(2017 ☆ ARCHIVED) ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championships - Denmark
2017 ISA WORLD SUP AND PADDLEBOARD CHAMPIONSHIPS (Denmark) - Nominee for the 2017 Industry Professional Award
Website: http://isaworlds.com/sup/2017/en/
Video: Final day of the World Championships
Against the stunning backdrop of the world-famous Copenhagen Harbour and Opera House, the 2017 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship has been hailed as one of the best yet.
With 286 athletes from 42 countries in attendance, which is a record-breaking mark for the competition, this was the first time the event has been hosted in Europe and was the first event that there were equal spots for both male and female competitors. With the bid being driven by Danish Paddler Casper Steinfath, who is a 3x World Champion and the ISA Vice President, the Championships was bound for success.
The week of racing kicked off with the Parade of Nations where all 42 National Teams made displays of national pride while marching through the historic, colourful streets of central Copenhagen amidst crowds of local supporters. Next, each team participated in the Sands of the World Ceremony where two representatives of each nation poured sand from their home beaches into a clear container to symbolize the peaceful gathering of nations of the world through SUP. This was a vision bough to life by the Danish Surfing and Rafting Federation with the aim to create an event with a lasting legacy.
The event started off with the SUP and Paddleboard distance and sprint races before the event headed to northwest Denmark, known as Cold Hawaii, for the SUP Surfing, Technical Races, and Relay Races. With the conditions constantly changing, competitiors were tested right throughout the week, with Australia taking home the overall team gold medal ahead of France and New Zealand.
With this being Denmarks first time hosting the event, they strived for complete perfection and from all reports they achieved just that. In terms of entertainment value and quality these championships were certainly one of the best this discipline has ever seen but ultimately it was the pride both the athletes and organisers took in the event that made the difference, paving the way for a memorable championships.
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