Team Hobie® showed up in full force at the SUP Race Cup in St. Maxime, France this past weekend. USA team members April Zilg and Lexi Alston secured top 10 finishes in the women’s elite 14-foot field, while local French team rider Martin Letourner also placed 9th overall in the elite men’s 14-foot category.
Opting to race his favorite Apex 12’6” on Saturday in the technical course, Martin placed 11th overall against the field of 14’ boards. On Saturday, April took 4th in the elite women’s course amidst lots of wind and choppy water on the Apex 4R with young Lexi not far behind also securing a top 10 finish.
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Sunday was a different story, with a long, hot, flat course. Martin raced a 14’ Apex and placed 8th after a long battle. Lexi and April were both on the Apex 4R and solid in the top 10. April walked home with a few more Euros in her pocket, with a 5th place overall finish in the Elite Women’s field.
“I really enjoyed the way the Apex 4R handled Saturday’s conditions. I also always prefer technical races with wind, turns, and plenty of texture on the water!” April said. “Sunday was still a gorgeous day with the race course taking us up the coast of St. Maixime. There couldn’t have been a better first week of racing in Europe.”
Lexi, just 14, is enjoying her time in Europe, particularly the food. “I finally got to be reunited with the enticing tastes of caramel from Bretagne, it’s one of the most intriguing flavors in the world, so every time I have it, it feels like something new and out of the ordinary,” Lexi said.
Dramatic scenery and the local people have also made an impression on Lexi. “Europe is a beautiful place. I learn something new everyday. One thing you realize is that there are cultural differences, but put aside the diverse language and the people are very much alike,” Lexi said.
For his part, Martin felt very much at home. “The SUP Race Cup is a classic event for me, I’ve done it every year since 2012 as it is France’s biggest international race. This year the men’s field was more stacked than ever, after a horrific start on the technical race, I was able to take back some ground to end up 11th on day one. On the second day for the long distance, I felt very good on my Hobie 14’ Raw and I improved my ranking by finishing at the 8th place of the race. This year’s edition of the SUP Race Cup was super nice with beautiful racing conditions, good organization and a very friendly atmosphere between racers. I feel honored to be able to compete in the amazing sport that is stand up paddle racing,” Martin said.
