Spring SUP Race 2026 Kicks Off in Comacchio with World Champions and Rising Stars Dominating Opening Stop
The 2026 Spring SUP Race launched in spectacular fashion in the historic town of Comacchio, marking the first stop of the ICF Planet SUP Circuit. Across three action-packed days, elite paddlers from around the world delivered standout performances in sprint, technical, and long-distance formats, setting the tone for a highly competitive international season.
Day 1: Chrono SUP Race Sets the Stage
The opening day featured the fast-paced “Chrono SUP Race,” a time-trial event through the canals of Comacchio. Pre-race favorites lived up to expectations, with world champions Esperanza Barreras and Andrii Kraytor claiming victory in the women’s and men’s divisions.
Barreras led a strong field ahead of Bianca Toncelli and Claudia Luccheta, while Kraytor topped the men’s podium, followed by Manuel Hoyuela Rojas and Matei Barbu. The ParaSUP category saw Christophe Mathévé take top honors.
Day 2: Italian Dominance in Technical Races
Day two shifted to technical racing, where home athletes made a powerful statement. Cecilia Pampinella and Nicolo Ricco emerged as the standout performers, winning the women’s and men’s open divisions respectively.
Pampinella secured a commanding victory in her first international race of the season, finishing ahead of Barreras and Claudia Postiglione. In the men’s race, Ricco triumphed over Spain’s Antonio Morillo and the Netherlands’ Donato Freens.
The day also highlighted depth across categories, with winners crowned in junior, masters (+40, +50, +60), and youth divisions, underscoring the global growth of competitive stand-up paddleboarding.
Day 3: Long-Distance Thrillers Close the Event
The final day delivered dramatic long-distance races. Barreras once again proved her dominance, breaking away mid-race to claim a decisive victory in the women’s event, ahead of Postiglione and Pampinella.
In the men’s race, Donato Freens opened his season with a repeat victory in Comacchio after a thrilling sprint finish against Antonio Morillo, with Ricco rounding out the podium.
Additional highlights included:
- Bianca Toncelli winning the junior women’s category
- Benyam Bossack taking junior men’s honors
- Manuel Lauble and Claudia Luccheta topping the +40 divisions
- Edith Teulade and Arnd Dünzinger winning the +60 categories
- Manuel Hoyuela claiming victory in the SUP Foil discipline
A Strong Start to the 2026 SUP Season
With a mix of established champions and emerging talents, the opening stop of the ICF Planet SUP Circuit delivered high-level racing across all divisions. The performances in Comacchio confirm that athletes like Barreras, Pampinella, Ricco, and Freens will be key figures to watch as the 2026 season unfolds.
The Spring SUP Race not only showcased elite competition but also reinforced its status as a premier event on the global stand-up paddle calendar.
Disclosure: This news article stems from information we were able to piece together from information made available by individual participants. Special thanks to Sarah from supjunkie.co.uk for the collaboration on the pictures. The SUP Spring Race neither sends out PR and News messages nor are they collaborators with us.
Be like Sarah from SUP Junkie and collaborate with the Stand Up Magazin for extended coverage. Support and subscribe today.
Online Subscription
Are you enjoying the content of the Stand Up Magazin?
With a subscription, you help secure the future of Stand Up Magazin.
Become a patron and supporter with your subscription.
Your subscription is an annual contribution and renews automatically.