More than 500 athletes from 52 National Federations are ready to give their best as the 2024 International Canoe Federation Stand Up Paddling World Championships begins in Sarasota, Florida, on Wednesday.
Scheduled to run until November 24 at Nathan Benderson Park, the flagship event will see the debut of the 100m sprint at the level after replacing the usual 200m races.
Competitors will also hope to capitalise on the EUR 30,000 prize pool, set to be distributed equally among men and women.
Alba Alonso Frey of Spain will be coming to Florida riding on a successful three-peat at the last ICF World Cup in Agios Nikolaos.
The 31-year-old came out on top in the long-distance, technical and sprint categories and will be hoping for more of the same.
Compatriot and reigning world champion Esperanza Barreras will be among Frey's challengers.
She was superb in the long-distance race at the SUP Alps Trophy THE LAKE ROCKS in Villach, Austria and is expected to be challenging for world titles in all categories.
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After shining in the ICF SUP World Ranking Event on home waters in Comacchio, Italian Cecilia Pampinella will eye to finish the year on a high.
Christian Andersen of Denmark has had a great season, having done the golden double in technical and long distance at the Baltic Skrea Beach Paddle Race in Falkenberg, Sweden.
Home hopes will rest on Seychelle Webster, who came back from childbirth last year to take a world title in Thailand on her debut at the level.
Bulgarian superstar Andrii Kraitor cannot be ruled out after impressing in the sprint in Agios Nikolaos.
A multiple world and European champion in Canoe Sprint, he also put in top displays at the ECA SUP Championships and was also a bronze medallist at the World Championships in Pattaya last year.
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The French duo of Noic and Vaic Garioud are strong contenders for medals, with the former looking to win sprint world title number three in Florida.
With more big names like Itzel Delgado of Peru and Argentina's Juliette DuHaime in the mix, plenty of surprises are in store over the next few days.
The competition will kickstart with preliminary rounds, heats and quarter-finals in the sprint category on Wednesday, before the Opening Ceremony in the evening.
The second day of action will see technical prelims, heats and quarter-finals.
The finals will begin on November 22 with sprint, followed by technical on November 23 and long-distance, inflatable and kids races on November 24.
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