Photos by @Miguel Sacramento Photography
The ESF Eurosup Championships took place in Peniche (Portugal) from October 14th to the 22nd. Organized by the Peniche Surf Club & the ESF (European Surfing Federation), this event has been attended by riders from all over Europe. This week's weather was a little rough, so it was necessary to adapt. However, all the races ran smoothly and the winners were crowned!
SIC RIDERS AT THE ESF EVENT
Because of their good results in the past, some SIC riders had been selected to represent their country at this event. We have been cheering on Ethan Bry (France), Ginnie Betts (England) and Josephina-marie Karst (Germany). Ethan Bry, a SIC Global rider, showed us his exceptional skills.
Read more about the event below.
@Miguel Sacramento Photography
@Miguel Sacramento Photography
PENICHE SPOT IN PORTUGAL
Peniche, known as the « the Wave Capital » is a charming coastal town nestled in Portugal, known for its captivating landscapes, rich history, and vibrant atmosphere. Situated about 100 kilometers north of Lisbon and 250 kilometers northwest of Porto, Peniche offers a unique blend of cultural heritage and natural beauty.
EPIC CONDITIONS FOR DISTANCE RACE
After the sprints on Tuesday, the long-distance race was held on Wednesday. The race had to be adjusted due to weather conditions, so they stayed in the bay and raced around the buoys.
Indeed, there were a lot of waves and strong winds, which made the race very intense during its 11km. The riders fought hard at the front of the fleet, against each other and also against the éléments for 2 hours.
The final results were as follows: Ethan Bry SIC Global rider, finished 2nd in the men's category and Ginnie Betts 6th in the women’s. Josephina-marie aka Jojo finished 4th in the junior category.
@Miguel Sacramento Photography
@Miguel Sacramento Photography
@Miguel Sacramento Photography
Ethan hasn't trained much this year because of his medical school studies. At just 18 years old, he's showing that he's still in top condition, and that he's one of the world's best in the discipline. He became French Long Distance and Technical Race Champion last month, and he's achieved another incredible performance in this Eurotour 2023.
For his first selection in the French team, Ethan finished 2nd in this 11km distance race. He really enjoyed the ocean course:
« It's the type of race where I'm at my best. I always train on the ocean, even if there's no wind and it's flat, that's where I perform best, » he says.
He continues: « The race was very slippery. I didn't get off to a very good start and fell off several times. But at the same time, there was a big series (of waves) that fell on those in front, so I was able to catch up with them some. As time went on and the distance increased, I managed to catch up with the leading pack. At the 3rd buoy, about ¼ of the way through, I was in first place. Then, on the first downwind leg, Clément (Colmas) took the lead and managed to hold on for the win. The Spaniards never came back on me, and I was able to keep them at a distance on the downwind leg. »
A CHAOTIC END OF CHAMPIONSHIP!
On Thursday and Friday, no races took place due to very bad weather conditions. The end of the week was dedicated to the technical races and team relays, in which Ethan once again performed very well, finishing 2nd with the French team.
The next event will be held next month for the SIC Team, with the ICF 2023 ICF SUP World Championships in Pattaya, Thailand.