ARNOIA SUP CHALLENGE

The Arnoia SUP Challenge 2023 inaugurated the long distance competition held on Saturday, May 20, with the participation of riders who came from different places of the country; highlighting above all the large number of athletes from different clubs in Galicia such as Sanxenxo, Mera or Aguete among others. Nor was there any shortage of international riders who came from Portugal, thanks to the existing proximity to that neighbouring country.

The Elite category offered a great show to all the public present in Arnoia, covering a 14 km course with technical areas, buoy turns, flat water and the wind making an appear-ance at different places in Miño river. The competitor Esperanza Barreras and the young rider Fernando Pérez had no rivals in their corresponding categories, demonstrating once again the great performance they have. The podium was completed by Izaskun Martinez and Marta Abrunedo in the women’s category, and Nico Barreiro and Iván Puente in the men’s category.

However, where there was much more action and rivalry was for the rest of the competi-tors pushed to the maximum until they reached the finish line, causing overtaking and sprints that generated a great spectacle.

First started the Amateur and children’s categories, taking different routes, leaving from the start line of the Caldaria SPA and with wonderful conditions for this competition. For the riders, it was inevitable to take their eyes off the paddle and the board to also enjoy the wild surroundings of the area.

The first day of the Arnoia SUP Challenge 2023 ended in the afternoon with a popular course through different areas of the river, also taking advantage of the presence of Es-peranza and Fernando, who offered advice and tips to the most amateur riders, in a won-derful afternoon of coexistence.

The second day of this event was for the Sprints, with a very spectacular ISA format of 200 meters of travel and making a buoy turn between this distance. A marvellous sunny Sunday flooded the Arnoia Council, with the presence of not only athletes and family members but also a public that came to the event from other areas of this region.

The competitor Esperanza Barreras and Nico Barreiro were the fastest of the day, show-ing an impeccable style in this modality of Stand Up Paddle. They were accompanied on the podium by Mia Soares and Paloma Porta in the women’s category, and Guillerme Far-ia and Antón Sans in the men’s category.

We also highlight the participation of the youngest and amateurs who also showed great skills in these Sprints. The day would end with the awards ceremony and a snack at the SPA facilities.

Undoubtedly, the Arnoia SUP Challenge is an event that is here to stay and is already a big SUP event at the national level, also being key for Galician athletes, in a year that promises a lot of excitement for the Galician Cup and its respective events.

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Balz Muller about the TOP SPIN boom wing

The ENSIS TOP SPIN boom wing range has grown. The 5 sizes 3.1, 3.6, 4.1, 4.6, 5.1 come in different colors, a great wish of Balz Müller has been fulfilled. All sizes are available now, which we take as an opportunity for an interview with Balz.

For a very long time, you wanted to have the high performance of an ENSIS wing also available as a boom wing. The ENSIS TOP SPIN is now available in 5 sizes. Why is a boom so important to you?

As a passionate windsurfer, I always missed the familiar, direct sail-body connection when wingfoiling. Thus, even with the very first ENSIS wings, I mounted broken windsurfing booms and laminated them with toothbrushes in my living room. Many, many prototypes followed until the final ENSIS TOP SPIN met our demands for high performance. The advantages of boom wings have always fascinated me and never let me go. For me, these are the direct navigation of the wing, the unlimited gripping possibilities and the fact that the wing does not swing out on its own during manoeuvres.

The ENSIS TOP SPIN is the result of an intensive phase of R&D. What were the major challenges during development?

The challenge was to find a robust and yet light connection from boom to strut. So many different forms of connections were printed or laminated. As soon as they were made, we quickly destroyed them doing radical freestyle manoeuvres. The strains on the connections are high. So we started again from scratch several times.

In your eyes, what are the most important qualities that a boom must fulfill?

Riding comfort must be high. This means that the boom needs to be ergonomic in order to achieve maximum efficiency when riding. In addition, the boom should be light and stiff. Last but not least, a comfortable grip is important to achieve the desired comfort.

And of course we want to know: Have you achieved this with the ENSIS TOP SPIN?

After more than a dozen prototypes, I am convinced that we have found a super solution. The boom is ergonomic and comfortable to ride. The ENSIS Click Fix Mounting System is easy to use and can withstand all our crazy moves.

The TOP SPIN is available in different colors. Were you involved in this?

To have each size in a different color was my and the team’s great wish. We think it’s great to know what size friends are using on the water when you get to the spot. Each size has a different, fresh colour, so it’s easy. Plus, the variety is fun!