Toyota USA Surfing Team Seeks World Title at 2019 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championships in El Salvador

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.