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The Indian Paddle Festival (IPF) was a feast for fans as some of the top paddlers in the world gathered for the second edition of the event in Mangaluru. During the premium event WION exclusively caught up with Spanish paddler Antonito Morillo as he opened up on his experience paddling in India. One of the best paddlers of the current generation, Morillo won the overall Championships at the IPF and headlined the event.
Morillo opens up on experience
“It has been a wonderful experience to be part of the India Paddle Festival and to come back here again was a delight for me. I see the competition has been growing for the last few years and sharing the podium with the young Indians brings me joy. I have travelled around the world and have seen some great atmosphere, but with India, it is always a special thing,” Morillo said while speaking to WION’s Aditya Pimpale.
After three days of electrifying races, Morillo emerged as the overall men’s champion, amassing 18,000 points, ahead of Denmark’s Christian Andersen (16,500 points) and Hungary’s Daniel Hasulyo (14,500 points). India’s Sekar Patchai delivered a stellar performance, finishing fourth in the overall rankings with 10,750 points, marking a significant milestone for Indian SUP athletes.
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“India can be a force to reckon with as they continue to grow in the aquatic sports. I have been around for a while and the Indians have certainly been at the heart of it. Sekar Patchai sharing the stage was a good thing for him personally and I reckon he has a long way to go in the coming days,” added Morillo.
The Association of PaddleSurf Professionals (APP) World Tour marked its debut in India last year with the country’s only International Stand-Up Paddling Championship. The India Paddle Festival represents a significant milestone in the growing landscape of non-motorised water sports, which is rapidly gaining traction across the country.