Fans are the big winners following the release of race information for this year’s ICF stand up paddling world championships in Balatonfured, Hungary, with easy viewing access to watch the world’s best SUP athletes in action.

More details have been released for September’s world championships, including a race timetable and details of where the races will take place on the picturesque Lake Balaton. The ICF titles will be the biggest event on the international SUP calendar this year.

It’s been revealed the 200-metre sprint races and 1000-1300 metre technical races will be held on the most frequented waterfront of Balatonfured, next to the Tagore promenade. Not only will this allow fantastic viewing areas for the public, but will also provide a stunning backdrop on live television and online coverage around the world.

The open long distance races of 18 kilometres will see athletes race across Lake Balaton, finishing in Balatonfured.

The technical races include portages, giving fans an even closer look at the action.

A four-day competition schedule for the championships, running from September 9-12, has been revealed, kicking off with preliminary rounds for sprint and technical races on Thursday afternoon.

The long distance races will be held on Friday morning, with further sprint and technical preliminary races on Friday afternoon. The sprint finals will be held on Saturday morning, followed by races on inflatable boards.

The inflatable board races will be an open event, providing a unique opportunity for athletes of all levels to compete at a world championships. Attracting new athletes to stand up paddling is an important part of the ICF’s approach to the sport.

The technical semi-finals and finals will be held on Sunday.

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“This schedule will ensure every athlete is given every possible chance to perform at their best across the sprint, technical and long distance events at these world championships,” ICF SUP coordinator, Hoichan Kwon, said.

“As we know, nearly every athlete will attempt all three disciplines during the week, so we need to ensure they have enough time to prepare and to recover from each race. A full day of training on the Wednesday, and the preliminary rounds of the sprint and technical races on Thursday, will give the athletes a great opportunity to get a feel for the Lake Balaton conditions.

“We had great feedback after our very successful world championships in China in 2019, which we have used to guide our preparations for this year’s titles.”

The latest ICF SUP world championship bulletin contains all the race information, along with important details on entry conditions, accommodation and transport arrangements.

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