Starboard Dream team riders Michael Booth and Sonni Hönscheid successfully defended their Carolina Cup SUP race titles. Paddlers were faced with ever changing wind directions and flat water conditions in the race located in North Carolina, USA.
Photo Credit: Peter Newman Aerial Images ILM
Athletes had to paddle 21 KM starting on the beach, before entering the inlet, then they had to face side winds whilst paddling though unrelenting flat water, before returning to the sea to finish the race. This year’s Carolina Cup was also a qualifier for the APP world Tour.
In the men’s 13-mile Elite Graveyard race, it was Booth and the Hasulyo brothers setting a pace early on for the rest of the high calibre SUP athletes to answer to. The Hungarian brothers exchanged the lead position with each other, first Daniel out in front at the early stages of the race, but then Bruno soon moved to the front in the flatter sections of the race, with Booth staying in contact. Bruno extended a small lead after a large boat wake disrupted the lead train, but Boothy never lost his composure and managed to real in Bruno shortly after exiting the Mason inlet.
Photo Credit: Laura Glantz Photography
The duo took turns to draft each other, just a few yards away from the beach and within earshot of beach goers. Booth made his move and attacked in the last 10 mins and managed to shake Bruno off his wash by going through some small breaker waves, before turning the final orange buoy and bee-lining for the finish line on the beach, and successfully reclaim his SUP Carolina CUP Title.
Photo Credit: Laura Glantz Photography
Dream Team paddler Michael told TotalSUP “Going Back-to-Back at Carolina is awesome and it’s the perfect start to the season. I had a solid two months leading into the event so I felt strong physically and mentally throughout the race. It was a tough grind with a high pace at the front which forced me to race tactically. A few things happened on that back stretch before the inlet and I started to think my race was over. I had to really dig deep to find that extra gear at the end. Pretty cool to sneak under my record that I set last year and it’s awesome to share the victory again with Sonni!”
Photo Credit: Laura Glantz Photography
In the women’s race, it was Sonni Hönscheid in the lead almost all the way. Sonni executed her race strategy that we have witnessed many times in the past, taking it easy at the start and not getting too rattled through the surf & the early stages of the race and rounded the first turn in about 10th position. It didn’t take the German SUP racer long to pull herself to the front of the Elite Women’s field, and from there she soon pulled away from the field, paddling solo to the finish line to claim her back to back title at this year’s 2019 Carolina Cup SUP title.
Photo Credit: Laura Glantz Photography
The German power house paddler told TotalSUP “It’s was great to come back to North Carolina, winning this race for a 2nd time in a row, was just amazing! Surrounded by a great community of people , sharing the love and passion for the sport!! I didn’t had to the greatest start to the race, but I was able to reach the inlet first and from there I started to get into my own rhythm and kept a good constant pace. Congratulations also to my Team mate Michael for his victory”
Photo Credit: Peter Newman Aerial Images ILM
Top 10 Men – Graveyard Paddle Race
1 Michael Booth 2:03:01.2
2 Bruno Hasulyo 2:03:23.4
3 Daniel Hasulyo 2:03:54.6
4 Georges Cronsteadt 2:05:11.4
5 Titouan Puyo 2:05:33.4
6 Enzo Bennett 2:05:53.9
7 Ty Judson 2:06:21.9
8 Travis Grant 2:06:34.7
9 Mo Freitas 2:08:03.4
10 Keoni Sulpice 2:09:24.8
Top 10 Women – Graveyard Paddle Race
1 Sonni Honscheid 2:22:15.3
2 April Zilg 2:25:45.9
3 Jade Howson 2:27:13.0
4 Fiona Wylde 2:27:28
5 Laura Quetglas 2:27:47.8
6 Kimberly Barnes 2:27:48.7
7 Stephanie Shideler 2:27:55.2
8 Yuka Sato 2:28:30.8
9 Siri Schubert 2:33:24.2
10 Maddie Miller 2:34:41.4
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