GUADELOUPE --A team of nine Sint Maarten surfski paddlers travelled to Guadeloupe on the weekend to take part in the Guadeloupe Ocean Racing Championships.
The small team achieved excellent results, with Lidwien Weitenberg winning gold in the female veteran age group and also finishing the first female overall. Maya Speetjens also won gold in the female cadet age group (under 16) and was fourth female overall. Juan Pablo Piscione and Rikke Speetjens both won bronze in the male and female veteran categories respectively.
The 14km race was held between Saint Rose and Grande Anse, with a shorter 7km race for younger paddlers from Cloony Beach to Grande Anse. Conditions were close to perfect, with a moderate wind blowing and a small, technical swell to make the race more exciting. The sea flattened out over the last km as the competitors rounded the headland into Grande Anse, making a tough finish for everyone.
