Eleven ISA Gold Medalists highlight talent-rich pool
Final longboard ranking to be determined after 2019 ISA World Longboard Surfing Championship
La Jolla CA— The International Surfing Association (ISA) is pleased to announce the athletes that have qualified to compete in Surfing and StandUp Paddle’s (SUP) historic debut at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.
Set to take place between July 26 – August 11, the 2019 Pan Ams will mark the largest multisport event to feature Surfing and SUP to date, showcasing the sports to a global audience ahead of Surfing’s upcoming landmark debut in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
88 qualification slots are to be allocated among the disciplines of shortboard, longboard, SUP surfing, and SUP racing.
A full list of the qualified athletes can be found here.
The star-studded field of competitors is highlighted by eleven ISA Gold Medalists, including 2018 World Surfing Games Gold Medalist Santiago Muñiz (ARG), two-time ISA World Surfing Games Gold Medalist Tia Blanco (PUR), four-time ISA SUP Racing Gold Medalist Candice Appleby (USA), and back-to-back SUP Surfing Gold Medalist Luiz Diniz (BRA).
The athletes qualified for the Pan Ams via a process defined by the ISA and Pan American Surfing Association (PASA) that includes a combination of ISA Global Events, PASA championships, the Association of Paddlesurf Professionals tour, and ALAS Latin Tour events. The final responsibility for entering the athletes in the Games rests with the respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs).
The complete qualification system can be read here.
The qualification slots for the longboard competition are still to be confirmed, pending the results of the 2019 ISA World Longboard Surfing Championship which will take place in Biarritz, France May 26 – June 2.
ISA President Fernando Aguerre said; “The Pan Am Games will mark a momentous moment for the sport of Surfing in all its disciplines. Never has Surfing had a chance to broadcast itself to a global audience on such a large stage, second only behind the Olympics.
“A new light will also shine on StandUp Paddle, giving it a global spotlight to display its high-performance, thrilling, and youthful qualities that we believe could one day make it an excellent fit alongside surfing in the Olympic Games.
“I am looking forward to seeing the best athletes of the Americas, from Argentina to Canada, uniting in competition, giving us a preview of the amazing competition that we are to see next year at Tokyo 2020. We are excited to work with our friends from Pan Am Sports, the Lima 2019 Organizing Committee and the Pan Am Surfing Association in showcasing our sport to the Americas and the world.”