Aussies clean up at the Californian BOP Sup event
The Californian BOP Stand up Paddle Event
Battle of the paddle is a new racing format that's taken over the sport of Stand up paddling - it involves racing around a series of buoys, one of which sits just outside the breaking waves, the other sits closer in to the beach. The added challenge of paddling through waves make for extremely close and exhilarating racing for both stand up paddlers and spectators.
From the first 15 men, 6 of them were Australian stand up paddlers, 4 were Hawaiians and the rest were from all over the world - that's not bad! Australian paddling legend - Jamie Mitchell came in just three seconds behind Connor Baxter who won the event, an awesome achievement but one that's all too familiar for Jamie. Unfortunately Jamie had a fall just off the last buoy, if he hadn't fallen - maybe he would have crossed the line first? After the race, he posted a video on Facebook about the fall, and his race tactics for the event. Click here to watch the interview.
Other Aussies in the top 15 paddlers included Travis Grant, Beau O'brian, Kelly Margetts, Jake Jenson and Paul Jackson who all paddled brilliantly in the conditions at hand. In the girls line-up - Angie Jackson came in at a fantastic 14th place, only 5 seconds behind the winner Candice Appleby.
Congratulations to all the Aussie Stand up paddlers who competed in the event, and for those who missed the live feeds - check out the highlights video below.
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