competition.
It is an “Olympic Style” event – teams compete for medals and the honor of representing their countries. The excellence of competition reaches its highest level as each participant defends his or her country’s flag.
2. The Venue Sayulita is a quaint, coastal village about 25 miles north of downtown Puerto Vallarta in the state of Nayarit, Mexico, with a population of approximately 5,000.
Summer temperatures in Sayulita average 88 degrees Fahrenheit (31 degrees Celsius) with high humidity and chances of rain.
Punta Sayulita is a rock/reef bottom break that is fed sand by a river-mouth, offering up right and left waves to surf.
3. The Competition The ISA WSUPPC is an annual competition that will visit Mexico for the first time, and will feature defending Gold Medalists and up-and-coming athletes from around the world.
Lina Augaitis competirá por el Equipo de Canada para defender su Medalla de Oro en la Carrera SUP de Distancia. Foto: ISA/Rommel Gonzales
4. The History The ISA is Surfing’s World Governing Authority as recognized by the International Olympic Committee since 1995. The ISA first held the World SUP and Paddleboard Championship in 2012, in Miraflores, Peru and again in 2013.
During the 2014 ISA WSUPPC that took place in Granada and La Boquita, Nicaragua, the Australian Team won 11 Individual Medals and the Team Relay Gold Medal, awarding them the overall World Team Championship for the third consecutive year.
5. The Mission The ISA’s mission is to develop Surfing and SUP globally. The 2015 edition of the World Championship was brought to Mexico to further develop the sport in the country. The ISA’s mission is fulfilled through annual World Championships, membership development, educational programs, scholarship distribution and working towards Surfing and SUP’s inclusion in the Olympic Games.
Tahiti’s Poenaiki Raioha will return to the 2015 ISA WSUPPC to defend his 2014 Gold Medal in SUP Surfing. Photo: ISA/Michael Tweddle
6. The Numbers
More than 300 SUP Surfers, SUP Racers, Paddleboarders and Team Officials from 27 countries will participate in the event. It will feature the following divisions with the maximum number of competitors per country in parenthesis:
SUP Surfing: Men (2), Woman (1)
SUP Racing Technical: Men (2), Woman (1)
SUP Racing Distance: Men (2), Woman (1)
Paddleboard Racing Technical: Man (1), Woman (1)
Paddleboard Racing Distance: Man (1), Woman (1)
Paddle Team Relay: (4 athletes per team)
SUP Racing: Man (1), Woman (1)
Paddleboard: Man (1), Woman (1)
7. The Schedule The ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship Opening Ceremony will officially take place on May 10th, 2015 in Sayulita, Mexico, with the Parade of the Nations and the Sands of the World Ceremony.
The Parade of Nations is a colorful and energy-filled event, complete with teams chanting, flags waving and locals cheering who come out to watch the celebration.
The Sands of the World Ceremony symbolizes the true fraternal spirit that bonds all members of the global surfing tribe. The union of the countries in this Ceremony is symbolized through the mixing of the sands from the shores of all participating International Delegations, showcasing the ISA’s desire for a better and peaceful world.
Full Schedule Below (Subject to change according to local conditions):
Friday, May 8th Press Conference 11am
Sunday, May 10th Opening Ceremony 5pm
Monday, May 11th First Day of Competition – SUP Surfing
Tuesday, May 12th Long Distance Women Finals (SUP and Paddleboard)
Wednesday, May 13th Long Distance Men Finals (SUP and Paddleboard)
Thursday, May 14th SUP Surfing
Friday, May 15th Technical Race Qualifying
Saturday, May 16th SUP Surfing Finals & Team Relay
Sunday, May 17 Technical Race Finals
Team Relay Finals
Closing Ceremony
8. The Expectation Traditional SUP and Paddleboard powerhouse teams like Australia, USA, France and Brazil have confirmed their participation in the World Championship.
In addition, new teams will have a presence including Hawaii, Holland and the US Virgin Islands.
9. The Growth The ISA WSUPPC has witnessed explosive growth since the inaugural event in 2012. This World Championship has nearly tripled from 105 to more than 300 participants and grown from 17 to 27 countries.
10. Past Champions
2014 ISA WSUPPC Gold Medalists:
Overall Team Champion – Australia
Men’s SUP Surfing – Poenaiki Raioha (TAH)
Women’s SUP Surfing – Emmy Merrill (USA)
Men’s SUP Technical Race – Casper Steinfath (DEN)
Women’s SUP Technical Race – Shakira Westdorp (AUS)
Team Relay – Australia
Men’s Paddleboard Technical Race – Rhys Burrows (AUS)
Women’s Paddleboard Technical Race – Jordan Mercer (AUS)
Men’s SUP Long Distance Race – Titouan Puyo (FRA)
Women’s SUP Long Distance Race – Lina Augaitis (CAN)
Men’s Paddleboard Distance Race – Rhys Burrows (AUS)
Women’s Paddleboard Distance Race – Jordan Mercer (AUS)
2013 ISA WSUPPC Gold Medalists:
Overall Team Champion – Australia
Men’s SUP Surfing – Sean Poynter (USA)
Women’s SUP Surfing – Nicole Pacelli (BRA)
Men’s SUP Technical Race – Casper Steinfath (DEN)
Women’s SUP Technical Race – Angela Jackson (AUS)
Team Relay – Australia
Men’s Paddleboard Technical Race – Lincoln Dews (AUS)
Women’s Paddleboard Technical Race – Jordan Mercer (AUS)
Men’s SUP Long Distance Race – Jamie Mitchell (AUS)
Women’s SUP Long Distance Race – Angela Jackson (AUS)
Men’s Paddleboard Distance Race – Brad Gaul (AUS)
Women’s Paddleboard Distance Race – Jordan Mercer (AUS)
The South African Stand Up Paddling & Prone Paddleboard team departs for Sayulita, Mexico on Monday 4th of May to take on the world’s best. This will be the 4th running of the World Championships, where South Africa has previously won a bronze medal in 2012 and silver in 2013 in the overall team event. Australia, USA and France along with Mexico carry the pressure, while South Africa are also seen as contenders for a podium position once again. The late entry of the Hawaiian team will put added pressure on the SA boys and girls to perform at their best. The event encompasses two sports, namely stand up paddleboarding which comprises of three disciplines – wave riding, technical racing, in and out of the surf and an 18km long distance race. Prone paddling, which has traditionally always been a lifesaving event, takes up the other spot.
On the individual front, seasoned campaigner Justin Bing from Noordhoek (now residing in Durban) will be searching for that elusive final, after making it to the semi’s three years running. He is joined by Tom and Tarryn King who have produced outstanding results in SA as well as in California at the end of last year. World Junior SUP racing champions Dylan Frick and Ethan Koopmans have stepped up into the Open division and are ready for the big names in world SUP. Joining them in the racing are young guns Mishka Steyn, Wade Keet and Joshua Robertson. Our two prone paddlers, Jayden Alfred-Loots and Anna Notten boast multiple SA titles and the latter has on two previous occasions won silver medals at this event. Watch out for live streaming of the event from 10th-17th May. Details to appear on the team’s facebook page – SA SUP Team as well as on their website www.supsa.org.za
Photo’s – Melissa Clark
Ethan Koopmans (Melkbos) leads the field in a recent XOTB technical in’s & out’s event race in Tableview.
The SA SUP Team hard at work during a team-building session.
Tarryn King (Kirstenhof) sprints to the finish line ahead of the field in the recent XOTB technical in’s & out’s event held in Tableview.
Aloha
Gary Van Rooyen
2015 SA SUP & Prone Team Coach
King Of The Bay SUP Fun starts this Thursday! If you’re going to be in town this week, come visit DUC this Thursday from 4pm onwards.
The SUP Durbs! Club have moved their regular Thursday evening TT from King Fisher down to the DUC Club where they will be doing the regular surf ski dice that happens there, which starts at 5:30pm. Registration for King Of The Bay Surfski (& SUP) Race will be taking part from 4:00pm onwards.
The SUP Durbs Committee members will be available if anyone needs any assistance in getting to start lines or any other race related questions.
Please contact Bruce Clarke should you require any more information: bruce@atlanticindian.net
Don’t forget your lifejackets, these are compulsory.
SUPRacer.com – We’ve got more ISA Worlds team news for you today, with South Africa introducing a solid all round lineup. The South Africans have been one of the star performers in past editions of the Worlds, famously finishing runner-up to Australia in 2013 to compliment their third place finish in 2012. The 2014 team wasn’t a complete squad, which saw them drop down the rankings, however this year they’ll be back with an (almost) complete lineup and in search of former glories.
Team South Africa was actually announced last month, but I missed the story at the time. And besides, now it fits in with the team-a-day news cycle that we’ve somehow gotten caught in.
South Africa is a well-known paddling/surfing mecca. If you follow our excellent South Africa correspondent, Peter Petersen, you’ll know how insanely good the downwind runs are on the Western Cape. You’ll also know that the country is home to a few world class paddlers.
So let’s take a closer look at the 2015 Team South Africa…
Women’s SUP Racing
Mishka Steyn (course + distance)
Men’s SUP Surfing
Justin Bing
Thomas King
Women’s SUP Surfing
Tarryn King (née Kyte)
Men’s Prone Paddleboarding
Jayden Loots (course + distance) second prone paddler spot still to be filled
Women’s Prone Paddleboarding
Anna Notten (course + distance)
Team Management
Candace Hurn – Manager
Gary van Rooyen – Coach
James Raaff – Medical Support
Dylan Frick (white) alongside Denmark’s Casper Steinfath at the last year’s Worlds
The men’s SUP racing division is a mix of youth, more youth and experience. All four of these guys are still youngsters, though Dylan Frick is already a veteran of the team while Ethan Koopmans returns for the second year in a row. Joining them are debutantes Wade Keet, a quick-sprinting young kid that’ll contest the course race with Dylan, and Joshua Robertson, a very promising downwind talent that’ll race alongside Ethan in the distance event.
It’ll be tough for these lads to snag a medal against the likes of Danny/Connor/Titou/Zane/Mo/Casper/Slater/etc in the field, however a spirited fight will see upsets of the more well-known names and could easily push them inside the Top 10 of each race. Ethan in particular will be a dark horse in the distance race if there are any bumps on offer – this guy has been unbeatable in Cape Town’s famous Downwind Dash Series in recent times.
Ethan is also famous for having started last year’s distance race standing up but finishing as a prone paddler: The youngster snapped his paddle at a critical moment, just as he and Dylan were surging back to the main pack. It was a heartbreaking way to end your race, but Ethan carried it in his stride, paddled the rest of the way home laying down and still crossed the finish line with a smile.
As a bonus, having four SUP racing guys allows each athlete to focus 100% on their one event. These guys can all push themselves to the brink without having to worry about being too exhausted for the next race.
Dylan Frick and Ethan Koopmans lead the chase pack during last year’s distance race
The sole women’s rep is Mishka Steyn, who just like Ethan has dominated the Cape Town series over the past year or two. We haven’t really seen Mishka on the international stage though, so the youngster, who is also overcoming a recent injury, is a bit of an unknown quantity.
Along with a few very solid SUP racers, Team South Africa has plenty of experience in the SUP surfing event. However the brightest star and best medal chance is definitely the women’s prone paddler Anna Notten.
I had a front row seat watching Anna give Australia’s unbeatable Jordie Mercer a big scare at the 2013 event. If Anna can once again feature on the prone podium twice (and I’m almost certain she will), it’ll give South Africa a massive boost on the overall teams leaderboard. It’ll also make them very competitive in the all important Team Relay, which caps off the Championship and goes a long way in determining final team placings.
Mishka Steyn will make her debut for Team South Africa at the 2015 ISA Worlds in Mexico
RACE 2 of 2015 SUPSA TROPHY is Happening on the 27 April in the warm waters of Durban ‘ KING OF THE BAY SUP RACE, hosted by The SUP DURBS CLUB, it will count for rankings & selections .
