Paddlers hit Patagonia for the Stand Up World Tour
While paddlers complained about the drive, the lack of spectators and the freezing cold temperaturesm spectators around the world are simply in awe of the pictures and footage coming back from the very first stop on the Stand Up World Tour for 2013. Patagonia, Chile. Not the average place you'd expect to meet Connor Baxter, and certainly not the most hospitable in terms of getting thousands of spectators in, but that's not really what the organisers were after was it?
As far as spectacular stand up paddling goes, this has got to be up there. Given it's not the blue waters of Maui, or even the white sandy beaches of the Gold Coast. There's something about the stark contrast between icebergs in the water and sun bleached hair on a SUP that makes it awesome. Hats off to the Watermans League and the Stand Up World tour for sticking their neck out and organising this beautiful stop in the paddling calendar.
As for the results, Connor Baxter took out the win overall. Losing to Kai Lenny in the first day; Kai pipped him at the post which set him up for the win, and $9000 prize money.
Then Connor narrowly beat Kai around the sprint course which passed glaciers, floating icebergs and of course the trademark Chilean mountains in the background. Maybe it came down to the fact he was so sure he wouldn't fall off, that he didn't don a wetsuit like the others. Wearing only boardies and a thermal top, Connor was on fire and said it wasn't even that cold once they got going!
Determined to strip Kai of his yellow jersey from last year, Connor won the decider and walked away with the price, and the current lead in the Stand Up World Tour. But really, nobody was too phased by the results, just stoked about the fact they'd spent a few days paddling in one of the most remote places that will ever hold a Stand Up World Series stop.
Check out the video and results below.
OVERALL
1st: Connor Baxter
2nd: Kai Lenny
3rd: Casper SteinfathLong Distance Race
(Day 1, Friday 15th)
1st: Kai Lenny
2nd: Connor Baxter
3rd: Casper Steinfath
4th: Zane Schweitzer
5th: Vinnicius Martins
6th: Arnaud Frennet
Sprint Races
(Day 2, Saturday 16th)
1st: Connor Baxter
2nd: Kai Lenny
3rd: Casper Steinfath
4th: Zane Schweitzer

