Starboard Dream Team rider from New Caledonia dominated the field to take a 10 minute victory lead over second place. Clement raced on the Ace Foil – the latest downwind board model by Starboard, and the Starboard Foils MF 820 – a foil offering an insanely wide range, both of which contributed to his success.
The annual Barcelona SUP World Fest is a prestigious ‘Six-Star’ rated stand-up paddle event taking place in Barcelona, Spain and a favourite stop on the EurTour calendar. It offered a significant prize purse of 15,000€, drawing in elite racers from around the globe.
As the trend for downwind SUP foil continues to grow and becoming more mainstream, the organisers of Barcelona SUP World Fest and Eurotour incorporated a new and exciting SUP downwinder foil event, a first of its kind.
30 competitors from 12 countries entered the event, which consisted of two runs; a 10km on the Friday and a 8km in the Saturday. The combined results of the two runs is used ot determine the winner and final results.
“We had two runs, with varying conditions. On Friday’s first race, the wind was light to non-existent, but some pumps helped us along. With around 30 competitors, the 10km downwinder course was challenging. Everyone started strong, but after 500m, the pace slowed, and I seized the opportunity. The small bumps provided occasional lift, making it a physically demanding race. I finished 10 minutes ahead of the second-place competitor, completing the 25-minute run without touching down. In fact, I was the only one to maintain flight throughout.
The second run on Saturday saw windier and bumpier conditions, with 10-12 knots of wind and an 8km course. I finished in 20 minutes, overtaking Tom Constan at the halfway point. Some top riders had to withdraw the previous day due to the light conditions and technical course, which didn’t suit their smaller foils. Despite not being the strongest field, there were still skilled riders with good equipment, making my first-place finish satisfying. The Hawaii races in July will likely be much tougher, but I’m eager for the challenge. My ability to maintain flight throughout the first race impressed everyone, and there was significant interest in my equipment.
What was all the gear you used? What was the fine-tuning of the set-up?
Foil Board: Starboard Ace Foil
Foil: (new UCS system): MF820 front wing // MF200 back wing // 95cm mast
Shims: 0° (1) front wing / -0,5° (1,5) Stabilizer / 1,5° under the top plate (to have the nose lower in flight)
Paddle: Lima XL Pre-Preg Carbon – with oval shaft (I am using the same for SUP racing)
Photo Credits: Roland Bos // EuroTour SUP – Barcelona SUP World Fest