Posted on November 14 2016
On October 19, 2016, 15 of the world’s best athletes took part in a brand-new SUP race – Red Bull Heavy Water. The 7.5-mile-long open course, from the notorious Ocean Beach to the Golden Gate Bridge, challenged athletes with mighty waves towering over 10 feet!
Red Bull Heavy Water gave a spectacular opening to the 2016 World Championship Series. The world’s most extreme SUP race was held at San Francisco. The race course is along spots where enormous ships once went against precarious waters to seek safe harbor at the San Francisco Bay.
Top athletes completed laps through the surf and ventured out in the open ocean facing massive waves. After navigating through one of the most inaccessible surf line-ups, they faced extreme currents out in the treacherous waters. However, the passing under the Golden Gate Bridge offered some relief as the race concluded.
Out of the 15 athletes, just 10 could complete the seemingly insurmountable task of completing the course in its entirety. Connor Baxter flawlessly dealt with the grueling course and stole the show with a winning time of 1:11:32. It was an exhilarating race with Kai Lenny finishing a close second at 1:12:15 and Zane Schweitzer at 1:13:22.
It’s an especially good year for Connor Baxter, who also bagged the 2016 World Title, making him the World SUP Champion.
Red Bull Heavy Water has established itself as a race to remember, offering an iconic location and a riveting challenge for the world’s top SUP boarders.
We, at Victory KoreDry, sponsored all official jerseys with our revolutionary water-repellant and breathable SUP wear. We congratulate all participants for their stellar performances and look forward to next year.