Baxter captures Pan Am gold
Connor Baxter celebrates with an American flag after winning the men’s SUP race at the Pan American Games on Friday in Peru. -- LATINWIRE photo
Connor Baxter catches a wave as he heads to a win in the men’s SUP race at the Pan Am Games. -- LATINWIRE photo
Athletes compete in the men’s SUP race final Friday. -- AP photo
Connor Baxter celebrates with an American flag after winning the men’s SUP race at the Pan American Games on Friday in Peru. -- LATINWIRE photo
Connor Baxter catches a wave as he heads to a win in the men’s SUP race at the Pan Am Games. -- LATINWIRE photo
Athletes compete in the men’s SUP race final Friday. -- AP photo
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Maui's Connor Baxter claimed the gold medal in the first-ever stand-up paddleboard race final at the Pan American Games on Friday in Lima, Peru.
With surfing making its debut at the Pan Am Games, it seemed only fitting that the 24-year-old Baxter -- who has been a dominant figure in SUP since he was a teenager -- would be the event's first champion.
Baxter completed the three-mile course through the main surf break at Punta Rocas beach in a time of 24 minutes, 28.7 seconds. Brazil's Vinnicius Martins (25:51.3) placed second and Peru's Itzel Delgado (26:24.3) took bronze.
"Beyond stoked to take the gold medal and bring it back home to my friends and family," Baxter said.
Brazil's Lena Guimaraes beat out American Candice Appleby in the women's SUP race.
Surfing's inclusion in the Pan American Games in the lead-up to its Olympic debut in next year's Tokyo Games comes as the International Surfing Association and International Canoe Federation fight over where SUP belongs.
ISA president Fernando Aguerre said the first SUP gold medals at the Pan Am Games marked a historic day for surfing. When Baxter crossed the finish line, Aguerre hugged him and told him that he'd remember the moment for life.
"And (Baxter) says: 'We belong on the beach. We belong in the ISA. We're a surfing sport,' " Aguerre told The Associated Press in an office that overlooked the ocean. "And I think this is important because, as you know, we've had some challenges from the (International) Canoe Federation, and this is not really canoe. This is surfing."
Later Friday, Maui's Finn Spencer lost to Colombia's Giorgio Gomez 16.07-10.70 in a SUP surfing main round 3 heat. Spencer, who is representing Canada, will take on Brazil's Luiz Diniz today in the third repechage round.
At Callao Sports Center, Maui's Colton Cowell and the United States men's volleyball team lost to Brazil 23-25, 21-25, 25-17, 25-19, 15-9 on Friday.
Cowell came off the bench to score three points (two kills, one block) for the Americans, who finished pool play at 1-2 and are relegated to the fifth-place match against Puerto Rico today.