City Paddle Festivals, a participatory three-stop Standup Paddleboard experience and celebration that connects some of the world’s most high profile cities (London, New York, Paris), hosted a massive number of fans and athletes for a day of SUP experiences, live music and a New York SUP Open, the second stop of the APP World Tour.
New York SUP Open Race Recap
The day started off with the Men’s and Women’s Pro races of the New York SUP Open. The world’s top-ranked SUP athletes competed in choppy, high-traffic conditions as they made their way from the starting line at Brookfield Place, around Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, then back to the start/finish line after a grueling upwind paddle along the Hudson River.
Both heats kept fans on the edge of their seats as Arthur Arutkin of France, Michael Booth and Travis Grant of Australia were battling for the lead for the majority of the race, as were Americans Candice Appleby and Shae Foudy in the women’s race. In the end, Arthur Arukin took first place with a time of 58:23 followed closely by Australians Travis Grant and Michael Booth for second and third place, respectively. In the women’s, Candice Appleby broke away from Shae Foudy to take the win with a time of 1:11:54. Foudy locked in the second place finish and 2017 World Champion Terrene Black took home third place with a time of 1:13:28.
Following the Men’s and Women’s Pro competitions, the Pro-Ams took off on the same course in hopes to qualify for next year’s APP World Tour, with Jeramie Vaine and Louanne Harris taking first in the Men’s and Women’s, respectively. Shortly afterwards, the amateur competitors completed their bucket list paddle around the Statue of Liberty, marking the last race of the day and the beginning of an epic celebration at New York’s City Paddle Festival, with Alex Pinto from Brazil and New York City local Noriko Okaya taking victory.
City Paddle Festival NYC Kicks Off Day of SUP Celebration
Following the New York SUP Open, athletes and fans alike packed into the festival grounds to enjoy everything the Festival has to offer, including live music performed by Mo Freitas (who is also currently ranked second overall in the APP World Tour), SUP demos in the pool, DJ sets and food and drinks provided by Red Bull, Brew Dr. Kombucha and Kona Deep. Throughout the day, youth SUP clinics were held in the APP’s on-site demo pool where teens and children of all ages got to experience the sport in an incredible urban setting.
“It is always a beautiful sight to see the best of the best in SUP connect with their fans and those passionate about the sport,” said Tristan Boxford, CEO of the Association of Paddlesurf Professionals (APP). “Today we saw the world’s best SUP athletes, aspiring professionals and the next generation of the sport’s leaders come together to celebrate their love for SUP and share their enthusiasm in such an amazing environment.”
The New York SUP Action Continues All Week
The distance racing portion of the New York SUP Open came to an end under bluebird skies this Saturday, but the action continues on Tuesday, September 18, as the Pros prepare for a dramatic Sprint Racing elimination through the surf, right at the heart of the City of Long Beach at Hurley Surf Club, powered by Skudinsurf.
Following the Sprint Race, the 2018 APP World Surfing Tour kicks off from September 18 through 23. This event will also be held in Long Beach, the east coast’s most iconic surfing destination. The Main Event will consist of the Top 24 Men and Top 10 Women in the World based on the 2017 World Tour Rankings, with an additional eight Men Wildcards and four Women Wildcards being awarded to stand out competitors from across the globe. This event, as well as the Sprint Racing Elimination, will be broadcast live at appworldtour.com from September 18-23.
In addition to the sprint and surf competitions, the APP is proud to sponsor a 5.5 mile downwind paddle benefiting the SURF FOR ALL Foundation. The paddle will start from the tip of Long Beach and finish back down at the APP World Tour venue in Long Beach, which will be held on September 22.
More information on the City Paddle Festivals can be found at citypaddlefestivals.com/.
Photo courtesy City Paddle Festivals
