Defending Technical Race Gold Medalists Win Again at 2023 ISAs

LES SABLES D'OLONNE, France – A huge day of action at the 2023 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship (WSUPPC) saw six former Technical Race World Champions crowned for the second time. Hundreds of spectators lined the La Grande Plage boardwalk in Les Sables d’Olonne to watch the thrilling action, as each of the Technical Race division Finals were run in ideal conditions that delivered endless exciting moments.

Defending Champions Cecilia Pampinella (left) and Vaic Garioud (right) go back-to-back in Junior SUP Technical Races. | Photos: ISA / Jersson Barboza / Pablo Franco

The Junior Boys SUP Technical Race Final opened the day with an incredible start by Campbell Carter (USA), but a fall on the first buoy saw him give up the lead to defending champion Vaic Garioud (FRA) before the second buoy. Donato Freens (NED) traded positions with Nariakira Shimazu (JPN) throughout the race after both jumped ahead of Carter, before a fall from Shimazu in the surf in the final lap let Freens get a decent hold on the silver medal, while Shimazu narrowly took bronze ahead of Carter in copper. Garioud increased his speed on each of the three laps, gaining a huge lead on the rest of the field, to become the first racer to win back-to-back World Championships in Junior Boys.

Defending champion Cecilia Pampinella (ITA) found herself locked in a much closer race than the two-minute lead she found when earning her first gold medal. Elene Etxeberria (ESP) and Soryn Preston (USA) joined her in a tight pack, with multiple lead changes before Preston found herself far ahead after a fall from Pampinella. On the final lap the 17-year-old Italian caught a wave from almost 100m out, the same wave knocking Preston off her board and allowing Pampinella to reclaim the gold medal, Preston with silver, Exterberria bronze, and Rebeka Klotz (BRA) copper. Hungary’s sole competitor in the event, Csillag-Virag Kocsis, also had a notable showing in fifth place.

“I don’t know what to say, I’m very, very happy because I’m a World Champion,” Pampinella said. “It was a very hard race. I was in front but then I fell and Soryn passed in front, but in the final [lap] I took a wave and I was in first position, so I was very happy.”

Julen Marticorena (left) and Judit Vergas (right) become two-time Paddleboard Technical Race World Champions. | Photos: ISA / Pablo Franco / Sean Evans

A large set during the second lap brought chaos into the leading pack in the Men’s Paddleboard Technical Race Final. 2019 Gold Medalist Julen Marticorena (FRA) saw his lead narrow significantly, as Andrew Byatt (ENG), Carlos Alonso (ESP) and Takehiro Horibe (JPN) each found huge gains. Byatt was able to stick tight to Marticorena for most of the remainder of the heat, before the 24-year-old Frenchman once again took a solid lead to win the gold medal, Byatt earning silver, Alonso bronze, and Horibe copper.

“It’s been a long time that I’m training for this title,” Marticorena said. “Really happy to win this gold medal for the French team. It feels great [to win in France], there’s a lot of people here supporting us and that’s a good support. There’s a very good mood and the sun is here as well, so good moments for us.”

The Women’s Paddleboard Technical Race took a dramatic turn when four racers headed in the wrong direction after rounding the first buoy. Defending Champion Judit Verges (ESP), who lost the gold medal in the 2019 Paddleboard Distance Race due to a similar error, was the sole racer in the front pack to plot the correct course, trusting herself regardless of the others breaking away. That decision gave Verges a monumental lead, defeating silver medalist Cornelia Rigatti (ITA) by over 4 minutes. A further 8 minutes behind, Molly Roodhouse (ENG) and Susette Velez (PUR) collected the bronze and copper medals respectively.

Shuri Araki (JPN) and wins his second SUP Technical Race gold medal. | Photo: ISA / Sean Evans

Men's Technical Race finals was heated! | Photos: ISA / Sean Evans / Pablo Franco

Following the same results as the Semifinals, Japan and France claimed each of the four Men’s SUP Technical Race medals. 2022 World Champion Shuri Araki (JPN) became the first person to win back-to-back gold medals in the division since Casper Steinfath in 2013 and 2014. Noic Garioud (FRA) also repeated his 2022 performance to win the silver medal, while Rai Taguchi (JPN) won his first medal, the bronze, and Titouan Puyo (FRA) added a copper medal to his collection.

Taguchi and Garioud broke away from a tight initial pack for an early advantage, with Araki close behind. Towards the end of the first lap, Araki was able to take the lead largely thanks to his impeccable buoy turns. The 17-year-old Japanese maintained an intense pace to keep the lead and win with a time of 27 minutes, 23 seconds, nearly 5 minutes quicker than yesterday’s qualifying race.

Esperanza Barreras (top) wins her 2nd consecutive Gold Medal in technical racing at this year's ISA. | Photos: ISA / Jersson Barboza

The final race of the day, Women’s SUP Technical, was the most cut and dry, though it stayed tight throughout. 2019 World Champion Esperanza Barreras (ESP) took the lead from the start, ahead of Mariecarmen Rivera (PUR) and Melanie Lafenetre (FRA), who traded second and third place, Lafenetre put on a strong finish to gain ground on the 39-year-old Spaniard, but in the end Barreras finished over 20 seconds ahead to win her second gold medal. The silver medal Lafenetre earned was her best performance in the division. Rivera earned the bronze medal, to join with her 2022 SUP Sprint Race bronze, and Alba Frey (ESP) collected her first, the copper.

“It was a race where everything was much tighter, because there were fewer waves and the conditions were easier,” Barreras said. “The important thing for me was to go out and try to get into first place as soon as possible and make as few mistakes as possible. I made a couple of them that made me lose distance. The girls were pushing super hard, and I managed to maintain my speed again and then keep that distance until the end, so I’m very happy.”

Competition will continue tomorrow at La Grande Plage at 8:30 am CEST with the Women’s Paddleboard Distance Race.

Action during the Men's Technical Race final. | Photo: ISA / Sean Evans

RESULTS

Junior Boys SUP Technical Race

Gold - Vaic Garioud (FRA)
Silver - Donato Freens (NED)
Bronze - Nariakira Shimazu (JPN)
Copper - Campbell Carter (USA)

Junior Girls SUP Technical Race

Gold - Cecilia Pampinella (ITA)
Silver - Soryn Preston (USA)
Bronze - Elene Etxeberria (ESP)
Copper - Rebeka Klotz (BRA)

Men’s Paddleboard Technical Race

Gold - Julen Marticorena (FRA)
Silver - Andrew Byatt (ENG)
Bronze - Carlos Alonso (ESP)
Copper - Takehiro Horibe (JPN)

Women’s Paddleboard Technical Race

Gold - Judit Verge (ESP)
Silver - Cornelia Rigatti (ITA)
Bronze - Molly Roodhouse (ENG)
Copper - Susette Velez (PUR)

Men’s SUP Technical Race

Gold - Shuri Araki (JPN)
Silver - Noic Garioud (FRA)
Bronze - Rai Taguchi (JPN)
Copper - Titouan Puyo (FRA)

Women’s SUP Technical Race

Gold - Esperanza Barreras (ESP)
Silver - Melanie Lafenetre (FRA)
Bronze - Mariecarmen Rivera (PUR)
Copper - Alba Frey (ESP)

For more ISA 2023 news and results, click HERE.