The 4th Hong Kong International Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) Championship 2018 went smoothly on the 19 August at Victoria Recreation Club, Sai Kung. The event featured an 18 km elite long course, 6 km short course, 1 km SUP race and 200 m sprint race.
The most eye-catching race had to be the 18 km Elite Long course, where current world champion and Japan No.1 paddlers, Michael Booth and Kenny Kaneko, were competing head to head on the open water of Sai Kung. The 18 km three-lap-course started with Kaneko leading for most time during the first 6 km, Boothy took over the lead several times when turning at the buoys, but he didn’t leave Kaneko too far behind. After them were racers from Japan, Ryohei Yoshida who was only a few hundreds feet away from the leads, and Rai Taguchi, who is only 14 year old!
Current Hong Kong champion Himson Wong was right behind all of them, followed by Alan Ng and Jack Seymour. Entering the final lap, Boothy caught a bump with his Starboard Ace and took the lead back and made it larger, using the wind that strengthened. 10 m behind, with the JP flat water board, Kaneko did not slow down one bit as Wong was approaching in high speed, lengthen the distance between Yoshida and himself. Boothy, the 27-year-old, crossed the finish line at first place and Kaneko at second with a 74s difference. “It’s always hard racing Michael,” says Kaneko after the race, “He is one of the best paddlers in the world, it’s not easy. Congratulations to him.”
Himson Wong, who was at the fifth place in the first lap, managed to catch up rapidly in the last lap and finished third. The weather on that day was very humid and was about 30 C. The warm climate made it difficult for athletes to perform at their best. “It was a really tough course out there today. I think we were lucky that the wind sort of came in at the second lap and cooled things down a little bit, which was nice.” says Boothy.
The 18 km Elite Women’s Race was just as exciting. Kate Baker from England and Charlotte Spicers from Singapore took the lead and finished first and second respectively. “It was a tough race out there, slow water and hot conditions. But the wind was good.” says Baker, “It’s great fun being out on the course with everybody else.”
Lastly, it was powerhouse Australian Michael Booth who took the overall win on the Men’s side and Britain Kate Baker on the Women’s side.
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