Starboard Dream Team rider Michael Booth is in unstoppable form as he takes his 3rd consecutive win at this weekend’s San Sebastián race in picturesque Basque Country, Spain. Booth dualed it out against usual rival Titouan Puyo for most of the race until he could make a break in the crunching surf zone at Zurriola Hondartza beach, to take the win and defend his 2017 title and top the EuroTour leaderboard.
“Stoked with another win here today in San Sebastián. It was an amazing race with every different element you could throw at us SUP racers. There was flat, backwash, swell, river, surf – you name it, we raced in it. The week before the race I’d been feeling a bit run down as the racing and travelling was taking it toll on the body. I paddled the Sprint again in this race and definitely pushed it to the limit!
I had a bad start but pushed ahead once we turned the first can at the island. I then chased the small bumps along the back and had a fall coming into the river mouth. T2 and I worked together in the flat before hitting the 1m waves before moving back out to sea. The race was just so technical the whole time and balance was key especially along the back straight where the water was moving in every direction. I pushed hard before the last outside turn to sneak ahead and catch the small bumps before the finish.
I’m just so stoked to see all the hard work in the offseason paying dividends. Can’t wait for the next one.”
– Micheal Booth, San Sebastián EuroTour Stop #6 Winner
Sonni Hönscheid opened up her EuroTour account with a solid second place finish behind her former Starboard Dream Teammate Olivia Pianna in a hard fought battle as well. Sonni lead the women’s race for most of the course but could not match Olivia in the long rough-and-tumble ocean stretch from Zurriola Hondartza beach back to the exciting zing-zag chicane finish line. This was Sonni’s first defeat of the season with five-straight wins of The Paddle League World Tour Events.
The ever bubbly Fiona Wylde also opened up her EuroTour account this weekend with a fantastic result with a third place finish in the Women’s elite race behind fellow Dream Team rider Sonni Hönscheid, showing good form ahead of the trip-header Paddle League’s ‘Majors’ events ~ Bilbao, Hossegor and Scharbeutz. Even though San Sebastián always delivers such a mix of conditions from clam flatwater, to exciting beach race style racing through the one Zurriola Hondartza beach to open ocean cross chop across the back straight, Fiona achieved an amazing result on the new redesigned Sprint 14 x 21.5;
“I’ve just finished the race in 3rd here in San Sebastián! I’m really happy with this finish. I chose to ride the sprint, even though it was really bumpy.
After a good start, I found myself in 5th at the first turn buoy and managed to catch some bumps as soon as we turned the corner, even though they were onshore. After chasing down a few bumps I caught up and passed Laura and Amadine before we were heading into the flat river section. Amandine jumped on my draft in the river but before we exited back into the ocean I managed to pull ahead.
The Sprint felt really comfortable and I wasn’t unstable in the bumps! After a silly swim in the surf, I managed to get back up quickly and was actually able to make a bigger gap between myself and 4th.
From there it was just pushing steady and holding my 3rd place position ahead of Amandine and Luara. I am really happy with my 3rd place position and am feeling in great form for the EuroTour stops ahead!
Congratulations to Sonni in second and Olivia in first!”
– Fiona Wylde, San Sebastián EuroTour Stop #6 3rd Place Women
Outside of the podium, the Starboard team had a great time with more fantastic results with Italy’s tireless workhorse Leo Nika pulling the chase pack for much of the day and was rewarded with a fourth place finish in front of teammate Bruno Hasulyo. Just a little further back it was dark horse Brazilian Darkhorse Guillherme dos Reis who, after finding an almost magical wave to the finish line on the final sprint, pulled head of Kiwi Marcus Hansen after an epic battle in the final few hundred metres through the zig-zag finish chicane – Guillherme also opted for the popular choice of today’s Starboard Sprint 14 x 21.5. In the women’s race, France’s Amandine Chazot finished in 4th position, before an all-the-way-to-the-line battle between the two top Spaniards in Laura Quetglas (5th) and Susak Molinero (6th).
Watch Live Stream replay of all the action from San Sebastian, week 6 of the EuroTour
San Sebastián Men’s SUP Race Results – EuroTour Stop #6
1st: Michael Booth (AUS) 1:12:40 (Starboard Sprint)
2nd: Titouan Puyo (FRA) 1:13:40
3rd: Arthur Arutkin (FRA) 1:14:30
4th: Leo Nika (ITA) 1:15:15 (Starboard Ace)
5th: Bruno Hasulyo (HUN) 1:15:19 (Starboard Sprint)
6th: Guilherme dos Reis (BRA) 1:16:17 (Starboard Sprint)
7th: Marcus Hansen (NZL) 1:16:18
8th: Paolo Marconi (ITA) 1:17:35
9th: Daniel Hasulyo (HUN) 1:17:41 (Starboard Sprint)
10th: Paul-Conrad Delaere (FRA) 1:17:42
San Sebastián Women’s SUP Race Results – EuroTour Stop #6
1st: Olivia Piana (FRA) 1:24:42
2nd: Sonni Honscheid (GER) 1:25:21 (Starboard All Star)
3rd: Fiona Wylde (USA) 1:29:30 (Starboard Sprint)
4th: Amandine Chazot (FRA) 1:31:17 (Starboard Sprint)
5th: Laura Quetglas (ESP) 1:34:14 (Starboard All Star)
6th: Susak Molinero (ESP) 1:34:17
7th: Caterina Stenta (ITA) 1:38:06
8th: Noelani Sach (DEU) 1:39:11
9th: Susanne Lier (DEU) 1:40:12
10th: Giannisa Vecco (PER) 1:41:16
FULL RESULTS: http://supracer.com/euro-tour-week-6
Photo Credits: Georgia Schofield for Starboard SUP/ The EuroTour
