In the lead-up to this summer’s, ϳԹ predicted that the SUP solo event would be a battle of youth versus experience, a showdown between the sport’s new poster boy, Kai Lenny, and tenacious veteran Dave Kalama.
Well, we were wrong. In the end, it was their fellow Hawaiian Connor Baxter who took home the title. was a course record.
Lenny looked strong early on and surged ahead of his competitors. However, around the 24-mile mark of the 32-mile race, he suddenly felt like he “hit a wall,” . That opened the door for two-time champion Baxter and Australian Travis Grant, who duked it out for miles before Baxter broke free and claimed an unprecented third title.
Dave Kalama finished in a very respectable sixth place, reaching the finish at the Maunalua Bay Beach Park bath house in 4:24:44.
On the women’s side, Germany’s Sonni Hönscheid claimed the championship title, proving that you don’t need to hail from an island to be the best SUPer in the world.