El Sunzal, El Salvador (November 22) -- USA Surfing has assembled the nation’s best to compete this week at the 2019 International Surfing Association (ISA) World StandUp Paddle (SUP) and Paddleboard Championship at El Salvador’s “Surf City” – El Sunzal. After winning the overall silver medal last year, Toyota's Team USA will take on 160 of the world’s best SUP racers, SUP surfers, and paddleboarders from 27 nations.

The opening ceremony and SUP Sprint races begin Sunday, November 24. Monday, November 25 will feature Long Distance Races 

Team relays and the preliminary rounds for the Technical Race are on November 26.

November 27: Technical Race Finals 

November 28 - December 1: SUP Surfing

December 1: Closing Ceremony

USA Surfing CEO Greg Cruse said this year’s team is looking to take back the world title that has eluded Team USA since 2015. 

Following are Toyota Team USA’s athletes for each division:

SUP Surfing

Men

Zane Schweitzer – Lahaina, Hawaii 

Daniel Hughes – Costa Mesa, Calif. 

Women

Lara Claydon – Lahaina, Hawaii

Candice Appleby – San Clemente, Calif. 

SUP Tech Racing 

Men

Connor Baxter – Maui, Hawaii

Zane Schweitzer – Lahaina, Hawaii 

Women

Candice Appleby – San Clemente, Calif. 

Jade Leilani Howson – Laguna Beach, Calif.

SUP Distance Racing

Men

Connor Baxter – Maui, Hawaii

Tyler Bashor – Dana Point, Calif. 

Women

Candice Appleby – San Clemente, Calif. 

Stephanie Shideler – Southold, N.Y.

Junior SUP Tech Racing 

Boy: Tyler Bashor – Dana Point, Calif. 

Girl: Jade Leilani Howson – Laguna Beach, Calif.

SUP Sprint Racing

Men: Connor Baxter – Maui, Hawaii

Women: Jade Leilani Howson – Laguna Beach, Calif.

Prone Tech Racing

Men: Bart Schade –  Solana Beach, Calif. 

Women: Tiana Pugliese –  Redondo Beach, Calif. 

Prone Distance Racing

Men: Hunter Pflueger – San Diego, Calif. 

Women: Tiana Pugliese – Redondo Beach, Calif.

Relay 

SUP Man: Connor Baxter – Maui, Hawaii

SUP Woman: Jade Leilani Howson – Laguna Beach, Calif.

Prone Man: Hunter Pflueger – San Diego, Calif.

Prone Woman: Tiana Pugliese –  Redondo Beach, Calif.

Last year’s team put up impressive performances including:

• Candice Appleby winning gold in the SUP technical race.
• Hunter Pflueger won gold in the Paddleboard distance race and a silver medal in the technical prone race.
• Connor Baxter won the silver medal in the SUP technical race and a bronze medal in the sprint race. 
• 18-year old Ryan Funk and 16-year old Jade Howson swept the gold medals for USA in the SUP technical race junior divisions. 
• Jade Howson also won bronze in the women's SUP sprint race.

Contact: Becky Fleischauer, 302-588-0671, becky (at) usasurfing (dot) org

USA Surfing is the National Governing Body for surfing in the United States, recognized by the International Surfing Association (ISA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USA Surfing’s mission is to promote and grow the sport of surfing and support United States athletes of all backgrounds to achieve sustained competitive excellence in Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American competition. USA Surfing will oversee and support America’s Olympic team as surfing makes its debut in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and surfing and stand-up paddleboarding athletes compete in the 2019 Pan American Games.

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