SIC shines at the ISA World Championships

At the 2024 ISA World SUP & Paddleboard Championship in Copenhagen, Denmark, SIC proudly crowned two new world champs. 

The ISA World SUP & Paddleboard Championships are one of the biggest annual events in stand up paddle racing. This year, the ISAs ran from September 16-22 in Copenhagen, Denmark with athletes from 30 countries in attendance.  

To compete in the ISAs, athletes must be invited by their country to compete in certain race categories. At this year’s event, SIC had 10 athletes from seven different countries in attendance.  

“These world championships in Denmark were incredible,” says SIC global athlete Ethan Bry (FR). “Copenhagen was a city that adapted very well to ISA World Championships. We were able to find all types of water and spectators could see the progress of the races without the competitors being too far away.”  

In the men’s sprint race, conditions were favorable, and David Leao (BR) dominated heat after heat, ultimately securing a spot in the finals. With each heat, Leao gained more confidence, and, in the end, he won his final heat, becoming the men’s sprint world champion.   

“The sprint race is always an exciting and a great show, with lots of spectators and the best paddlers in the world in the game,” says Leao (BR).

“I am happy to win the world title for my country and to paddle for SIC.” 

David Leao

On the women’s side, Seychelle (USA) led the pack through the opening heats of the sprint races, winning all her heats. Unfortunately, she got squeezed out at the buoy in the semi-finals, narrowly missing making the final. Seychelle is now shifting her focus to the ICF Worlds in Sarasota in November. 

“I just returned home from a summer of travel and did not come into this event fully prepared to do my best,” says Seychelle (US).

"I treated it as a good warm up for the the ICF Worlds event. I am glad that I went as I was able to learn exactly where I am at and what I need to work on to reach my goals for a triple crown later in the year."

Seychelle (USA)

In the women’s technical race, SIC was well represented with Rika Okuaki (JPN), Seychelle (USA), Soryn Preston (USA), and Annabel Page (UK) all competing. It was a tight pack with Okuaki finishing in 6th, Seychelle in 7th, Preston in 8th, and Page in 13th.  

“It is so amazing to be battling against the open women as they are so competitive,” says SIC junior athlete Soryn Preston (USA).

“The field is so strong and it’s really inspiring to see where I need to be when I age out of juniors. I am very happy with my results in tech as it shows me how much more I need to grow.” 

Soryn Preston (USA)

In the women’s distance race, SIC had great representation, with seven women in the race, including Rika Okuaki (JPN), Seychelle (USA), Soryn Preston (USA), Kanae Shibahara (JPN), Annabel Page (UK), Josephina Karst (GER), and Andreak Kammerer (CZE).

The top three finishers were Okuaki in 4th, Seychelle in 5th, and Preston in 10th. 

On the men’s side, Kotaro Miyahira (JPN) and Ethan Bry (FR), represented SIC in the 12-kilometer distance race. The race took off fast and the lead pack was close throughout the race, with multiple technical passages for the racers to navigate. At the finish, junior racer Miyahira crossed the line in 3rd with Bry close behind, finishing in 4th.  

In the junior races, team SIC proved that it has a bright future with Kotaro Miyahire (JPN) finishing 1st in the boy’s technical race, clinching another world title for SIC. In the women’s junior tech race Soryn Preston (US) secured a third-place finish and Kanae Shibahara (JPN) finished in 8th.   

“This year, my goal was to become the junior champion at the ISA World Championship, and I am also aiming to win the junior championship at the ICF,” says SIC junior athlete Kataro Miyahire (JPN).

“I have been training every day with my coach, family, and teammates. I was able to show the results of that training by finishing with a 20-second lead over the second-place competitor. I believe this is proof of my growing confidence in my paddling skills.”  

Kataro Miyahire (JPN)

In addition to impressive racing and crowning two world champs, another superstar at the ISAs was the new RST. The board made its debut at the world championships and was a hot topic of conversation among racers.

“In the open men’s class, while the top five athletes used sprint boards specialized for flatwater, I chose the all-water board, RST,” says Kotaro Miyahire (JPN).

“Since the racecourse passed through narrow waterways, waves were created. Riding the RST allowed me to perform at 100%, use the wake for drafting, and keep up with sprints due to the board's quick acceleration. Thanks to these advantages, I was able to secure 3rd place.” 

SIC is immensely proud of our athletes for their performances at the ISA World SUP & Paddleboard Championships. Women's racing is thriving at SIC, with athletes dominating the top ten positions in the women's open divisions at ISA. Our juniors proved that the future of team SIC is bright, with athletes finishing first and third in the boy’s and girl’s technical races. And, best of all, we crowned two world champions.  

 
“Being a part of such an amazing sport with all these people is so rad,” says SIC junior athlete Soryn Preston (USA). “Everyone is supportive of one another and always stoked to be there. The community from around the world is what keeps me excited and going. So happy to be an ISA competitor!”   

Check out the event's website HERE.