July 19, 2015, Schinias, Greece—The third race of the year for the 5^th Annual Hellenic SUP Cup was held at the Olympic Rowing Center facilities, home of the 2004 Summer Olympics. Racing at such a prestigious location got all the paddlers in an athletic spirit and thus was arguably the most physical SUP race ever done in Greece.

The race was part of the Pan-Hellenic Championship of Canoe-Kayak, which made the program strict and precise. The rules and demands of the Olympic sport, canoe-kayak, also applied to the SUP race this day. All paddlers had to be on the starting line bright and early the morning of the event, as it was the opening race of the program.

While the Hellenic SUP Cup is meant to be a flat-water race, the 30–35 knots of N–NE winds that morning made the race seemingly impossible. Adapting to the weather obstacles in front of them, they turned the race into downwind 2.3 km sprints. The heats would be broken into two qualifier runs and one final sprint race to declare the winners.

After a fast straightaway sprint all the way to the first buoy, competitors were challenged to put their technique to the test, with five tight buoy turns to follow. With strong side wind blowing furiously across the width of the canal, it was a very challenging race. Great battles were fought in every race of the qualifying heats, since they had to win in order to place in the final.

In the final the whole group was side by side in the downwind sprint and around the tight buoy turns, with an exciting close finish for all. The fifth annual Hellenic Cup at the Olympic Rowing Center will be a race no one will forget for years to come. The most athletic, windy, exciting race the Hellenic cup has seen yet.

Photographers: Chistos Andronis, Albina Shumkova

Results:

14’0 Men
2^nd Konstantis George (Naish Javelin LE)
3^rd Sirigos Nikos (Naish Javelin LE)

14’0 Women
1^st Kontarini Konsatntina (Naish Javelin LE)
3^rd Sirti Ioanna (Naish Javelin LE)

14’0 Boys
1^st Doukas Fadon (Naish Javelin LE)
2^nd Andronis Iason (Naish Javelin LE)
3^rd Andreopoulos George (Naish Javelin LE)

12’6” Men
2^nd Kritis Marios (Naish Javelin LE)
3^rd Tountas John (Naish Javelin LE)

12’6” Women
1^st Bodziak Eva (Naish Glide)
2^nd Androni Myrto (Naish Nalu)
3^rd Kolokousi Aggeliki (Naish Glide)

12’6” Boys
1^st Kropik Ilias (Naish Javelin LE)
2^nd Giginis George (Naish Glide)
3^rd Papanikolaou Panos (Naish Javelin LE)

FUN
1^st Theoharis Alexandros (Naish Nalu 11’6”)
2^nd Vaggelis Avramidis (Naish Nalu 11’6”)

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