SUP Surfing Kicks Off At Fiji ISA

FIJI - Over the weekend the world’s best men and women stand up paddle (SUP) surfers took to the water and showcased their talent at the famous wave of Cloudbreak, a shallow and powerful reef located in the open ocean off the Fijian island of Viti Levu.

On Saturday, Rounds 1 and 2 of the Men and Women’s Main Event were completed with surf at Cloudbreak ranging from chest to head high, providing open faces and occasional barrels for the competitors to post solid scores. In an explosive Men’s Main Event Round 2 heat, France’s Benoit Carpentier and USA’s Giorgio Gomez scored the third and fourth highest heat totals of the day with 16.44 and 15.97 points, respectively. Carpentier and Gomez advanced onto Round 3 of the Main Event, sending Puerto Rico’s Omelv Garcia (5.9) and Spain’s Oscar Ruiz (5.9) into the Repechage Rounds.

Photo (L) France's Benoit Carpentier. Photo (R) Mexico's Felipe Rodriguez. | Photos: ISA / Sean Evans

Mexico’s Felipe Rodriguez also put on excellent performance in his Round 2 heat, notching a heat total of 15.73 to take first place and advance to the next round. Rodriguez expressed his emotion after winning the heat. “It feels amazing to represent my country out at Cloudbreak. It’s my dream to be out here with surfing with only a few guys. I am so happy to make it through the second round and advance in the competition”.

Topping off the day of the Men’s Main Event, Hawaii’s Mo Freitas earned the day’s highest single wave total of 9.7, linking together solid cracks on a long, running left, while Tahiti’s Poenaiki Raioha, the 2014 SUP Surfing Gold Medalist, earned the highest heat total of the day with 17.03.

Photo (L) Hawaii's Mo Freitas. Photo (R) Tahiti's Poenaiki Raioha. | Photos: ISA / Ben Reed

On the women’s side of the action, USA’s Izzi Gomez, the reigning Women’s SUP Surfing Gold Medalist, competed in the first women’s heat of the day and showed the international field of competitors that she intends to make a run at repeating her 2015 Gold Medal performance. Gomez put together a heat total of 13.67, which was the second highest women’s total of the day. Australia’s Shakira Westdorp notched the highest women’s heat total in Round 1 with 14.17 points, but fell to the Repechage in Round 2.

USA's Izzi Gomez with her game face on, ready to defend her title. | Photo: ISA / Ben Reed

The Cook Island’s Charlotte Piho found herself in a slow heat in Round 1 and was unable to find waves with scoring potential, resulting in her relegation to the Repechage Rounds. Despite a rough heat, Piho spoke about the development of Surfing and SUP in the Cook Islands, which joined the ISA as the 99th member in 2016. “To be the first athlete to represent the Cook Islands in an ISA World Championship is truly a huge honor,” Piho said. “I hope this encourages other Cook Islanders to represent our country at an international level. Being a member of the ISA will hugely help the development of SUP and Surfing in the Cook Islands through competing in ISA World Championships and initiatives such as their scholarship program. This gives kids something to train for and look forward to, providing them with opportunities that they otherwise wouldn’t have.”

ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, said, “The competition is underway and the race for the Gold Medals is on. The SUP surfers that took to the water Saturday gave us a glimpse of the high level of talent and team camaraderie that they possess. All of the teams were out in the water supporting their surfers in the channel, creating an amazing energy that will only grow as the week progresses. I put on my mask and jumped in the water, swimming between all the different boats. Only in Fiji, this is an option…”

Aguerre continued, “The global growth of SUP is more evident than ever at this edition of the event, as it features competitors from countries that have never competed in the ISA before such as Slovenia, the Cook Islands and India.” 

Regardless of the first day’s results, nobody was eliminated. All the athletes placing 1st and 2nd moved on to the next round, while all athletes that placed 3rd and 4th moved on to the Repechage Rounds, where they get a second chance to redeem themselves. To see the highlights from Day 1, check out the video below. 

The second day of SUP Surfing competition at the 2016 Fiji ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship set the stage for a historic final day of competition to run on Saturday, November 19, the first ISA SUP Surfing Final ever to be held in Fiji. The elimination Repechage Rounds ran on Sunday (Monday, Fiji time), narrowing the field of competitors who are looking ahead to a highly anticipated swell that is predicted to arrive with force for the Finals at the end of the week.

Australia's Shakira Westdorp. | Photo: ISA / Ben Reed

Monday morning in Fiji kicked off with continued glassy conditions in a declining swell at Fiji's world-renowned left hander, Cloudbreak. Men's and Women's Repechage took to the water as the international field of competitors faced off to keep their dreams of winning the Gold Medal alive. In the Women's Repechage Rounds, Australia's Shakira Westdorp got back on track after an unexpected exit from the Main Event on Sunday, marking the second highest heat total for the women on the day with 10.83. Westdorp, a 5-time ISA Medalist in SUP Surfing and Technical Race, spoke about the meaning of holding an international SUP event of this scale in Fiji.

"Cloudbreak is one of the best waves in the world and it's a huge step forward for the growth of SUP. This event allows the world's best SUP surfers to have the opportunity to surf in these amazing waves," said Westdorp. "I am a fan of the decision to move the Finals to Saturday. It's a world title event with the best in the world, so to have the best conditions is ideal."

Spain's Iballa Moreno. | Photo: ISA / Ben Reed

Photo (L) Brazil's Nicole Pacelli. Photo (R) France's Caroline Angibaud. | Photos: ISA / Ben Reed

On the other hand, note the performance of the Spain's Iballa Ruano who, after suffering a spectacular encounter with the reef the first day, made a great effort in her repechage round and progressed over the next two series demonstrating a high level of commitment. Unfortunately, in Round 4 she was unable to keep up with an on-form Brazilian Nicole Pacelli and French Caroline Angibaud and bowed out of the event SUP surfing.

As for the men, Frenchman Jeremy Massiere made his way through the repechage rounds and secured his pass for finals day and also was awarded with the highest heat total score of the day (14.38 points). After repechage heats for the men, the main rounds for the women returned to the water to fight for the four positions in the semifinals. Japanese Yuka Horikoshi, American Izzi Gomez (Starboard), Karelle Popkke representing Tahiti and Peru’s Brissa Malaga, managed to beat all their opponents, thus securing their pass to the finals day later this week.

France's Jeremy Massiere making the best of the declining surf. | Photo: ISA / Ben Reed

Team Hawaii’s coach, Matty Schweitzer, talked about how this event is influencing the whole SUP community. "To hold this event in Fiji is unprecedented. For a long time we have been waiting to compete in an event at a wave known around the world like Cloudbreak, so we are more than motivated to show how extreme we can be in great conditions.”

But undoubtedly one of the biggest stars of the day was the young Canadian Finn Spencer, who at only 13-years-old, made it through to the Finals day, earning the respect of everyone present. Interestingly, in the last series, Finn will face off with his older brother and fellow national teammate Jeffrey Spencer, who is 15-years-old. In his interview, Finn Spencer admitted that this was only the second time he beat his brother and could not hide his happiness of having come so far being the youngest competitor of the championship event.

13-year-old Finn Spencer representing Canada, making his way to the Final day of competition. | Photo: ISA / Ben Reed

President Fernando Aguerre ISA, said, "It was another amazing day at Cloudbreak to remember. Everyone has eyes on next Saturday where, thanks to the powerful swell that is underway, the Finals may be held in perfect conditions. We will be able to see what we were all waiting for, the best SUP surfers in the world fighting for the gold in world-class conditions. But, before we we motivate too with the end of SUP surfing, we can not forget that during the next few days we will be able to enjoy the fight for gold medals in SUP Racing and Paddleboard where, every day, winners will be crowned in each category with the coveted medals."

Check out the highlights from Day Two's action in the video below. 

The program for the week of competition will be as follows:

November 15: Lay Day
November 16: Career Technical SUP and Paddleboard, Cloudbreak
November 17-18: Racing SUP Paddleboard distance from Cloudbreak to Musket Cove
November 19: End of SUP surfing
November 20: Race relays, sprints and Closing Ceremony, Port Denarau

* Local time in Fiji. The event program is subject to change depending on conditions.

To see more news from the ISA event in Fiji, click HERE.