The strong fleet of the best European SUP athletes will be battling for European Championship titles this summer in the North Sea as Denmark will host the 2022 ESF EUROSUP. Representatives from the European Surf Federation has been visiting Hvide Sande, the small fishing town, that will be the center of the event.
Hvide Sande is known for its versatile conditions for watersports and has for years been the base for the popular water sports festival named WATERZ. With Hvide Sande squeezed in between the roaring North Sea on one side and the stunning Ringkøbing fjord on the other side it is the perfect spot for organizing the official European SUP Championship.
It will be the first time ever that the European Championship titles in SUP will be concluded on Danish water. Preparations are well underway, and the European Surfing Federation (ESF), visited Hvide Sande to meet with the Danish organizers and discuss the technical race details.
“A walk in the park,” says Huw John, vice president of the European Surf Federation, adding that he has been on countless site visits during his more than 30 years in the sport. The visit in Denmark confirms to him that there is a substantial local support, great event experience, and not least that all preparations are on track for the event.
Mr. John and the technical director from Portugal, Tiago Matos, together with representatives from the Danish Surfing & Rafting Federation (DSRF) and the local organizers from Hvide Sande, has spent the previous days reviewing the wavespots and courses on the North Sea and on Ringkøbing Fjord. In 2017 Tiago Matos took part, when Copenhagen and Cold Hawaii in Thy shared the hosting of the ISA World SUP & Paddleboard Championship. The organization of event was a global success and essential in the recognition of SUP within Denmark, Europe and worldwide. During the visit to Hvide Sande Mr. Matos’ says: “I know that the Danes can host impressive events, and the Danes can deliver. I saw it in 2017, and I see it today in Hvide Sande. Everything is just in order, and they are already ready. There is a great local support, and the summer is ideal for SUP. I was very impressed by the fjord because google maps do not do its justice. We saw the sea, and my experience tells me that it will be perfect for SUP surfing.”
The Danish organizers are also very satisfied with the visit from the European Surfing Federation.
“Hvide Sande is more than approved! That is my clearly impression after the visit from the ESF and we’re stoked to organize the EUROSUP 2022 in collaboration with the Danish Surfing and Rafting Federation, Ringkøbing Municipality and Sport Event Denmark. It will be the first European Championship in SUP on Danish soil ever and the visit from the ESF gives us confident in our continued preparations,” says Katrine Kock Frandsen, project manager of WATERZ.
Michael Lindberg, who is head of secretary in the Danish Surfing & Rafting Federation, says that site visits are crucial for major championships to become a success: “The ESF and ours ambitions and expectations to the EUROSUP 2022 are high, and it’s important to go through all kind of technical aspects and event logistics for staging an event like this. The SUP sport is depending highly on weather conditions, and it is important that we can stand on the beach together and review all our plans. We had an excellent dialogue and exchange of experiences.”
The ESF EUROPSUP 2022 takes place from August 27 to September 4 2022 and is organized by the Danish Surfing & Rafting Federation in collaboration with WATERZ, Sport Event Denmark, and Ringkøbing Municipality.
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