Wrightsville Beach, NC, USA - Annabel Anderson of New Zealand captured her fourth consecutive victory in the women's division of the Carolina Cup elite Graveyard Race on Saturday, April 23. 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.
A brutal start for the 2016 Graveyard Race, Carolina Cup, courtesy of North Carolina Press Release
Graveyard Champs Anderson and Puyo, courtesy of Robert Baggett
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. "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."
Money Island Champs Curry and Miller, photo courtesy of Sally Butler
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.
Harbor Island Champs Kennedy and Markel, photo courtesy of Sally Butler
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
ress release from:
North Carolina Press Release, Robert B Butler, 919-987-1800,9121 Anson Way, Raleigh, NC 27615