Team Hobie SUP showed up in full force again for the Iberdrola Bilbao World SUP Challenge. Paddling through the middle of Bilbao, Spain, this race took paddlers past the Guggenheim, the Old Town architecture, and hundreds of spectators.
Martin Letourneur found a place in the second draft train for the Men’s Elite field which landed him just over a minute behind the lead pack for a top 15 finish in an incredibly stacked field.
“It’s my second year of racing in Bilbao and it’s always a blast to visit and compete in this city. The organizers do an amazing job for this event and being able to paddle in front of the famous Guggenheim Museum is awesome! I raced on the ELITE division with my new Hobie 14’ APEX. The race on the men’s side was once again really tough with the first paddlers putting on a very high pace. I didn’t feel very good a few kilometers after the start, probably a little bit tired after all these weeks of travels but I managed to keep a good rhythm to stay in the top 15 with a 14th place finish. I can’t say that it is a bad result considering the level of the field but I’m totally sure that there will be better races for me!” said Martin.
April Zilg and Lexi Alston battled in the top 10 of the Women’s Elite field to finish 4th and 7th respectively. On Sunday, the under 17 crowd had a sprint race, and Lexi Alston took the win for the ladies landing herself atop the podium at one of the biggest races of the European Tour.
“I found the race extremely well organized, and I loved the venue paddling past the Guggenheim. I love races that are great for spectators, which facilitates the growth of the sport, and this race definitely had that going for it!” April said.
