| James Watson and Davina Drinan win the 2010 Roar Industries Ultimate SUP Expo |
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| Monday, 31 May 2010 09:16 |
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James Watson (Burleigh Heads, Qld), fought off challenges from a host of the state’s finest Stand-Up-Paddleboarders today, to impressively win the 2010 Roar Industries Ultimate SUP Expo. With Australia’s premier exponents of the specialty Stand-Up-Paddle sport converging on Currumbin Alley (Gold Coast, Qld) an action packed day saw champions crowned across three divisions as well as Queensland’s SUP team selected to compete at the upcoming Australian Titles. Overall Event Champions (surfing and racing aggregate score)
1. James Watson (Burleigh Heads, Qld) 2720 Points
1. Davina Drinan (Gold Coast, Qld) 2583 Points 1. Aaron Bitmead (2860, Qld) 2860Points Close posted a dominant combined two-wave heat total of 15.66 points (out of a possible 20) in the final, trumping his nearest rivals by more than two points. However, Close, Watson and de Aboitiz will now put rivalries aside as they unite under the Queensland Surfing Team banner having qualified to represent the state at the Australian SUP Titles in August. James Watson solidified his overall event win in the afternoon’s SUP racing component, registering a convincing first place, as over 50 competitors completed a series of intense SUP sprint rounds in Currumbin Estuary, with Watson proving his all round waterman skills edging out a gallant Trevor Hendy who was in fine form coming in second position. “I got second in last year’s event and thought I might have fallen short again after coming second to Jackson (Close) in the surfing component, but I was able to get the jump on the field in the paddle race and was lucky enough to come out on top” said Watson. Meanwhile, Davina Drinan (Gold Coast, Qld) walked away with overall honours in the Open Women division collecting big points with a win in the surfing component before going on to finish 7th in the racing and cap off a stellar weekend.
Open Men 1. Jackson Close (Coolangatta, Qld)
1. Davina Drinan (Gold Coast, Qld)
Aaron Bitmead (Miami, Qld), eventually took out the mixed Recreational division after impressively finishing first in the surfing component before backing up to post a second place in the paddle and doing more than enough to edge out Robert Pirie (Sorrento, Qld) for the title 2860 overall points to Pirie’s 2195. The highly publicized inclusion of former Iron Man Trevor Hendy lived up to the hype with the legendary waterman displaying a range of skills in the surfing component as well as excelling in the racing and proving he can more than match it with his rivals in both SUP skill and of course stamina.
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