Monthly Round-up of SUP / July 2023

The 24th Moloka’i-2-O’ahu Paddleboard World Championships (M2O), presented by the Hawai’i Tourism Authority returned to racing today after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Racers were greeted with favorable conditions with trade winds blowing at 20 knots and wind swell at six feet. A sold out, international field of 250 men and women headed out across the Ka’iwi Channel toward the south shore of O’ahu, navigating changing tides and currents to plot their fastest route in the 32-mile downwind challenge.

Today’s champions completed the course in the solo disciplines of prone paddleboard, stand-up paddleboard (SUP), SUP foil and wing.

Prone: Charlie Verco from North Bondi, New South Wales won the unlimited category in 4 hours, 53 minutes, 26 seconds. Hayden Copping, 24, from Port Macquarie, New South Wales was the winner of the stock category (5:41:16). Katrina Madill, 32, from New Zealand claimed first place in the stock race.

SUP: Yusuke Hyogo, 36, won the men’s unlimited SUP race in 4:45:03.

SUP Foil: Australia’s James Casey, 31 from Narrabeen, New South Wales won today’s SUP Foil race in 2:19:02. Olivia Pana, 32, from France beat the former M2O champion from Maui, Annie Reikert, 22, by five minutes.

Wing Foil: The men’s wing foil race was won by 19-year-old Finn Spencer from Maui. The American figuratively flew across the Ka’iwi Channel in 1:31:29. Nani Dalene Nekoba, 46 from Kailua, HI won the women’s race in a time of 2:10:02.

SIC Maui Recap: The Gorge Paddle Challenge is officially back, and in a big way. The vibes were high at this year’s event and attendance was up by 30% since last year. Over 300 athletes signed up, including some of the biggest names in the sport: Conner Baxter, Candace Applebee, Fiona Wylde, Arthur Arutkin, Itzel Delgado, and SIC’s three-time world champion, Seychelle. Attendance reached pre-COVID levels, making the Gorge Paddle Challenge the U.S. event of the year.

This year, wing and SUP foiling doubled in participation, with 65 wing foilers and 52 SUP foilers being added to the start list. The foiling category also included standout athletes like kitesurfing Champion Johnny Heineken and Pro wing foil racer Joey Pasquali.

The Gorge Paddle Challenge was hosted in Hood River, which offers some of the best downwind paddling in the United States. The event kicked off with the Kid’s Friday Funday event, co-hosted by Fiona Wylde and Team SIC. Thanks to Tao Surf Air inflatables, a Mothership, and a few Starboard inflatables, 75 kids were introduced to the joy of paddling.

Results: MEN 1. Connor Baxter, 2. Arthur Arutkin, 3. Itzel Delgado. WOMEN 1.Candice Appleby, 2. Fiona Wylde, 3. Juliette Duhaime