- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria’s beach hosts the world’s top Stand-Up Paddle (SUP) professionals from this Tuesday to Sunday, between La Cícer and El Lloret.
- Local star Iballa Ruano, reigning World Champion, aims for her third global title.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Monday, December 2. A year ago, Iballa Ruano emerged victorious from the contest at Confital Bay, once again crowned as the queen of Stand-Up Paddle on the rocky shores of El Lloret. Hoisted on shoulders, paddle in one hand and a clenched fist in the other, she wore the triumphant smile of a true sports legend. Starting this Tuesday, the waves between La Cícer and El Lloret at Las Canteras Beach will once again act as arbiters of the international circuit, determining the world’s best talents in the APP World Tour. The Gran Canaria Pro-AM 2024, marking the event’s fifth edition, will conclude this Sunday with the crowning of six new world champions.
The spectacular Stand-Up Paddle returns, a surfing discipline especially striking in the wave-riding modality. This sport, practiced with a paddle, has emerged as one of the fastest-growing activities along coastal areas, particularly in tourist destinations. Among this year’s title contenders, Gran Canaria’s own Iballa Ruano stands out. The reigning World and Spanish Champion enters the competition with ambitions to defend her title and add another world championship to her decorated career. The Pozo Izquierdo athlete, with nine PWA titles and three APP World Tour wave-riding championships, remains the only competitor to have combined Stand-Up Paddle and Windsurfing world titles in the same year (2018).
This year’s contenders are closely matched, promising an intense, all-or-nothing finale. The Gran Canaria Paddle Surf World Championship features six categories: Men’s and Women’s SUP Surf, Men’s and Women’s Longboard, and Junior Pro U21 (Men’s and Women’s). Consequently, six champions will emerge from the competition in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Participants hail from countries including Brazil, Japan, France, Peru, Spain, Puerto Rico, Italy, Portugal, Argentina, Germany, the United States, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. Notable competitors include Spanish national champion Guillermo Carracedo, Japanese favorite Taka Inoue, and Brazil’s Wellington Reis, Felipe Marden, Sebastián Gómez, Benoit Carpentier, and Luis Diniz, the 2023 champion in Gran Canaria.
In the women’s category, standout athletes include Argentina’s Lucía Cosoletto, Japanese sisters Kaede and Sandra Inoue, France’s Prunex Guerin, Japanese competitor Aline Adisska, and Spain’s Alazne Aurrekoetxea, a returning participant. The organization has highlighted the Japanese athletes and Aline Adisska as key rivals to the Canarian rider.
If conditions are favorable, the competition will kick off with a showcase of the top riders on the waves in the initial qualifying rounds. Forecasts indicate optimal conditions on Tuesday, Wednesday, and possibly Thursday. Björn Dunkerbeck emphasized the many variables in scheduling competitions and stressed the importance of seizing favorable conditions early on.
The Gran Canaria Pro-AM 2024 is supported by the Gran Canaria Cabildo’s Departments of Sports and Tourism, the Canary Islands Government’s Ministry of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce, the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council through its Municipal Sports Institute, the Canary Surfing Federation, 7IFILM.COM, Poemas del Mar Aquarium, Water Speed, City Sightseeing Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, School Surf-Windsurf-SUP, Universidad del Atlántico Medio, and Volkswagen Comerciales.
Lastly, Gran Canaria residents are invited to enjoy the thrilling performances of the riders at La Cícer. The event will also offer a variety of activities, including food trucks, live music, and video projections showcasing the championship and the sport of paddle surfing.
