The Sesimbra SUP Festival brought the season to a close with three days of competition and victories for Aarón Sánchez, Donato Freens, Alba Alonso Frey and Duna Gordillo.
Sesimbra, Portugal, 13 September 2026. The European SUP League concluded its 2026 season in Sesimbra, Portugal, with a spectacular final event that decided the circuit titles. After six stops across five European countries, Dutch paddler Donato Freens and Spain’s Alba Alonso Frey were crowned the men’s and women’s overall champions, respectively.
Held at Praia do Ouro from 11 to 13 September, the Sesimbra SUP Festival brought together nearly 200 participants and once again transformed the Portuguese town into one of European Stand Up Paddle’s leading meeting points.
Organised by Surf Clube de Sesimbra together with the European SUP League and the European Surfing Federation, the event welcomed athletes from different countries and combined three disciplines—Sprint, Long Distance and Technical Race—during an intense weekend of competition, community and SUP celebration.
Aarón Sánchez and Alba Alonso Frey open the final with Sprint victories
The Sprint races delivered an opening day defined by speed, explosive performances and closely contested battles between the leading contenders.
In the men’s final, Spain’s Aarón Sánchez Quetglas claimed victory ahead of Sergio Cantoral Quirant, who finished second, while League leader Donato Freens completed the podium.
In the women’s category, Alba Alonso Frey once again demonstrated her strength over the short distance, taking victory ahead of Nuria Chiquero García and Esperanza “Espe” Barreras.
Aarón Sánchez and Duna Gordillo dominate the Long Distance
The Long Distance race challenged the competitors over a demanding course in the waters of Sesimbra, where endurance, strategy and the ability to read the sea conditions proved decisive.
Aarón Sánchez secured his second victory of the weekend in the men’s category. Lluís Perotti crossed the finish line in second place, with Donato Freens taking third.
In the women’s competition, victory went to Duna Gordillo Rodríguez, followed by Alba Alonso Frey and Esperanza Barreras.
Donato Freens and Alba Alonso Frey win the Technical Race
The Technical Race provided a spectacular sporting finale in Sesimbra, with a dynamic course featuring beach starts and finishes, buoy turns and constant changes of position.
In the men’s category, Donato Freens secured a decisive victory ahead of Lluís Perotti and Antonio Morillo. The result confirmed the consistency shown by the Dutch paddler throughout the season and secured his place at the top of the overall standings.
In the women’s category, Alba Alonso Frey added another victory, with Duna Gordillo finishing second and Esperanza Barreras taking third.
Alba completed the Portuguese final with two victories—Sprint and Technical Race—and a second place in the Long Distance, rounding off a decisive weekend in which she successfully defended her European SUP League title.
Donato Freens and Alba Alonso Frey crowned 2026 ESL champions
Following the final calculation of the season’s results, Donato Freens was crowned the 2026 European SUP League men’s champion with 3,007 points. Aarón Sánchez Quetglas, who claimed two victories in Sesimbra, secured the runner-up position with 2,881 points, while Sergio Cantoral Quirant completed the podium with 2,693 points.
In the women’s standings, Alba Alonso Frey claimed the title with 3,328 points, completing a season defined by consistency and numerous victories. Nuria Chiquero García finished second with 2,574 points, while Bianca Toncelli took third place with 2,289 points.
The grand finale once again highlighted the outstanding strength of Spanish SUP. Spanish riders occupied five of the six available places on the overall podiums and claimed five of the six victories contested in Sesimbra.
Sesimbra provides the perfect conclusion to a season of growth
With its sheltered waters, close connection to the ocean and spectators positioned near the racing, Sesimbra provided an outstanding setting in which to decide the season titles.
The support of the Portuguese institutions, Surf Clube de Sesimbra, the organising team, judges, volunteers, sponsors and collaborating organisations was fundamental to the successful delivery of the event and to welcoming athletes and their teams throughout the weekend.
The Sesimbra SUP Festival concluded a season in which the European SUP League visited Santa Pola, Taranto, Zurich, Rybnik, Isla Cristina and Sesimbra, consolidating a shared structure for athletes, clubs, federations and event organisers.
The European SUP League concludes its second season by reaffirming its commitment to increasing the professionalism and visibility of Stand Up Paddle, connecting the continent’s leading events and providing athletes with a strong and competitive European ranking.
Grand finale results
Final overall standings
Full results and further information about the season are available on the official European SUP League website.
European SUP League
Sesimbra SUP Festival 2026 | Grand Finale · Praia do Ouro · Sesimbra, Portugal