This weekend took place the Naish Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge 2016. This is a very famous and important challenge in which one all the best paddlers in the world participate each year. You can find below a recap and the results of all the races.
Remenber last year, there was no wind. This year, the Gorge turned on the best downwind conditions for the event.
Connor Baxter took his second victory on this event (the last one was in 2014) by winning both the Technical Race on Saturday but also the “Double Downwind Race” on Sunday !
An amazing thing happened in the Men’s Technical Race with the victory of Connor Baxter. In fact, Leonard Nika finished only four seconds behind Baxter, Mo Freitas finished 4 seconds behind Nika, Michael Booth finished 4 seconds too behind Nika and Trevor Tunnington finished him 5 seconds behind Booth.
Bernd Roediger finished the “Double Downwinder Race” in the second position behind Connor Baxter but only 30 seconds between them. A very good performance for this surfer & windsurfer who spend time in this region because he is Fiona Wilde’s boyfriend. Mo Freitas continue his good year and finished third, like during the Technical Race.
For the women races, Fiona Wilde, the Hood River local female finished the Technical Race in the third position.
Annabel Anderson finished the Technical Race first in a strong sun (more than 100°F), one minute later, Candice Appleby finished her race to take the second place.
Unsurprisingly, Fiona Wilde took her revenge on Sunday with the “Double Downwind Race” where she finished first with more than 5 minutes ahead. Annabel Anderson took the second place and Angela Jackson finished third.
Women’s Technical Race
| 1 | Annabel Anderson | 1:00:37 | |
| 2 | Candice Appleby | 1:01:45 | |
| 3 | Fiona Wylde | 1:01:47 | |
| 4 | Shae Foudy | 1:01:49 | |
| 5 | Angela Jackson | 1:02:41 | |
| 6 | Terrene Black | 1:02:55 | |
| 7 | Jade Howson | 1:02:55 | |
| 8 | Lina Augaitis | 1:03:02 | |
| 9 | Sonni Hoenscheid | 1:03:09 | |
| 10 | April Zilg | 1:03:12 | |
| 11 | Alyson Fromm | 1:04:00 | |
| 12 | Kalia Alexiou | 1:04:05 | |
| 13 | Hannah Hill | 1:04:07 | |
| 14 | Kimberly Barnes | 1:04:08 | |
| 15 | Manca Notar | 1:04:22 | |
| 16 | Erika Benitez | 1:04:30 | |
| 17 | Lexi Alston | 1:04:47 | |
| 18 | Kate Baker | 1:05:20 | |
| 19 | Shannon Bell | 1:05:40 | |
| 20 | Sarah Sandstrom | 1:06:09 | |
| 21 | Kenzie Carlstrom | 1:06:13 | |
| 22 | Annie Reickert | 1:07:08 | |
| 23 | Mariko Strickland Lum | 1:07:12 | |
| 24 | Genna Flinkman | 1:07:16 | |
| 25 | Jennifer Lee | 1:07:20 | |
| 26 | Jaime Donnelly | 1:08:41 | |
| 27 | Talia Gangini Decoite | 1:08:41 | |
| 28 | Kristin Thomas | 1:10:01 | |
| 29 | Hailey Driver | 1:14:58 | |
| 30 | Jolieanne Marxen | 1:18:15 |
Men’s Technical Race
| 1 | Connor Baxter | 0:54:59 | |
| 2 | Leonard Nika | 0:55:03 | |
| 3 | Mo Freitas | 0:55:07 | |
| 4 | Michael Booth | 0:55:11 | |
| 5 | Trevor Tunnington | 0:55:16 | |
| 6 | Travis Grant | 0:55:27 | |
| 7 | Titouan Puyo | 0:55:49 | |
| 8 | Georges Cronsteadt | 0:55:50 | |
| 9 | Niuhiti Buillard | 0:55:54 | |
| 10 | Kelly Margetts | 0:56:14 | |
| 11 | Chase Kosterlitz | 0:56:24 | |
| 12 | Rete Ebb | 0:56:26 | |
| 13 | Slater Trout | 0:56:28 | |
| 14 | Martin Letourneur | 0:56:30 | |
| 15 | Josh Riccio | 0:56:32 | |
| 16 | Toby Cracknell | 0:56:36 | |
| 17 | Casper Steinfath | 0:56:39 | |
| 18 | Giorgio Gomez | 0:56:42 | |
| 19 | Noa Hopper | 0:56:42 | |
| 20 | Lincoln Dews | 0:56:45 | |
| 21 | Ryan Helm | 0:57:29 | |
| 22 | Beau O’Brian | 0:57:33 | |
| 23 | Jake Jensen | 0:57:36 | |
| 24 | Matt Nottage | 0:57:37 | |
| 25 | Martin Vitry | 0:57:40 | |
| 26 | Bullet Obra | 0:58:07 | |
| 27 | Eric Terrien | 0:58:22 | |
| 28 | Armie Armstrong | 0:58:33 | |
| 29 | Nick Scheel | 0:58:35 | |
| 30 | Bernd Roediger | 0:58:37 | |
| 31 | Cyril Burguiere | 0:58:42 | |
| 32 | Connor Bonham | 0:58:44 | |
| 33 | Daniel Russell | 0:58:49 | |
| 34 | Derek Fromm | 0:58:51 | |
| 35 | Manatea Bopp du Pont | 0:58:53 | |
| 36 | Guy Barel | 0:58:59 | |
| 37 | Garrett Fletcher | 0:59:54 | |
| 38 | Paul Jackson | 1:00:02 | |
| 39 | Michael Tavares | 1:00:07 | |
| 40 | Belar Diaz | 1:00:12 | |
| 41 | Nico Schenk | 1:00:14 | |
| 42 | Jeramie Vaine | 1:00:23 | |
| 43 | Brian Meyer | 1:00:26 | |
| 44 | Chuck Patterson | 1:00:40 | |
| 45 | Christopher Norman | 1:01:05 | |
| 46 | Scott Vande Vusse | 1:01:32 | |
| 47 | Jeffrey Spencer | 1:01:36 | |
| 48 | Lee McLean | 1:02:05 | |
| 49 | Brian Schmid | 1:02:10 | |
| 50 | Spencer Lazzar | 1:02:23 | |
| 51 | Callan Dick | 1:03:22 | |
| 52 | Patrick Cleveland | 1:03:22 | |
| 53 | Jedd Hasay | 1:04:11 | |
| 54 | Warwick Gray | 1:04:27 |
Women’s Double-Downwind Race
| 1 | Fiona Wylde | 1:05:45 | 1:08:15 | 2:14:00 | |
| 2 | Annabel Anderson | 1:09:56 | 1:09:13 | 2:19:09 | |
| 3 | Angela Jackson | 1:10:57 | 1:09:59 | 2:20:56 | |
| 4 | Hannah Hill | 1:12:44 | 1:10:47 | 2:23:31 | |
| 5 | Terrene Black | 1:12:16 | 1:11:40 | 2:23:56 | |
| 6 | Manca Notar | 1:14:53 | 1:14:00 | 2:28:53 | |
| 7 | Shae Foudy | 1:15:44 | 1:15:05 | 2:30:49 | |
| 8 | Sonni Hönscheid | 1:17:13 | 1:13:42 | 2:30:55 | |
| 9 | Candice Appleby | 1:16:51 | 1:14:11 | 2:31:02 | |
| 10 | Kali’a Alexiou | 1:16:15 | 1:16:23 | 2:32:38 | |
| 11 | Jade Howson | 1:16:30 | 1:17:12 | 2:33:42 | |
| 12 | Alyson Fromm | 1:17:43 | 1:16:05 | 2:33:47 | |
| 13 | Annie Reickert | 1:19:45 | 1:15:00 | 2:34:45 | |
| 14 | April Zilg | 1:17:45 | 1:17:48 | 2:35:33 | |
| 15 | Talia Gangini Decoite | 1:19:00 | 1:19:40 | 2:38:40 | |
| 16 | Jennifer Lee | 1:19:11 | 1:19:45 | 2:38:56 | |
| 17 | Lina Augaitis | 1:21:18 | 1:18:05 | 2:39:23 | |
| 18 | Sarah Sandstrom | 1:21:31 | 1:20:25 | 2:41:57 | |
| 19 | Kimberly Barnes | 1:21:35 | 1:20:37 | 2:42:11 | |
| 20 | Mariko Strickland Lum | 1:21:06 | 1:21:54 | 2:42:59 | |
| 21 | Kate Baker | 1:23:17 | 1:20:56 | 2:44:13 | |
| 22 | Shannon Bell | 1:24:33 | 1:22:33 | 2:47:06 | |
| 23 | Erika Benitez | 1:24:31 | 1:22:40 | 2:47:11 | |
| 24 | Kenzie Carlstrom | 1:23:17 | 1:24:13 | 2:47:30 | |
| 25 | Lexi Alston | 1:27:15 | 1:26:17 | 2:53:32 | |
| 26 | Genna Flinkman | 1:30:23 | 1:29:04 | 2:59:27 | |
| 27 | Jaime Donnelly | 1:33:42 | 1:33:08 | 3:06:49 | |
| 28 | Vanessa Caley | 1:34:29 | 1:35:46 | 3:10:15 | |
| 29 | Ehiku Rademacher | 1:37:44 | 1:36:58 | 3:14:42 | |
| 30 | Jolieanne Marxen | 1:47:32 | 1:40:56 | 3:28:28 | |
| 31 | Christy Runde | 1:51:33 | 1:51:38 | 3:43:11 | |
| 32 | Hailey Driver | 1:43:12 | 3:00:00 | 4:43:12 |
Men’s Double-Downwind Race
| 1 | Connor Baxter | 0:58:42 | 0:57:34 | 1:56:16 | |
| 2 | Bernd Roediger | 0:58:43 | 0:58:04 | 1:56:48 | |
| 3 | Mo Freitas | 0:59:44 | 0:58:14 | 1:57:58 | |
| 4 | Titouan Puyo | 1:00:05 | 0:59:26 | 1:59:31 | |
| 5 | Travis Grant | 1:00:16 | 0:59:17 | 1:59:33 | |
| 6 | Jake Jensen | 1:01:02 | 0:59:15 | 2:00:17 | |
| 7 | Matt Nottage | 0:59:50 | 1:00:31 | 2:00:21 | |
| 8 | Georges Cronsteadt | 1:00:21 | 1:00:37 | 2:00:58 | |
| 9 | Vinnicius Martins | 1:01:23 | 0:59:53 | 2:01:16 | |
| 10 | Niuhiti Buillard | 1:01:27 | 1:00:02 | 2:01:29 | |
| 11 | Beau O’Brian | 1:01:36 | 1:00:41 | 2:02:17 | |
| 12 | Michael Booth | 1:01:32 | 1:00:51 | 2:02:24 | |
| 13 | Casper Steinfath | 1:03:14 | 1:00:10 | 2:03:24 | |
| 14 | Rete Ebb | 1:03:18 | 1:00:34 | 2:03:51 | |
| 15 | Toby Cracknell | 1:01:35 | 1:02:30 | 2:04:05 | |
| 16 | Martin Letourneur | 1:02:45 | 1:01:39 | 2:04:24 | |
| 17 | Josh Riccio | 1:04:09 | 1:01:33 | 2:05:42 | |
| 18 | Jeremy Riggs | 1:03:35 | 1:02:17 | 2:05:52 | |
| 19 | Bullet Obra | 1:02:07 | 1:03:51 | 2:05:58 | |
| 20 | Paul Jackson | 1:04:02 | 1:02:00 | 2:06:02 | |
| 21 | Manatea Bopp du Pont | 1:03:46 | 1:02:26 | 2:06:12 | |
| 22 | Martin Vitry | 1:04:16 | 1:02:36 | 2:06:52 | |
| 23 | Eric Terrien | 1:03:36 | 1:03:28 | 2:07:04 | |
| 24 | Chase Kosterlitz | 1:04:31 | 1:03:20 | 2:07:51 | |
| 25 | Lincoln Dews | 1:03:41 | 1:04:19 | 2:08:00 | |
| 26 | Slater Trout | 1:04:52 | 1:03:55 | 2:08:47 | |
| 27 | Kelly Margetts | 1:06:34 | 1:02:32 | 2:09:06 | |
| 28 | Leonard Nika | 1:05:11 | 1:04:27 | 2:09:38 | |
| 29 | Noa Hopper | 1:05:48 | 1:04:23 | 2:10:11 | |
| 30 | Giorgio Gomez | 1:05:33 | 1:04:59 | 2:10:31 | |
| 31 | Ryan Funk | 1:06:50 | 1:03:59 | 2:10:49 | |
| 32 | Andrew Logreco | 1:06:16 | 1:05:06 | 2:11:21 | |
| 33 | Trevor Tunnington | 1:07:17 | 1:05:23 | 2:12:40 | |
| 34 | Jarkko Simonen | 1:07:53 | 1:05:45 | 2:13:38 | |
| 35 | Jan Boersma | 1:07:27 | 1:06:45 | 2:14:12 | |
| 36 | Connor Bonham | 1:08:33 | 1:05:58 | 2:14:31 | |
| 37 | Livio Menelau | 1:08:32 | 1:06:31 | 2:15:03 | |
| 38 | Jay Wild | 1:08:01 | 1:07:40 | 2:15:41 | |
| 39 | Nico Schenk | 1:08:52 | 1:06:59 | 2:15:51 | |
| 40 | Ryan Helm | 1:05:26 | 1:10:44 | 2:16:10 | |
| 41 | Derek Fromm | 1:09:37 | 1:07:18 | 2:16:55 | |
| 42 | Belar Diaz | 1:10:13 | 1:07:56 | 2:18:09 | |
| 43 | Ingo Rademacher | 1:08:29 | 1:09:49 | 2:18:17 | |
| 44 | Haakon Hoyer-Nielsen | 1:10:29 | 1:07:48 | 2:18:18 | |
| 45 | Anthony Vela | 1:10:52 | 1:07:28 | 2:18:20 | |
| 46 | Guy Barel | 1:09:22 | 1:09:00 | 2:18:22 | |
| 47 | Chuck Patterson | 1:09:36 | 1:09:10 | 2:18:46 | |
| 48 | Garrett Fletcher | 1:11:00 | 1:08:25 | 2:19:25 | |
| 49 | Cyril Burguiere | 1:09:45 | 1:10:53 | 2:20:38 | |
| 50 | Spencer Lazzar | 1:13:28 | 1:10:02 | 2:23:30 | |
| 51 | Nick Scheel | 1:12:56 | 1:11:09 | 2:24:05 | |
| 52 | Jeffrey Spencer | 1:14:46 | 1:09:35 | 2:24:21 | |
| 53 | Dave Boehne | 1:13:03 | 1:11:22 | 2:24:25 | |
| 54 | Leif Bergstrom | 1:13:07 | 1:11:40 | 2:24:47 | |
| 55 | Brian Meyer | 1:13:13 | 1:12:12 | 2:25:25 | |
| 56 | Daniel Russell | 1:14:32 | 1:11:45 | 2:26:17 | |
| 57 | Dave Billenness | 1:14:48 | 1:12:59 | 2:27:47 | |
| 58 | Patrick Cleveland | 1:15:22 | 1:12:39 | 2:28:01 | |
| 59 | Jeremy Whitted | 1:17:15 | 1:11:43 | 2:28:58 | |
| 60 | Scott Vande Vusse | 1:15:19 | 1:13:51 | 2:29:11 | |
| 61 | Jeramie Vaine | 1:13:31 | 1:15:40 | 2:29:11 | |
| 62 | Christopher Norman | 1:14:42 | 1:14:45 | 2:29:27 | |
| 63 | Jimmy Fitt | 1:16:14 | 1:13:58 | 2:30:12 | |
| 64 | Warwick Gray | 1:16:05 | 1:14:26 | 2:30:31 | |
| 65 | Lee McLean | 1:17:18 | 1:13:15 | 2:30:34 | |
| 66 | Jedd Hasay | 1:18:58 | 1:15:17 | 2:34:15 | |
| 67 | Brian Schmid | 1:20:12 | 1:14:31 | 2:34:43 | |
| 68 | Armie Armstrong | 1:19:37 | 1:18:26 | 2:38:03 | |
| 69 | Yannick Michaud | 1:20:08 | 1:21:12 | 2:41:20 | |
| 70 | Corey Curtis | 1:22:51 | 1:18:53 | 2:41:45 | |
| 71 | Ricardo Chiari | 1:26:04 | 1:22:19 | 2:48:22 | |
| 72 | Callan Dick | 1:11:41 | 2:00:00 | 3:11:41 | |
| 73 | Jordan Gregory | 1:38:14 | 2:00:00 | 3:38:14 | |
| 74 | Geoff Waterhouse | 1:45:27 | 2:00:00 | 3:45:27 |
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