Women and men reach Main Event Finals at 2018 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship
Past ISA World Champions Sean Poynter (USA) and Luiz Diniz (BRA) poised to battle for Gold
Defending Women’s World Champion Shakira Westdorp (AUS) surfs strong in Repechage Rounds
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After three days of SUP Surfing action at the 2018 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship, the stage has been set to crown the event’s first ISA SUP Surfing World Champions in Asia.
The world’s best men and women SUP surfers have arrived at the Main Event Finals in Wanning, China and will contest the Gold Medals on Monday.
Brazil’s Luiz Diniz and USA’s Sean Poynter are the past ISA World Champions that have reached the Men’s Main Event Final. They will be joined by Australia’s Harry Maskell and Brazil’s Caio Vaz, both looking for their first ISA Gold.
“I am really enjoying the competition here in Riyue Bay,” said Harry Maskell. “Everything is going smooth and it’s great that the swell has arrived too.
“All the athletes in the competition today are really high-end guys, so it was good to get a taste of the competition to come on the final day.
“I got the Silver last year, so it would mean everything to get the Gold here in China.”
Nicole Pacelli of Team Brazil, the 2013 ISA SUP Surfing World Champion, has advanced onto the Women’s Main Event Final along with New Zealand’s Stella Smith, Spain’s Iballa Ruano Moreno, and Japan’s Yuuka Horikoshi.
“I am really excited to make it to the final day,” said Iballa Ruano Moreno. “It’s been a long three days, but we had great waves and I am super happy about the conditions. It’s one of the best events that I have ever taken part of.
“There is still a long way to go, but winning the Gold would be a dream come true.”
The top two placing athletes from the Main Event Finals will secure a medal position in the Grand Final, while the bottom two will head to the Repechage Final where they get a second chance to advance to the Grand Final.
The third day of competition kicked off in a rejuvenated swell in Wanning, China with long left-hand waves peeling into Riyue Bay.
The past ISA World Champions, USA’s Sean Poynter and Brazil’s Luiz Diniz, continued to be the standout performers, respectively earning high heat totals of 16.10 and 15.8.
South Africa’s Thomas King took the high heat total honors with a 16.36 to stay alive in the Repechage Rounds.
After falling into the Repechage Rounds the previous day, Australia’s defending SUP Surfing World Champion Shakira Westdorp bounced back with vengeance and earned the three highest heat totals of the day among the women with 14.33, 14.27 and 13.37 in her Repechage heats.
Westdorp will look to scratch back into the Grand Final the hard way via the Repechage Rounds.
After the SUP Surfing Champions are crowned, the competition will transition to SUP and Paddleboard Racing, with the Technical Races to kick off the action in Riyue Bay. The SUP Sprints, Distance Races and Team Relay will cap off the week at Shenzhou Peninsula.
ISA President Fernando Aguerre said:
“The world’s best SUP surfers have been putting on a great show in excellent conditions at Riyue Bay. Tomorrow the hard work, national pride, and determination that we have witnessed all week will culminate with two World Champions.
“We have past World Champions in the mix, as well as new surfers who are looking to make a name for themselves on a global stage.
“The World Champions will write history as the first to be crowned in Asia, after the ISA has crowed champions on four continents throughout the past seven editions of the event. This will truly be a historic moment for the ISA’s development and governance of SUP.”
The ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship will be streamed live on www.isasurf.org Nov 23 – Dec 2.
The remaining event schedule is the following*:
Riyue Bay
- November 26 – SUP Surfing
- November 27 – Technical Races
- November 28 – Technical Races
- November 29 – Lay day
Shenzhou Peninsula
- November 30 – Sprint Races
- December 1 – Distance Races
- December 2 – Relay Races, Closing Ceremony
*All times in local time (GMT +8). Schedule subject to change.
