Ludovic Teulade first competed in the Gla Gla race in 2015. In 2019, he secured the win at the classic flat water race in Talloires, a commune in Eastern France. In 2022, he brought home the win once again, proving that he was the name to beat at the coveted race.
As the 2024 race season kicked off with the Gla Gla Race once again, all eyes were on Teulade in the distance race. When the race started, it was glassy yet cloudy and cold. Approximately four kilometers into the race, the wind kicked up and the sun came out, presenting the athletes with a chilly upwind section. When the athletes hit the downwind section, the air was starting to warm up and the wind was around four knots, with a 40-centimeter chop. After that, conditions became picturesque for the remainder of the race, with the snow-covered mountains serving as a stunning backdrop.
Teulade commenced the race with a strong start, paddling in front of the pack for the first kilometer. After settling into the race, he slowed his pace a bit and the second place paddler joined him before the first turn. They then paddled together for a while in a tight pack of ten. At kilometer seven, Donato (who ultimately finished second) put in a big surge–Teulade followed and they shook off the rest of the pack. Teulade matched his pace, ultimately pulling ahead as he surfed bumps on the sidewind section. After crossing the lake, he had a 10 second lead and he kicked it into high gear to secure his lead.
“I felt amazing and my board was gliding well,” says Teulade. “I did an even bigger gap and then I could control and enjoy!”
Teulade widened the gap before settling into a comfortable pace to the finish line. Teulade secured yet another win at the Gla Gla Race, marking his third victory at the race.
“Winning always feels good,” says Teulade. “This race is one of the most prestigious in the world: I live super close, I started on the Alpine Lakes Tour super early in my career, so it feels like home and motivates me a lot. There is a crazy atmosphere and I want to do really well each time.”
- Ludovic Teulade
The Gla Gla Race kicks off the 2024 race season and Tuelade is thrilled to start things off on a high note. Looking forward, he hopes to be on the podium for all the big races. His goals for the year are to focus on his coaching and continue to improve while simultaneously focusing on other disciplines such as surfing and wing foiling. He also hopes to welcome more people to the nautic center he manages in the summertime with his brother.
“It’s great to start to 2024 with a win,” says Teulade. “It motivates me a lot for the first part of the season to continue training!”