ESL SUP Race Switzerland Recap

The Potential of SUP Racing in Switzerland

The European SUP League stop in Richterswil, near Zurich, Switzerland, showcased just how much potential lies within both our sport and the venue that hosted the event. Organizers, athletes, media representatives, and spectators were blessed with perfect weather and ideal racing conditions throughout the weekend.

It was great to see so many big names in the sport make their way to Switzerland. The strong athlete lineup delivered exciting racing in front of a sun-soaked Swiss crowd at “The Horn” in Richterswil. While we had not experienced an ESL event firsthand before, our first impressions suggested that things are moving in the right direction.

The support team surrounding Florian Gander and SUP Kultur did an excellent job setting up the race courses while ensuring that athletes and spectators remained well-fed and hydrated throughout the day. The event was not only a great race competition but also a valuable opportunity to reconnect with Swiss athletes, industry representatives, and members of the local SUP community.

What was particularly impressive was the convenience of the location. The peninsula known as “The Horn” is located just a three-minute walk from the train station, features underground parking, and even offers a very nice youth hostel directly adjacent to the park. Spectators were able to watch the race starts from close range and were well entertained by the action on the water. As always, Mathieu Astier from TotalSUP worked tirelessly to broadcast the event across social media channels.

Exciting Technical Racing in Richterswil

From a racing perspective, fans were not disappointed. The technical race was fast-paced and featured numerous lead changes. At one point, there was even some excitement when several paddlers misunderstood the course and headed toward the wrong gate during the second lap. Despite this momentary confusion, the race ran smoothly overall.

In the men’s division, Aaron Sánchez claimed victory ahead of Luis Perotti and Fernando Pérez. ESL tour leader Donato Freens finished in fourth place, followed by Sergio García in fifth.

On the women’s side, Alba Frey displayed complete dominance from the start and secured the win ahead of a strong-looking Csillag Kocsis, who, by the way, has only raced twice so far this season. Duna Gordillo finished third, followed by 17-year-old Nuria García. The young Spaniard delivered an impressive performance, finishing ahead of one of the biggest names in the sport, Esperanza Barreras.

Shorter Long-Distance Format

After the technical races, competitors enjoyed an almost three-hour break to refuel and prepare for the long-distance race.

The race course followed the ESL format, consisting of a 6-kilometer, three-lap course that certainly did not make everyone happy. However, it does reduce race times by nearly half. Aaron Sánchez completed the course in 34:44, while Duna Gordillo crossed the finish line in 35:47. Traditionally, we are accustomed to long-distance race times exceeding one hour. There are advantages and disadvantages to this format, but this article is not the place to dive deeper into that discussion.

One noteworthy performance on the women’s side came from Anna Tschirky, who demonstrated that even after two years away from competition, her talent remains intact. She secured a Top 5 finish, just behind Esperanza Barreras.

Richterswil Highlights the Potential of SUP Racing

Looking at the event as a whole, we once again have to emphasize the tremendous potential that exists within SUP racing, particularly at a venue like Richterswil. Unfortunately, participation numbers were too low to classify the event as a major success. Ultimately, this was one of the reasons why local authorities consolidated the festival into a single day and reduced public funding.

It was encouraging to see the European SUP League bring such a strong field of athletes to Lake Zurich. However, in the end, it was not enough. Too many paddlers, industry representatives, and community members were absent.

We have seen events succeed when SUP racing is part of a broader festival concept. In the case of this magnificent venue, the potential is obvious, but future editions should include additional water sports disciplines. Foiling, for example, enjoys a strong following in the Zurich area, and incorporating it into the program would be an important step forward.

Transforming the event into a true water sports festival would attract a broader audience, generate more attention, and help unlock the full potential of both the venue and the sport itself.

We like to thank the ESL for supporting our efforts keeping our readers up to date. We like to shout out one more time to Florian Gander who put his heart and soul into this event.

We also like to shout to our readers who like to decided to become patrons of our work that make our work possible.