US Sup Open 2015 – Stand Up World Series – Long distance

All the big names of the SUP racing world are in Huntington beach this week-end. After a very intense week of SUP surf action, it was time for the racers to jump on stage yesterday. All the Maui Boys were there of course, Team Mexico, lots of Australians and a large contingent from France to name but a few. Worth noting however that 3 of the Top 5 world racers were not on the battlefield: current Number 1 Danny Ching, Travis Grant (3rd) and Titouan Puyo (5th)

Day 1 was Long Distance / Beach race day with a 5-lap race along a 1 mile long triangle-shaped course that included a short beach run. The course was therefore divided between 3 very different segments which changed at every buoy turn:  upwind, sidewind and downwind.

US Sup Open – Huntington Beach – Men’s Long Distance

The men’s event started with a pretty wave-less and clean get-away allowing for all the riders to form a big pack in the first half of the first lap. At the very front Kai Lenny and Mo Freitas took an early lead with Casper Steinfath from Denmark just behind them. After the 2nd buoy turn which marked the first downwind back to the beach, Kai Lenny on his new Naish board, showed some pretty impressive downwind skills breaking away from Mo Freitas, never to be caught again.  He then controlled and led the race during the four remaining laps, taking advantage of his many downwind bumps to turn his head around and measure his lead.

Mo Freitas finished 2nd and Connor Baxter who didn’t seem to be in his usual form, made up for the rest of the All-hawaiian podium.

Two European competitors follow, the Danish viking Casper Steinfath on Naish and the frenchman Arthur Arutkin (Fanatic) who is having an amazing international season and who should enter the World’s top 10 after this week-end’s results. 

3 “newish” names make it to the top 10: Josh Riccio, not really a new name but a top 50 world racer who hasn’t competeted much internationally this year. 19 year-old Lorenzo Bennett from Tahiti who made a first international appearance with the Tahitian team at the ISA World Championship in Sayulita earlier this year and Bullett Opra (24 year old) from Hawaii.

US Sup Open – Huntington Beach – Women’s Long Distance

In the women’s Candice Appleby who had a strangler-hold on the title after winning the sprints and the long-distance in Spain and reiterating in Japan, was determined not to let the victory slip away as a 3rd win in the Stand Up World Series means a secured world title for the athlete from California. It is Shakira Westdorp however who had the best start but a few minutes into the race and Candice took the lead in front of a 4-girl pack formed with Fiona Wylde in 2nd, Shakira Westtdorp in 3rd and Shelby Taylor in 4th. Just like Kai Lenny in the Men’s, Candice Appleby did everything to control and increase strategically her lead over the 8 other competitors. 

Watch the full race now !
Key moments:
– 00:40:40 Men’s start
– 00:48:00 Kai Lenny’s downwind break-away
– 01:36:30 Kay Lenny’s finish
– 01:45:00 Candice Appleby’s finish

US Sup Open 2015 – Long Distance results

Huntington Beach – Stand Up World Series – Long Distance Men’s

Huntington Beach – Stand Up World Series – Women’s Long Distance