Saturday 27 September 2019
The growing trend is confirmed! For the second Stand Up Paddle Race this year, Lebanon Water Festival introduced for the first time the Junior category with the under 14 years old. We talked about the community getting larger and it is now attracting younger crowds. The SUP NATIONAL CUP race was co-organized with Colonel Reef Batroun, with a strong on ground involvement from Jules De Campagneules, their coach.
The 4 K women and Men race raised the crowds as they flew across the water and the battel between Ziad Yazbeck and Jad Ghosn created a great deal of excitement. Jad Ghosn took 1st place, leading by 3 seconds, passing in front of Ziad who was leading until the last 500 meters. Ladies were right behind them with Caroline Raphael that took 1st place in the 4K women race, 3rd i overall 4 Kilometer races, with only +6 minutes and 3 seconds behind Ziad, followed by Tania Kisserli and Diane Ferjane.
In the Junior category a mix of girls and boys competed in the 1 Kilometer race and were between 7 and 13 years of age. Their momentum and dedication kept them right on track among the adults for the first round. Next year Lebanon Water Festival will plan on creating an additional category for the minors, under 10 years old.
Thirty-one participants took the departure and the races ended in less than one hour and included participants from Germany and France. The event gathered a large crowd and the atmosphere is as always good humor and fun! The objective is to have fun and to give oneself a good chance to race. Many previous competitors ended the season with injuries, which left out about 7 participants form the 4K men’s race.
Results for the Juniors 1 kilometer were very tight, with seconds separating them:
1st place Thomas Khoury (13 years) in 14’04”
2nd place Rhea Bassil (13 years) in 14’09”
3rd place Kala Ghosn (11 years) in 14’10”
2 Kilometer Women:
1st place Alexandra Talty in 24’25”
2nd place Sabine Jabbour in 24’40”
3rd place Tatiana Fares in 33’38”
2 kilometer Men were 12 men competed avidly:
1st place Moussa Hanna in 18’24”
2nd place Ziad Bassil in 19’16”
3rd place Jack Nassour n 21’19 »
4 Kilometer Women:
1st place Caroline Raphael in 35’22”, overall 3rd place in 4 K
2nd place Tania Kisserli in 39’50”, overall 4th place in 4K
3rd place Diane Ferjane in 42’36”, overall 5th in 4K
4 Kilometer Men:
1st place Jad Ghosn in 30’06”
2nd place Ziad Yazbeck in 30’09”
3rd place Ingo Janssen, from Germany, in 43’47”
Stand up Paddle is an all year sport which allows people to practice all year round. Next year the season will start early in May, with one race a month and leading up the final race early October.