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C4 WATERMAN/HONOLUA SURF CO SUP EVENT
Presented by Blue Planet
By Jodi Wilmott
Part of the Annual Duke's OceanFest, Waikiki, Hawaii
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WOMAN TAKES DOWN SEA OF MEN IN PRO STAND-UP PADDLE EVENT
Candice Appleby Wins C4 Waterman/Honolua Surf Co Pro & Women's
HONOLULU
- (August 23, 2008) - In another first for the sport of stand-up paddle
(SUP) surfing, the major honors for the C4 Waterman/Honolua Surf Co
competition, presented by Blue Planet, went to a woman today. Waikiki's
Candice Appleby out-performed a field of world-class SUP surfers to win
both the pro division and the women's category. Among Appleby's
casualties in the pro ranks were Brian Keaulana (Makaha), Noland Martin
(Makaha), and Noah Shimabukuro (Kula, Maui).
Above: Candice Appleby (Honolulu) enjoys her moment in the sun.
Photo: Bernie Baker
It
was also a day of double victories for 13-year-old Maui stand-up
paddler Slater Trout. Trout won the highest scoring heat of all the
finals - the men's amateur division against surfers more than twice his
age - as well as the 12-mile C4 Waterman/Honolua Surf Co paddleboard
race from Hawaii Kai to Duke's Restaurant, Waikiki, held earlier in the
day.
The winner of the junior SUP surfing division was Kai Lenny
(Paia, Maui). Like Trout, Lenny and three of his fellow finalists -
Brendan Bradley (Honolulu), Micah Liana and Connor Baxter -- contested
the 12-mile paddleboard race earlier in the day. The youngest of all
was 10-year-old Liana.
Appleby fulfilled a dream today; a dream that was inspired by the very surfers she overcame to taste this victory.
"Today
was a total dream come true," said Appleby, 23, a student at UH Manoa,
where she studies Tropical Plants & Soil Science.
"I live right down the street and I surf here every day. I've just been really focused and training hard.
"I
can't really say I was nervous. I felt honored to be in a heat with
them. All those guys (in the final), I learned from watching them and
they have inspired me to do what I do.
"Given the conditions,
I think it's whoever really wants it the most. You've got to be 100 per
cent with your mind, your body and your spirit. The ocean conditions
did play a part, but it takes your personal strength to get you
through."
Thirteen-year-old Trout also breaks with convention.
While most aspiring surfers his age have their sights set on the world
of pro shortboard surfing, Slater is passionate about the sport of SUP,
a sport that first resonated with an older crew before permeating the
younger ranks, as witnessed today.
"I'm really excited to be a
part of this sport and pursue it as much as I can," said Slater, who
stands at six feet tall and is from Lahaina, Maui.
"I started
out shortboarding but it wasn't going so well for me. I had some
friends who started stand-up paddling and they got me started. From
then on, every morning at 5:30 a.m., I was getting out there. That's
what got me here: practice and motivation."
Another surfer who
embodied the fire of SUP passion today was lone Australian Stuart
Murray. He was in the amateur final alongside Trout and placed third.
Murray came to Hawaii earlier this week to be married. The wedding went
down on Monday, and by 7 a.m. Tuesday morning he was surfing in this
event. Not expecting to make it all the way to the final, he kept his
original travel plans that had him flying out the next morning. After
qualifying for today's final, his wife flew home Wednesday and Murray
stayed on to honeymoon alone while waiting for to surf today. He is
still married.
The C4 Waterman/Honolua Surf Co event was part of
the week-long Duke's OceanFest. Various finals were held today with
clean but very small one- to two-foot surf on offer. Of all the events,
the SUP surfers enjoyed conditions the most, able to squeeze out every
point and inch of ride with their paddles.
Many thanks to
sponsors C4 Waterman, Honolua Surf Co., Blue Planet, Nixon watches,
Maui Jim sunglasses, and Sector 9 skateboards.
Stand-up paddle
surfing combines the elements of two traditional Hawaiian ocean sports:
canoe paddling's paddle, and longboarding's surfboard. Surfers paddle
into waves and ride, always in the standing position, and are scored on
critical surfing maneuvers.
The C4 Waterman/Honolua Surf Co
paddleboard race from Hawaii Kai to Duke's Restaurant, Waikiki, was won
by Honolulu's Brian Rocheleau.
To view the full results of the paddleboard race, please visit: www.pacificsportevents.com
For more information about the sport of SUP, please visit www.C4waterman.com
Aloha!
RESULTS:
Surfer's total score based upon their best two rides. Total score is out of 20 points.
1. Candice Appleby (Honolulu) -12.05
2. Noland Martin (Makaha) -11.65
3. Noah Shimabukuro (Kula, Maui) -7.4
4. Brian Keaulana (Makaha) - 7.25
Women:
1. Candice Appleby (Honolulu) -10
2. Pinoi Makalena (Honolulu) - 9
3. Jennifer Koki (Honolulu) - 8.37
4. Geodee Clark (Honolulu) - 7.52
5. Tiare Lawrence (Makawao, Maui) - 7
6. Heather Jeppesen (Honolulu) - 4.89
Junior:
1. Kai Lenny (Paia, Maui) - 17.38
2. Brendan Bradley (Honolulu) - 13.01
3. Kawika Kinimaka (Lahaina, Maui) - 9.25
4. Micah Liana (Honolulu) - 6.5 (countback)
5. Connor Baxter - 6.5 (countback)
6. Noah Yap (Kihei, Maui) - 5.41
Amateur:
1. Slater Trout (Lahaina, Maui) - 14.26
2. Chris Martin (Honolulu) - 11.88
3. Stuart Murray (Australia) - 9.88
4. Dennis Matos (Waipahu) - 6.38
5. Mike Mendez (Honolulu) - 4.51
6. Bill Ward (Haleiwa) - 3.01
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