On Sunday, March 24th, one of the first important races of the European Circuit took place in the South of France, in the Venice-like canals of Port Grimaud, normally right in time for the first warm days down there. Not so this year, 12°C, heavy rain and strong winds. 74 paddlers braved the terrible conditions and ventured to the second edition of the Hobie City Race.

The planned course for the race was a beach start, then paddling into the Port Grimaud, one lap through the maze, narrow canals with 90 degree turns, ducking under bridges and the likes, then back into the ocean and 3 laps around buoys with running on the beach. A test paddle on Saturday with 30knots of wind quickly showed that even just getting out and turning into right into the Port was close to impossible.

Hobie CIty SUP Race Port Grimaud

And the forecast for Sunday was even stronger wind…..and more rain….

Hobie CIty SUP Race Port Grimaud

So race director Yannick Pinault, who is also behind the SUP Race CUP St. Maxime made some adjustments to the course, the course started in the Port and it would be 2 laps through the harbour and no part on the beach this time around.

The race started with the Juniors, they had to paddle only one lap, but were followed by all the adults, that was a great way to get warm and memorize the complicated course. Antony won for the boys and Chloe for the Girls.

Boys & Girls
1st Anthony Gegry
2nd Matt Della Vedova
3rd Benjamin Meric
4th Jules Langlouis
5th Clay Ugo
6th Virgil Guindon
7th Chloe Barberis
8th Cassandre Angelis
9th Tim Devos

5 minutes after the Junior race, the Adult race started, just about enough time to get rid of the rain jackets and paddle to the start point. The start was chaotic, choppy waters, narrow canals and many riders falling in, Thierry Kostka was one of the rider’s who fell right after start, but made an great come-back and finished 3rd behind Florent Dode and Youngstar Gabriel Bachelet from La Cigale Surfclub, who showed an amazing perfomance, leaving many seasoned paddlers behind.

Men’s Top 30

1) Florent Dode 00:28:21
2) Gabriel Bachelet 00:29:22
3) Thierry Kostka 00:29:27
4) Laurent Delpin 00:29:49
5) Lulu Langlouis 00:29:57
6) Edouard Garcia
7) Nicolas Beynet
8) Denis Llorens
9) Davide Ionico
10) Fabrizio Gasbarro
11) Christophe Rodes
12) Federico Benettolo
13) Cyril Garbous
14) Mathieu Babarit
15) Roberto Mandolino
16) Thomas Herbert
17) Simon Gallot
18) Jean-Denis Mouchon
19) Pascal Pouget
20) Piere Nau
21) Fabien Fulgoni
22) Jean-Luc Malfroid
23) Patrick Beynet
24) Thierry Riviere
25) Jacques Lepen
26) Borja Basso
27) Carsten Kurmis
28) Regis Dupre
29) William Doering
30) Julien Gomez

Hobie CIty SUP Race Port Grimaud

For the women’s, Olivia Piana, just back from Peru’s World Championships with a Silver Medal once more showed she was in amazing form and won the women’s race before Celine Guesdon and Manca Notar.
Women’s Top 10
1st Olivia Piana 00:31:39
2nd Celine Guesdon 00:32:24
3rd Manca Notar 00:32:25
4th Caroline Angibaud
5th Letitia Isnardon
6th Petra Offermanns
7th Isabelle Fulgoni
8th Sigrid Baumgartner
9th Clara Quatrebouefs
10th Nathalie Langlouis
Congratulations to all winners and thanks Yannick Pinault for a great event! Event Photos are here

Hobie CIty SUP Race Port Grimaud

Hobie CIty SUP Race Port Grimaud

 

Hobie CIty SUP Race Port Grimaud

More 2013 SUP Races >> Are you running a SUP race in 2013? We are happy to add it to our event calendar. Email us the info and pics to info(at) sup-guide.com!