After returning to Korea, Won Juyeon spoke first about the scale of the venue and what she had learned, rather than a placing. Her first visit to China brought a larger-than-expected event and the chance to watch and race alongside strong paddlers. Suzhou gave her a wider view of the SUP world.
The STARBOARD KOREA TEAM rider competed at the 2026 ICF SUP World Cup Suzhou, held on October 5–7 in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. Follow her experience through the account she sent home and 11 photographs.
A First Event in China: Rows of Boards Set the Scene
In the plaza photographs, long rows of board racks stretch beside old-city architecture. Boards of different colours and shapes stand side by side as paddlers move between them. The scene gives a sense of the scale that made Won’s first impression.
For Won, visiting China for the first time, the setting was as new as the racing experience. She arrived with familiar equipment, but found a much bigger stage around it.
“This was my first time in China. The first thing that surprised me was how much larger the event and venue were than I had expected!”
— Won Juyeon · her post-event account
Select a photograph to view the original at full size.
Outside Suzhou Station, an Old-City Waterway Becomes a Racecourse
The venue sat directly outside Suzhou station. Old-city architecture rises across the water, with a purple finish arch in front of it. City scenery and racing infrastructure meet in the same frame.
Won recalls enjoying the scenery while racing on Suzhou’s old-city canal. The elevated photographs connect paddlers on the water with the plaza and waterfront facilities, placing the race within the atmosphere of the city.
More Than the World Cup: A Venue Shared by Several Events
Won remembers a club league, two-person races and foil racing alongside the World Cup, bringing many participants to the venue. It was a setting shared by several events, not just the World Cup races. The booths, racks and paddlers at the waterfront help convey that wider atmosphere.
She particularly remembers well-equipped facilities and smooth event organisation. The venue photographs show board racks, tents and access points to the water. One image gives the overall scale; another shows the spaces through which paddlers moved.
What She Learned by Racing Alongside Others
In the race photographs, Won drives her paddle alongside other racers. Water splashes as each paddler moves through the next stroke. Unlike the wide venue views, these photographs bring the concentration of a single stroke into close focus.
Won says the standard of the paddlers impressed her, and that watching different races and styles gave her opportunities to learn and grow. Learning from others racing on the same water, in an unfamiliar environment, was an important part of what she took from the trip.
“The standard of the paddlers really impressed me. Watching different racers and the way they competed gave me a great opportunity to learn and grow too. 😊”
— Won Juyeon · her post-event account
Back from Suzhou: What She Hopes to See in Korean SUP
Having finished the event and returned safely to Korea, Won hopes more people at home will enjoy SUP. She would like a more active SUP culture and more events like the one she experienced in Suzhou. After seeing that large venue, her thoughts turned back to the water in Korea.
The story that began with Won’s entry announcement now continues through photographs and lessons from the venue. A new city, other paddlers and a wish to share SUP with more people: those are the experiences she brought home.
“I hope more people in Korea will enjoy SUP, that our SUP culture will become more active, and that we will have many more wonderful events like this!”
— Won Juyeon · her post-event account
Experience and lessons from a first visit to China — with the hope that more people will share the next chapter of SUP in Korea.