The ICF/ISA legal saga led to the World SUP championships organized by ICF being cancelled in Portugal. But the conditions are amazing here for downwind and there is going to be the Nelo Summer Challenge for surfski and other canoe sports, so some international athletes took advantage of the fact that the ICF paid for their vacations (SUP competitors were offered a refund or in alternative free accomodation and board at the hotel on the event venue).
So yesterday, the Nelo crew organized a transfer and a few trailers for everybody: 60 people, mostly top surfskiers and a dozen SUP athletes, a few from Portugal (myself and a couple of friends) and some international riders, being Olivia Piana the most well-knowned name. And today they did it again.
Conditions were epic, with 30 knots during most part of the 19 km run between Viana do Castelo and Esposende.
The crew as pretty stoked as you can see from the video of the arrival:
I filmed the downwind run but I borrowed a camera from one of the Spanish guys. When I get the footage, I'll post it here. Hope it recorded a few good bumps!
