The 40th anual San Clemente Ocean Festival took place last weekend where young Izzi Gomez Starboard Dream Team rider, 2 times and defending SUP Surf profesional tour World Champion and also defending ISA World Champion in waves won the SUP Surf contest on the first day of competition amongst a field of 12 women participating. Good conditions allowed for a lot of fun in the chest high waves and Izzi on her Starboard Pro 7’4 model rode to victory in the stacked final against 2nd place Shae Foudy, 3rd Candice Appleby and in 4th position the two times ISA World Champion (2013-2014) Emmy Merril.
The next day in bigger conditions and due to a bad start, she didn’t do as well as she wished for in the sprints race where she participated on the Starboard All Star 12’6 x 24 but in her own words: “It was a good experience and I learn from every race. It was fun!”
She is already back in California, training and she will be competing at the end of the month in the US Open for short boarding after which she will be headed to Hawaii for the Waikiki Duke’s Fest with SUP Surf and race.
She also plans to head to Fiji sometime before the 2016 ISA World Championship that will be held there between the 12th and 20th of November where she will be the defending World Champion in waves competing for team USA.
Congratulations Isabella and good luck in the upcoming events.
Also a special mention to her brother Giorgio Gomez who made an impressive hat trick winning the SUP Surf, sprint and long distance race at the Ocean Fest !
Foto: Mike Muir
SUP Surf Women Results:
1-IZZI GOMEZ
2-Shae Foudy
3-Candice Appleby
4-Emmy Merrill
5-Nikki Newland
6-Alex Higginson