Starboard Dream Team 2024

Starboard just announced their 2024 Dream Team and the field of athletes is stacked with talent and diversity across all SUP disciplines. When it comes to SUP Racing, the legacy brand remains to be a power house if not THE power house. If you look at pictures of racers on the podium or just races in general you can avoid Starboard riders and Starboard SUPs.

The 2024 team is 22 athletes deep and features some of the most decorated SUP Racers, such a Connor Baxter, Michael Booth, Noic Garioud, Esperanza Barreras and Fiona Wylde. But its not only the top of the top that makes the team. Starboard also considers, young and upcoming riders such a Cecilia Pampinella who just joined the team. There is also Germanys SUP Hero Ole Schwarz and other well know paddlers from all over the world, such as Rai Taguchi from Japan or Aaron Sanchez the Spanish long-distance champion 2023.

Bart de Zwart is the team manager and a well known pioneer in the SUP world that made a name for himself with many ultra long-distance SUP expeditions. These are his words:

“I am proud to introduce our 2024 Dream Team to you. We have an incredibly diverse and talented group of athletes. Diverse because our riders, men and women, cover the whole SUP spectrum from race, wave, sprinting, adventure, and expeditions to big waves, with World Champions in every category.

Talented also, every rider deserves to be on the Dream Team in their own right, but especially this year, we have a lot of fresh new talent working their way up through the ranks. Watch for our bright orange noses sticking out in front of the pack.”

Who are the athletes to look for this year:

Connor Baxter

Connor has the most seniority at Starboard, he has been with them since he is a kid. Riding the Tiki for more than 14 years. Connor is also the GOAT of the sport as he has been dominating since the early days and continues to wind medals at big events like the ICF.

🥇 Pan American Games 2023
🥇 ICF World Championship Technical Race 2023
🥈 ICF World Championship Sprint 2023
🥇 APP in Alicante 2023
🥇 APP Sprints Portugal 2023
🥇 Gorge Paddle Challenge 2023

Michael Booth

Michael is a multi paddle champion not only in the SUP world but also in other paddle sports. Despite 2023 not being his best SUP year, he is force to reckoned with inb 2024. This year he would like to focus on key events, train, and perform to his true ability. This means following a structured program, committing to it, and continuing to enjoy his paddling.

🥇 Scharbeutz Euro Tour 2023
🥇 Punta Ala Euro Tour 2023
🥇ICF SUP World Distance Race Champion 2022
2 x 🥇 ICF iSUP World Distance Race Champion 2022 / 2023
🥇 Carolina Cup Champion 2022 / 2023
🥈 Euro Tour Overall 2023
🥈 Euro Tour Nordhousen 2023

Noic Garioud

In 2023 Noic was not as busy as in previous years but he showed up at all the key races and he won most of them.

🥇 ISA Sprint World Champion 2023
🥇 ICF Sprint World Champion 2021/ 2023
🥇 ICF Technical Race World Champion 2021
🥇 ICF Long Distance World Champion 2023

Esperanza Barreras

Espe knows only one place and that is the top of the podium, she dominated the EURO TOUR in 2023 and the SUP Worldranking all together.

🥇 ICF World Champion Technical Race 2023
🥇 ICF World Champion Long Distance 2023
🥇 Euro Tour Champion x 2
🌟 SUP Woman of the Year – SUP Connect 2023

Fiona Wylde

Fiona is a true asset to the Starboard team. As an overall water woman we fits the brand very well. She won multiple SUP World Titles in the past and after having to sit out due to a shoulder injury she returned with a bang winning the APP race in Spain as well at the Wing Foil Tour in Marokko.

In 2024 Fiona is shifting her goals in 2024, stepping into more of a coaching and supporting role compared to racing. She still plans to participate in many races, but not as frequently as in years past.

The main objectives for 2024 include developing Wylde Wind & Water, the non-profit organization founded by Fiona to provide watersport and water safety education, with numerous community projects. Additionally, Fiona is stepping into a completely new role as the new Class Manager for the first-ever Wing Foil One Design equipment called X-15 Class produced by FreeWing and Starboard. In this role, Fiona will develop an internationally recognised one-design class and provide a pathway for the sport of wing foiling.

Zane Schweitzer

Zane is Starboards “crazy” waterman and has one of the biggest hearts. He is taking care of the kids in Maui and stepped up in the community after the Lahaina Fire. Zane is also a big wave surfer and charges Banzai Pipiline on Oahu like no other.

🥇 Pan-AM SUP Surf 2023
🥇 DaHui Backdoor Shootout Pipeline, Oahu 2023 SUP Surf
🥇 Surfercross Surf 2023
🥇 Longboard SUP Revolution, Bali 2023 SUP Surf
🌟 7th M2O World Championships Wingfoil

Benoit Carpentier

Benoit has been a SUP Surfer for about as long as the sport has been around and for the same amount of time he as been winning competitions.

🥇 ISA World Champion 2023
🥇 APP World Champion 2023
🥇 European SUP surf champion 2023
🥇 European longboard champion 2023

Rai Taguchi

Rai’s excellent start with the Starboard Dream Team in 2023 gave him a strong push and desire to achieve his main goal for 2024 – winning the gold medal at the World Championships. He is planning his training program to strengthen his muscles to reach an even higher level this year.

🥇 SUP Asian Championship Winner 2023
🥉 ICF World Championship Long Distance 2023
🥉 ISA World Championship Long Distance 2023
🥉 ISA World Championship Technical Race 2023
🥈 APP World Tour in Busan Long Distance 2023
🥈 APP World Tour in Viana Long Distance 2023

Cecilia Pampinella

Cecilia just joined the team as she was stolen away from mistral. She is a junior power house and a highly motivated SUP Athlete with a great future in the sport.

🥇 ISA Junior Technical World Champion 2023
🥇 ISA European Champion Junior in Portugal 2023 (x 3)
🥇 ICF World Cup Long Distance in Greece 2023
🥇 Eurotour race in Punta Ala 2023

Aaron Sanchez

Aaron has set his goal for 2024 to improve upon all the results he achieved last season and to participate in races he has never entered before. He plans to continue working hard with clear objectives and, above all, to give 100%.

🥇 Spanish Championship Long Distance 2023
🥈 Battle of Hercules Euro Tour 2023
🌟 4th ISA World Championship Long Distance 2023
🌟 4th ISA World Championship Sprint 2023
🥉 SUP race festival Scharbeutz

Ole Schwarz

Ole has been a competitive paddler in Germany since he was a junior. He continuously makes podium at the German SUP Races.

🥇 German Sprint Championship Duisburg 2023
🥇 German Champion Tech Race and Long Distance 2023
🥉 Euro tour Berlin
🥉 Euro tour Namur

Riki Horikoshi

As a Japan rising star for SUP surfing, Riki is getting closer to his big world titles in 2024! Gearing up for big waves and aiming to become the APP SUP Surfing World Champion are the main plans for Riki for the upcoming season.

🥇 SUP surfing national tour champion 2023
🥇 KAKEGAWA SUP contest 2023
🥇 Maboroyal Cup 2023
🥉 SUPA national contest 2023
🥈 TED CUP 2023

Fernando Perez

Getting more power and speed for all the aspects of SUP racing, Fernando set his 2024 goal to stay on a top 3 at the ISA and ICF World Championships. Looking forward to the results of this young Spanish Dream Team racer!

🥇 APP Korea Champion 2023
🥉 Spain Championship Long Distance 2023
🌟 7th ISA Long Distance 2023
🌟 5th Euro Tour SUP Long Distance 2023
🌟 5th Euro Tour Sprint 2023

Clement Colmas

Focusing on favourite disciplines and getting good train plans for 2024 events, Clement is excited for the year. His main objectives are the Défiwind and Molokai 2 Oahu events, both of which he is determined to win!

🥇 European championship long distance 2023
🥇 European champion technical race 2023
🥇 Madeira SUP race Euro Tour 2023
🥉 World paddle festival Alicante
🌟 7th ICF World Championship Technical 2023

Linus Karlsson

The Swedish Champion has been training hard and with just a few results in 2023 he is setting out with big goals for 2024. Linus has chosen the strategy to take in the moments even more and don’t rush through anything. That mindset surely will reach a new level of performance for him! He plans to continue working on becoming even more comfortable in race situations and ocean conditions.

🥇 2 x Swedish Champion 2023
🥈 ICF technical race in Italy 2023
🥇 Planet Baltic Race 2023

Camille Dubrana

With plenty of 2024 European and World championships planned to dominate, Camille’s plan for the year is to improve her Longboard SUP skills and also SUP surfing backside attack as well as keep cross-training to be in the best possible shape to enjoy every session & competition.

🥇 SUP Surfing European Champion 2022
🥉 APP LongSUP World Championships
🌟 6th ISA World SUP & Paddleboard Championships 2023
🌟 2 x 5th APP SUPSurf World Championships 2023

Alba Frey

Alba consistently prioritizes her goals, aiming to train harder and smarter while enjoying every moment of ride. We believe this approach is her personal secret to achieving high results over the past few years. In 2024, she plans to focus on race training, while also indulging in enjoyable surfing, foil, and windsurfing sessions.

🥇 APP Sprints Alicante SUP open 2022
🥇 Gran Canaria Pro EuroTour 2023
🥈 Alicante Eurotour 2023
🌟 4th Technical Race ISA Worlds France 2023
🌟 4th Sprints European Surfing Association 2023
🌟 5th Technical Race European Surfing Association 2023
🌟 5th Technical Race ICF World Championship 2023

Cameron Tripney

One of the youngest members of the Dream Team, Cameron is looking forward to attending as many international events as possible in 2024 to gain more experience on the international race scene. Intending to win a medal in the 200m ICF Sprint format, he is also focusing on improving his technical racing skills to succeed in that category as well.

🥇 3 x South African Open Mens Race Champion
🥇 Freedom Paddle 22km Champion
🥇 ICF Junior Sprint World Champion 2022
🥇 Robben Island Freedom Paddle 2023

Tim Oliver

North America champion Tim Oliver is taking 3-steps approach for 2024 training season. First – is the gym working on strength. Secondly, it’s doing 1 – 2 technique sessions per week filming and analyzing parts of the stroke with Larry Cain as a coach. The third area of focus – is at least 1 over distance workout per week but keeping the intensity very low to keep the endurance capacity topped up!

🥇 Canadian Champion Distance and Technical 2023
🥇 Chattajack race 2023 / 2021
🥇 Carolina Cup 10th 2022
🥇 Ontario SUP race Series Champion x3
🥇 Eastern Canadian Champion x2
🌟 Muskoka River X 130km record

Marie Buchanan

After showcasing impressive results at the ICF World Championship 2023, and securing two world titles, Marie continues to focus on refining her pacing, both on and off the water.
In 2024, her attention turns more to UK races, moving towards the ultimate dream goal – to take part in the Molokai 2 Oahu World Championships either on a SUP and eventually on a foil!

🥇 ICF World Championship Masters Long Distance 2023
🥇 ICF World Championship Masters Technical race 2023
🥇 Ladies Technical Race 2023
🥇 Waterborn SUP the Creek ​- Distance Race 2023
🥈 GBSUP Falmouth Bay Long Distance 2023
🥉 GBSUP Falmouth Bay Technical race 2023

Bart de Zwart

Famous for his huge amount of crossings and thrilling expeditions all over the years Bart continues to include new SUP adventures in his plans for 2024. He always strives to find new places to explore and plan adventures to inspire others to do the same, as well as setting new ultra-distance challenges for himself.

🥇 SUP 11-City Tour x4
🥇 The Yukon 1000 – the longest race in the world
🥇 Winning almost all ultra-distance races in the world at least once
🌟 Setting the 24-hour SUP distance world record
🌟 Ocean Crossings and expeditions in Greenland, Zambia, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Vanuatu, Nepal and many more

Bruce Kriby

Travelled to 85 countries and six continents in the last thirty years of guiding expeditions, Bruce is setting an inspiring plans for the upcoming year as well. He is working towards paddling every inch of the Canadian West Coast- a big goal to complete by 2025. This summer, together with Norm Hann he plans to traverse an exposed section of Vancouver Island. He is constantly striving to increase his efficiency and speed on long trips and follows a periodized program focused on strength, technique and speed.

🌟 Rounding Cape Scott, Vancouver Island – 200km, 7 days
🌟 Grease Trail, Great Bear Rainforest – 230km, 5 days
🌟 Crossing Lake Ontario, Solo – 50km open water
🌟 Vancouver Island Outer Coast Solo – 500km, 11 days
🌟 Vancouver to Victoria – 150 km, 5 days