07/31/2011 (US) Eric Terrien finishes 2nd (UNL under 29) and Annabel Anderson 3rd in Molokai to Oahu Race

The Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championship (M2O), the Superbowl of SUP, took place this weekend. An armada of more than 250 athletes on both prone and stand-up paddleboards (SUP) attempted the 32-mile, open-ocean crossing of the infamous Ka’iwi (kah-EE-vee) Channel, also known as the Molokai Channel. Sunday, July 31, 2011 produced favorable race conditions with 15 to 20-knot winds and eight foot swells.

We very especially curious how our friends from Europe Eric Terrien (Spain/France) and Annabel Anderson (well she’s actually from NZ, but has been living in London for quite some time), who have been winning most of the Euro Races, would measure up against the world’s elite paddlers. And they did not disappoint us. Eric finished 2nd in his class (unlimited, men <29) and 10th overall. He completed the 32 mile crossing in 4:56:48 which means an average pace of 9:17. WOW and congratulations!

Eric was using a 17’6 Nidecker Board with Rudder and a Kia Loa Torro Paddle.

We had briefly spoken to Eric right before the race:

Hi Eric, 2 days down to the big race. How’s Hawaii and how do you feel? How did you prepare for the race?

“After 1 week in Hawai today is my last day of training before the Molokai2Oahu Race. I’ve spent the week practicing with Ekolu Kalama and his parents Jerome and Choppie, we did SUP, surf and canoe paddling, perfect cross training ! Last sunday we did a 27 miles downwind with Ekolu between Maui and Molokai as a warm up before the 32 miles Oahu2Molokai”

Eric has also kindly send us some pictures (below)

Overall winner of the SUP divison was Connor Baxter. The 16-year-old from the island of Maui finished in 4:26:10 (average pace 8:20), taking down Dave Kalama’s record time from 2010 (4:54:15) by nearly 30 minutes, followed by Scott Gamble and Livio Menelau.

Annabel Anderson finished 3rd in the women’s unlimited division in 5:34:09 (average pace 10:27). Women’s winner was big wave surfer Andrea Moller who staged a repeat performance from 2010, finishing at the top of the women’s SUP field in a time of 5:26:51. She beat her own record of 6:00:00.