THE 2014 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WILL FEATURE FLATWATER RACING IN LAKE NICARAGUA AND STANDUP PADDLE SURFING IN THE PACIFIC AT LA BOQUITA

La Jolla, California, February 27, 2014 – The International Surfing Association (ISA) is excited to announce the third annual ISA World StandUp Paddle (SUP) and Paddleboard Championship (WSUPPC) to take place at two different locations this year in Nicaragua, from May 3rd to May 11th. The SUP Surfing portion will take place in the ocean at La Boquita on the west coast of Central Nicaragua, while this year’s SUP and Paddleboard flatwater Racing portion will be held on the northwest area of Lake Nicaragua in Granada, which is the oldest colonial city of the country.
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(Left to right) Sean Poynter (USA) SUP Surfing, Jordan Mercer (AUS) Paddleboard Racing and Jamie Mitchell (AUS) SUP Racing, were all ISA Gold Medalists at the 2013 ISA World StandUp Paddle and Paddleboard Championship.
“As SUP continues to evolve and still reign as the fastest growing sport, not just within surfing, but of all sports around the world, we are excited that Nicaragua will host this year’s World Championship at two different venues,” said ISA President Fernando Aguerre. “The universal accessibility of the sport allows the ISA to host this year’s championships in both the Pacific Ocean and on Nicaragua’s beautiful Lake Nicaragua. Nicaragua is a wonderful host country. Although it’s a small nation in Central America, its rich coast is full of waves, offshore winds, and gracious people. I am especially thankful to President Ortega for his continued support of the development of SUP and Surfing in his country and around the globe.”
More than 150 of the world’s greatest watermen from over 25 countries will compete in 11 different disciplines in the Men’s and Women’s divisions for the Club Waikiki-Peru ISA World Team Champion Trophy and individual Gold Medals. The 2014 World SUP and Paddleboard Championship will include Men’s and Women’s SUP Surfing, SUP Technical Race, SUP Distance Race, Paddleboard Technical Race, Paddleboard Distance Race, and the Team Relay Race, for featuring both men and women.
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Team Australia dominated at the 2013 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship winning the overall Team Gold Medal and Club Waikiki-Peru Team Trophy for the second year in a row. Photo: ISA/Gonzales
This year’s competition will see an increase in team size for the ISA WSUPPC. In the past, there was a maximum of nine athletes in three divisions – SUP Surfing, SUP Racing and Paddleboard Racing. Each division allowed for a maximum of 3 athletes – 2 men and 1 women per division. Because many SUP Racers competed in both the long distance and technical race (shorter course with many turns around buoys), this was an appropriate allotment. However, as the sport has evolved and SUP technical racers have developed differently than long distance racers, the ISA has increased overall team size from 9 to 12 athletes this year, adding 2 men and 1 woman SUP technical racers to each team. “Just as long distance runners compete in different events than shorter distance runners, we can now watch SUP athletes compete in their top discipline,” said Aguerre about the well-received change.
This year’s team to beat is Team Australia. At last year’s World Championship, the Australian team won seven Individual Medals plus the Gold in the Team Relay Race, and the overall Team Gold Medal Trophy.
Here are last year’s 2013 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship Results:
Overall Team Champions- Australia
Men’s SUP Surfing- Sean Poynter (USA)
Women’s SUP Surfing- Nicole Pacelli (BRA)
Men’s SUP Technical Race- Casper Steinfath (DEN)
Women’s SUP Technical Race- Angela Jackson (AUS)
Men’s Paddleboard Technical Race- Lincoln Dews (AUS)
Women’s Paddleboard Technical Race- Jordan Mercer (AUS)
Men’s SUP Long Distance Race- Jamie Mitchell (AUS)
Women’s SUP Long Distance Race- Angela Jackson (AUS)
Men’s Paddleboard Distance Race- Brad Gaul (AUS)
Women’s Paddleboard Distance Race- Jordan Mercer (AUS)
Team Relay- Australia
About the International Surfing Association:
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running the Open Division World Championship since 1964, the World Junior Surfing Championship since 1980, the World Masters Surfing Championship since 2007, the World Bodyboard Championship since 2011, the Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay International Surfing Festival in China, and the World Standup Paddle (SUP) and Paddleboard Championship beginning in 2012. The ISA also sanctions the World Kneeboard Titles and the World Tandem Surfing Championship, and will launch the World Longboard Championship in 2013.
ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies of 79 countries on five continents. Its headquarters are located in La Jolla, California. It is presided over by Fernando Aguerre (Argentina), first elected President in 1994 in Rio de Janeiro and re-elected seven times since. The ISA’s four Vice-Presidents are Alan Atkins (AUS), Karín Sierralta (PER), Debbie Beacham (USA) and Layne Beachley (AUS).
For more information please contact us at info@livnicaragua.com
About INTUR:
The Nicaraguan Tourism Institute is the Government institution in charge of developing tourism in the country and promoting Nicaragua as a new and emerging tourism destination. For more information: www.visitnicaragua.us or www.intur.gob.ni”