The much anticipated Red Bull Heavy Water event proved to be spectacular in every sense: a core group of the best of the best took on what was without doubt the single most challenging race yet, as history was made in San Francisco.

Check out the Official Highlights from the event by going to: www.redbull.com/heavywater and www.watermanleague.com. Please also stay tuned for more content to be released over the coming month as we lead up to a full length TV special as part of a Waterman League series on CBS Sports.

It has been a stellar year for the young Champion from Pukalani, on the Island of Maui, as Connor Baxter (Starboard) has proved himself dominant across the Long Distance Races on the World Championship Series (winning all but one), and consistently in the top finishers in the World Series Sprint races to secure his second World Title in 2016.

Having managed to pull back the ratings lead prior to Red Bull Heavy Water at home on Maui, with a second place overall for the event and another bullet distance win, he caught the red eye over to Maui to take on what he described as ‘by far the hardest and gnarliest races I have competed in.’

While Connor had managed to take the ratings lead after Maui, if #2 Casper Steinfath (Naish) finished in the top 3 in San Francisco, then it would be the Dane who would secure the coveted World Title in 2016. So that being said, the pressure on the 2014 World Champion was significant coming into the final race of the season.

Connor dealt with it flawlessely, as he handled everything mother nature had to throw at him, inclusive of a buckled board on a wipeout in the shorebreak, to take victory in Red Bull Heavy Water, pick up the single biggest winners’ check to date ($20,000) and secure his 2nd World Title. Not a bad week for the young talent from Maui!

Congratulations go out to our new World Champion on a phenomenal year and make sure to check out the highlights from Red Bull Heavy Water and Maui at the links below:

1. Red Bull Heavy Water: www.redbull.com/heavywater / www.watermanleague.com
2. Maui Sprints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgCS7kpIPns
3. Maui Long Distance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lDdzbquhDA 

Fiona Wylde continues to assert herself as one of the most dominant women in the sport, with Finals berths in World Championship Tour Surfing and now securing her first World Title in the racing after an impressive year on the World Series.

It all started in Japan with a victory in the long distance race and a 2nd in the sprints, securing her 2nd place at Stop 1 behind Angie Jackson and ahead of 2015 World Champion Candice Appleby (Infinity SUP).

The Race then moved on the Germany for the Mercedes-Benz SUP World Cup, where Fiona triumphed in the sprint racing, but was unable to take down the local hero Sonni Honscheid in the long distance, having to settle for 2nd place overall for the event.

It then all came down to Maui, with the yellow jersey on her back, she set out to secure her first overall event win of the season after two 2nd place finishes in Japan and Germany, starting off her campaign well with a dominant win in the Long distance race from Maliko to Kanaha in perfect downwind conditions.

With Ho’okipa firing all cylinders on day 2 for the Sprints, Fiona looked strong out of the gate in Round 1, but came up against one of the bigger sets of the day and got taken out. Despite the set back, Fiona was able to claw her way back to 2nd place. In Round 2, another misstep had her finishing in 3rd place, but in the 3rd and final round, she made no mistakes, taking a convincing win, the sprint win for the day and the event win for the weekend, thereby securing the Title.

A big congratulations go out to Fiona on a phenomenal year and her maiden World Title, as we look forward to see what is to come for this young, well rounded Champion in 2017 and beyond. Make sure to check out the highlights from the World Series Finals on Maui and stay tuned to www.watermanleague.com

It has been an incredible year for the Dane, Casper Steinfath (Naish), as he was able to take the victory overall in Japan with a win in the sprints and 3rd place in the long distance. This made him the first man to be able to get the jump on the 2 archrivals that have been battling at the top for years now, Connor Baxter (Starboard) and Kai Lenny (Naish).

He then moved onto Germany wearing the yellow jersey, as the ratings leader. Another powerful performance in the sprint racing saw him take victory on day 1, coupled with a 4th place in the long distance on Day 2 saw him in 2nd overall behind Connor for the event. However, in the overall World Rankings, Casper was still just ahead of Connor going into Maui, with their best long distances and best sprint results counting towards the overall ratings.

Day 1 in Maui was tough for Casper to swallow, with Connor and Kai obviously at home here on the World famous ‘Maliko Run’, meaning that this initial race would fit into Casper’s throwaways, but a result that also enabled Connor to gain real ground with the win in the long distance.

On the final day in Maui though, Casper looked strong throughout the day, but then faltered when it mattered in the semi-finals, forcing him into the consolation finals. However, this only seemed to fuel the young Dane’s hunger however, as Casper was able to not only take the win in this heat, earning him one of 2 last spots in the Final, but also take the win overall for the sprint racing, a phenomenal achievement on the ‘Maui Boys’ home turf.

Moving on into Red Bull Heavy Water, Connor had the slight lead on Casper (750pts), and while Connor couldn’t improve on his overall standings, Casper could. With a 3rd or better, Casper would be able to secure his maiden World Title in San Francisco.

While it wasn’t to be for Casper in 2016, with a 4th place finish leaving him in 2nd overall for the year, what it did show is that Casper is every bit World Champion material, with the skill, stamina and will to perform when it counts. There is absolutely no doubt that Casper Steinfath will be a serious threat for years to come, and that Denmark has real potential to bring home a World Title through this young Champion.

Check out the highlights from the year on the Waterman League Youtube Channel and stay tuned to www.watermanleague.com

Angela Jackson finishes in 2nd equal overall in 2016 – with a shortened year and each event taking that much more importance as a result, Angela’s solid performance back in Japan really set her up for a strong and well deserved finish this year.

Angela has been one of the leading contenders on the World Series over the past few years and continues to be a major force to be reckoned with as we look ahead to 2017 and beyond. Her performance in Japan is a testament to her love for the location and support in the region as she put on an impressive performance across both the long distance and then through victory in the sprint racing discipline, giving her the win overall for the event.

Check out more from Japan, Germany and Hawaii on the Waterman League Youtube Channel and stay tuned for important updates regarding groundbreaking developments here at the Waterman League over the coming weeks at www.watermanleague.com

Kai Lenny (Naish) once again put on impressive performances throughout the year in 2017, with a strong finish in the sprint racing in Japan, a close 2nd in the long distance and a 3rd place in the sprint racing in Maui earning him the overall event win at home on the North Shore.

The downwind and surf conditions suited Kai perfectly, as he battled with Connor for the win for the entire duration of the long distance and cruised his way through the rounds of the sprint elimination, to fall short to an on fire Casper Steinfath (Naish) and Zane Schweitzer (Starboard) who took 1st and 2nd respectively.

Coming into San Francisco, while he was not in a position to take the World Title, he could certainly upset the two battling for the win, as the pounding surf at Ocean Beach inspired the 3x Race World Champion to step up. Leading coming into the final beach turn at Ocean Beach, Kai mistimed his last run out to get caught in a flurry of waves, allowing 2016 World Champion Connor Baxter (Starboard) to slip through and establish a lead.

While Kai was able to claw some distance back on the straights round Land’s End and under Golden Gate Bridge, it was not enough to take the win, forcing Kai to settle fgor 2nd place and a healthy $10,000 pay day, and secure 3rd place overall for the season in 2016.

Make sure to check out all the highlights from the year at the Waterman League Youtube Channeland stay tuned for important announcements regarding the 2017 season coming shortly at www.watermanleague.com

Sonni Honscheid has long been one of the most feared paddlers on a distance course, with stamina and competitive fire to take down the very best in the world. Coming into the German stop of the World Series this year, all eyes were on Sonni to perform in front of a home crowd, in addition to the fact that her headline sponsor Mercedes-Benz was also Title Sponsor of the Mercedez-Benz SUP World Cup.

Perform she did, with a 2nd place finish in the sprints on day 1, and using her competitive smarts and phenomenal stamina, Sonni was able to take the win in her favoured long distance race on day 2. With the tie breaker for Germany being the long distance, much to the delight of the local crowds, Sonni was able to secure 1st place overall for the event.

This set her up perfectly for the overall, tying with Angie Jackson for second overall, as we now set up for a significantly transformed season for 2017, as the World’s best will be challenged across the globe in the quest for the World Championship Crown.

Stay tuned to www.watermanleague.com for all the info and check out highlights from the year at the Waterman League youtube channel