2 World Championships in 10 Days

3+1 key factors to face the ICF and ISA Worlds back to back

by Paolo Marconi

With only 42 days’ notice, the ISA has announced the dates and location of its upcoming World Championship. This long-awaited competition will take place just 10 days after the ICF World Championship (yes, there are two federations organizing two different World Championships, and this year they’re extremely close to each other).

The ICF Worlds were announced more than a year ago and will be held in Abu Dhabi from October 29 to November 2. The ISA Worlds, instead, will take place in El Salvador from November 10 to 15. The first one will most likely be on flat water, while the second will probably be in waves.

Let’s put aside all the comments, outrage, and considerations about the fact that the federation governing SUP racing globally announces the most important event of the year with such short notice, forcing athletes, federations, and coaches to perform miracles just to attend. I would rather focus on the athletic side and try to answer this question: how do you approach two World Championships in 10 days?

It’s a complex issue and, as always when we talk about training, the answer could be: IT DEPENDS. It depends on what kind of athlete you are, your ambitions, and your sporting background.

Below I’ll share 3+1 key points that I believe are fundamental for facing two such important races in such a short time frame:

-1. The base training will be essential for this double performance.
Since it’s not possible to peak twice in 10 days, you’ll need to aim for a peak period that lasts a bit longer, focusing more on the first race and trying to maintain form until the second. The ICF Worlds, being held in flat water, will likely be more focused on physical performance, while the ISA Worlds will require better skills due to waves and open ocean conditions.
In this context, the work done in the off-season and pre-season will be crucial (you can find a blog post on how to structure those phases here). Those who have trained well during the preparation phase, and built strong foundations both on the board and on land, will have a much better chance of sustaining the effort of two World Championships in 10 days.

-2. Rest and recovery become even more important.
Tapering before the first Worlds and recovering before the second will be key to sustaining performance across both events. Sleep, nutrition before, during, and after the races, mobility, and targeted pre-race sessions become as important as the training plan itself.
Athletes and coaches must pay just as much attention to recovery as they do to the races. The main risk of two major back-to-back events is neglecting proper recovery and burning through your energy reserves, which could compromise your performance in the second event — or worse, lead to injury.

-3. Logistics: less stress = better performance
Most athletes heading to the Abu Dhabi Worlds have likely already sorted out their logistics, figuring out how to ship or rent a board and booking flights and accommodation well in advance. Those also going to El Salvador will have to repeat the same logistical challenges: traveling across the world, finding a decent place to stay, and most importantly, finding a board to race on (there’s an entire chapter in my book about the logistical adventures of competitive SUP athletes — if you haven’t read it yet, you can find it here).
Organizing two trips like this, spending many hours in transit (especially by plane), crossing multiple time zones, and facing all the little misadventures that every trip brings, can be physically and mentally draining. All these factors, added to the athletic demands of the events, represent a major challenge. Those who can solve logistical problems more efficiently will experience less stress — and likely perform better.

3+1. BUDGET

Even if you’re the best-prepared and most well-trained athlete in the world, even if you’re ready to tackle four World Championships in four weeks, if your budget doesn’t allow it, you won’t be able to perform — or even attend both events.

Two trips like these, without sponsors or federation support, are extremely expensive. Attending both World Championships at your own expense will cost more than an entire European race season. This factor will probably be a key filter, meaning that only a handful of “pro” athletes will be able to afford to attend both the ISA and ICF Worlds.

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