The Spanish paddler won both the Technical Race and the Long Distance at the third stop of the 2026 European SUP League. Alba Frey and Duna Gordillo shared the women’s victories in Richterswil.
The European SUP League completed the third event of its 2026 season on 20 and 21 June with the Big Paddle Festival, bringing the European circuit to Richterswil, on the shores of Lake Zurich, where an outstanding international field of athletes came together.
The event combined top-level competition with the open, family-friendly and inclusive atmosphere that defines the Big Paddle Festival. Professional athletes, promising young paddlers, masters competitors and recreational watersports enthusiasts all shared a privileged setting surrounded by Alpine scenery, with the waters of Lake Zurich providing the main stage.
The European SUP League scoring competition focused on the Technical Race and Long Distance disciplines, over courses of 1.8 and 6 kilometres respectively. Both races were closely contested, especially in the Open Elite category, where the gaps came down to just a few seconds.
Aarón Sánchez Dominates the Men’s Competition
Aarón Sánchez was the outstanding athlete of the weekend after claiming victory in both disciplines.
In the Technical Race, the Spanish paddler finished ahead of fellow countrymen Lluís Perotti and Fernando Pérez Serra, completing an all-Spanish podium. Donato Freens placed fourth, while Sergio Cantoral completed the Top 5.
The men’s Long Distance produced one of the most exciting finishes of the event. Sánchez secured his second victory with a time of 34 minutes and 44 seconds, finishing just two seconds ahead of Sergio Cantoral and three seconds ahead of Lluís Perotti.
Rubén Cantoral, the leading U18 competitor, crossed the finish line in fourth overall, only five seconds behind the winner, while Donato Freens finished fifth. The first five athletes were separated by just eight seconds, highlighting the remarkable level of competition among the circuit’s leading contenders.
Alba Frey and Duna Gordillo Share the Women’s Victories
The women’s competition also delivered an intense battle for the leading positions.
Alba Frey won the Technical Race after producing a strong performance, with Hungary’s Kocsis Csillag Virág finishing second and Duna Gordillo taking third place. Nuria Chiquero, the U18 winner, finished fourth overall, while Esperanza Barreras placed fifth and was the leading M40 competitor.
In the Long Distance, Duna Gordillo took her turn at the top of the podium, winning in a time of 35 minutes and 47 seconds. Alba Frey finished second, eleven seconds behind the winner, while Kocsis Csillag Virág claimed third place, crossing the line only one second behind Frey.
The victories shared by Frey and Gordillo underline the competitiveness of the women’s field and add further important results to the battle for the European SUP League overall rankings.
Strong Performances Across All Categories
The Big Paddle Festival also attracted broad participation across the U18, M40, GM50, Kahuna and youth divisions.
Daniel Senoglu and Nuria Chiquero won the U18 Technical Race categories, while Rubén Cantoral and Bianca Toncelli claimed victory in the Long Distance. Roberto Cañedo and Esperanza Barreras dominated their respective M40 categories.
In GM50, Daniele Cani won both men’s disciplines, while Emmanuelle Marcon claimed the women’s Technical Race and Switzerland’s Andrea Forrer won the Long Distance. Jorge Chiquero secured the Kahuna victory, while Enzo Ponzó and Lena Nowak were among the standout performers in U16. Tomás Blin won the U14 category, underlining the important role played by the European SUP League in promoting and developing the next generation of athletes.
U18
D. Senoglu · N. Chiquero (Technical)
R. Cantoral · B. Toncelli (Long Dist.)
M40
Roberto Cañedo
Esperanza Barreras
GM50
Daniele Cani (2 disc.)
E. Marcon · A. Forrer
Kahuna · U16 · U14
J. Chiquero · E. Ponzó / L. Nowak
Tomás Blin (U14)
Competition, Community and the Promotion of SUP
Alongside the European SUP League races, the festival included the new 18.5-kilometre Big Paddle Challenge, side activities, youth initiatives and a programme designed to introduce paddle sports to participants of all ages and ability levels.
The event’s inclusion within the European SUP League, Swiss Paddle Cup and SUP Suisse Tour brought international competition, the Swiss paddle community and athletes from several countries together in the same venue.
The European SUP League would like to thank the Big Paddle Festival organising team, local sports associations, institutions, sponsors, partners, officials and volunteers whose work made the event possible.
The European SUP League Continues in Poland
After completing its events in Santa Pola, Taranto and Zurich, the European SUP League now immediately turns its attention to the fourth stop of the season. The results achieved in Switzerland will shortly be added to the official 2026 European SUP League rankings.
📅 26–28 June 2026 | 📍 Rybnik, Poland | 🏁 European Surfing Federation
The response from athletes and spectators confirms the potential of Richterswil and Lake Zurich as a venue for major international stand up paddle competitions. It also supports the ESL’s objective of connecting new territories, organisers and sporting communities through a shared European structure.