Esperanza Barreras , Antonio retain their titles at India Paddle Festival

Mangaluru: The second day of the International stand up paddling championship at India Paddle Festival, organised at Sasihithlu beach, witnessed exciting battles across all categories.

In the APP Distance Race (10 km), Spain’s defending champions proved to be 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 U-15 Technical Distance Race (1.5 km), with Aneesh Kumar leading the charge.

Indonesia’s Keefe Anargya Pranoto emerged victorious in U-18 Technical Distance Race edging out defending champion Aakash Pujar.

The day begun with U-18 Technical Distance Race (5 km) with Indonesia’s Keefe Anargya Pranoto securing first position 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 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.

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 fifth place with a time of 1:03:15:29.

On her victory, Esperanza Barreras said; “The competition was incredible, and I truly enjoyed every moment of it. I had a lot of fun, and the conditions here are always excellent. I didn’t feel much pressure defending the championship because I focused solely on myself during races, without worrying about anything else."

Spain’s Antonio Morillo emerged as the champion in the APP Distance Race – Open Men’s Category, finishing within 44:53:47 to retain his title.

Hungary’s Daniel Hasulyo took second place with 45:34:38, while Denmark’s Christian Andersen was placed third with 47:05:46.

Antonio Morillo said, “The conditions were incredible—hot water, choppy waves, strong winds, and floodwaters in the river. It was a race with everything, making it a true test for all athletes. I faced tough competition, especially from Christian Andersen.”

The India Paddle Festival 2025, is being organised by Surfing Swami Foundation and Mantra Surf Club, in partnership with WrkWrk, presented by Incredible India and Karnataka Tourism department.