Rankings Heat Up After Taranto as Zürich Becomes the Next Major Stop of the 2026 Season
The 2026 season of the is beginning to take shape after two major events, with the release of the updated overall rankings following the Lido Gandoli SUP Race in Taranto, Italy. After season-opening action in Santa Pola, Spain, and a strong second stop in Southern Italy, the battle for the ESL overall titles is already intensifying heading into the highly anticipated Big Paddle Festival in Zürich.
The ESL Overall Open Rankings combine results from all official race disciplines on the tour, with Technical Race accounting for 40% of the total score, while Long Distance and Sprint each contribute 30%. With athletes competing across multiple formats, consistency throughout the season is proving to be just as important as outright victories.
In the men’s division, Hollands Donato Freens has emerged as the early leader of the tour with 1,392 points. Freens delivered a dominant performance in Taranto, winning both the Technical Race and Long Distance events to establish a clear advantage in the standings. Behind him, Italy’s Filippo Mercuriali currently holds second place with 994 points, followed closely by fellow Italian Nicolò Vincenzo Ricco with 913 points.
Japan’s Shuri Araki remains firmly in contention in fourth place with 850 points, while Spain’s Sergio Cantoral Quirant rounds out the current top five with 794 points.
On the women’s side, Italy continues to dominate the rankings. Cecilia Pampinella leads the Overall Open Women standings with 1,302 points after delivering strong performances in both Santa Pola and Taranto. Fellow Italian Sveva Sabato sits just behind her with 1,222 points, keeping the title fight extremely close heading into the next stop of the season.
Third place currently belongs to Claudia Postiglione with 916 points, while Velia Pisanelli and Spain’s Alba Alonso Frey complete the women’s top five.
Men Ranking
- 🥇 Donato Freens 🇳🇱 1392 Points
- 🥈 Nicol Vincenzo Ricco 🇮🇹 1171 Points
- 🥉 Filippo Mercurialli 🇮🇹 994 Points
- 4️⃣ Shuri Araki 🇯🇵 850 Points
- 5️⃣ Sergio Cantoral Quirant 🇪🇸 794 Points
Women Ranking
- 🥇 Cecillia Pampinella 🇮🇹 1302 Points
- 🥈 Sveva Sabato 🇮🇹 1222 Points
- 🥉 Claudia Postiglione 🇮🇹 916 Points
- 4️⃣ Velia Pisanelli 🇮🇹 865 Points
- 5️⃣ Alba Alonso Frey 🇪🇸 793 Points
The Taranto event proved especially important for the Italian athletes, who capitalized on home water advantage to make significant gains in the rankings. At the same time, the international depth of the ESL field continues to grow, with athletes from across Europe and beyond contributing to one of the strongest race circuits currently active in stand up paddle racing.
Next Stop: Zürich and The Big Paddle Festival 2026
With two events now completed, attention shifts to one of the most unique destinations on the 2026 calendar: The Big Paddle Festival in Zürich.
Set against the spectacular backdrop of Lake Zürich, the event combines elite racing with one of Europe’s most scenic urban waterfronts. Surrounded by hills, river access points, promenades, and a deeply rooted outdoor sports culture, Zürich has become a hotspot for stand up paddling and one of the standout venues of the entire ESL tour.
The event will feature all official ESL disciplines:
- SUP Technical Race
- SUP Long Distance
- SUP Sprint
In addition to the professional competitions, organizers are also preparing several mass-participation activities, including the 18.5 km Big Paddle Challenge, amateur races, clinics with professional riders, and community-focused paddle events.
Event Schedule – The Big Paddle Festival 2026
Friday, June 19
- Clinics with professional riders
- Pre-event activities
- Official event opening
Saturday, June 20
- The Big Paddle Challenge (18.5 km)
- Technical competitions
- Side activities
Sunday, June 21
- ESL Sprint and Technical competitions
- Popular races
- Event closing ceremony
With several major events still remaining on the calendar, the race for the 2026 ESL overall titles remains completely open. However, after Taranto, the pressure is now clearly on the chasing pack as the tour heads to Switzerland and the battle for valuable ranking points continues.
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