India Paddle Festival: Esperanza Barreras, Antonio Morillo headline second day with dominant wins

The second day of the International SUP Championship at the India Paddle Festival 2025, the country’s only international Stand-Up Paddling event, saw thrilling battles across all categories at Sasihithlu Beach. In the APP Distance Race (10 km), Spain’s defending champions proved unstoppable, with Esperanza Barreras reclaiming her women’s title while compatriot Antonio Morillo dominated the men’s category.

India’s young paddlers made their mark, sweeping all three podium spots in the U-15 Technical Distance Race (1.5 km), with Aneesh Kumar leading the charge. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Keefe Anargya Pranoto emerged victorious in the U-18 Technical Distance Race edging out defending champion Aakash Pujar.

Junior technical distance races

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The day started with U-18 Technical Distance Race (5 km) saw a thrilling battle, with Indonesia’s Keefe Anargya Pranoto securing first place with an impressive time of 38:46:58. Defending champion and local favourite Aakash Pujar finished closely behind in 39:35:27, while his cousin, Raju Pujar, secured third place with a time of 43:00:59.

In the U-15 Technical Distance Race (1.5 km), Tamil Nadu’s Aneesh Kumar emerged victorious, clocking 10:13:34. Local paddler Pradeep secured second place in 12:16:37, while another Tamil talent, Nitish K, claimed third with a time of 13:23:42.

APP distance race – Open Women’s Category (10 km)

Defending champion Esperanza Barreras from Spain once again showcased her dominance in the 10 km APP Distance Race, clinching first place with a stellar time of 51:11:35. She was followed by South Africa’s Chiara Vorster in second place with 57:44:18, and Korea’s Sujeong Lim, who secured third with 58:33:37. India’s Vijayalakshmi Irulappan, finished in a commendable fifth place with a time of 1:03:15:29.

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APP distance race – Open Men’s Category (10 km)

Spain’s Antonio Morillo emerged as the champion in the APP Distance Race – Open Men’s Category, finishing with an exceptional time of 44:53:47 to retain his title. Hungary’s Daniel Hasulyo took second place with 45:34:38, while Denmark’s Christian Andersen rounded out the podium in third with 47:05:46.

Among Indian paddlers, SekarPatchai put up a strong performance, securing fourth place with a time of 50:32:46, followed by Manikandan M, who finished sixth in 52:31:23.

Bringing an extra dose of adrenaline to the festival, Mantra Adventure Film Festival featured a captivating selection of Indian documentaries that highlighted the spirit of adventure and extreme sports across the country.

As the India Paddle Festival 2025 moves into its final day, excitement continues to build around the adrenaline-fueled event with Sprint Races set to take place. Top international and Indian paddlers will battle it out for championship titles in the Men’s, Women’s, and Junior categories.

With SUP in India witnessing rapid growth, the festival stands as a testament to the sport’s rising popularity, especially after India secured its first-ever quota in surfing for the Asian Games.