AUSTRALIA'S JORDAN MERCER 4-PEATS, USA'S CANDICE APPLEBY CLAIMS GOLD IN 20KM LONG DISTANCE RACES

In true ISA spirit, a man-made tunnel composed of international hands, flags and cheers of praise, welcomed Argentina's Florencia Baraboglia, who was the last competitor to cross the finish line. Photo: ISA/Reed

SUP and Paddleboard Women Earn First Gold Medals, Claim Valuable Points for 2015 ISA World StandUp Paddle and Paddleboard Championship Presented by Hotel Kupuri

Team U.S.A.'s Candice Appleby captured her first International Surfing Association (ISA) Gold Medal. Appleby also earned valuable points for the overall team ranking with the win in the Women's StandUp Paddle (SUP) Long Distance Race. Appleby's time was 1:52:54 to finish. 

"I always try to do my best and win, but it feels really good to be doing it for more than just myself. I got my team, my country, God, my family," said the elated Appleby. "It feels very good to have my team screaming on the beach rooting for me."

On the Paddleboard side, Australian Jordan Mercer earned her fourth consecutive Gold Medal but not without a dramatic finish.

Coming into the final two buoys of the course, Mercer was head-to-head with Anna Notten from Team South Africa. However, Notten, caught up in the moment, paddled straight toward beach forgetting to complete the final two buoy turns giving Mercer the 4-peat. Mercer's final time was 2:07:37, and Notten finished at 2:08:29.