The start of the 2nd Soualiga Challenge Reloaded at Île Fourchue, St. Barths, on Sunday. (Photo Karl Amatdjais)
KIM SHA--Guadeloupean paddlers took an unassailable lead in the second edition of Soualiga Challenge Reloaded on Sunday, to clinch the first three places on the podium at the prizegiving on Kim Sha Beach.
However, it was Juan Pablo Piscione and Lidwein Weitenberg, fourth and seventh places respectively, who were declared the national St. Maarten champions.
Soualiga Challenge Reloaded replaced the Soualiga Challenge race from Gustavia, St. Barths to Oyster Pond, St. Maarten, which ran from 2005 until it was cancelled after the passing of Hurricane Irma in 2017.
The first edition of Reloaded was held in 2019 but fate was again unkind in 2020 when the world ground to a halt because of the COVID pandemic, again forcing the race to be put on hold.
The new 22K Reloaded course started from Île Fourchue and finished at Kim Sha Beach. Quentin Gillot won the race in 1:39.04, followed by compatriots Olivier Tanton (1:42:44) and Soualiga Challenge multiple winner in the past, Franck Fifils (1:45:12).
“Are you sure this is Kim Sha Beach and not Happy Beach?” joked Gillot after crossing the finish line. “Because that’s how I’m feeling… very happy. The conditions were great, the wind pushing us from behind, that’s the goal of a downwind race, sometimes a little cross sure wind. We had some chop, nice swells. Some Sargassum too which caused me to stop briefly to clear it.”
Gillot added he and Olivier Tanton were trading positions in the channel, until Gillot overtook him at Pointe Blanche. “At the end of the channel I caught three waves which really helped to push me forward,” added Gillot.
Juan Pablo Piscione crossed the finish line in fourth place in 1:56:05. “The waves in the beginning were coming more from the south east and when I went more to the right at Pointe Blanche I was getting a better ride and that tack paid off for me,” said Juan Pablo.”
Juan Pablo was in competition with Daniel Priester for the national championship. Priester finished in sixth place in 2:04:22.
The only double surf ski participants from the 13 entries were Stuart Knaggs and Jacqueline van der Raad, finishing in fifth place (1:58:57).
Frits Bus, in ninth place (2:26:54) said it was the most enjoyable race he has done for ages.
“The conditions were perfect and the surf ski I used was much better suited for me, more stable, letting me focus on the wave directions. I had some fantastic surfing down the waves as sometimes you can be battling chop and side shore winds.”
For the record, Franck Fifiks won the Soualiga Challenge in 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012 and 2015. Olivier Tanton won the Soualiga Challenge in 2013 and Soualiga Reloaded in 2019.
The St. Maarten National Championships was organised by the St. Maarten Canoe Federation (SMCF) and hosted by the Friendly Island Kayak Association (FIKA).
The event was made possible by Perrier, Cocky Turtle Restaurant, Scuba Shop, Moorings, Réserve Naturelle, Port of St. Barths, CROSS AG (Antilles-Guyane), Sint Maarten Coast Guard, Life Rafts Etc. all volunteers on the water and beach, and photographer/videographer Karl Amatdjais.
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