Dana Point, CA — It was a Danny Ching repeat at the RAINBOW SANDALS BATTLE OF THE PADDLE, Presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection, as the Californian paddling powerhouse took out both the 5-mile surf course race and the 10-mile distance race.
Ching topped a course of more than 500 paddlers. Ching (Redondo Beach) survived a tough battle with nine-time world paddleboard champion and last year’s Battle of the Paddle California champion Jamie Mitchell (Australia) in the surf course, and overcame Southern California pair Rob Rojas and Chuck Patterson in the distance race.
The Battle of the Paddle is the world’s largest stand up paddle festival and exposition. BUOY SURF COURSE: The course was a technical 5-mile/4-lap buoy circuit in and out through the surf, and included 100-yard beach sprints between laps. Ching started out in the lead and never relinquished it.
Mitchell was hot on his heels throughout the first two laps, but felt the distance grow thereafter.
- 1st – Danny Ching – Redondo Beach, CA – 57 minutes, 45 seconds
- 2nd – Jamie Mitchell – Australia – 59:36
- 3rd – Slater Trout – Maui, Hawaii – 1:00:39
In the women’s Elite division, San Clemente’s Candice Appleby and Brandi Baksic exchanged the lead position more than a handful of times, but it was the never-say-die determination Appleby is famous for, that gave her the final honors. 1st –
- Candice Appleby – San Clemente, CA – 1:10:31
- 2nd – Brandi Baksic – San Clemente, CA – 1:11:03
- 3rd – Jenny Kalmbach – Big Island, Hawaii – 1:13:20
DISTANCE RACE: Ching led the field from start to finish, racing in the unlimited 18-foot paddleboard division. He crossed the line in one hour, two minutes and 19 seconds, ahead of Rob Rojas (San Clemente, 1:02:59) and Chuck Patterson (Dana Point, 1:03:52).
In the shorter 14-foot division, Australian paddle icon Jamie Mitchell was the first to finish in a time of 1:09:13. Mitchell was pushed to the limit and the finish line by Tahiti’s George Cronsteadt and Maui’s Slater Trout, who were tied for second place just one second behind him.
Californian Brandi Baksic won the women’s division.
The Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle, presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection, rallied a total of 863 entries from around the world this weekend and around 10,000 spectators.
This world famous SUP event will return to Hawaii in 2011 at the beginning of summer.
Results can be found at: https://www.eternaltiming.com