It was another great Stand Up Paddle weekend. Between the APP World Tour’s Japan Pro Am, the French Cup 12’6 on the île de Ré, the Paddle Imua race in Hawaii, the Air Tahiti Nui Paddle Royal Race, French SUP Surf Cup and the Battle of the Thames in London, there was certainly no chance of getting bored!
APP World Tour’s Japan Pro Am
Day 1- Long Distance:
Sonni Honscheid and Connor Baxter, winners of the APP World Tour’s Japan Pro Am long distance race.
A word of the racers and the founder of the APP World Tour after the first race:
Connor Baxter: “Today’s distance race was by far some of the toughest conditions I have competed in for a while. It was 10 1/2 kilometers with gusts up to 30 knots on our side. There are some small bumps to be had but a lot of work. Mo and I hammered from start to finish and was lucky to squeeze into first on the beach run!”
Sonni Hönscheid: “”The APP Longdistance here in Enoshima, was a great race. Hard conditions with a lot of wind. We had quite a few buoys turns, even in the waves which made the whole race even more interesting. I had an ok start, but I was able to take the lead before the first buoy. I used my superlap at the last lap. I’m really happy to race here in Japan, the people a really enthusiastic about watersports and it’s nice to share this passion”
Fiona Wylde : “”It was gnarly! But actually pretty fun! This race was everyone against the conditions. In the women’s race, drafting wasn’t a factor, so it was a technique game on how you paddled the course and when you took the super lap. These kinds of races are always unique and push the athletes so much. I’m so happy with my second place finish. Anybody on the start line could have won today, so I’m thrilled to have paddled strong and to have a solid result! And tomorrow I get to give it my best shot at the sprint races! Huge thanks to starboard Japan for all the support over here!”
James Casey : “I had a horrible start way back around 20th but managed to battle my way back up in the pack upwind to turn the outside can in 4th. The cross downwind section was really where the race was won and lost. Connor and Mo were too good in that super technical downwind stuff and Lincoln Marcus and I battled for 3rd-5th from the second can until the end. Lincoln, Marcus and I took the super lap on the second last lap hoping to catch up to Connor and Mo but it didn’t work out. I managed to gap Lincoln and Marcus on the downwind section of our super lap though and held on in the final lap for 3rd.”
Tristan Boxford (Founder of the App World Tour): Incredibly competitive, exciting, but extremely challenging, with exceptionally strong winds. Stand out performances from the top 3 in Men & Women. The course provided a great mix of endurance, downwind, technical and perseverance – Connor and Mo finish was one for the ages.”
Men’s Results:
1. Connor Baxter
2. Mo Freitas
3. James Casey
James Van Drunen, winner of the race: “The conditions of the race was very different from last years BOTT (2016) with warm weather and not a cloud in the sky but for this year it was very cold with strong freezing wind. I’m not a big fan of the cold weather but it was race day and had to go give it all. I’m very happy to win this amazing race that I have been training hard for and looking forward to my next stop in Namur, Belgium.”
Men’s results:
1. James Van Drunen
2. Maurice Guy
3.Alexander Mullaney
Women’s results:
1. Tarryn Brown
2. Christine Anderson
3.Fran Blake
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