That’s a wrap on Stop#2 of the APP SUP Racing World Tour and the London SUP Open 2022 did not fail to deliver a spectacular weekend of racing!
Clément Colmas and Esperanza Barreras become distance champions on their APP World Tour debut, Rai Taguchi turns it on for the Young Guns and Connor Baxter and April Zilg maintain their lead in the World Title race.
Stop #2 of the Racing World Tour has wrapped in London after a weekend of action-packed sprints and the iconic distance race down the River Thames. Japan’s Rai Taguchi and France’s Tom Auber kept Connor Baxter looking over his shoulder in the sprints but, as usual, Baxter kicked into 6th gear and managed to hold off the young guns once again and continue his winning streak. April Zilg unsurprisingly claimed the sprint title for the women after battling with Caroline Kuntzel and Esperanza Barreras through a competitive set of heats.
On Sunday, the River Thames turned on the chop and current, sending the racers blazing down the river in what was a thrilling race for both competitors and spectators. Spain’s Espe Barreras, dominated the women’s race from the get-go and remained untouchable to the rest of the field. With a 2nd in the sprints and 1st in the distance, Barreras took the women’s overall, putting her just behind April Zilg in the 2022 Racer Standings.
Daniel Hasulyo was quick off the block and took the lead of the men, but not for long, as New Caledonia’s Clement Colmas powered ahead and managed to hold off Arthur Arutkin and Connor Baxter in a battle to the finish line, taking the win in his debut on Tour.
After stop #2, Zilg and Baxter remain in the lead in the World Championship race, as they look toward stop #3 next weekend for the 2022 Busan SUP Open.
Here is a full video recap of the 2022 London SUP Open
Fresh off his appearance on LENNY BROS – the podcast hosted by Kai and Ridge Lenny – Connor Baxter opened up about the mindset behind dominating a sport for over a decade, while reflecting on the many transitions shaping this next chapter of his life: from a global SUP-erstar to fatherhood and becoming a Maui […]
The SUP calendar has never been more dynamic – but every so often, an event comes along that places stand-up paddling firmly and unapologetically at the heart of the experience. That’s exactly the vision behind the inaugural Gorge Ultra Distance, a 17-mile endurance challenge held on 12 July and set against one of the world’s […]
While many paddlers know London through headline racing events such as the APP World Tour (previously held in Canary Wharf) or the historic Battle of the Thames, large parts of the city have long felt out of reach – shaped by complex waterways regulations and the challenges of the tidal Thames. That is beginning to […]
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As international names continue to be confirmed for the Borneo International Stand-Up Paddle Marathon (BISM), we caught up with Event Director Benjamin Golimbi and Managing Partner at Borneo Escapade Tours to discuss the growing momentum behind what is shaping up to be a landmark event for the region. From 27-29 March 2026, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah […]
Mariecarmen Rivera burst onto the scene with incredible power and hasn’t let go since. Her focus and explosiveness demand attention every time she steps on the start line. A triple gold performance (Sprint, Technical, and Distance) at the ICF World SUP Championships stunned the community, backed up immediately at the ISA World SUP Championships with Sprint […]
Argentina’s Lucía “Luchy” Cosoleto is the kind of surfer whose affinity with the ocean transcends discipline. Whether she’s carving powerful lines on a shortboard, cross-stepping on a longboard, or dominating the performance SUP field, her surfing speaks the same language: connection, flow, and fearless progression. At 29 and hailing from Buenos Aires, Luchy’s ability to […]
Now in its sixth year, the APP World Tour’s Gran Canaria Pro-Am is playing a vital role in growing SUP by strengthening its deep roots in surf culture. Taking place from 16 to 21 December on the stunning north shore of Gran Canaria, just off the bustling capital city of Las Palmas, the event unites […]
After five intense days under the blazing Abu Dhabi sun, the 2025 ICF SUP World Championships came to a close with a mix of sweat, emotion, and history being written on the shimmering waters of Hudayriyat Island. As the event speaker alongside my co-commentator Rob, I had the privilege of living every thrilling moment — […]