Hano Hano Race Report from E.J. Johnson
Race recap from Starboard SUP Team Rider “E.J.” Johnson of the Hano Hano race on January 29th:
This was my 5th year participating in this great event and it is now evident this past weekend that SUP racing is here to stay! With a total of 162 SUP entrants, compared to my 1st year with less than a dozen. The most impressive was the women’s increased presence with 44 on 12’6″ and 5 on Unlimited. Mens 12’6″ with 49 / Mens over 50 with 16 / Mens 14′ with 33 / Unlimited Mens with 15.
The course was 4.7 mi in the protected waters of Mission Bay in San Diego Ca, with staggered start with OC 1 and 2’s /Surf Skis 1st, all SUP’s, then traditional prone paddle board. The conditions were perfect for a So Cal winter, clocking in at 65 degrees F, when the rest of the country is sub zero! California is awesome…
I raced my 14′ ACE against a field of 33, and was stoked with 2nd place finish, it was a battle from the very start , bumping rails and paddles. As the pack spread out, different drafting packs developed, the one I ended up in one that consisted of an unlimited, a 12′ 6″ and two 14’s. We switched off leads a few times, to share the load. I personally am not a huge fan of drafting, but when it’s on you gotta go or get left behind! So at the finish we all split the last 300′ and sprinted it out. The first place 14′ (Eric Stearns) was 14 seconds in front and third place (Jim Terrell) was only 5 seconds behind.
Great job to my Starboard teammates: Nikki Gregg – 5th place 12’6″, Dan Gavere – 4th place 12′ 6″, and our latest new up and coming 12 year old grom, Nick Scheel, placed 2nd in his division.
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