PRESS RELEASE
Six days of ISA SUP & Paddle World Championship competitions, along with several side events and SUP activities, crowned by the largest SUP event in the Nordic countries on Saturday with 500 participants, have shaped a perfect championship week
The ISA, the International Surfing Association, has had nothing but praise for the Danish organisers, and the collaboration has been flawless.
Anthony Vela, Strategic Advisor on StandUp Paddle, ISA, said:
“Wow! Just wow. We’ve just wrapped up the 2024 edition of the World SUP and Paddleboard Championship here in Copenhagen, Denmark. We couldn’t have asked for a better ending. Two exciting sprint finishes, and well over a thousand people gathered in the area. The crowd was just ecstatic. For me, one of the special moments was when the Danish athlete Christian Andersen won a place in the sprint final and finished fourth. When he took his victory lap, he won everyone’s hearts. This event was incredible—the location was perfect, the weather was perfect, and everybody here is so nice. And one last thing: the beer was absolutely delicious.”
Nearly 300 athletes from 40 countries have competed for medals throughout the week, and the roar from the thousands of spectators during today’s sprint competitions has created lifelong memories for the athletes. Adding to this, a small but high-performing federation in collaboration with Copenhagen and Sport Event Denmark, together with 275 volunteers, has helped create a SUP World Championship that will be hard to surpass.
Jakob Færch, president of Surf & SUP Denmark, shared:
“It all culminated yesterday, Saturday, when we moved in front of the Black Diamond and hosted both the recreational race, Copenhagen SUP, the largest SUP event ever in Denmark with around 500 participants, and the long-distance race for the elite, as well as today’s spectacular sprint races. We can see from the event venue, which is used for everything from marathons to open-water swimming, that it can offer something truly extraordinary. Moving into the heart of Copenhagen allows us to activate the city – everything from school classes to try-it-yourself activities, and we’ve also included a para-event to raise awareness of SUP even further, an element we will definitely continue to work on. As a federation, we are inspired by the way we collaborate in Denmark, particularly with public partners, and Sport Event Denmark. Together, we aim to stage more than just a World Championship. We have, in fact, built upon the 2017 World Championship, and perhaps – just perhaps – we can dream of hosting another World Championship in four years.”
Lars Lundov, Director of Sport Event Denmark, adds:
“At the World Championship in Stand-Up Paddle this week, we have witnessed spectacular competitions both at beach and in the canals in the heart of Copenhagen. This World Championship also stands out for its exceptionally beautiful and innovative venue setup. The setup’s design highlighted the event’s focus on sustainability and audience engagement. Over the past few weeks, we have hosted international events across Denmark bringing people together through sport.”
Lord Mayor, Copenhagen Municipality, Lars Weiss:
“We were happy to contribute to the World Championship in SUP in Copenhagen. The event showcased our fantastic harbour in the best possible way and involved Copenhageners and city guests, who were able to watch the event and try out the sport themselves.”
Mikkel Aarø-Hansen, CEO, Wonderful Copenhagen, comments:
“It’s been incredible to have Copenhagen’s harbour and beaches play a key role as backdrops for the World SUP & Paddleboard Championship and to see the strong support from locals as well as visitors. To us, this reaffirms Copenhagen’s position as an innovative and inclusive event destination.”
The 2024 ISA World SUP & Paddleboard Championship is organised by Surf SUP Denmark in collaboration with the Municipality of Copenhagen, Sport Event Denmark, Wonderful Copenhagen, and By & Havn.
