Singapore Ocean Cup 2022

WORDS: STEVE TAYLOR | IMAGES: XAVIER KEUTCH PHOTOGRAPHY AND STEVE TAYLOR

At the first opportunity for quarantine free travel, the paddle sports section was extremely excited to attend the Singapore Ocean Cup, which resumed after a two-year break. 20 members travelled down to Sentosa Island and joined crews from Hawaii, Australia, Taiwan and the Philippines in what turned out to be their largest event ever with over 500 paddlers competing. Run in a regatta format over two days, meant for lots of exciting races as individual and crews battled it out through heats and finals on the Singapore straights, a complicated body of water with strong tidal flows and lots of challenging currents.

Two of our members almost didn’t make it after remarking at Singapore airports efficiency over

Redaelli in bronze. Honorable mentions go to absent member Erin Juhl in 4th with Amy De Vera and Jill Carroll both placing well. Was this setting things up for the blue-ribbon event the women’s OC6 long course? Another honorable mention to Stuart Carroll helming the HK United crew to 4th place in the OC6 men’s Plate Final.

After a quiet night of recovery and navigating the party survivors from Zouk Out an all-night dance festival next to the race venue, Sunday brought another round of exciting races with the women’s OC6 passing comfortably through the heats. This author participated in the men’s OC1 long course, taking 7th place splitting the Hawaiians but a long way behind paddling legends Tupuria King, Jim Foti, his brother and 3 kids! Now for the premier race, the women’s OC6 long course final. Nerves were kicking in and adrenaline pumping as they lined up on the most competitive start line this season, with the Hawaiians as favorites, SPC women captained by ex-member Sarah Burke and our friend Emies from the VRC and HKOCC plus 3 other crews from around the world. After a frantic start, navigating the islands, currents and boat wake the cry went out “this is our kind of water ladies”, prompting a big push for the finish and glory! A gold medal well won against tough competition, covering the 16km course in 1h 27m 18s.

A big thank you to Race Director RHKYC alumni Jeremy Young and Singapore Paddle Club for their hospitality and organizing an amazing weekend bringing together the global paddling ‘Ohana’. A great opportunity for some hard racing, catch up with old friends and make new ones. dinner, then remembering they had forgot to collect their paddles from the baggage carousel!

First to collect a medal was Clarissa Becker comfortably taking gold in the women’s OC1 short course. Next up was the OC6 mixed crew, collecting a silver medal in an incident packed race where Duncan ‘the hulk’ Smith, snapped his paddle in the opening couple of kilometers and this author lost his favorite sunglasses to the depths, retrieving the spare! Closely following was the women’s OC1 long course where some of our paddlers jumped from one race to the next. Displaying the strength of the women’s OC section Christina Park took gold in 1hour 13mins and 51secs, closely followed by women’s Captain Martina