The surf at Doheny State Beach was pumping and the crowd was jumping as the prestigious 2016 Pacific Paddle Games got underway with round one of the Pro Men’s Technical Race. Hobie stand up riders competed in five of the eight heats, each full of frantic action on a course that charged repeatedly in and out of the waves. Sixteen riders entered each heat; eight qualified to continue on to Saturday’s quarterfinals.
In heat one, Hobie rider Byron Kurt, a seasoned 52 years old, easily held off all comers for the last transfer spot. “Bitching!” he said. “It’s a good, fun course. I had a bad start but a great finish.”
Hobie rider Martin Letourneur of France was squarely in the mix in heat two. He cruised back to the beach in fourth place. “Fun waves. They were bigger than I expected. It was fun and entertaining, just perfect conditions. Starting tomorrow, the serious show will begin,” he said.
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Hawaii’s Bullet Obra was up next in heat three. He led for much of the race, and was only narrowly caught when a set wave picked up another paddler. “I feel great. I feel strong,” the Hobie rider said, clearly ready for Saturday.
Hobie rider Callan Dick of Australia finished his heat in a safe sixth place, making for a quartet of semifinal qualifiers.
Colin McPhillips didn’t qualify, but the surf champion caught one of the better waves of the day. Jorge Quintana gave it a game effort in his first Pacific Paddle Games, but will also be watching the action as it continues on Saturday, when the Pro Women will join the men on the water.
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