Nationally selected for stand up paddle, her passion for water sports and speed led her to be one of the promises of this relatively new discipline, but which has more and more followers.Chile's representative at the SUP World Championship in Hungary 2021, her next international challenge is the Speed ​​World Championship in Poland, which will take place between September 7 and 11.By María Inés Manzo C. / Photography Javiera Díaz de ValdésThe athlete Catalina González Valdovinos (22) knows that to reach the podium of the best in the world you have to work day by day.But that is something that she does with pleasure and that motivates her to go out every morning to train with her SUP board (stand up paddle or paddle surf).Nationally selected for the Chilean Canoeing Federation and the Chilean Surfing Federation, her relationship and special connection with the sea began at the age of thirteen, when her mother, Ximena Valdovinos, encouraged her and her brother to take surf lessons.“We lived in Santiago and my mom used to bring us the summers to surf.From the moment I got on a board my life changed and I never wanted to get out of the water again.At the beginning it was very difficult to practice, but with my family we came to live in Concón five years ago.It was there when I discovered the surf schools of Playa La Boca”.What does stand up paddle mean to you?What was a hobby today has become my driving force and what encourages me to be a better person.Since I was little, and without looking for it, I knew that I could become someone in sports, because I had a great facility for water sports.I went from surfing to Polynesian canoeing and I was very passionate about SUP, without knowing that it was also a competition.What was your first competition?In SUP, in 2018, in a national race.I never forget her.Since I was new and self-taught, I arrived with my inflatable board, the biggest one (laughs), while the other competitors were with professional carbon boards.They were 6K, I was far behind, in fifth place, but I didn't stop until I finished and with a thousand adrenaline.That willpower made me feel that I had to keep training until I was the best and achieve all my goals both personally and in sports.And since then I haven't stopped.It also marked my first Polynesian canoe race in 2019, where together with a junior group of six people, we finished second in a competition in Rapa Nui.That was my first approach with great athletes.“I started in the first competitions without a coach, until a year and a half ago, when I started working with my current physical trainer from Argentina.The work is online, he evaluates me through the training clock, which has a mobile application that allows me to send him my statistics.Then he sends me the forms with the evaluations.In March of this year we met for the first time, when I traveled to Argentina to train and we have seen each other in some competitions.But without my personal commitment this would not be possible.Every week I train in the sea and in the river alone, it's me against all odds”.How was this change for you?I looked for my coach, specialized in SUP, because without him “I was at three and four”.He didn't have proper equipment either, so I sold nuts and American sportswear for a long time, so I could scrape together the lucas for all of this.This year the difference was noticeable and I began to do very well in the competitions.2021 was one of intense training.Due to the pandemic and time restrictions, he arrived at the beach at 6:30 AM;Besides, as I always train in the river, my leggings would get frosty from the cold.But all that gave me more strength and helped my body to regulate its temperature and I have become very accustomed to the water.Why is SUP part of the Surf Federation?All national races in the sea are part of the Surfing Federation and in "flat water" (river or lagoon, for example) they are part of the Canoeing Federation.Flat water is more speed, and what I like the most, and the sea is much more technical.They are scenarios that teach you different things.I was recently in a mixed race of 20K in Concón towards an offshore island and in front of Playa La Boca.For three hours and ten minutes, and amid two-meter waves that "burst" inside, I managed to stay on my feet at all times.I arrived at the beach with dry hair, just me and another competitor who achieved the same.The sea teaches you to lose your fear, to believe in yourself.It is a job not only physical, but mental, because if not, you panic.How have you managed to lead your sports career?My mother has been the fundamental pillar, especially emotionally, because without her constant support this would not be possible.She encourages me and accompanies me in everything she can, because traveling is very expensive, even more so abroad, and I still don't have a financial sponsor.With my mother we have carried out various activities with family and friends to raise money.On the other hand, I have sponsors that have helped me a lot on this path, such as the Black Hammer Cross Training gym in Concón, which allows me to train every week.I also have the support of sports nutritionist Norman MacMillan and the Municipality of Concón.“One day I would like to be like Cote Maillard, I admire her a lot and I dream of representing my country like her, because she has great discipline.Likewise to Karen Roco, whom I met and who invited me to spend a week in her house.As I also compete in canoeing, I have been able to meet great women and exponents of this discipline.And, on the other hand, Nicolás Massú.Since I was a little girl, his drive and passion for sports always caught my attention.If you want to achieve something, I really feel like there are no limitations.”Cata's first international competition was at the SUP World Championships in Hungary 2021, where she placed top 24 among sixty women from around the world.“It was a great challenge and experience, I was eight hundredths of a second from going to the final and I realized that I can achieve much more.I recently had a competition in Brazil and my next goal is the SUP Speed ​​World Championships in Poland 2022, which will take place between September 7 and 11.For this world championship I had to go to a qualifier where I won first place in the long distance, technical and sprint categories.I am going as a national team in the Open category, by the Canoeing Federation, along with four other athletes.I am psyched to break my records and represent my country as well as possible”.In addition, she is already in the process of training for the Pan American Games in October 2023, which will be in Chile and her specialty will be in Pichilemu.“On the other hand, in October of this year a new Open Waterman will be held in Coquimbo.This event is the largest aquatic sports and culture festival in Chile… last year it was held in Concón.I came in third place in a technical 6K race and first place in the sprint, a short two-hundred-meter race in the sea.Since then my resistance has improved a lot and I hope to stay in first place”.A Physical Trainer student at the Santo Tomás University, Cata is on the verge of graduating and it was thanks to this career that she fulfilled another of her dreams.“In a field called Collaborative Projects, I applied to Sercotec and won a Seed Capital.With this money I bought a computer, which helps me with my training and buy equipment.This is how the Río Mar School was born, where I teach canoeing and SUP classes to children (from eight years old) and adults (up to sixty years old).This also allows me to pay for my sporting expenses and continue doing what I am passionate about”.Where is your school located?I have an alliance with a colleague and friend and I settled in a space of her kayak school Ruca Aventura at the mouth of the Aconcagua River, Playa La Boca, in Concón.My goal is to have something of my own and create a foundation. I want to give free classes to children and bring SUP, Polynesian canoeing and other related disciplines to schools.Water sports have great benefits for physical and mental health and I think I have the tools to be able to help other people.What is your next dream?It is said that SUP will be an Olympic sport for London 2024, the same year that I will be twenty-four years old.If so, I would love to go and just imagining it makes me excited.It is clear to me that it may take several years to achieve an Olympic medal, but I am preparing myself to arrive, one day, at the post of the best.I would like it if water sports could be supported a little more, because we have so much sea and rivers that should be used better.In Chile there are very good athletes who often do not have the resources and lose motivation.Moving alone is not easy, for the same reason, I am the promoter of my own career, but the passion that I carry will not be taken away from me by anyone.This message is only visible to admins.Problem displaying Facebook posts.Click to show errorPlease fill out all required fields.