More than 350 paddlers from 27 countries are set to converge on Lago delle Nazioni in Commachio, Italy for the opening International Canoe Federation Stand Up Paddling World Ranking Event of the season.
This level of participation was “unthinkable” for Simone Tugnoli Peron when he began working on the annual event, known as the Spring SUP Race.
What started as a small regional race has grown to become one of the most important races on the ICF SUP calendar.
It will be the eighth staging of the Spring SUP Race and third as an ICF SUP World Ranking Event when it takes place from April 3 to 6.
“My Delta SUP team and I are extremely proud of this growth,” said event race director Tugnoli Peron.
“Every year our athletes travel the world to compete.
“They know other athletes like us, and this has created a series of friendships that brings more and more people to participate in our race every year and that's a wonderful feeling.”
The Spring SUP Race will kick off the ICF SUP World Ranking Series that will feature further events in Sitia and Agios Nikolaos on the Greek island of Crete and Lake Faak in Austria.
The series will conclude with the ICF SUP World Championships staged in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates from October 29 to November 2.
“This is our third year as an ICF World Ranking Event and as always we are the opening event of the calendar,” said Tugnoli Peron.
“Wow, I can’t add anything else because being close to other events such as the Lake Rocks Festival and Agios Nicolaos, two events in the history of SUP makes me happy.
“I strongly believe in the ICF SUP project because I think that there is a need in the world of SUP to have that organisational rigor that I have admired since my first participation in the ICF SUP World Championship in Hungary!
“Events with a high standard of quality, organisational rigor and a long-term planning of the races adequate to grow our discipline.
“This year, for the first time there will also be the presence of Italian sports television which will make two small specials on our sport, all thanks to the status of ICF ranking competition and the large number of athletes it brings together.
“We hope it is a good omen for the World Championship that will take place in Italy next year in the magnificent Taormina.”
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This year’s Spring SUP Race will see paddlers compete for ranking points in the categories of spring, technical and long distance.
Other innovative SUP competitions taking place on Lago delle Nazioni include a time trial inside the historic castle of Ferrera, a freestyle format and a polo event for paddlers to enjoy.
“I really want to create a SUP event that every athlete has the pleasure of participating,” added Tugnoli Peron.
“And every year I raise the challenge more and more, with new competitions and more days of events.
“We invest a lot to be able to have a live streaming, commentators, photos and videos worthy of being remembered, because we know that this is what athletes and all those who follow our sport like.
“All the work we do is with the sole purpose of giving a worthy visibility, at least in Italy, to our sport and the smile of many young athletes always repays us for all our efforts.”
Photos by Maximiliano Alberti
For more information and registration details on the ICF SUP World Ranking Series, click here.
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