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Gorge Paddle Challenge: Downwind DRONE highlightsQuick highlights and aerial insights from an amazing day of racing in The Gorge, where Noic Garioud and Fiona Wylde won the iconic "Double Downwinder" đź’¦Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge / Naish Stand Up Paddling
Posted by The Paddle League on Sunday, August 19, 2018
This years annual Naish Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge held in Oregon USA did not disappoint. The winds came and so did the paddlers. The field was full of international paddlers for the penultimate major race of The Paddle League season. There were plenty of points up for grabs and paddlers prestige on the line especially with the amount of elite athletes present it was less of a race about who surfs better will win than the person who will make the least mistakes.
Photo Credit: Paddle League
In the mens race New Caledonian and Sunova paddler Noic Garioud stunned the paddle world by winning 1st place overall in an combined time of 1:58:33, with 2nd place going to starboard rider Clement Colmas with a time of 1:59:58 and defending champion Bernd Roediger coming in 3rd with a time of 2:00:33. NSP man Titouan Puyo was 4th with in-form man Lincoln Dews only 8 seconds behind in 5th place!
Photo Credit: Paddle League
In the Womens race Fiona Wylde claimed her third straight Gorge “Double Downwinder” title after putting on a masterclass in the bumps, the hometown hero holding off a strong challenge from the supremely impressive Maui wunderkind Annie Reickert and Australia’s Molokai hero Terrene Black. Frenchwoman Amandine Chazot had a stunning race and finished third to move up into fourth overall (the Double Downwinder combines times from back-to-back downwind runs).
It was a tight battle for fifth between April Zilg, Seychelle and Angie Jackson, with just half a minute separating the trio, while Shae Foudy, Olivia Piana and Jade Howson rounded out the top 10.
Next and final race on the circuit is the PPG! Could we see a final showdown for the top spot for the mens paddle league rankings?
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MEN’S DOUBLE DOWNWINDER
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(combined times from both DW runs)
1st: Noic Garioud (1:58:33) Sunova
2nd: Clement Colmas (1:59:58) Starboard
3rd: Bernd Roediger (2:00:33) Naish
4th: Titouan Puyo (2:00:38) NSP
5th: Lincoln Dews (2:00:41) DEEP
6th: Travis Grant (2:01:25) NSP
7th Connor Baxter (2:02:01) Starboard
8th: Matt Nottage (2:02:37) Starboard
9th: Marcus Hansen (2:02:53) NSP
10th: Arthur Arutkin (2:04:42) Fanatic
11th: Vinnicius Martins (2:04:59) JP
12th: Jake Jensen (2:05:17) ONE
13th: Tom Auber (2:06:09) Fanatic
14th: Georges Cronsteadt (2:06:45) 425
15th: Enzo Bennett (2:07:24) 425
16th: Alexandre Bicrel (2:07:30) NSP
17th: Ty Judson (2:07:41) NSP
18th: Martin Letourneur (2:07:59) Hobie
19th: Martin Vitry (2:08:16) SIC
20th: Chase Kosterlitz (2:08:51) JP
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WOMEN’S DOUBLE DOWNWINDER
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
(combined times from both DW runs)
1st: Fiona Wylde (2:15:38)
2nd: Annie Reickert (2:19:10)
3rd: Terrene Black (2:20:37)
4th: Amandine Chazot (2:21:38)
5th: April Zilg (2:22:04)
6th: Seychelle (2:22:25)
7th: Angela Jackson (2:22:34)
8th: Shae Foudy (2:25:16)
9th: Olivia Piana (2:28:07)
10th: Jade Howson (2:28:54)
11th: Yuka Sato (2:30:04)
12th: Candice Appleby (2:31:07)
13th: Hannah Hill (2:31:16)
14th: Stephanie Shideler (2:32:51)
15th: Kimberly Barnes (2:34:52)
16th: Shannon Bell (2:35:19)
17th: Lara Claydon (2:36:52)
18th: Sarah Sandstrom (2:38:34)
19th: Erika Benitez (2:38:52)
20th: Susanne Lier (2:39:07
