Permission granted for reprint and redistribution – Photo credit required
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA, USA – Crossing the finish line just four seconds ahead of four-time champion Danny Ching of California, Australian Michael Booth seized his third title in the grueling 13.2-mile Carolina Cup Graveyard Race.
Meanwhile, North Carolina’s April Zilg powered to her second consecutive Graveyard Race victory with an almost one-minute margin over internationally ranked elite paddlers Kimberly Barnes of Florida and Candice Appleby of California.
“It feels amazing and surreal to come back and repeat the Carolina Cup win on the actual Graveyard course,” said Zilg. “In 2021, the course was modified due to severe weather conditions. I am usually happy and prevail in very challenging conditions. This year was challenging for me because the conditions were better, and that’s not usually my strong suit. So, I knew that it was going to be a very tough race. But it went well.”
Attracting amateur and professional athletes from the South Pacific, Asia, Central America, South America, Hawaii, Europe, Canada, and the United States, Carolina Cup is one of the largest and most prominent paddle sporting events globally. Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and presented by Kona Brewing Company, five days of exhibitions, demos, clinics, and races were based at Blockade Runner Beach Resort, April 27-May 1, 2022.
The Graveyard Race Top Ten
Men’s Elite Division
1. Michael Booth, Australia
2. Danny Ching, CA, USA
3. Shuri Araki, Japan
4. Ty Judson, Australia
5. Connor Baxter, Hawaii, USA
6. Itzel Delgado, Peru
7. Eri Tenorio, Brazil
8. Daniel Hasulyo, Hungary/Thailand
9. Bodie Von Allmen, Oregon, US
10. Tim Oliver, Ontario, Canada
Women’s Elite Division
1. April Zilg, North Carolina, USA
2. Kim Barnes, Florida, USA
3. Candice Appleby, California, USA
4. Stephanie Schideler, Long Island, NY
5. Abby Baker, California, USA
6. Juliette DuHaime, Argentina
7. Emilie Fournel, Montreal, Canada
8. Regan Littell, New Jersey, USA
9. Jenna Blackburn, North Carolina, USA
10. Madeline LeBlanc, Ontario, Canada
This year, the International Canoe Federation and Carolina Cup partnered to have the Technical Sprint and Graveyard Race serve as pre-qualifiers for the ICF World Series in Poland. Four ICF world champions competed in the 2022 Carolina Cup races – Connor Baxter, Michael Booth, Noic Garioud, and Ty Judson.
Hawaii’s Connor Baxter and North Carolina’s April Zilg won their second consecutive Carolina Cup Technical Race this weekend. Technical races are on an oceanfront course entering and exiting the surf and testing all the paddler’s skills in one event, including surfing, speed, and steering capabilities.
“For spectators, the Technical Sprint is the most exciting event for SUP when it comes to ocean racing,” said Dan Gavere, master of ceremonies. “Unlike 2021, we had both elite and recreational racers in the Technical Sprint this year, and I believe it will continue to grow.”
The Technical Sprint Top Finishers
Men’s Division:
1. Connor Baxter, Hawaii, USA
2. Noic Garioud, New Caledonia
3. David Leao, Brazil
4. Shuri Araki, Japan
5. Ty Judson, Australia
6. Michael Booth, Australia
7. Daniel Hasulyo, Hungary/Thailand
8. Eri Tenorio, Brazil
Women’s Division:
1. April Zilg, North Carolina, USA
2. Candice Appleby, California, USA
3. Abby Baker, California, USA
4. Juliette DuHaime, Argentina
5. Susan Krupa McCune, California, USA
With environmental issues top-of-mind to most watersport athletes, Carolina Cup attendees were attracted to an exhibit by Mechanical Engineering students from North Carolina State University. “We are introducing our new sand removal technology,” said NCSU student Edward Byers, CEO of a senior project design team. “It’s an air-power shower that uses a light mist and air to remove sand. The Air Wave uses less than 1-percent of the water; it’s cheaper to operate than a traditional beach shower; and it allows people to go inside or get in their car and not be soaking wet and uncomfortable.”
“The positive impact on the environment in water conservation and a reduction in wastewater could be significant,” said Mary Baggett, co-owner of Blockade Runner Beach Resort.
Complete lists of Carolina Cup race results with age groups and divisions are available at these links:
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Robert B Butler
Communications & Public Relations
www.NCPressRelease.org/campaigns
www.RBButler.com
Communications & Public Relations
www.NCPressRelease.org/campaigns
www.RBButler.com
Permission granted for redistribution – photo credits required
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March 11, 2022
International Canoe Federation teams up with USA's Carolina Cup
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA, USA – The International Canoe Federation (ICF) announced it has teamed up with the USA’s Carolina Cup as part of the ICF world series. Carolina Cup will double as an ICF ranking race for standup paddleboard technical and long-distance racing in the open class.
“Since 2015, the Carolina Cup has rightly been considered as one of the world’s premier standup paddleboard events,” said Hoichan Kwon, ICF’s SUP coordinator. “Carolina Cup will attract many of the world’s best paddlers, so we’re thrilled to be giving these athletes an opportunity to book their tickets to our world championships.”
Under a memorandum of understanding, athletes competing in the Carolina Cup will have a chance to pre-qualify for the main draw of this year’s ICF world championships in Gdynia, Poland, avoiding the pre-event preliminary qualifications.
One of the world’s largest and most prominent paddle sporting events, the Carolina Cup returns to Wrightsville Beach, April 27-May 1, 2022. The Cup is a five-day festival of clinics, product displays, demonstrations, and competitions, including six nail-biting races featuring amateur and professional athletes in paddleboard, kayak, surfski, and outrigger canoe. Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club, all activities are at Blockade Runner Beach Resort.
“We have an exciting event calendar lined up for this season, and now the Carolina Cup will take it to another level,” Kwon said.
The Carolina Cup will kick off the ICF’s 2022 world ranking series. Athletes will then head to Thun, Switzerland, for the opening ICF world cup, followed by Prague, Salzburg, and Budapest.
“Teaming up with the ICF is a perfect fit,” said Mark Schmidt, Carolina Cup race director. “With the International Canoe Federation’s long-established base in paddle sports, we look forward to being the first stop on the ICF point series that qualifies for the ICF championships.”
Carolina Cup is the only North American location on ICF’s SUP calendar.
The SUP world cup planned for Moscow has been canceled, according to the ICF.
2022 Carolina Cup Races:
The Graveyard Elite Race – A challenging 13.1-mile ocean and flatwater race for the elite and professional paddleboard racer. The Graveyard Race begins in the ocean surf, circumvents Wrightsville Beach, passes through two inlets, and tests the skills and fitness of each athlete with every surf, ocean, flatwater, wind, tide, and competitive condition of the day – including the best paddlers in the world.
The Graveyard Surfski, Outrigger, and Kayak Race – A 13.1-mile elite race on the Graveyard course, starting and finishing on the sound side and circumventing Wrightsville Beach. Kayak; surfski (single and double), outrigger canoe (OC-1 and OC-2).
The Technical Sprint – A dynamic short course of fast-paced SUP sprints, into-and-out of the surf with buoy turns testing the skills and speed of participants. The elimination and repechage formats provide dramatic action for athletes and spectators while allowing the best to rise to the top.
The Money Island Open Race – A 10-kilometer inland waterway and islands race with currents and winds, but no ocean swells. Designed to challenge the intermediate to advanced paddler on paddleboard (standup and prone), kayak, surfski, and outrigger canoe (OC-1 and OC-2).
The Harbor Island Recreational Race – A 5-kilometer flatwater race in the inland waterways for first-time to intermediate paddleboarders (standup and prone). There are currents and wind, some boat traffic, no ocean swells, and mostly no-wake zones – an excellent opportunity to get on a board and enjoy the water.
The Kids Race – A fun event for children 6 to 14, one and two-loop course races on the sound. Everyone is recognized!
Preceding the Carolina Cup, April 22-24, Wrightsville Beach will host the 2022 Carolina Pro-Am SUP Surf, a three-day paddleboard-surfing event drawing the world’s best professional and amateur athletes in the sport.
The 2022 Carolina Cup is presented by Kona Brewing Company.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Hoichan Kwon
International Canoe Federation
SUP Coordinator
Permission granted for redistribution – photo credits required
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November 8, 2021
Weather conditions and NC’s April Zilg dominate 10th Carolina Cup
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA – Ranked second in the world in women’s standup paddleboard, North Carolina’s April Zilg overcame punishing weather conditions and captured both the Graveyard Race and APP Sprint titles in the 2021 Carolina Cup.
“It feels absolutely amazing, like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders,” said Zilg. “Ten years ago, I didn’t even finish the race. So, I vowed to stick with something until I could master it. This is the tenth anniversary of that race. It’s an amazing feeling to stay focused and see it through.”
California’s Danny Ching picked up his fourth Graveyard crown in the men’s division after a string of victories in 2012, 2013, and 2014. Ching won the race by more than two minutes, with racers facing brutal 30-40-mph headwinds on the final stretch.
Connor Baxter of Hawaii navigated the weekend’s 4-10-ft. seas and gale-force winds, followed by a 50-yard dash to the finish line versus Denmark’s Christian Anderson, to snag the men’s ocean sprint title.
After the final race, the weekend’s Deep Atlantic low weather system continued to move farther out to sea, revealing a bit of blue sky with slowly improving wind and sea conditions to come.
The Carolina Cup will be the only official Association of Paddlesurf Professionals event in the world in 2021. The “Cup” featured seven races, accommodating skill sets from beginners to pros, all based at Blockade Runner Resort in Wrightsville Beach.
More race results:
The Graveyard Race (distance race for elite and professional paddlers)
Male Division Winners:
1. Danny Ching, CA, USA
2. Titouan Puyo, New Caledonia
3. Tommy Buday, Canada
4. Shuri Araki, Japan
5. Connor Baxter, Maui, HI
6. Itzel Delgado, Peru
7. Daniel Hasulyo, Hungary
8. Kaelan Lockhard, Australia
9. Tyler Bashor, CA, USA
10. Arthur Arutkin, France
Female Division Winners:
1. April Zilg, NC, USA
2. Kimberly Barnes, FL, USA
3. Okuaki Rika, Japan
4. Juliette DuHaime, Argentina
5. Kattie Carpenter, Grand Rapids, MI
6. Wendy Tillett, Quebec, Canada
APP Ocean Sprints (sprint race for elite and professional paddlers)
Male Division Winners:
1. Connor Baxter, Maui, Hawaii
2. Christian Anderson, Denmark
3. Arthur Arutkin, France
4. Casper Steinfath, Denmark
5. Josh Riccio, Maui, Hawaii
6. Shuri Araki, Japan
7. Itzel Delgado, Peru
8. Rai Taguchi, Japan
Female Division Winners:
1. April Zilg, Lake Hyco, NC
2. Rika Okuaki, Japan
3. Giannisa Vecco, Peru
4. Juliette DuHaime, Argentina
5. Caroline Kuntzel, Denmark
Money Island SUP 14’
Male Overall Winners:
1. Steve Phillips, Wilmington, NC
2. James Nickerson, Lender, TX
3. Austin Winkler, Charleston, SC
Female Overall Winners:
1. Jenna Blackburn, Wilmington, NC
2. Kristin Thomas, Laguna Beach, CA
3. Stella Gan, Canada
Harbor Island SUP 14’
Male Overall Winners
1. Jeff Berry, Rochester, NY
2. Steve Johnston, Wilmington, NC
3. Don Finn, Walls, NJ
Female Overall Winners
1. Rachel Cantore, Bluffton, SC
2. Karin Helfmann, Atlanta, GA
3. Brittany Carey, Annapolis, MD
Six-person Outrigger Canoe
Male OC-6 Team
1. Wrightsville Beach Outrigger Canoe Club
2. National Capitol Area Outrigger Canoe Club, Washington, DC
3. Charlotte Outrigger Canoe Club, NC
4. National Capitol Area Outrigger Canoe Club, Washington, DC
Female/Male OC-6 Team
1. Kent Island Ocean Canoe Club, Chester, MD
2. Wrightsville Beach Outrigger Canoe Club, Wrightsville Beach, NC
3. Wrightsville Beach Outrigger Canoe Club, Wrightsville Beach, NC
4. National Capitol Area Outrigger Canoe Club, Washington, DC
The APP is recognized and sanctioned as the official world championship tour for standup paddling by the International Olympic Committee’s Federation for Surfing Sports and the International Surfing Association.
The 2021 Carolina Cup was organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and presented by Kona Brewing Company.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Holly Mawdsley
Director of Communications
APP World Tour / Waterman League
P: +44 7580 779 536
E: Holly.mawdsley@appworldtour.com
Director of Communications
APP World Tour / Waterman League
P: +44 7580 779 536
E: Holly.mawdsley@appworldtour.com
Permission granted for redistribution – photo credits required
#APPWorldTour #CarolinaCup #WrightsvilleBeach #NorthCarolina #APP #WBPC #CasperSteinfath #AprilZilg #DannyChing #ConnorBaxter #GraveyardRace #BlockadeRunnerResort #SUP #Paddleboard #OC1 #OC2 #OC6 #Surfski #Kayak #ProneSUP #NourishNC #OutriggerCanoe
Top paddlers signing up for Carolina Cup – the only official APP Event in 2021
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA – “The Carolina Cup is the only official Association of Paddlesurf Professionals event in 2021,” said Tristan Boxford, CEO of the APP. “This event will feature both distance and sprints with APP prize money. However, due to extraordinary circumstances, we are not moving forward with a World Tour this year.”
The APP is recognized and sanctioned as the official world championship tour for standup paddling by the International Olympic Committee’s Federation for Surfing Sports and the International Surfing Association.
The Carolina Cup is a four-day festival of events featuring seven races, seminars and clinics by the pros, product exhibits and demonstrations. Ideally located with both oceanfront and soundside beaches, all races and activities start and end at Blockade Runner Beach Resort, the official resort of the Carolina Cup. Activities begin on Nov. 4 and conclude on Nov. 7.
Ranked second in the world in women’s standup paddleboard, North Carolina’s April Zilg announced plans to compete in the Carolina Cup’s brutal 13-mile Graveyard Race in Wrightsville Beach. “I have plans to race in November,” said Zilg. “It's one of the biggest races in the world and one of the hardest courses.”
“The [Graveyard] race is unique, taking you through both ocean and Intracoastal waters, navigating two inlets, battling tides, and entering and exiting through the surf,” said Zilg. “It’s an excellent test of a paddler's all-around skills, and mother nature doesn't always play nice. Outside of some of the dedicated surf-zone races, the Graveyard Race is up there for difficulty, especially if you end up battling a stiff tide. It's also a half-marathon distance, so the grind is real.”
Other early entrants include Casper Steinfath, the reigning World Champion in the men’s division. Growing up in a fishing village in Denmark, Steinfath developed a passion for water sports before he could walk, riding on his dad’s surfboard. Now 28, Steinfath is one of the best water sports athletes, having won numerous victories and championships during his career.
In 2020, Steinfath was the first to standup paddle solo across the Skagerrak, the 130-kilometer stretch of treacherous water dividing Denmark from Norway.
French paddler Arthur Arutkin, ranked second in the world, and New Caledonia’s Titouan Puyo, ranked seventh, have signed up for the competition – with many more to come.
Seychelle Webster, the reigning World Champion in the APP women’s division, will attend the Carolina Cup and plans to offer clinics, be available for demo days, and assist during the Kids Race. “I do not plan on racing this year,” said Seychelle. “The Carolina Cup has always been one of my top priority races for the year. But currently, my top priority and most exciting challenge is that I am pregnant. So, that is my focus for this year, and I will not be competing.”
“Competing or not, this week in Wrightsville is going to be so much fun,” added Seychelle. I’m really excited to see and catch up with everyone and to support the APP and the Carolina Cup despite all the world challenges.”
Races on the Carolina Cup schedule include:
–The Graveyard Race (APP distance race) – A brutal 13.1-mile ocean and flatwater race for the elite and professional paddleboard racers, beginning and ending in the surf on the beach; standup paddleboard or prone.
–The APP Sprint – A dynamic short course (300m) with elimination format racing (pro and amateur) that provides dramatic action and a spectacle like no other, allowing the best to rise to the top.
–The Money Island Open Race – A 10-kilometer flatwater race designed for the intermediate to advanced paddler, standup paddleboard, prone, kayak, surfski, outrigger canoe (OC-1 and OC-2).
–The Harbor Island Recreational Race – A 5-kilometer flatwater race for first-time to intermediate paddleboarders; standup paddleboard; prone.
–The Graveyard Surfski, Outrigger, and Kayak Race – A 13.1-mile elite race starting and finishing on the sound side, circumventing Wrightsville Beach, kayak; surfski, outrigger canoe (OC-1 and OC-2).
–The Three Island Challenge – Start to finish on the sound side, this 9-mile race is for six-team ocean canoe crews (OC-6) male, female, and mixed-gender teams. The race circumvents the marshes and undisturbed islands and lowlands behind Masonboro, Money, and Harbor Islands.
–The Kids Race – For children 6 to 14, one and two-loop course races on the sound.
The Carolina Cup is organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and presented by Kona Brewing Company. The designated charity for the Carolina Cup is Nourish North Carolina, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to provide healthy food to hungry children, enabling them to succeed in the classroom and their communities.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Holly Mawdsley
Director of Communications
APP World Tour / Waterman League
P: +44 7580 779 536
Permission granted for redistribution
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APP announces Carolina Cup to be the only official event in 2021
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA – “The Carolina Cup is the only official Association of Paddlesurf Professionals event in 2021,” said Tristan Boxford, CEO of the APP. “This event will feature both distance and sprints with APP prize money. However, due to extraordinary circumstances, we are not moving forward with a World Tour this year.”
The APP is recognized and sanctioned as the official world championship tour for standup paddling by the International Olympic Committee’s Federation for Surfing Sports and the International Surfing Association.
Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and presented by Kona Brewing Company, the Carolina Cup is a four-day festival of events featuring seven races, seminars and clinics by the pros, product exhibits and demonstrations, commencing Nov. 4 and ending Nov. 7. Ideally situated with both oceanfront and soundside access, all races and activities are based at Blockade Runner Beach Resort, the official resort of the Carolina Cup.
Races on the Carolina Cup schedule include:
-The Graveyard Race – A brutal 13.1-mile ocean and flatwater race for the elite and professional paddleboard racers, beginning and ending in the surf on the beach, standup paddleboard or prone.
-The APP World Tour Sprints – A dynamic short course (300m) racing that provides dramatic action and a racing spectacle like no other. The elimination format provides a great opportunity for all Racers and allows the best to rise to the top. Pro and Amateur eliminations will be held on Sunday
-The Money Island Open Race – A 10-kilometer flatwater race designed for the intermediate to advanced paddler, standup paddleboard, prone, kayak, surfski, outrigger canoe (OC-1 and OC-2).
-The Harbor Island Recreational Race – A 5-kilometer flatwater race for first-time to intermediate paddleboarders; standup paddleboard; prone.
-The Graveyard Surfski, Outrigger, and Kayak Race – A 13.1-mile elite race starting and finishing on the sound side, circumventing Wrightsville Beach, kayak; surfski, outrigger canoe (OC-1 and OC-2).
-The Three Island Challenge – Start to finish on the sound side, this 9-mile race is for six-team ocean canoe crews (OC-6) male, female, and mixed-gender teams. The race circumvents the marshes and undisturbed islands and lowlands behind Masonboro, Money, and Harbor Islands.
-The Kids Race – For children 6 to 14, one and two-loop course races on the sound.
The designated charity for the 2021 Carolina Cup is Nourish North Carolina, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to provide healthy food to hungry children, enabling them to succeed in the classroom and their communities.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Holly Mawdsley
Director of Communications
APP World Tour / Waterman League
P: +44 7580 779 536
Permission granted for redistribution
#APPWorldTour #CarolinaCup #WrightsvilleBeach #NorthCarolina #APP #WBPC #MichaelBooth #AprilZilg #Seychelle #FionaWylde #SonniHönscheid #GraveyardRace #BlockadeRunnerResort #WorldPaddleAssociation #SUP #Paddleboard #OC1 #OC2 #OC6 #Surfski #Kayak #ProneSUP #NourishNC #Paris #GranCanaria
Repeat Carolina Cup Victories for Germany's Sonni Hönscheid and Michael Booth of Australia
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA, USA – With near-perfect weather and racing conditions, Germany's Sonni Hönscheid and Michael Booth of Australia successfully defended their championships in the punishing 21-kilometer Graveyard Race at Carolina Cup in Wrightsville Beach. Both plan to go for three in a row in 2020.
“Yesterday was stormy, wavy and crazy out there. I got up this morning, looked outside and the conditions were glassy with light offshore winds and beautiful little waves, the complete opposite," said women's champion Hönscheid. "With the change in conditions, I chose to use the Sprint, the flatwater board from Starboard, which turned out to be a good choice. I didn’t have such a good start, but from there I made ground on the girls and kept up a good pace. It was a hard stretch on the ocean to the finish line.”
“It was a tough race, but a lot better than last year," said Booth. "It was a very different field with a really hard pace all the way. I got down and had to play it tactically smart, and I’m very happy with the win. It feels fantastic. The off-season has been really hard. I’ve been training and focusing on a back-to-back win. I’m over the moon.”
“To win the Graveyard Race again was unbelievable. I’m super stoked," said Hönscheid. "It’s a great feeling, especially with such a great community cheering you on and sharing a love for the sport and the ocean. To win in such a great environment with so many nice people is a double victory.”
Total registrations for Carolina Cup, including the Graveyard Race, increased over last year, according to Mark Schmidt, Race Director. The sport is organizing and maturing; industry segments are now working together; and, paddle racing is increasingly a multi-generational family sport, according to Schmidt.
Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association (WPA), the 9th annual Carolina Cup was the first SUP race of the 2019 Qualifier Series, a newly formed partnership by the WPA and Association of Paddle-surf Professionals (APP). Competitors in the Carolina Cup had the opportunity to earn points to qualify for the APP World Tour and World Championship. All races began and ended at Blockade Runner Beach Resort, official resort of Carolina Cup.
A partial list of winners:
The Graveyard Race – SUP
Men’s Overall Elite (13-miles / 21km)
1st: Michael Booth (2:03:01) Australia
2nd: Bruno Hasulyo (2:03:23) Spain
3rd: Daniel Hasulyo (2:03:54) Spain
4th: Georges Cronsteadt (2:05:11) Redondo Beach, CA
5th: Titouan Puyo (2:05:33) New Caledonia
6th: Enzo Bennett (2:05:53) Redondo Beach, CA
7th: Ty Judson (2:06:21) Australia
8th: Travis Grant (2:06:34) Hawaii, USA
9th: Mo Freitas (2:08:03) Hawaii, USA
10th: Keoni Sulpice (2:09:24) Tahiti
Women’s Overall Elite (13-miles / 21km)
1st: Sonni Hönscheid (2:22:15) Germany
2nd: April Zilg (2:25:45) NC/CA, USA
3rd: Jade Howsan (2:27:13) Laguna Beach, CA
4th: Fiona Wylde (2:27:28) Hood River, OR
5th: Laura Quetglas (2:27:47) Spain
6th: Kimberly Barnes (2:27:48) Hobe Sound, FL
7th: Stephanie Shideler (2:27:55) Long Beach, NY
8th: Yuko Sato (2:28:30) Japan
9th: Siri Schubert (2:33:24) Switzerland
10th: Maddie Miller (2:34:41) Jupiter, FL
The Money Island 10km Race – SUP 14'
Money Island Men's Overall (6-mile / 10-km)
1st: Vincent Goyat (1:01:44) Tahiti
2nd: Steve Phillips (1:06:10) Surfside Beach, SC
3rd: Scott Baste (1:06:21) Florida Keys
Money Island Women's Overall (6-mile / 10km)
1st: Lizi Ruiz (1:12:41) Miami Beach, FL
2nd: Gina Di Primio (1:15:55) Ontario, CA
3rd: Tracee Van Brunt (1:17:41) Sayville, NY
The Harbor Island 5km Race – SUP 14'
Harbor Island Men's Overall 14' (3-mile / 5km)
1st: Adrian Barnett (41:56) Hendersonville, TN
2nd: Matt Kenney (42:06) Raleigh, NC
3rd: Brad Hill (42:42) Annapolis, MD
Harbor Island Women's Overall 14' (3-mile / 5km)
1st: Katie Roberts (50:08) Odenton, MD
2nd: Gail Case (51:38) Madison, NC
3rd: Lisa Landry (53:38) Ontario, CA
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914
Aussie SUP Powerhouse to defend Carolina Cup Title April 24-28, 2019
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA, USA – Australian SUP powerhouse Michael Booth, rated one of the top two paddlers in the world in both the Paddle League and APP rankings, returns to North Carolina April 24-28 to defend his Carolina Cup Championship.
“Winning the Carolina Cup was something I always wanted to do since I first picked up a SUP paddle,” said Booth. “The Carolina Cup to me is the most prestigious distance race in our sport. It’s 20-kilometers of varied conditions that test the best-of-the-best each and every year. It’s one event that everyone wants to have on their mantle.”
A first-time champion of the Carolina Cup and member of the Starboard Dream Team, Michael Booth logged an impressive SUP season in 2018, winning eleven of fifteen starts on his race calendar. In addition to the Carolina Cup victory, Booth won his third Australian Distance Race title, second Euro Tour Championship, and second World Title ISA distance race. Although sprinting is not his specialty, Booth focused on the APP Tour for the first time and achieved remarkable results, netting a season-end ranking of second-place worldwide.
The Carolina Cup is one of the world’s largest paddle festivals, featuring races, clinics, expos, and entertainment, with athletes attending from over 20 nations and virtually every state in the USA. Competitors include Olympians, world-record holders, champions, professionals, amateurs, and first-time paddlers. All races begin and end at Blockade Runner Beach Resort, the official resort of the Carolina Cup.
Limited enrollment clinics and workshops will be presented at the Carolina Cup by Michael Booth and other top paddle athletes. Subjects include ocean racing; beach starts and surf landings; instructor certification; the perfect race day; SUP paddling; outrigger canoe paddling; one-on-one sessions; paddle skills and techniques; the TRX training system; motivation to race; footwork; and, drills. In addition to Booth, instructors on the agenda are Dan Gavere of Oregon; Travis Grant from Australia; North Carolina’s April Zilg (now residing in California); Florida’s Seychelle; Candice Appleby of California; and Hood River’s Fiona Wylde.
Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association (WPA), the 9th annual Carolina Cup is the first SUP race of the 2019 Qualifier Series, a newly formed partnership by the WPA and Association of Paddle-surf Professionals (APP). Competitors in the Carolina Cup have the opportunity to earn points to qualify for the APP World Tour and World Championship.
Races on the 2019 schedule include:
Graveyard Race; a grueling 13.2-mile ocean and flatwater race for the elite and professional paddleboard racers; SUP; Prone;
Money Island Open Race; a 10-kilometer flatwater race designed for the intermediate to advanced paddler; SUP; Prone; Kayak; Surfski; OC;
Harbor Island Recreational Race; a 5-kilometer flatwater race for first-time to intermediate paddleboarders; SUP; Prone;
Graveyard Surfski and Outrigger Race; a 13.2-mile elite race starting and finishing on the sound side; Kayak; OC; Surfski;
The Kids Race; for children 6 to 14.
The designated charity for the 2019 Carolina Cup is Nourish North Carolina, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to provide healthy food to hungry children, enabling them to succeed in the classroom and their communities.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Permission granted for redistribution
#CarolinaCup #WrightsvilleBeach #NorthCarolina #WBPC #MichaelBooth #TravisGrant #DanGavere #AprilZilg #Seychelle #FionaWylde #CandiceAppleby #SonniHönscheid #GraveyardRace #BlockadeRunnerResort #WorldPaddleAssociation #WPA #APP #SUP #Starboard #Paddleboard #OC1 #OC2 #Surfski #Kayak #ProneSUP #NourishNC
League’s World Champ returning to Carolina Cup to defend title
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA, USA – Germany’s Sonni Hönscheid, winner of the women’s Paddle League World Title in 2018, returns to North Carolina April 24-28 to defend her Carolina Cup Championship.
The Carolina Cup is one of the world’s largest paddle festivals, featuring races, clinics, expos, and entertainment, with athletes attending from over 20 nations and virtually every state in the USA. Competitors include Olympians, world-record holders, champions, professionals, amateurs, and first-time paddlers. All races begin and end at Blockade Runner Beach Resort, the official resort of the Carolina Cup.
During the 2018 season, Sonni Hönscheid’s power and speed were astonishing, winning four of the top five major races, including the Carolina Cup, and accumulating enough points to lock up the league’s world title by early July.
“I’m still processing the whole year; it was crazy in many aspects,” said Hönscheid. “I’m proud of myself to be strong enough physically and mentally to reach my goals. The days were too short, and I had to really be strict with myself in making this happen. 2018 was a great year, but also a very hard year.”
“North Carolina is a beautiful place, and Carolina Cup is a beautiful event. Great people and good vibes,” said Hönscheid. “It’s a long race, and everything can happen. I was happy to win the Cup last year. This year, my approach is to give my best and see what happens.”
Sonni Hönscheid balances the rigorous demands of professional paddleboarding with art. An accomplished acrylic painter, Hönscheid’s goal in 2018 was to win the Paddle League World Title “before the opening of my art exhibition in August,” a goal she easily achieved.
On the North Sea island of Sylt, Germany, Hönscheid’s birthplace and home, Sonni combines her “two biggest passions.” Her painting style is inspired by her lifetime of experiences on the ocean, bold, bright, colorful, flowing, and modern.
Board manufacturer Starboard is featuring three of Sonni’s designs on the Tikhine model in 2019. “I’m super stoked about making this sport even more colorful,” said Hönscheid. Click here to read the entire interview with Sonni Hönscheid.
Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association (WPA), the 9th annual Carolina Cup is the first SUP race of the 2019 Qualifier Series, a newly formed partnership by the WPA and Association of Paddle-surf Professionals (APP). Competitors in the Carolina Cup have the opportunity to earn points to qualify for the APP World Tour and World Championship.
Returning races on the 2019 schedule include:
Graveyard Race; a grueling 13.2-mile ocean and flatwater race for the elite and professional paddleboard racers; SUP; Prone;
Money Island Open Race; a 10-kilometer flatwater race designed for the intermediate to advanced paddler; SUP; Prone; Kayak; Surfski; OC;
Harbor Island Recreational Race; a 5-kilometer flatwater race for first-time to intermediate paddleboarders; SUP; Prone;
Graveyard Surfski and Outrigger Race; a 13.2-mile elite race starting and finishing on the sound side; Kayak; OC; Surfski;
The Kids Race; for children 6 to 14.
The designated charity for the 2019 Carolina Cup is Nourish North Carolina, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to provide healthy food to hungry children, enabling them to succeed in the classroom and their communities.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-6914
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Permission granted for redistribution – Photo credits, please
#CarolinaCup #WrightsvilleBeach #NorthCarolina #WBPC #SonniHönscheid #GraveyardRace #BlockadeRunnerResort #WorldPaddleAssociation #WPA #APP #SUP #Starboard #Paddleboard #OC1 #OC2 #Surfski #Kayak #ProneSUP #NourishNC
Carolina Cup News and Photo Gallery
Sonni Hönscheid of Germany and Michael Booth of Australia capture elite Carolina Cup titles
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA, USA – Choppy seas and high winds did not faze paddleboard elites Sonni Hönscheid of Germany or Michael Booth of Australia, crowned champions of the punishing 13-mile Graveyard Race at the Quiksilver Waterman Carolina Cup, held April 18-22, in Wrightsville Beach.
“I had a good start, which is rare for me, and was third around the first buoy. I am super happy with that,” said Hönscheid, the fifth-ranked women’s paddler in the world. “I tried to gain distance in the downwind before the first inlet. Fiona was in front of me, but I knew I could catch her in the flatwater, and I did. She was behind me for a while so, I kept my pace out there. Once I returned to the ocean for the final leg, I felt relaxed, had a good time and a good race.”
“Interestingly, some of the athletes that are ocean paddlers loved the conditions,” said race director Mark Schmidt. “The race had a strong side-shore wind angling from the Northeast and mainly East. Racers who knew how to work the waves and the runners had no problem, but for some, it was a problem.”
“In previous times the wind worked against me because I didn’t have the skills to compete at that level,” said fourth-ranked men’s pro Michael Booth. “But, we’ve been working hard back home in Perth, and the conditions for the Wrightsville Beach race are the same as I train in every day. When I looked out the morning of the race, I thought, “This is just like home. You can do this.” To have it pay off, in the end, is really great.”
“It feels fantastic to win the Graveyard. Ever since I joined this sport I’ve really wanted to win this race,” said Booth. “This is such a major race in the sport, to have my name on the list of champions is really special.”
Following his victory in the elite standup paddleboard category, Booth captured a second Graveyard Race title in the surfski class. Due to growing demand, an elite Graveyard Race was added to the 2018 schedule to include surfski, double-ski, OC-1, and OC-2 (see media site for results). All races for the week originated and ended at Blockade Runner Beach Resort, the official resort of the Carolina Cup.
Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club, affiliated with the newly formed Paddle League, and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association (WPA), the Quiksilver Waterman Carolina Cup attracted paddlers from more than 20 countries and most US states. About 20-percent of the athletes were from North Carolina – a rough estimate provided by Schmidt. Competitors included Olympians, world-record holders, champions, professionals, amateurs, and first-time paddlers.
A partial list of winners:
The Graveyard Race – SUP
Men’s Elite (13-miles / 21km)
1st: Michael Booth (2:03:14) Australia
2nd: Travis Grant (2:03:21) Australia
3rd: Mo Freitas (2:03:27) Hawaii, USA
4th: Titouan Puyo (2:03:43) New Caledonia, France
5th: Georges Cronsteadt (2:03:49) Tahiti
6th: Marcus Hansen (2:04:51) New Zealand
7th: Lincoln Dews (2:05:02) Australia
8th: Niuhiti Buillard (2:05:25) Tahiti
9th: Bruno Hasulyo (2:05:30) Hungary
10th: Danny Ching (2:05:35) CA, USA
Women’s Elite (13-miles / 21km)
1st: Sonni Hönscheid (2:20:35) Germany
2nd: Olivia Piana (2:23:38) France
3rd: Fiona Wylde (2:25:19) Oregon, USA
4th: April Zilg (2:28:26) NC native, now lives in CA, USA
5th: Seychelle Webster (2:29:22) FL, USA
6th: Candice Appleby (2:30:39) CA, USA
7th: Terrene Black (2:30:40) Australia
8th: Shae Foudy (2:31:32) USA
9th: Yuka Sato (2:34:34) Japan
10th: Laura Quetglas (2:37:19) Spain
The Harbor Island Recreational Race – SUP
Harbor Island Men (3-mile open race)
1st: David Young – Wilmington, NC
2nd: Jeff Berry – Rochester, NY
3rd: Dylan Henry – Satellite Beach, FL
4th: Campbell Carter – Wilmington, NC
5th: Mitch Cherry – Atlanta, GA
Harbor Island Women (3-mile open race)
1st: Tabitha Price – Tuscaloosa, AL
2nd: Samantha Stewart – Annapolis, MD
3rd: Elle Newkirk – Wrightsville Beach, NC
4th: Stella Gan – Ontario, Canada
5th: Erin Fitzpatrick – Wrightsville Beach, NC
The Money Island Open – SUP
Money Island Men (6-mile open race)
1st: Jeremy Whitted – Charleston, SC
2nd: David Slemp – St. Augustine, FL
3rd: Justin Schaay – Charleston, SC
4th: Steve Phillips – Surfside Beach, SC
5th: Mike Taber – Ontario, Canada
Money Island Women (6-mile open race)
1st: Heilani Cronsteadt – Tahiti
2nd: Kim Hillhouse – Lanikai, Hawaii
3rd: J. Deriggi – Washington, DC
4th: Meg Bosi – Bonita Springs, FL
5th: Lindsay Cook – Annapolis, MD
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-1835
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-1835
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Permission granted for redistribution – photo credits required
#QuiksilverWaterman #CarolinaCup #WrightsvilleBeach #WBPC #ThePaddleLeague #SonniHonscheid #MichaelBooth #GraveyardRace #WorldPaddleAssociation #Watersports #Paddleboard #OC1 #OC2 #Surfski #DoubleSki #ProneSUP #BlockadeRunner #NorthCarolina #WorldSUPtour #NCCoastalFederation
Carolina Cup Graveyard Race
Top 150
Finish Craft Name Age Sex Time
1…SUP 14'…MICHAEL BOOTH…18-49…M…2:03:14
2…SUP 14'…TRAVIS GRANT…18-49…M…2:03:21
3…SUP 14'…MO FREITAS…18-49…M…2:03:27
4…SUP 14'…TITOUAN PUYO…18-49…M…2:03:43
5…SUP 14'…GEORGES CRONSTEADT…18-49…M…2:03:49
6…SUP 14'…MARCUS HANSEN…18-49…M…2:04:51
7…SUP 14'…LINCOLN DEWS…18-49…M…2:05:02
8…SUP 14…BUILLARY NIOHITI…18-49…M…2:05:26
9…SUP 14'…BRUNO HASULYO…18-49…M…2:05:30
10…SUP 14'…DANNY CHING…18-49…M…2:05:35
11…SUP 14…JOSH RICCIO…18-49…M…2:05:43
12…SUP 14'…DANIEL HASULYO…18-49…M…2:05:46
13…SUP 14'…TY JUDSON…18-49…M…2:06:17
14…SUP 14'…ENZO BENNETT…18-49…M…2:07:27
15…SUP 14'…VINNICIUS MARTINS…18-49…M…2:07:44
16…SUP 14'…CONNOR BAXTER…18-49…M…2:07:54
17…SUP 14'…MARTIN VITRY…18-49…M…2:08:11
18…SUP 14'…TOM AUBER…18-49…M…2:08:58
19…SUP 14'…KELLY MARGETTS…18-49…M…2:09:06
20…SUP 14'…MARTINO ROGAI…18-49…M…2:09:15
21…SUP 14'…KENNY KANEKO…18-49…M…2:10:06
22…SUP 14'…ITZEL DELGADO…18-49…M…2:13:22
23…SUP 14'…FEDERICO ESPOSITO…18-49…M…2:13:28
24…SUP 14'…HARRY MASKELL…18-49…M…2:16:34
25…SUP 14'…RYLAND HART…U17…M…2:17:04
26…SUP 14…FERNANDO STALLA…18-49…M…2:18:49
27…SUP 14'…ERI TENORIO…18-49…M…2:19:40
28…SUP 14'…NATHAN CROSS…18-49…M…2:20:30
29…SUP 14'…SONNI HOENSCHEID…18-49…F…2:20:35
30…SUP 14'…LARRY CAIN…50-59…M…2:21:00
31…SUP 14'…TOMMY BUDAY…18-49…M…2:21:04
32…SUP 14'…STEVE MILLER…18-49…M…2:21:35
33…SUP 14'…HARRISON DEISROTH…U17…M…2:23:00
34…SUP 14'…GUILHERME CUNHA…U17…M…2:23:28
35…SUP 14'…SAM ENGLISH…18-49…M…2:23:38
36…SUP 14'…OLIVIA PIANA…18-49…F…2:23:38
37…SUP 14'…TIM WARNER…18-49…M…2:24:11
38…SUP 14'…FIONA WYLDE…18-49…F…2:25:19
39…SUP 14'…BILL KRAFT…18-49…M…2:25:41
40…SUP 14'…APRIL ZILG…18-49…F…2:28:26
41…SUP 14'…TYLER BASHOR…U17…M…2:28:58
42…SUP 14'…ELIJAH SCHOENIG…U17…M…2:29:19
43…SUP 14'…SEY CHELLE…18-49…F…2:29:22
44…SUP 14'…CANDICE APPLEBY…18-49…F…2:30:39
45…SUP 14'…TERRENE BLACK…18-49…F…2:30:40
46…SUP 14'…SHAE FOUDY…18-49…F…2:31:32
47…SUP 14'…JERAMIE VAINE…18-49…M…2:32:00
48…Prone Unlimited…AJ DEFILIPPIS…18-49…M…2:33:13
49…SUP 14'…YUKA SATO…18-49…F…2:34:34
50…SUP 14'…JEISSON TOVAR…18-49…M…2:34:58
51…SUP 14'…ROBERT HESS…18-49…M…2:36:24
52…SUP 14'…LAURA QUETGLAS…18-49…F…2:37:19
53…SUP 14'…JOHN BATSON…18-49…M…2:37:24
54…SUP 14'…PAUL JACKSON…18-49…M…2:37:31
55…SUP 14'…JADE HOWSON…U17…F…2:37:54
56…SUP 14'…ERIKA BENITEZ…U17…F…2:38:09
57…SUP 14'…DEREK SCHROTTER…18-49…M…2:39:29
58…SUP 14'…PACKET CASEY…18-49…M…2:39:50
59…SUP 14'…TIM OLIVER…18-49…M…2:41:34
60…SUP 14'…LINA AUGAITIS…18-49…F…2:41:55
61…SUP 14'…MADDIE MILLER…U17…F…2:42:33
62…SUP 14'…ZACH ROUNSAVILLE…18-49…M…2:42:35
63…SUP 14'…KIMBERLY BARNES…18-49…F…2:43:33
64…SUP 14'…ANGELA JACKSON…18-49…F…2:43:53
65…SUP 14'…STEPHANIE SHIDELER…18-49…F…2:43:55
66…SUP 14'…JAKE GRAHAM…18-49…M…2:44:19
67…Prone Unlimited…JONNY SKOLNICK…18-49…M…2:44:36
68…SUP 14'…GARY ROTHE…50-59…M…2:44:52
69…SUP 14'…STEVEN BERNSTEIN…18-49…M…2:45:16
70…SUP 14'…ERIC JOHNSTON…18-49…M…2:45:54
71…SUP 14'…STEVEN BARRY…18-49…M…2:46:49
72…SUP 14'…TERRY SMITH…18-49…M…2:47:39
73…SUP 14'…ANDEW MENCINSKY…50-59…M…2:48:53
74…SUP 14'…DAN HAMZIC…18-49…M…2:50:03
75…SUP 14'…TRAVIS KINDT…18-49…M…2:51:08
76…Prone Unlimited…WALLY BUCKINGHAM…60+…M…2:51:12
77…SUP 14'…SARAH WEYENBERG…18-49…F…2:51:16
78…SUP 14'…JACK BALLARD…U17…M…2:52:41
79…SUP 14'…CLAIRE MERRY…18-49…F…2:53:05
80…SUP 14'…CALEB CLARK…U17…M…2:53:14
81…SUP 14'…GRAY BERRYMAN…18-49…M…2:54:15
82…SUP 14'…ROBIN DELGADO…18-49…M…2:55:42
83…Prone Unlimited…ROB KAVCIC…18-49…M…2:56:31
84…SUP 14'…DYLAN GEIGER…U17…M…2:57:16
85…Prone 14'…BEN ROTH…18-49…M…2:57:47
86…SUP 14'…TOMAS PECINKA…18-49…M…2:57:48
87…Prone Unlimted…BOB ARNOT…60+…M…2:59:25
88…SUP 14'…ERIC CARTER…18-49…M…3:00:07
89…SUP 14'…ROBERT NORMAN…18-49…M…3:00:10
90…SUP 14'…ANTHONY GALANG…50-59…M…3:00:49
91…SUP 14'…ROB MORAN…50-59…M…3:00:52
92…SUP 14'…KENNY BALCERSKI…50-59…M…3:02:06
93…Prone Unlimited…JOE BARK…50-59…M…3:02:23
94…SUP 14'…MARY HOWSER…18-49…F…3:02:56
95…Prone Unlimted…CHRIS CANNAVARO…18-49…M…3:03:10
96…SUP 14'…BOB RUETER…60+…M…3:03:40
97…SUP 14'…KYLE ELLISON…18-49…M…3:04:03
98…SUP 14'…DAN MILLER…18-49…M…3:05:21
99…SUP 14'…KEN BOWMAN…18-49…M…3:06:00
100…SUP 14'…DANIEL RAPP…18-49…M…3:06:24
101…Prone Stock…ALICE HENLEY…18-49…F…3:08:43
102…Prone Stock…CHRIS AGUILAR…18-49…M…3:08:46
103…SUP 14'…GABRIEL KOKO DECARAN-VOIGHT…18-49…M…3:10:22
104…SUP 14'…WAYNE BEST…18-49…M…3:11:53
105…SUP 14'…GANDER TAWASTSTJERNA…50-59…M…3:12:16
106…SUP 14…ALEJANDRA BRITO…18-49…F…3:13:23
107…SUP 14'…TROY GOSSARD…18-49…M…3:15:04
108…SUP 14'…NATHAN CHAMPION…18-49…M…3:15:25
109…SUP 14'…KATE LEWIS…18-49…F…3:15:51
110…SUP 14'…RUSS SCULLY…18-49…M…3:16:15
111…SUP 14'…TIM BURKE…50-59…M…3:16:56
112…SUP 14'…TRACEY FINLAY…50-59…F…3:17:02
113…SUP 14'…BRIAN COEN…18-49…M…3:17:17
114…SUP 14'…WILL LATHAN…18-49…M…3:18:11
115…SUP 14'…PETER ALLEN…18-49…M…3:18:13
116…SUP 14'…ADAM POLLOCK…18-49…M…3:18:18
117…SUP 14'…ED PIERCE…60+…M…3:18:47
118…Prone Stock…KAREN FIGUEROA…50-59…F…3:21:07
119…SUP 14'…VIKTOR MILEV…18-49…M…3:22:06
120…SUP 14'…KEVIN KAHIKINA…50-59…M…3:22:44
121…SUP 14'…FRANK TORRES…50-59…M…3:22:56
122…SUP 14'…JENNA BLACKBURN…U17…F…3:24:20
123…SUP 14'…NORIKO OKAYA…18-49…F…3:24:24
124…SUP 14'…JAMIE PENLAND…18-49…M…3:24:48
125…SUP 14'…ADRIAN ANGELL…50-59…M…3:25:42
126…SUP 14'…BART SCHAD…50-59…M…3:26:42
127…SUP 14'…LOUANNE HARRIS…18-49…F…3:27:00
128…SUP 14'…LES THORNBURY…18-49…M…3:27:32
129…SUP 14'…ADAM PIEPKORN…18-49…M…3:27:37
130…SUP 14'…STEVIE BODDEN…18-49…F…3:27:38
131…SUP 14'…RAMON MERCADO…18-49…M…3:28:56
132…SUP 14'…MARK HERMAN…18-49…M…3:29:38
133…Prone Unlimted…FRANK GODWIN…50-59…M…3:29:44
134…SUP 14'…MARK SUMNER…18-49…M…3:30:29
135…SUP 14'…BOBBY NELSON…60+…M…3:31:31
136…SUP 14'…EDMONDS BAFFORD…18-49…M…3:33:35
137…SUP 14'…NICK JIMENEZ…18-49…M…3:34:01
138…SUP 14'…ERIK LUMBERT…18-49…M…3:35:41
139…SUP 14'…MICHELLE CURRIER…18-49…F…3:40:08
140…SUP 14'…EVELYN O'DOHERTY…18-49…F…3:40:33
141…SUP 14'…KAREN KENNEDY…18-49…F…3:41:54
142…SUP 14'…MIKE WHITE…18-49…M…3:42:01
143…SUP 14'…JEFF HENDERSON…50-59…M…3:42:35
144…Prone Stock…LORAINE GRUBER…50-59…F…3:43:16
145…SUP 14'…TERESA PLITT…50-59…F…3:43:33
146…SUP 14'…JOSETTE LATA…18-49…F…3:44:06
147…SUP 14'…KAREN WILSON…60+…F…3:44:45
148…SUP 14'…TED NELSON…50-59…M…3:47:44
149…SUP 14'…BERNARDO ISACOVICI…18-49…M…3:51:47
150…SUP 14'…MICHAEL TREMAN…60+…M…4:00:34
Carolina Cup Longboat Graveyard Race Results
Surfski, Double-ski, OC-1, OC2
Finish Craft Name Time
1 Surfski Single MICHAEL BOOTH 1:34:30
2 Surfski Single NATE HUMBERSTON 1:36:07
3 Surfski Single OSCAR CHALUPSKY 1:39:31
4 Surfski Single ERIC MIMS 1:40:09
5 Surfski Single FLAVIO COSTA 1:41:06
6 OC-1 TRAVIS GRANT 1:43:53
7 OC-1 DANNY CHING 1:44:08
8 OC-1 GEORGES CRONSTEADT 1:46:01
9 OC-1 RYLAND HART 1:46:22
10 OC1 HARRISON DEISROTH 1:47:28
11 Surfski Single ERIC COSTANZO 1:49:49
12 Surfski BRIAN MEYER 1:50:33
13 Surfski JAN LUPINSKI 1:50:34
14 Surfski Single ANDY MCMARLIN 1:51:12
15 OC-2 DAVID JAMES 1:51:59
16 OC-2 NICK GOINGS 1:52:33
17 Surfski Single WILLIAM CUMMINS 1:53:12
18 Surfski Single CHRIS MULSTAY 1:53:45
19 OC2 KELLY RHODES 1:54:15
20 OC-1 DEREK SCHROTTER 1:54:26
21 Surfski Single PETER MORGAN 1:54:39
22 OC-1 CHRIS CURRY 1:55:55
23 Surfski Single ROWAN SAMPSON 1:56:46
24 Surfski Single DARREN CROZIER 1:58:32
25 Surfski Single JOHN POLLOCK 1:58:49
26 Surfski Single MICHAEL ALEXEEV 1:59:27
27 Surfski Single RAND PERKINS 1:59:46
28 OC-2 TROY CAMPHOUS 1:59:47
29 OC-2 TYLER HUSTRULID 2:00:23
30 OC-1 KEVIN RHODES 2:00:23
31 OC1 APRIL ZILG 2:01:18
32 Surfski JUSTIN SCHAAY 2:03:44
33 OC-1 LEAH CHING 2:04:26
34 OC-1 STEVE DULLACK 2:05:05
35 Surfski CLIFF ROACH 2:07:55
36 Surfski Single BRAXTON CARTER 2:08:50
37 OC-1 BARRY BLACKBURN 2:09:00
38 OC-1 SEAN HAVENS 2:09:18
39 OC-1 AIMEE SPECTOR 2:09:42
40 OC1 JOHN BEAUSANG 2:10:15
41 Kayak WILLIAM SCHAET 2:13:56
42 OC-1 ROBERT NORMAN 2:14:37
43 surfski KIRIL FLOROU 2:15:04
44 Surfski Single KATA DISMUKES 2:15:23
45 OC-1 CHIP BOCK 2:15:45
46 OC1 DAN MILLER 2:22:30
47 OC-1 RAY WORRELL 2:24:47
48 OC-1 DAVID RUSH 2:28:33
49 OC1 WENDELL MARTIN 2:29:09
50 Surfski SCOTT THOMAS 2:30:41
51 OC-1 ROBERT ALLISON 2:41:36
52 OC-1 MARGO PELLEGRINO 2:50:16
53 OC-1 SUNNY JACKSON 2:50:17
Gallery photos of the 2018 Cup added regularly ... check back later!
World's Largest Paddle Festival Attracts Global Sponsor
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA, USA – The Carolina Cup, the world’s largest festival combining paddle races, clinics, product displays, and entertainment has attracted the support of Quiksilver Waterman as title sponsor.
“We are honored to have them on board and this is a great match,” said Mark Schmidt, Race Director. “The Carolina Cup is a preeminent international paddle race festival, and Quiksilver is a global provider of exceptional products to the paddle and watersports community.”
The 8th annual Quiksilver Waterman Carolina Cup will draw thousands of spectators and more than 1,000 event participants. Races, clinics, expos, entertainment, and festivities will be in Wrightsville Beach, April 18-22, 2018. All races will begin and end at Blockade Runner Beach Resort, official resort of the Carolina Cup.
"We are stoked to be a part of this great event," said Pat Fraley, Division Manager of Quiksilver Waterman. “This year we’re launching our new line of performance apparel and technical paddle gear designed to be worn in and around the water. Supporting the Carolina Cup is a great way to showcase these new products over five days of fun and epic paddling competition.”
Annabel Anderson of New Zealand, the fastest and top-ranked woman in the world, captured the past five Carolina Cup titles in the elite women’s division. Titouan Puyo of New Caledonia, France, ranked second in the world in the men’s division, is on a two-year winning streak in the Graveyard Race elite championship.
Returning races on the 2018 schedule include:
•The Graveyard, a grueling 13.2-mile ocean and flatwater race for the elite and professional paddleboard racers;
•The Money Island Open, a 6.5-mile flatwater race designed for the intermediate to advanced paddler;
•The Harbor Island Recreational, a 3.5-mile flatwater race for first-time to intermediate paddleboarders;
•The popular Kids Race for children 7 to 14.
New to the race schedule in 2018:
•The Longboat Graveyard, a 13.2-mile race exclusively for Elite OC-1, OC-2, Surfski and Double-Ski.
“As Quiksilver approaches our 50th anniversary in 2019, we’re celebrating generations of people, products, and experiences that contributed to what boardriding is today and what it will become tomorrow,” said Jake Martin, Director of Marketing. “We are celebrating years of adventure, discovery, and pushing the boundaries. The heritage of paddle sports and Quiksilver Waterman are important chapters in boardriding history, a heritage exemplified by the Carolina Cup.”
Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club, affiliated with the newly formed Paddle League, and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association (WPA), the Cup will attract paddlers from over 20 countries and virtually every state in the nation. Competitors include Olympians, world-record holders, champions, professionals, amateurs, and first-time paddlers. The Carolina Cup is the first race of 2018 on the WPA World SUP Tour, and the second race of the season on the Paddle League World Tour.
According to Fraley, the Quiksilver Waterman Collection is inspired by the ocean and cultivated from the company’s deep boardriding roots. The Collection is a premium line of sportswear and performance apparel for men seeking quality clothing with a classic, outdoor aesthetic. Roxy, a member of the Quiksilver family, is the women’s surf, snowboard, fitness and lifestyle brand.
A strong advocate for clean water and a healthy coast, North Carolina Coastal Federation is the designated charity for the Carolina Cup.
Private equity firm Monomoy Capital Partners acquired West Marine, the previous title sponsor for the Carolina Cup.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-1835
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-1835
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Permission granted for redistribution
#QuiksilverWaterman #CarolinaCup #WrightsvilleBeach #WBPC #AnnabelAnderson #TitouanPuyo #GraveyardRace #WorldPaddleAssociation #Watersports #Paddleboard #OC1 #OC2 #Surfski #DoubleSki #ProneSUP #BlockadeRunner #NorthCarolina #WorldSUPtour #NCCoastalFederation
Annabel Anderson of New Zealand Earns 5th Carolina Cup
Titouan Puyo of France Repeats in Men's Division
Titouan Puyo of France Repeats in Men's Division
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC – "Winning once is hard, performing and winning consistently over time is just plain difficult," said New Zealander Annabel Anderson in a recent interview. Achieving the near-impossible, Anderson earned her fifth-consecutive victory in the 7th Annual West Marine Carolina Cup, the world's largest gathering of professional and amateur standup paddleboard athletes.
"I executed exactly what I wanted to do and opened up the after-burners at the 2-hour mark," said Anderson, the top-ranked and fastest woman in the world, leaving her competitors minutes behind at the finish. "I am extremely grateful to be back and able to challenge for number five."
Titouan Puyo of France, ranked fifth in the world, captured his second men's division title with a repeat performance from 2016. Puyo's endurance was surprising considering a 24-hour missed flight delay in Philadelphia, arriving on-site the evening before the race.
With 10 to 20 mph winds, 2 to 4 ft seas, flowing tidal inlets, and choppy flatwater, the 13.2-mile Graveyard Race, already one of the most challenging professional-division courses in the world, was even more grinding and gruelling in 2017.
Ranked tenth in the world, North Carolina's April Zilg placed fourth in the Graveyard elite women's competition.
"Every year this race is different," said Anderson. "It's got a bit of everything to test our entire skill set. That's what makes it the Carolina Cup. The Graveyard Race is one of the classics."
13.2-mile Graveyard Race (Elite Professional Division)
Top-10 Women:
1. Annabel Anderson, New Zealand
2. Fiona Wylde, OR, USA
3. Olivia Piana, France
4. April Zilg, Wrightsville Beach, NC, USA
5. Seychelle Hattingh, FL, USA
6. Lena Ribeiro, Brazil
7. Penelope Strickland-Armstrong, New Zealand
8. Susak Molinero, Spain
9. Hannah Hill, OR, USA
10. Lexi Alston, CA, USA
Top-10 Men:
1. Titouan Puyo, France
2. Travis Grant, Australia
3. Georges Cronsteadt, Tahiti
4. Steeve Teihotaata, Tahiti
5. Connor Baxter, Hawaii
6. Vinnicius Martins, Brazil
7. Kelly Margetts, Australia
8. Josh Riccio, HI, USA
9. Rete Ebb, Tahiti
10. Danny Ching, CA, USA
Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association, the West Marine Carolina Cup is a key stop on the World SUP Tour. All races, clinics, demos, plus the expo and trade show originate at host hotel Blockade Runner Beach Resort in Wrightsville Beach.
The 2017 Carolina Cup itinerary, April 18-23, includes the renowned World SUP Tour Graveyard Race, a demanding and grueling 13.2-mile ocean and flatwater race; the 6.5-mile Money Island Open Race; the 3.5-mile Harbor Island Recreational Race; the 9-mile, 6-person Outrigger (OC-6) Blockade Runner Flatwater Race; the new 4-person SUP Dragon World Series; and a popular Kids Race for children 7 to 14. Competitors include Olympians, world-record holders, champions, professionals, amateurs, and first-time paddlers.
The 2017 Carolina Cup itinerary, April 18-23, includes the renowned World SUP Tour Graveyard Race, a demanding and grueling 13.2-mile ocean and flatwater race; the 6.5-mile Money Island Open Race; the 3.5-mile Harbor Island Recreational Race; the 9-mile, 6-person Outrigger (OC-6) Blockade Runner Flatwater Race; the new 4-person SUP Dragon World Series; and a popular Kids Race for children 7 to 14. Competitors include Olympians, world-record holders, champions, professionals, amateurs, and first-time paddlers.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-1835
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-1835
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Robert B Butler
#Carolina Cup #StandUpPaddleboard #SUP #GraveyardRace #WrightsvilleBeach #NorthCarolina #WestMarine #SurfTech #WBPC #BlockadeRunner #OC6 #DragonWorldSeries #Surfski #AnnabelAnderson #TitouanPuyo
Permission granted for reprint and redistribution
World’s Top-Ranked Woman Seeks 5th Carolina Cup Victory
An interview with World’s Top-Ranked SUP Athlete Annabel Anderson
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC – The fastest standup paddleboard woman in the world, and world’s top-ranked each year since 2012, Annabel Anderson will seek her 5th consecutive victory at the 2017 West Marine Carolina Cup, April 18-23. All races, clinics, demos, plus the expo and trade show will originate at host hotel Blockade Runner Beach Resort.
In a recent interview, Anderson shared her thoughts about the upcoming Cup competition, how she maintains her dominance, a glimpse into other aspects of life in New Zealand, and how she feels about returning to the world’s largest gathering of professional and amateur racers in Wrightsville Beach.
Congratulations on maintaining your number-one world ranking for yet another year! How do you continue to be so successful?
“Thank you! Winning once is hard, performing and winning consistently over time is just plain difficult. There's something that pops up every year to test you, and taking these challenges in stride makes you stronger over time. Staying mentally fresh is something that is important, and I do this by having a defined off-season to allow me to do other things. I spent a lot of the winter back home in the South Island of New Zealand designing and building a house, and riding and racing mountain bikes. It's kept me out of mischief!”
How does it feel and what is it like being a global role model?
“It's both a privilege and a responsibility and one that I take seriously. There are always eyes on you, and you have to lead by example. Like everyone, I'm faced with significant challenges on a day-to-day basis and have to rise to the occasion and overcome these. I've had some bumps in the road to overcome off the water in the past year. When people see that you face the same things they do, it gives them a lot of belief that they too can rise to the occasion and overcome whatever they are facing.”
Are you excited about returning to North Carolina, defending your championship, and going after victory number five at the Carolina Cup?
“I'm always excited to come back to Wrightsville Beach! I love the chance to catch up with good friends, to meet new ones and spend a couple of hours in the pain cave grinding it out around the Graveyard course. A lot can happen out on that course, so I'll just focus on putting together a complete race. It's hard to believe that this will be my 5th trip to North Carolina.”
What are your thoughts about the Graveyard Race, its degree of difficulty, and your strategy to win this year?
“The Graveyard is one of the classics. It's got a bit of everything to test our entire skill set. You never really know what direction you'll be going until just before the start and there are so many different factors that contribute to trying to put together a complete performance. My strategy is what it always is – to roll my own race and make it from the start to the finish.”
The Carolina Cup is a long trip from New Zealand. How do you prepare for the race and adjust your body clock?
“Plain and simple, it's the roughest trip I have all year, and it can really knock you around. I try to arrive a couple of days beforehand. I coach all day Thursday and have event commitments on Friday, which means Carolina Cup is a true marathon test of stamina to survive the travel, race week and then make it through the actual race itself!”
Who will be your key competitors at West Marine Carolina Cup in 2017?
“While the depth of talent is always talked about in the men’s field, it's almost stronger and more condensed in the women's field. There are a lot of girls who are extremely hungry for a win to stake their name and claim in the sport right now. You can expect the usual suspects of Candice Appleby, Sonni Honscheid, Terrene Black, Shae Foudy, Angie Jackson and Fiona Wylde to be dangerous, but there are some dark horses outside of these names that I'll be looking out for that I know are very hungry.”
What's new in your life since Carolina Cup 2016?
“It is hard to believe another year has rolled around already! I have quietly launched Salty Sweaty Coaching, sharing my 20 years of training and racing experience at the highest levels with others, both remotely and in a squad environment, helping people develop skills and achieve their personal goals. I’ve already seen some incredible progress with the people I've been working with, and I get a huge amount of satisfaction seeing this. Look out for some very good excuses to come and play in some very rad places in the coming months. People are welcome to come and speak with me during the Carolina Cup to find out more or contact me online.” www.annabel-anderson.com/coaching
Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club, sanctioned by the World Paddle Association, and based at Blockade Runner Beach Resort, West Marine Carolina Cup attracted most of the top professional paddlers in the world in 2016, as well as amateur and elite racers from practically every state in the nation.
The 2017 Carolina Cup itinerary, April 18-23, incorporates the renowned World SUP Tour Graveyard Race, a demanding and grueling 13.2-mile ocean and flatwater race; the 6.5-mile Money Island Open Race; the 3.5-mile Harbor Island Recreational Race; the 9-mile, 6-person Outrigger (OC-6) Blockade Runner Flatwater Race; the new 4-person SUP Dragon World Series; and the popular Kids Race for children 7 to 14. Competitors include Olympians, world-record holders, champions, professionals, amateurs, and first-time paddlers.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-1835
Robert B Butler
Communications | PR
P: 919-455-8345
#CarolinaCup #StandUpPaddleboard #SUP #GraveyardRace #WrightsvilleBeach #NorthCarolina #WestMarine #SurfTech #WBPC #BlockadeRunner #OC6 #Surfski #WPA #WorldSUPTour #DragonWorldSeries #AnnabelAnderson #TitouanPuyo
Permission granted for reprint and redistribution – Photo credits required
Carolina Cup joins World SUP Tour
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC – West Marine Carolina Cup, the world’s largest gathering of professional and amateur standup paddleboard athletes, has added the World Paddle Association’s World SUP Tour in 2017.
The World SUP Tour is a new international series of 11-races across five nations, binding the sport’s biggest standup paddleboard races. Carolina Cup is the second race on the schedule in 2017, following Rincon in Puerto Rico. Salt Life will sponsor a season-end cash bonus for the top finishers.
The Carolina Cup received more good news last week as its signature event, the 13.2-mile Graveyard Race for the pros, was elevated to 7-Star status – the highest ranking and one of only three races in the world to attain the lucky-7. “This year we’ve got three stand out, standup events,” said Chris Parker of SUP Racer. “The massive Carolina Cup at the start of the season, the epic Gorge Paddle Challenge [OR] in the middle, and the almighty Pacific Paddle Games [CA] towards the end of the year.”
Parker includes the 32-mile Molokai-2-Oahu as an “honorary” fourth major race of the season, “which sets up a ‘Grand Slam’ of four events similar to what we see in the world of tennis.”
Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association, the West Marine Carolina Cup attracted most of the top professional paddlers in the world in 2016, as well as amateur and elite racers from practically every state in the nation. Almost 1,000 people participated in last year’s races and clinics, based at Blockade Runner Beach Resort.
The 2017 Carolina Cup itinerary, April 19-23, incorporates the renowned World SUP Tour Graveyard Race, a demanding and grueling 13.2-mile ocean and flatwater race; the 6.5-mile Money Island Open Race; the 3.5-mile Harbor Island Recreational Race; the 9-mile, 6-person Outrigger (OC-6) Blockade Runner Flatwater Race; the new 4-person SUP Dragon World Series; and the popular Kids Race for children 7 to 14. Competitors include Olympians, world-record holders, champions, professionals, amateurs, and first-time paddlers.
Workshops on the agenda include one-on-one clinics, World Paddle Association certifications, paddling techniques, racing preparation, equipment selection, flatwater racing, ocean racing, surfski and kayak technique and racing, pre-race paddle tours of local waters, with more to be finalized in the coming weeks.
Clinic instructors from Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Hawaii, California, and North Carolina include iconic professional paddlers Annabel Anderson, Connor Baxter, Candice Appleby, Michael Booth, Sonni Honscheid, Travis Grant, Titouan Puyo, Danny Ching, Dan Gavere, Jesse Lishchuk, Zane Schweitzer, April Zilg, and more.
Thursday, April 20, over 50 suppliers will be open to retailers only, re-opening for retailers and the public on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The expo and demos are free of charge.
“The success of the Carolina Cup is our continued focus on all paddlers from professionals to beginners,” said Mark Schmidt, race director. “Paddlers will have a great opportunity to see and try a wide variety of equipment and ask questions directly to the manufacturers and pros.”
Presented by Surftech, the five-day West Marine Carolina Cup returns to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, April 19-23, 2017. All races, clinics, demos, plus the expo and trade show will originate at host hotel Blockade Runner Beach Resort.
A portion of event funds will benefit the North Carolina Coastal Federation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to protect and restore water quality and natural habitats of the North Carolina coast.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-1835
Robert B Butler
Communications | PR
P: 919-455-8345
#CarolinaCup #StandUpPaddleboard #SUP #GraveyardRace #WrightsvilleBeach #NorthCarolina #WestMarine #SurfTech #WBPC #BlockadeRunner #OC6 #Surfski #WPA #WorldSUPTour #DragonWorldSeries #AnnabelAnderson #TitouanPuyo
West Marine Carolina Cup Adds Trade Show, OC-6,
Jr. Championship in ‘17
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC – Already one of the biggest and paramount paddle gatherings in the world, the West Marine Carolina Cup is expanding in 2017 with the addition of a one-day retailer-only trade show, a nine-mile outrigger canoe race with six-person teams, and a 6.5-mile junior championship standup paddleboard race for youth under 18.
Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association, the West Marine Carolina Cup attracted most of the top professional paddlers in the world in 2016, as well as amateur and elite racers from practically every state in the nation. Almost 1,000 people participated in last year’s races and clinics.
The Carolina Cup itinerary incorporates the renowned Graveyard Race, a demanding and grueling 13.2-mile ocean and flatwater race; the Money Island 6.5-mile Open Race; the Harbor Island 3.5-mile Recreational Race; and a very popular Kids Race for children 7 to 14. Competitors include Olympians, world-record holders, champions, professionals, amateurs, and first-time paddlers.
“The success of the Carolina Cup is our continued focus on all paddlers from professionals to beginners,” said Mark Schmidt, race director. “The sport isn’t strictly about the pros. It’s about the everyday paddler, people new to the sport, and the youth. We accommodate everybody at Carolina Cup.”
Presented by Surftech, the five-day West Marine Carolina Cup returns to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, April 19-23, 2017. All races, clinics, and demos will originate at host hotel Blockade Runner Beach Resort.
“We have so many manufacturers here because of the draw of the Carolina Cup,” said Schmidt. “They want the exposure to the amateur and professional racers as well as retailers on the East Coast.”
Thursday, April 20, over 50 suppliers will be open to retailers only, re-opening for retailers and the public on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The expo and demos are free of charge.
“Paddlers have a great opportunity to try many brands of boards and paddles and ask questions directly to the manufacturers and pros,” said Schmidt. “There’s not another race or place on the East Coast where you can see and test such a wide variety of product and get this kind of feedback.”
Workshops on the agenda include one-on-one clinics, World Paddle Association certifications, paddling techniques, racing preparation, equipment selection, flatwater racing, ocean racing, surfski and kayak technique and racing, pre-race paddle tours of local waters, with more to be finalized in the coming weeks.
Clinic instructors from Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Hawaii, California, and North Carolina include iconic professional paddlers Annabel Anderson, Connor Baxter, Candice Appleby, Michael Booth, Sonni Honscheid, Travis Grant, Titouan Puyo, Danny Ching, Dan Gavere, Jesse Lishchuk, Zane Schweitzer, April Zilg, and more.
A portion of event funds will benefit the North Carolina Coastal Federation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to protect and restore water quality and critically important natural habitats of the North Carolina coast.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-1835
Robert B Butler
Communications | PR
P: 919-455-8345
Keywords
#Carolina Cup #StandUpPaddleboard #SUP #GraveyardRace #WrightsvilleBeach #NorthCarolina #WestMarine #SurfTech #WBPC #BlockadeRunner #OC6 #Surfski
Frenchman and New Zealander Capture Elite Victories in 2016 Carolina Cup
Wrightsville Beach, NC, USA – Annabel Anderson of New Zealand captured her fourth consecutive victory in the women’s division of the Carolina Cup’s elite Graveyard Race. In an incredible achievement, Anderson bested her nearest competitor Candice Appleby of California by over five minutes on the grueling 13.5-mile ocean and flatwater standup paddleboard course.
On the men’s side, Frenchman Titouan Puyo picked up his first Carolina Cup championship, upsetting an impressive field of the world’s best competitors, including last year’s champion Travis Grant. “We’ve seen that coming for a couple of years, he has such amazing talent, he just pulled it together today,” said Chris Parker, SUP expert and race analyst with SUPRacer.com. “For anybody to paddle away from Connor Baxter, Danny Ching, and Travis Grant at the end of a race is unheard of. That was a huge result for him.”
“We definitely had the fastest conditions and the highest level of competition,” said John Beausang, Carolina Cup co-founder and owner of SUP’s Mullet Magazine. “It was extraordinary. We had far more competitors in the Graveyard race this year. This is the best Carolina Cup.”
Chris Curry of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina and 15-year old Maddie Miller of Jupiter, Florida took the top spots in the Money Island 7-mile flatwater competition. Justin Markel of Havre de Grace, Maryland, and Karen Kennedy of Miami, Florida championed the Harbor Island 3.5-mile race.
The 6th annual West Marine Carolina Cup, based at host hotel Blockade Runner Beach Resort in Wrightsville Beach, was the first major stop on the 2016 world SUP race circuit. The Cup is organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association.
Top-line race results:
Graveyard Race 13.5-mile
Men (14’)
1. Titouan Puyo, New Caledonia, France
2. Travis Grant, Australia
3. Danny Ching, California
4. Trevor Tunnington, New Zealand
5. Kelly Margetts, Australia
Women (12’6)
1. Annabel Anderson, New Zealand
2. Candice Appleby, California, USA
3. Sonni Honscheid, Germany
4. Fiona Wylde, Oregon, USA
5. Terrene Black, Australia
OC-1 Division
1. Barry Blackburn, Wilmington, NC, USA
2. Erik, Bigsby, Wilmington, NC, USA
3. David Rush, Wake Forest, NC, USA
OC-2 Division
1. Anna Blackburn, Wilmington, NC, USA
2. Steve Lewis, Wilmington, NC, USA
3. Tyler Hustrulid, Wilmington, NC, USA
Prone 12’6 Division
1. Jack Bark, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA
2. Hunter Pflueger, Honolulu, HI, USA
3. Kurt Lager, Honolulu, HI, USA
Prone 14’ Division
1. Bobby Frey, Selbyville, DE, USA
2. Rob Kavcic, Mississauga, ON, Canada
3. Dave Stringer, Agoura Hills, CA, USA
Prone Unlimited Division
1. Roch Frey, Encinitas, CA, USA
2. Brian Pasternak, Ocean City, NJ, USA
3. Robert Parucha, El Segundo, CA, USA
Money Island 7-mile Race
Male (14’)
1. Chris Curry, Wrightsville Beach, NC, USA
2. Kevin Rhodes, Wilmington, NC, USA
3. Michael Fithian, Rumson, NJ, USA
4. John O’Hara, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, USA
5. E.J. Johnson, San Diego, CA, USA
Female (12’6)
1. Maddie Miller, Jupiter, FL, USA
2. Lauren Dorsey, Miramar Beach, FL, USA
3. Dawn Ehman, Ocean City, MD, USA
4. Julieta Gismondi, Yonkers, NY, USA
5. Kimberly James, Wilmington, NC, USA
Male (12’6)
1. Kevin Haigis, Annapolis, MD, USA
2. Jason Phipps, Riva, MD, USA
3. Harris Davis, Fair Haven, NJ, USA
4. Scott Jorss, Washington, DC, USA
5. Matthew Mahoney (N/A)
Prone Division (ALL)
1. Aimee Spector, Redondo Beach, CA, USA
2. Chris Cannavaro, Summerville, SC, USA
3. Kristen Smith, Wilmington, NC, USA
Harbor Island 3.5-mile Race
Male (12’6)
1. Justin Markel, Havre de Grace, MD, USA
2. Dana Hogan, Charleston, SC, USA
3. Len Fiume, New Bern, NC, USA
4. Trevor McKenna, Elmhurst, IL, USA
5. Bryan Wisdom (N/A)
Female (12’6)
1. Karen Kennedy, Miami, FL, USA
2. Jeanna Bunting, Wilmington, NC, USA
3. Ashley Chrisman, St. Louis, MO, USA
4. Saylor Emmart, Wilmington, NC, USA
5. Seanna Robinson, Toronto, ON, Canada
Robert B Butler
More 2016 Carolina Cup Photo Links:
Photos by Emmy Errante
Photos by Matt Born
Top-Ranked Annabel Anderson of New Zealand Returns for Carolina Cup
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA, USA – “Yes, I can confirm that I will be back in Wrightsville Beach to have another crack at the Carolina Cup,” said Annabel Anderson, three-time champion in the Cup’s elite and grueling 13.5-mile Graveyard Race and top woman in the world in standup paddleboard.
The 6th annual West Marine Carolina Cup, April 19-24 in Wrightsville Beach, will be the first major stop on the 2016 world SUP race circuit. All races begin and end at host hotel Blockade Runner Beach Resort.
Eight hundred paddlers are expected to start in three different races on Saturday, April 23 — the 3.5-mile Harbor Island race, 6-mile Money Island race, and 13.5-mile Graveyard race. Competitors will include Olympians, world-record holders, champions, amateurs, and first-time paddlers.
“Annabel Anderson is an extraordinary athlete,” said Australian Christopher Parker, paddleboard expert and race analyst with SUPRacer. “Not only does she usually win women’s races by a solid margin, she often beats most of the men … sometimes all of the men, as she famously did in France a few years ago.”
Last year Anderson beat fourth-ranked Sonni Honscheid of Germany for the top spot. Rounding out the top five were Angie Jackson and Terrene Black of Australia, and Lina Augaitis of Canada, world ranked at five, six, and seven.
The women’s elite competition this year will include second-ranked Candice Appleby of California, returning to the Carolina Cup for the first time since 2012. “Anderson and Appleby rarely meet,” said Parker. “It’s always a great battle when they’re on the same start line.”
“The Graveyard race is just plain tough,” said Anderson. “It throws a bit of everything at you and you never really know which way you’re going until just before the gun goes. I’ll approach it as I always have - take it as it comes and look forward to making it to the finish line.”
The public is invited to meet racers at a free movie showing of Standing On the Water, Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Epic Food Company. The movie is the real life story of Denmark’s Casper Steinfath, who overcame his fear of the water and became a two-time ISA standup paddleboard world champion.
New on the Carolina Cup race schedule for 2016, the six-man Hawaiian outrigger canoes (OC-6) will take center stage and compete at noon on Sunday, April 24.
“We believe this is the first ever OC-6 race in Wrightsville Beach,” said Mark Schmidt, Carolina Cup race director. “This will be a chance for spectators to watch some of the biggest names in Hawaiian outrigger paddling.”
Outrigger designer Johnny Puakea, founder of Puakea Designs, will teach an outrigger clinic during the Carolina Cup giving paddlers the chance to learn from one of the top pros in the industry.
Other clinics and demonstrations scheduled throughout the five-day event will feature many of the top experts in the paddling world, including Larry Cain, Travis Grant, Lina Augaitis, Dan Gavere, Dr. Bob Arnot, Fiona Wylde, and Zane Schweitzer.
Race visitors will have the opportunity to try boards, canoes, and a variety of equipment at the Demo Zone. Sixty vendors will have the latest equipment, boards, and boats on display. Zone sponsor Carolina Paddleboard Company will feature a rare, unlimited, six-man outrigger canoe from Puakea Designs.
“The Carolina Cup has become famous for not only attracting the Travis Grants, Danny Chings, and Annabel Andersons of the world,” said Parker, “but also for drawing hundreds of weekend warriors and first-timers from near and far. Now in its 6th year, the Carolina Cup is not just a race, it’s a festival.”
Organizers expect over 1,000 registrations for races and clinics in 2016.
All races will be visible from host hotel Blockade Runner Beach Resort and the causeway bridges in Wrightsville Beach.
The West Marine Carolina Cup, presented by Surftech, is organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association.
A portion of event proceeds benefits The Ocean of Hope, paddlers dedicated to people affected by cancer.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt, Race Director
910-620-1835
Robert B Butler
Communications | PR
“Biggest paddle race in America” returns to North Carolina April 19-24, 2016
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA, USA – “I look forward to the Carolina Cup paddleboard race each year,” said Travis Grant of Australia, 2015 male champion in the Cup’s elite and punishing 13.5-mile Graveyard race. “It’s the first big race of the season, and I think it’s great that the biggest paddle race in America is held on the East Coast.”
The 6th annual West Marine Carolina Cup presented by Surftech will be the first major stop on the 2016 world SUP race circuit April 19-24, in Wrightsville Beach. All races begin and end at host hotel Blockade Runner Beach Resort.
“The Graveyard race is a very fitting name,” Grant said. “It is just that: a tough one. Anyone can potentially win,” he continued. “There are a lot of different elements to get right — surf, flatwater, inlet currents, wind — and there’s always a slight bit of luck involved.”
Last year Grant beat three-time winner Danny Ching, ranked number three in the world, from Hermosa Beach, California. Grant is second in the world rankings (SupRacer.com).
Ching and Grant will be back, along with internationally ranked competitors from roughly twenty countries including New Zealand, Australia, France, Canada, Spain, and Mexico.
New on the race calendar for 2016, the six-man Hawaiian outrigger canoes (OC-6) will take center stage and compete at noon on Sunday, April 24.
“We believe this is the first ever OC-6 race in Wrightsville Beach,” said Mark Schmidt, Carolina Cup race director. “One of the things we try to do with the race each year is to make it more inclusive to all of the different watercraft.”
Outrigger competitors will paddle Bradley Lightning canoes, commissioned by Reggie Barnes of Eastern Surf and Skate Supply, in heats around Harbor Island.
“This will be a chance for spectators to watch some of the biggest names in Hawaiian outrigger paddling,” said Schmidt. “To see an event like this would typically require traveling to California or Hawaii. It will be a great show.” Schmidt said.
Outrigger designer Johnny Puakea, Danny Ching’s paddle coach and founder of Puakea Designs, will teach an outrigger clinic during the Carolina Cup giving paddlers the chance to learn from one of the top pros in the industry.
Other clinics and demonstrations scheduled throughout the five-day event will feature many of the top paddle experts in the paddle world, including Larry Cain, Travis Grant, Lina Augaitis, Dan Gavere, Dr. Bob Arnot, Fiona Wylde, and Zane Schweitzer.
Visitors to the event will have the opportunity to try boards, canoes, and a variety of equipment at the Demo Zone. Sixty vendors will have the latest equipment, boards, and boats on display. Zone sponsor Carolina Paddleboard Company will feature a rare, unlimited, six-man outrigger canoe from Puakea Designs.
All races will be visible from Blockade Runner Beach Resort and the causeway bridges in Wrightsville Beach.
The West Marine Carolina Cup presented by Surftech is organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association. Organizers expect over 1,000 registrations for races and clinics in 2016.
A portion of event proceeds will benefit The Ocean of Hope, a team of paddlers dedicated to the sea of people affected by cancer.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt, Race Director
910-620-1835
Robert B Butler
Communications | PR
#CarolinaCup #SUP #StandupPaddleboard #WPA #GraveyardRace #WrightsvilleBeach #BlockadeRunner #NorthCarolina
Carolina Cup Lands Major Support for 2016 Race
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA, USA – The Carolina Cup, the world’s largest gathering of stand up paddleboard racers, landed key support from West Marine as the 2016 title sponsor.
“We are honored to have West Marine on board,” said race director Mark Schmidt. “Watersports and the water lifestyle are a unique and special family. West Marine has been a mentor and part of this family for almost 50 years.”
Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association, the 2015 Carolina Cup attracted top paddlers from roughly 20 nations and 40 states. An estimated 950 people registered for last year’s races and clinics.
“We’re so excited about West Marine’s title sponsorship of this event,” says Deb Radcliff, West Marine Senior Vice President, Marketing. “The Carolina Cup is one of the premier international stand up paddleboard racing events, and we’re proud to have West Marine associated with a race of this caliber. Getting people out on the water is what we’re all about, and The Carolina Cup encourages people to participate in stand up paddling at all skill levels. It’s a ideal partnership, and we’re looking forward to a great event!”
Schmidt also announced Surftech as presenting sponsor for The Carolina Cup. “Surftech is a pioneer of design and innovation in the paddleboard community, making some of the very best high-performance SUP equipment available,” said Schmidt.
The 6th annual West Marine Carolina Cup presented by Surftech is expected to attract more than 1,000 competitors from around the world. Races, clinics, and expos will be in Wrightsville Beach, April 19-24. All races will begin and end at Blockade Runner Beach Resort.
Australian Travis Grant captured the 2015 men’s stand up paddleboard championship in The Carolina Cup’s grueling 13.2-mile Graveyard Race. Danny Ching of California, multiple Battle of the Paddle winner and three-time champion of The Carolina Cup, placed second.
In the women’s division of the elite Graveyard Race, the top-ranked paddler in the world, Annabel Anderson of New Zealand, returned to Wrightsville Beach and successfully captured her third consecutive victory. Sonni Hönscheid of Germany placed second in the women’s division.
A portion of event proceeds benefits The Ocean of Hope, paddlers and ocean enthusiasts dedicated to raising awareness and funds for Sarcoma Alliance to help those fighting cancer.
About West Marine
Founded by a sailor in 1968, West Marine Inc. has grown to become the largest omni-channel specialty retailer exclusively offering boating gear, apparel and footwear, and other waterlife-related products to everyone who enjoys recreational time on or around the water. With more than 260 stores located in 38 states and Puerto Rico and an eCommerce website reaching domestic and international customers, West Marine is recognized as the dominant waterlife outfitter for cruisers, sailors, anglers and paddlesports enthusiasts. West Marine has everything you need for your life on the water. For more information about West Marine, its products and store locations, visit westmarine.com or call 1-800-BOATING (1-800-262-8464). West Marine's stock is traded on NASDAQ under the symbol WMAR.
About Surftech
Surftech, "The original board manufacturing company," was founded in 1989 in Santa Cruz, California by Randy French. A pioneer of composite technologies, Surftech was the first company to introduce composite manufacturing to the surfing, paddling, and SUP industry. Surftech's business model has always been about giving board builders a way to scale and expand their businesses with a seamless solution that would complement their existing lineups. In the early 90's, Surftech partnered with a world-class international factory that matched their commitment to excellence, providing unparalleled capabilities, strong environmental practices, unmatched craftsmanship and most importantly could scale to meet demand. Surftech brands include Channel Islands, Donald Takayama, Bob McTavish, Robert August, BARK Paddleboards, Softtop, Blacktip and is the North American Distributor for the NSP brand (Nature, Science, Passion).
Surftech, "The original board manufacturing company," was founded in 1989 in Santa Cruz, California by Randy French. A pioneer of composite technologies, Surftech was the first company to introduce composite manufacturing to the surfing, paddling, and SUP industry. Surftech's business model has always been about giving board builders a way to scale and expand their businesses with a seamless solution that would complement their existing lineups. In the early 90's, Surftech partnered with a world-class international factory that matched their commitment to excellence, providing unparalleled capabilities, strong environmental practices, unmatched craftsmanship and most importantly could scale to meet demand. Surftech brands include Channel Islands, Donald Takayama, Bob McTavish, Robert August, BARK Paddleboards, Softtop, Blacktip and is the North American Distributor for the NSP brand (Nature, Science, Passion).
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Race Director
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
P: 910-620-1835
E: Mark@WrightsvilleBeachPaddleClub.com
Lindsey Johnson
Director of Communications
West Marine
P: 831-761-6944
E: LindseyJ@WestMarine.com
Rob Farrow
Vice President, Marketing
Surftech
E: Rob@Surftech.com
Robert B Butler
Communications | PR
P: 919-455-8345
E: Robert@RBButler.com
Race information and registration:
Looking back...
2015 Carolina Cup
Australian Travis Grant and New Zealander Annabel Anderson Capture Elite Victories
Australian and New Zealander Capture Elite Victories in 2015 Carolina Cup
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC – Australian Travis Grant captured the men’s stand up paddleboard championship in the grueling 13.2-mile Graveyard Race at The Fifth Annual Carolina Cup. Danny Ching of California, multiple Battle of the Paddle winner and three-time champion of The Carolina Cup, placed second.
In the women’s division of the elite Graveyard Race, the top-ranked paddler in the world, Annabel Anderson of New Zealand returned to Wrightsville Beach and successfully captured her third consecutive victory.
“The international field here was huge,” said Christopher Parker, SUP expert and race analyst with SUPRacer.com. “We never see anything like this. This was the second most competitive race of all time and the most all-round challenging. The level of competition, the conditions, the surf at the start and finish, the flatwater, headwind, downwind, sidewind … it’s brutal.”
Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association, The Carolina Cup “attracted top paddlers from approximately 20 nations and 40 states,” according to co-race director John Beausang. “An estimated 950 people registered for this year’s races and clinics,” all based at Blockade Runner Beach Resort April 22-26, 2015.
On a complex set of algorithms, Parker follows and ranks stand up paddleboard pros and races around the world. “The Carolina Cup is in extremely exclusive territory,” says Parker, explaining the upcoming boost of The Carolina Cup to the second highest ranked race in the world, behind California’s Battle of the Paddle, considered the “Super Bowl” of SUP.
“The Carolina Cup has evolved into a sophisticated, world-class sporting event,” said Nicolas Montoya, General Manager of Blockade Runner Beach Resort. “Attendance for The Carolina Cup has been excellent,” added Blockade Runner owner Mary Baggett. “Professionals arrived a week before the races offering clinics and one-on-one instruction for people in the Carolinas and Virginia interested in the sport of SUP.”
Top Five Elite 13.2-mile Graveyard Race Winners
Men
1. Travis Grant, Australia (residing in Hawaii)
2. Danny Ching, California
3. Georges Cronsteadt, Tahiti
4. Titouan ‘Titou” Puyo, New Caledonia
5. Connor Baxter, Maui
Women
1. Annabel Anderson, New Zealand
2. Sonni Honscheid, Germany
3. Lina Augaitis, Canada
4. Terrene Black, Australia
5. Angie Jackson, Australia
More race information and results:
A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Ocean of Hope, paddlers and ocean enthusiasts dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the Sarcoma Alliance to help those fighting cancer.
Contact:
John Beausang
Co-Race Director
The Carolina Cup
910-616-9675
John@distressedmullet.com
Robert B Butler | PR
Parents and Son to Compete in Carolina Cup's
‘Graveyard’ Race
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC – The Alderman family is back. For the fifth consecutive year, family members will load up the SUV and make the four-hour trek from Johns Island, South Carolina to The Carolina Cup in Wrightsville Beach, April 22-26.
Why the excitement? Joining parents Don and Jenny Alderman in the grueling Graveyard Race will be 13-year-old Dylan, alongside the world’s best stand up paddleboarders, navigating the 13.2-mile ocean, inlet, and waterway course encircling Wrightsville Beach.
The Carolina Cup, one of the world’s largest and most respected stand up paddleboard races, is expected to grow to well over 1,000 participants in 2015. Last year’s race attracted athletes from 31 states and 11 countries, according to John Beausang, one of the founders and race directors of the Carolina Cup.
“This year it’s even bigger. It’s possible that we will be the largest race in the world this year, or at least, in the top three,” said Beausang.
“The Carolina Cup is really the only race we travel to besides Hawaii,” said Jenny Alderman. “The reason we travel to Wrightsville is because the whole family has fun. Simple as that. Even though it is a large event with top athletes from around the world it really does have something for everyone.”
Weeklong family-friendly activities include clinics, exhibits, demonstrations, and special events all culminating in four stand up paddleboard races that meet the spectrum of skills from beginner to world-class Olympians and professionals. All races and activities are based at Blockade Runner Beach Resort.
The signature event at the Carolina Cup is the elite Graveyard Race. Reigning three-time male champion Danny Ching of California, a multiple Battle of the Paddle winner and world champion OC1 paddler, will defend his title. On the women’s side of the Graveyard, the top-ranked paddler in the world, Annabel Anderson of New Zealand, will return to defend her two consecutive titles.
Ching’s challengers include Australians Travis Grant, Jamie Mitchell, Kelly Margetts, and Lincoln Dews, Mexico’s Fernando Stalla, Hawaii’s Connor Baxter, Florida’s Slater Trout, and other world-ranked champions.
The Alderman’s youngest son Jack, 11, will participate in the Harbor Island Recreational Race a 3.5-mile flat water adventure for beginner to intermediate SUP enthusiasts.
"They [the Aldermans] should get a special family award," said John Beausang. "They're enjoying the Carolina Cup the way we intended it, with the whole family having fun all weekend long.”
The outdoor expo at Blockade Runner is “probably the largest on the East Coast,” added Beausang. “Every leading manufacturer, including title sponsor SUP ATX, will be here with boards, accessories, gear, and clothing.”
“You don’t have to race to come down. It’s such a great spectator sport. Even the pros, these top athletes in the world, are very approachable and nice,” said Beausang.
A portion of proceeds will benefit The Ocean of Hope, paddlers and ocean enthusiasts dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the Sarcoma Alliance, which helps those fighting cancer.
The Carolina Cup is sanctioned by the World Paddle Association.
Contact:
John Beausang
Co-Race Director
The Carolina Cup
910-616-9675
john@distressedmullet.com
Co-Race Director
The Carolina Cup
910-616-9675
john@distressedmullet.com
Robert B Butler | PR | North Carolina Press Release
World Spotlight on North Carolina’s
5th Annual Carolina Cup
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC – Crowned as one of the world’s five major stand up paddleboard races for 2015 by Australia’s SUPracer.com, The Carolina Cup, celebrating its fifth year, returns to Wrightsville Beach, April 22-26.
“Last year’s race was one of the most competitive races in the world with athletes from 31 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, B.V.I., and 11 countries," says John Beausang, one of the founders and race directors of the Carolina Cup. “This year it’s even bigger. We have 19 of the top 20 paddlers in the world and 30 of the top 40 already committed to The Carolina Cup. It’s possible that we will be the largest race in the world this year, or at least, in the top three.”
Expected to grow from 750 participants last year to well over 1,000 in 2015, The Carolina Cup features a weeklong family-friendly festival, including clinics, exhibits, demonstrations, and special events all culminating with four stand up paddleboard races to meet the spectrum of skills from beginner to world-class Olympians and professionals.
Stand up paddleboard spread first from Hawaii to California to Florida, and then up the East Coast 6 or 7 years ago. The sport in North Carolina has “just exploded,” says Beausang, founder of DistressedMullet.com. “Anywhere there is water access … you’re going to have a paddleboard.”
“Wrightsville Beach is unique because it’s so concentrated. We have the ocean side, sound side, Harbor Island, spoil islands, and the Intracoastal Waterway,” says Beausang. “Blockade Runner Beach Resort [host hotel] is one of the most perfectly situated event venues. One side faces the ocean while the other side faces the sound with a beach. So you have the best of everything.”
The signature event at the Carolina Cup is the elite Graveyard Race. “It’s one of the most technical courses on earth and involves 13.2 miles navigating around the island of Wrightsville Beach,” says Beausang. “It’s a very difficult course. You go out through the surf, you encounter ocean, inlets, flat water, current, wind, chop, the waterway, boat traffic, and you finish in the surf. Everything you can imagine.”
Reigning three-time male champion Danny Ching of California, a multiple Battle of the Paddle winner and world champion OC1 paddler, will defend his title. “In the past three years no one has really come close to touching him,” says Beausang. “This year, I think there are going to be a few people to come out of the woodwork to really give him a challenge.”
Ching’s challengers will include Australians Travis Grant, Jamie Mitchell, Kelly Margetts, and Lincoln Dews, Mexico’s Fernando Stalla, Hawaii’s Connor Baxter, Florida’s Slater Trout, and other world-ranked champions.
On the women’s side of the Graveyard, the top ranked paddler in the world, Annabel Anderson of New Zealand, will return to defend her two consecutive titles. “The top 5 is going to be very interesting,” says Beausang. “There are a lot of entrants from the Olympic canoe paddler world. Canadian paddlers are making some really good inroads. They’re fast and really know how to move a boat.”
The Money Island 6.5-mile Open Race, designed for intermediate to advanced paddlers, is on the sound side in the inland waterways around Wrightsville Beach, Harbor Island, Masonboro Island, and the spoil islands.
“The Money Island Race is difficult to read,” according to Beausang. “We never really know. Last year we had a Canadian Olympic Triathlete, a cast member from Vampire Diaries, and an NFL player. It varies from celebrities to top-level athletes that maybe aren’t ready for ocean conditions [the Graveyard].”
The Harbor Island Recreational Race is a 3.5-mile flatwater adventure for beginner to intermediate SUP enthusiasts. On Sunday, April 26, the Kids Race is open to girls and boys ages 7 to 14.
Clinics include WPA certification, beginner to advanced SUP techniques, yoga teacher training, and more, all taught by leading experts.
The outdoor expo is “probably the largest on the East Coast,” says Beausang. “Every leading manufacturer, including title sponsor SUP ATX, will be here with boards, accessories, gear, and clothing.”
“You don’t have to race to come down,” says Beausang. “It’s such a great spectator sport. Even the pros, these top athletes in the world, are very approachable and nice.”
A portion of proceeds will benefit The Ocean of Hope, paddlers and ocean enthusiasts dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the Sarcoma Alliance to help those fighting cancer.
The Carolina Cup is sanctioned by the World Paddle Association.
Contact:
John Beausang
Co-Race Director
The Carolina Cup
910-616-9675
john@distressedmullet.com
Robert B Butler | North Carolina Press Release
Permission granted for publishing and redistribution – in part or whole. Photo credits required.
Looking back... 2014
2014 International SUP Race Season Kicks Off
The 4th Annual Carolina Cup Paddleboard Race Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Outside Magazine names the Carolina Cup as one of two must-attend stand up paddle board races in 2014. Dave Kalama to address participants in pre-race keynote address.
The Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club is preparing to welcome over 700 Stand Up Paddlers from around the world for the 4th Annual Carolina Cup at the Blockade Runner Beach Resort April 23-27, 2014. As the first large international paddle race after the winter hiatus, the Carolina Cup offers a chance for professional and amateur paddlers to test their skills and abilities against their peers, setting the scene for the upcoming race season.
Outside Magazine named The Carolina Cup one of the two must-attend stand up paddle board races in 2014 as part of their 2014 race guide in the March issue. This year, legendary Stand Up Paddle Surfer Dave Kalama will address all registrants at a pre-race dinner Friday night.
2013 Elite race winners Annabel Anderson and Danny Ching will be back to defend their titles in the showcase 12.5 mile Graveyard race, during which paddlers circumnavigate the island of Wrightsville Beach. The Graveyard race has been described as “The most technically challenging race in the world,” requiring racers to complete a beach start through the surf, paddle in and out of inlets, maintain speed during flatwater, and surf in to the finish line. “I’ve paddled the Molokai channel five times and I’ve never been in as much pain as I was after this race,” said 2013’s second place finisher Jenny Kalmbach. “The most versatile paddler will win the Elite Race,” says Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club Board Member John Beausang. “This race requires skill in every discipline of stand up paddle boarding: ability to read water, paddle in the open ocean, surf a race board, and achieve speed during flatwater portions.”
Paddlers of all experience levels on a variety of watercraft (there are classes for outrigger canoes, ocean kayaks, surfskis, and traditional prone paddleboards in addition to stand up paddle boards) will find something to do at the Carolina Cup. There are four races: The 12.5 mile Graveyard (Elite) race, The 6 mile Money Island (Open) race, the 3.5 mile Harbor Island (rec) race, and the Kids’ race on Sunday. Racers can also register for small-group clinics with some of the world’s most renowned paddle athletes, including Olympic medalists and world champions.
2014 Carolina Cup Clinics
-Danny Ching: Advanced stroke development and analysis
-Dan Gavere: Beginner clinic
-Jenny Kalmbach: Women’s race clinic
-Jamie Mitchell: Prone paddling
-Lazy Dog Paddle Yoga: Teacher Training
-PaddleBody Institute
-Bailey Rosen: SUP kids clinic: racers 14 and under
-Jimmy Terrell with Jamie Mitchell or Larry Cain: Advanced paddling techniques
-Dan Gavere: Beginner clinic
-Jenny Kalmbach: Women’s race clinic
-Jamie Mitchell: Prone paddling
-Lazy Dog Paddle Yoga: Teacher Training
-PaddleBody Institute
-Bailey Rosen: SUP kids clinic: racers 14 and under
-Jimmy Terrell with Jamie Mitchell or Larry Cain: Advanced paddling techniques
Every year the Carolina Cup has a charity component. In 2014, The Carolina Cup will be donating a portion of the race proceeds to The Ocean of Hope (O2H), which raises money for the Sarcoma Alliance. This organization assists patients diagnosed with sarcoma cancers with the end goal of earlier detection and treatment. Many patients diagnosed with sarcoma cancers are children and adolescents. Earlier treatment reduces risk of amputation and premature death.
Throughout the weekend, registrants and the general public can demo boards and paddles and browse the Expo at the Blockade Runner Beach Resort. “The entire weekend is a big family reunion—reconnecting with friends made during last year’s race season and planning where to meet up again in 2014,” says Beausang. “We work hard to put southern hospitality into this paddle race, making it a fun event where regular paddlers can rub elbows with the pros, and everyone can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere.”
Registration is now open for the 2014 Carolina Cup. Visit the website to learn more and register.
Sponsorship opportunities and Expo Demo spots are available. Contact Mark Schmidt at mark(at)wrightsvillebeachpaddleclub(dot)com for more information.
The Carolina Cup is a WPA (World Paddle Association) sanctioned event.
About the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
The Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club, LLC was set up by a small group of paddlers who wanted to foster the local, regional and national community of stand up paddlers. The idea was to take the events out of the hands of individual surf shops and brands in order open the door to all surf/sup shops and brands and encourage a spirit of camaraderie throughout the paddle community.
Board Members:
Mark Schmidt: Owner, Schmidt Custom Builders. Mark is a surfer and paddler, husband and father who lives and works in Wilmington, NC.
Mark Schmidt: Owner, Schmidt Custom Builders. Mark is a surfer and paddler, husband and father who lives and works in Wilmington, NC.
Brad Howard: Owner of Howard Building Supply in Wilmington, NC. Lifelong surfer, stand up paddler and most likely to blow something up.
James Bain: Owner of Epic Food Company, Fast, Fresh Food in Wilmington, NC. If you don’t like James’ cooking, you need to see a doctor. James’ 3 boys are the next generation of SUPremacy.
John Beausang: Owner/Janitor of Distressed Mullet, an online resource for Standup Paddling in the United States and beyond. john(at)distressedmullet(dot)com. John’s a surfer, freelance writer, husband and father.
Contact:
Mark Schmidt
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
910-620-1835
John Beausang
Distressed Mullet
Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club
www.John@distressedmullet.com
Whitney Spratt
Blockade Runner Beach Resort
www.whitney.spratt@blockade-runner.com
910-256-2251
Looking back... 2013
World’s best to compete for Carolina Cup in fast growing watersport
Wrightsville Beach, NC - The biggest names in stand up paddleboarding (SUP) are traveling from around the world to compete for the Carolina Cup in Wrightsville Beach, April 25-28, (2013) at Blockade Runner Beach Resort.
Two-time Men's World Champion Danny Ching from California, European Champion Eric Terrien from France, two-time Women's World Champion Candice Appleby from California, Gold Medal Olympian Larry Cain from Canada, and ten-time Molokai World Champion Jamie Mitchell from Australia are on the roster.
"One family participating in the Carolina Cup this year has both Mom and Dad in the Elite Graveyard race (13 miles), one child in the Harbor Island race (3.5 miles) and their other child in the Sea Turtle race. They should get a special family award." From John Beausang, Co-Chair of the Carolina Cup and Owner of DistressedMullet.com.
The Carolina Cup is presented by Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club.