There were some strong competitors in this SUP race, a lot of them fighting the freezing conditions to the end. Many had returned from previous years to beat their earlier times, while others took a more light-hearted approach wearing fancy dress. The distance races were followed by a multi-person Dragon board race and a technical race. Frenchman Ludovic Teulade (listed as one of the top ten SUP racers in the world) took the top spot for the men’s category, completing the 15km SUP race in under 1 hour 30 minutes, while Switzerland’s Anna Tschirky took first place for the ladies in the competition, finishing in 1 hour 36 minutes.
If you put the paddle board racing aside, the true magic of the GlaGla has to be its community - from the dedicated volunteers helping participants prepare for their races through to the enthusiastic spectators cheering from the side. It’s the community atmosphere that keeps paddlers coming back each year to challenge themselves and their peers on the water, all while reconnecting with like-minded people. It also offers an opportunity to mix and paddle alongside some of the world’s best SUP racers and, although the conditions can be challenging, anybody from anywhere can sign-up. The community also offers great support to new paddlers looking to challenge themselves for the first time.
above: even prone boarders take on the GlaGla
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