Shuri Araki (JPN) first to win Men’s SUP Distance and Technical Races in the same year
Yurika Horibe (JPN) and Duna Gordillo (ESP) earn first gold medals
USA’s Hunter Pflueger claims third Paddle Distance Race gold medal in a row
France narrowly edges ahead of USA in Team rankings
San Juan, Puerto Rico – November 4, 2022
Strength and endurance were tested on day seven of the 2022 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship as the Prone and SUP Distance Races took place on a course that took in the entirety of Puerto Rico’s San Juan Island.
Defending champion Esperanza Barreras and Spanish teammate Duna Gordillo took an early lead in the women’s SUP Distance Race, working together to draft off each other and quickly gain a 300m lead, which further increased to almost half a mile as they went.
Coming around Fiji Island for the home stretch Gordillo was almost thrown off her board, leaving Barreras to take a narrow 10m lead. A small set wave, however, allowed Gordillo to overtake her teammate. In the end 19-year-old Gordillo edged out 38-year-old Barreras by just two seconds on the final sprint to claim the gold medal, Barreras, silver. A historic one-two for Spain.
“I’m super stoked to be here at the ISA World Championship,” Gordillo said. “I’ve trained the whole year to win. That was my main goal.”
Jennifer Kalmbach (CRC) maintained third place early on, but was caught by a chase pack containing April Zilg (USA), Melanie Lafenetre (FRA) and 2014 gold medalist Lina Augaitis (CAN). All four drafted together for much of the rest of the race. By the final stretch Lafenetre managed to break away to take bronze, while Augaitis narrowly took copper ahead of Zilg.