You will be hard-pressed to find a more dominant performance from an individual in the 2025 International Canoe Federation season than Mariecarmen Rivera. In the eighth of our moments of 2025, the Puerto Rican completed a memorable hat-trick.
Before arriving in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Puerto Rico’s Mariecarmen Rivera had never won a world title. She had come close but never stood on top of the podium.
After a week in the Emirati capital, Rivera had picked up three gold medals to lay claim to be the new queen of Stand Up Paddling.
It was a week where everything came together for Rivera as she revelled in the Abu Dhabi heat. Whatever Rivera touched turned to gold as one winning performance came after another.
No one could stand in Rivera’s way as she swept to victory in the sprint, navigated the course to great effect to win the technical, and demonstrated all her endurance skills to triumph in the long distance.
Rivera had showcased her red-hot form earlier in the season, winning three gold medals at the ICF SUP World Cup in Crete, Greece.
To do it there is one thing, but to do it at the ICF SUP World Championships is another.
Rivera hit the ground running with victory in the women’s sprint for her first world title.
It was also an historic moment for Puerto Rico as Rivera became the country’s first-ever world champion in SUP.
Rivera did not stop there, completing the double with success in the women’s technical after getting the better of Spain’s Alba Alonso Frey again.
Oozing with confidence, Rivera then wrapped up a remarkable week with an impressive triumph in the women’s long distance.
“I’m living a dream,” said Rivera.
“It’s amazing, I feel great.
“I worked for it, and in the end I got it, so I am really happy.
“I felt confident and strong, and when I started the race, I thought this was going to be difficult as the girls were super strong too.
“I just needed to be patient, and when you see the moment, you just go for it, and that’s what I did.”
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