[Editor: The Défis Kayak race in Guadeloupe in the Caribbean took place the same weekend as the US Surfski Champs.  Stuart Knaggs sent us this report.]

Photo: Olivier Tanton

Well, the 2007 edition of the Soualiga Challenge has come and gone.  I have almost recovered from the weeks of organising and the race itself, which turned out to be pretty brutal - but more of that later.

Taking the ferry to St. Barths

We just spoke to Barry Lewin who was on the beach of St. Marteen Island in the Caribbean Netherlands Antilles...  He had just won the 24.5km Souliga Challenge in a record time (by 12 seconds) of 1:54.

(Later: Barry snatched a few minutes before prizegiving to send us these photos.)

Barry Lewin about 30min into the race

Tomorrow, 23 Sep 2007, sees the running of the St. Marteen Souliga Challenge in the Netherlands Antilles in the Caribbean.  We had an update from some of the competitors including South Africa's Barry Lewin who is competing in the race for the first time.

Stuart Knaggs and Barry Lewin paddle out from St. Maarten Island (Photo: Stuart Knaggs)