The 2015 Painkiller Cup took place last Saturday, January 17th in the British Virgin Islands. It is a 14 mile downwind race from Beef Island, Tortola to infamous Soggy Dollar Bar (which takes it’s name from the sailors swimming ashore – since there is no dock – to spend wet bills) on Jost van Dyke. Well, it is supposed to be a downwinder but this time there was very little wind (7 knots) and the water was flat like a lake – very unusual for the area where it had 25+knots the days before – so it was a hot, long, hard paddle for the over 50 riders.
The Painkiller Cup is a team race for 3 paddlers, 2 men and a woman who take turns paddling 25 minutes each, sharing a board and switching from an escort boat. The total prize money is 10.000 US$.
Team Stand Up Mexico featuring Javier “Bicho” Jiminez, Ryan Helm and Shelby Taylor dominated the 14-mile course and won in a time of 2hrs 48mins and 30sec, earning them $5,000 for their victory and on top of that they received a $500 bonus for winning the opening sprint leg from Trellis Bay to the Guana Island cut. Their were riding a 14’ Riviera Raceboard.
Team Mexico wins 2015 Painkiller Cup
Team Limin finishes 2nd
Finishing just over 3 minutes behind the Mexican’s was Team Limin from St Croix. Limin was pushed hard by another Cruzan team Freedom City Surf Shop.
We pulled ahead of Freedom City off of Trunk Bay on Tortola’s North Shore
explained Limin captain Bill Kraft.
It was neck and neck with them during the first two rotations but Isabelle managed to inch ahead of Jessica Rando and then we stayed just ahead of them after that”.
Limin from St Croix pocketed $2,500
Team Caribbean Paddler makes 3rd
While the Freedom City team stayed in the hunt they eventually lost out to Team Caribbean Paddler. Guadeloupe racer Romu Mamadou overhauled the Cruzan’s as they entered the final mile of the race outside White Bay on Jost Van Dyke. The Caribbean Paddler team included Mamadou and Ffils Franck from Guadeloupe along with Kristin Thomas of Laguna Beach, California.
Mini Painkiller Cup 2015 Solo Race
The event also includes a Mini-Painkiller Cup course from beautiful Sandy Cay (pictured above) to the Soggy Dollar Bar, and a surf ski class.
In the Mini-Painkiller Cup Tortola paddler Lee Donovan edged Rodrigo Dos Santos to win (both on 14’). Sam Morrell (Fanatic Falcon 14′) got off to a great start off Sandy Cay but slipped to 9th overall. Petra Offermanns (on a 12’6 fanatic Falcon) who won last years Mini-Painkiller Cup won for the women’s and finished10th overall. Of note was also the performance of youngster Wyatt Bracy from St. Croix who finished 11th.
A modest surf ski class was won by Mark Doig from Moskito Island.
There were 12 teams in the Painkiller Cup. 4th went to Freedom City from St Corix while Team Chicken Gun Ya from St Thomas came 5th. Of note was also the performance of team “Going for Gold” from St. John, an all women’s team who did the whole race on a fun/allround SUP.
The entire event was a blast,”
described Mexican coach and Riviera racer Ryan Helm.
The weather was perfect and we raced well and were expertly guided by our captain Jim Briant”
The Painkiller Cup event is sponsored by the Soggy Dollar Beach Bar on Jost Van Dyke, HIHO and Ocean Potion.
Painkiller Cup Photos
More photos are here.
2015 Painkiller Cup – Full Results
| 2015 Painkiller Cup – Final Results | |||
| Team | |||
| 1 | Stand Up Mexico | Mexico | 2:48 |
| 2 | Limin | St Croix | 2:51 |
| 3 | Caribbean Paddle | Guadeloupe/CA | |
| 4 | Freedom City Surf Shop | St Croix | |
| 5 | Chicken Gun Ya | St Thomas | |
| 6 | Honey Badgers | St John | |
| 7 | Rock Hoppin | St John | |
| 8 | Ow Oui | St Thomas | |
| 9 | CG Team | St John | |
| 10 | Carpe Diem | St Thomas | |
| 11 | Circuits | Tortola | |
| 12 | Going for Gold | St John | |
| Mini-Painkiller Cup | |||
| 1 | Leed Donovan | Tortola | |
| 2 | Rodrigo Dos Santos | Tortola | |
| 3 | Garrett Thomas | Tortola | |
| 4 | Roy Keegan | Tortola | |
| 5 | Tristan Hermann | St Thomas | |
| 6 | Mark Cochran | Tortola | |
| 7 | Arthur Jones | St John | |
| 8 | Daniel Petrovic | Tortola | |
| 9 | Sam Morrell | Tortola | Fanatic 14′ |
| 10 | Petra Offermanns | Germany | 1st FemaleFanatic 12’6 |
| 11 | Wyatt Bracy | St Croix | |
| 12 | Brian Duff | Tortola | |
| 13 | Louanne Schecter | St Thomas | 2nd Female |
| 14 | Linda Wright | St Thomas | 3rd Female |
| 15 | Kim Nalepinski | St John | |
| 16 | David Bourden | St Thomas | |
| 17 | Danielle Collins | St Thomas | |
| Surf Ski | |||
| 1 | Mark Doig | Moskito Island | |
| 2 | Sal Weyer | Tortola | |
| 3 | Jaq Roui | Tortola | |
