After successful competitions in Qingdao, Balaton in Hungary, and Gdynia in Poland, Mr. Konietzko observed how the ICF Stand Up Paddle (SUP) World Championships have grown from only 145 athletes in 2019 to over 1000 participants in Thailand this week. 

The coastal city of Pattaya, 150 kilometers south of Bangkok, is hosting the fourth edition of the ICF World Championships and is a key player in this evolution. "Since we organized the first world championships in 2019, we knew that as the ICF, we had the expertise to deliver professional events for SUP athletes", said the president.

"But to truly reflect the spirit of the SUP community, we must continue to evolve and go beyond simply offering professional competitions. Thanks to your support, we have been able to embrace the culture and special feeling of SUP and take into account individual needs with a more flexible approach to create unforgettable experiences for all participants".

The first medals at the 2023 World Championships were decided on Thursday, with seven different countries sharing the eight SUP sprint titles on offer. The competition continues on Friday and runs until Sunday.

RESULTS

WOMEN’S OPEN

1. Seychelle Webster (USA)
2. Juliette Duhaime (ARG)
3. Tarryn King (RSA)

MEN’S OPEN

1. Noic Garioud (FRA)
2. Connor Bacter (USA)
3. Andrii Kraytor (BUL)

WOMEN’S JUNIOR

LOGOTHETI Kyriaki (GRE)
PAMPINELLA Cecilia (ITA)
PINTERIC Naja (SLO)

MEN’S JUNIOR

PURNAMA Arip (INA)
GARIOUD Vaic (FRA)
VOULGARIS Andreas (GRE)

WOMEN’S 40 +

MERKULOVA Olga (ICF)
VAN MASLEN Petronella (NED)
YOKOYAMA Takayo (JPN)

MEN’S 40 +

LELOVITS Tomas (SVK)
DARRIEUMERLOU Olivier (FRA)
YOSHIDA Ryohei (JPN)

WOMEN’S 50 +

TSAOUTOU Penny (GRE)
YOUNGMI Kim (KOR)
BERGH Marlene (NZL)

MEN’S 50 +

WEIDERT Peter (GER)
MARINOV Martin (AUS)
CAIN Larry (CAN)