For immediate release
11 September 2023
From: Surfing New Zealand
Sport: International Paddleboard Racing and SUP Surfing
Event: 2023 ISA World Stand Up Paddle and Paddleboard Championship
Disciplines: SUP Surfing, SUP Technical Race, SUP Long Distance. Paddleboard Technical Race, Paddleboard Long Distance Race
Date: September 24-1st October
Location: Les Sables d’Olonne on the western coast of France
Websites: ISA and Surfing New Zealand #ISAWSUPPC #ISAWorld
Paddleboarders and Prone Paddlers Head to France for ISA World SUP Championships
To be held in the picturesque bay of Les Sables d’Olonne on the western coast of France, four athletes have been named in the New Zealand SUP and Paddleboard Team for the ISA World Paddleboard and SUP Championships in 2023
The team will compete at the 2023 ISA Stand Up Paddle (SUP) and Paddleboard Championship at Les Sables d’Olonne, France from the 24th September to the 1st October
The team is made up of experience and youthfulness in which we will see the strength of Karlos Aarsen of Whangamata competing in the SUP Surfing division, Ollie Houghton of Auckland in SUP Distance, Sprint and Tech racing, Amelie Wink of Christchurch in the Women’s SUP Surfing and Billie Scott of Mount Maunganui also taking on the world’s best in the Women’s SUP Surfing division.
Ollie Houghton at just 23 years old brings immense competitive experience to the team having competed and won his fourth National men’s SUP Racing title, days before flying out to compete on the sport’s European tour last month.
The former Rosmini College student won his first National title, aged 16, in 2016, and then collected further titles in 2019 and 2021. Not a stranger to high level competition he will contest the SUP Distance Race, SUP Sprint and SUP Technical Racing at the ISA World SUP and Paddleboard champs in France where it is hoped he will gain podium finishes.
Billie Scott of Mount Maunganui will attend the event again as the one of the female SUP surfers in the team as she looks to improve on her 11th place finish at the Puerto Rico event in 2022.
New to the team this year Christchurch SUP and Longboard surfer Amelie Wink is a dual New Zealand representative. Having competed at the ISA World Longboarding Championships earlier in 2023 she looks to add a SUP medal to her trophy cabinet.
The team will be managed by Amanda Russell.
The New Zealand SUP and Paddleboard team will vie for overall team points in each discipline and hopefully a podium finish. With a small team available for this year’s event only individual podium finishes will help them to surpass the teams eighth place finish from 2022 in Puerto Rico.
The eight-day event includes surfers from over 25 nations competing in ten surfing and racing disciplines.
The schedule for the event is as follows.
Day 1 Opening Ceremony
Day 2 SUP Surfing
Day 3 SUP Surfing
Day 4 SUP Surfing
Day 5 Technical Racing
Day 6 Technical Racing
Day 7 Long Distance
Day 8 Sprint Race, Relay Race, Closing Ceremony
Start times are generally 8:00am
Les Sables-d’Olonne is a seaside town on the Atlantic coast of western France. New Zealand is 10 hours ahead of Les Sables-dOlonne.
You can follow the event live via the event website.
Schedule
Please see below for the full team that will compete at the 2023 ISA World Stand Up Paddle and Paddleboard Championship to be held at Le Sables, France from the 24th-1st October
Karlos Aarsen (Whangamata) Men’s SUP Surfing
Ollie Houghton (Auckland) SUP Distance Race, SUP Sprint, SUP Technical Race
Amelie Wink (Christchurch) Women’s SUP Surfing
Billie Scott (Mount Maunganui) Women’s SUP Surfing
Amanda Russell Team Manager
Further Information
For further information on the New Zealand Stand Up Paddle and Paddleboard Team please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
Imagery
High resolution action images of the team will be available to media free of charge upon request.
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