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| Sonni Hönscheid of Germany and Michael Booth of Australia Capture Elite Carolina Cup Titles | 
Sonni Hönscheid runs to the finish line at the 2018 Carolina Cup - Courtesy Robert B Butler | “I had a good start, which is rare for me, and was third around the first buoy. I am super happy with that,” said Hönscheid, the fifth-ranked women’s paddler in the world. “I tried to gain distance in the downwind before the first inlet. Fiona was in front of me, but I knew I could catch her in the flatwater, and I did. She was behind me for a while so, I kept my pace out there. Once I returned to the ocean for the final leg, I felt relaxed, had a good time and a good race.” “Interestingly, some of the athletes that are ocean paddlers loved the conditions,” said race director Mark Schmidt. “The race had a strong side-shore wind angling from the Northeast and mainly East. Racers who knew how to work the waves and the runners had no problem, but for some, it was a problem.” “In previous times the wind
worked against me because I didn’t have the skills to compete at that level,”
said fourth-ranked men’s pro Michael Booth. “But, we’ve been working hard
back home in Perth, and the conditions for the Wrightsville Beach race
are the same as I train in every day. When I looked out the morning of
the race, I thought, “This is just like home. You can do this.” To have
it pay off, in the end, is really great.”
Michael Booth at the 2018 Carolina Cup awards ceremony - Courtesy Robert B Butler “It feels fantastic to win the Graveyard. Ever since I joined this sport I’ve really wanted to win this race,” said Booth. “This is such a major race in the sport, to have my name on the list of champions is really special.” Following his victory in the elite standup paddleboard category, Booth captured a second Graveyard Race title in the surfski class. Due to growing demand, an elite Graveyard Race was added to the 2018 schedule to include surfski, double-ski, OC-1, and OC-2 (see media site for results). All races for the week originated and ended at Blockade Runner Beach Resort, the official resort of the Carolina Cup. Organized by the Wrightsville Beach Paddle Club, affiliated with the newly formed Paddle League, and sanctioned by the World Paddle Association (WPA), the Quiksilver Waterman Carolina Cup attracted paddlers from more than 20 countries and most US states. About 20-percent of the athletes were from North Carolina – a rough estimate provided by Schmidt. Competitors included Olympians, world-record holders, champions, professionals, amateurs, and first-time paddlers. A partial list of winners: The Graveyard Race – SUP Men’s Elite (13-miles / 21km)
Women’s Elite (13-miles /
21km)
The Harbor Island Recreational Race – SUP Harbor Island Men (3-mile
open race)
Harbor Island Women (3-mile
open race)
The Money Island Open – SUP Money Island Men (6-mile
open race)
Money Island Women (6-mile
open race)
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