Supconnect Polls 2016 Winners

SAN DIEGO, California - After a month-long period of nominating and voting for your SUP favorites of 2016 the final winners for the 2016 Supconnect Polls are here! In the last week or so the voting really started heating up with new leaders in each category every day. The battles were intense all the way to the finish but only one nominee made it on top when the clock struck midnight on the last day of November. So without further ado, here are the winners for the Supconnect Polls 2016.

Paddler of the Year: Irek Iron Biernacki 

An avid stand up paddle enthusiast, 59-year-old Irek took part in a project to cross with twenty Flis Odrzanskie in the days at the end of June through the beginning of July on the Odra river in Poland, a length of approx. 655 km. He is the first man in Poland who defeated such a long stretch of the river Odra on a SUP, and even received a certificate for the feat!

SUP Photo of the Year: Ajlon Franczyk 

SUP Video of the Year: Kimo Kersting

SUP Event of the Year: SUPerTrójka 

Photo: Dariusz Orlicz

In Polish: Przygoda. Tylko tak można opisać to co udało się osiągnąć SUPerTrójce. Warszawa- Gdańsk, pokonane na SUPie, czyli desce z wiosłem w zaledwie 7,5 dnia! Zdani tylko na siebie przemierzyli 450 kilometrów Wisły, by sprawdzić swoje siły i wypromować ten coraz popularniejszy sport. Mimo przeciwności takich jak słaby nurt, wiatr w twarz, awarie i upały zaczęli i skończyli w dobrych humorach. Pływanie po 12-14 h dziennie! SUPerTrójka to mieszanka wybuchowa, która okazała się receptą na wszystko. Ich przyjaźń z Wisłą? Specyficzna i mistyczna. Ilona Franczyk – pierwsza kobieta, której udało się przepłynąć z Warszawy do Gdańska i jednocześnie pokonując 450km! Daniel Styn i Mateusz Milewski! zdjęciowa: Dariusz Orlicz

English translation: The only way to describe what has been achieved at SUPerTrójce is Warsaw-Gdańsk, defeated on Supí, which is a board with a paddle in just 7.5 days! They only relied on themselves and crossed 450 km of the Vistula, to test their strength and promote this increasingly popular sport. Despite the adversity, such as weak stream, the wind in your face, failures and heat everyone started and finished in a good mood.

SUP Journey of the Year: Searching for Sero 

Searching for Sero, somewhere in North America. | Photo: John Rathwell

Searching for Sero is a mental wellness photography project created by professional photographer, John Rathwell and writer, Tracy Guenard. Sero being short for serotonin is the chemical believed to contribute to the feeling of happiness. The project centers itself around Rathwell and Guenard traveling in their VW Westfalia camper van around North America on the search to find and share stories of people “who are passionate about outdoor adventure as the key to happiness, well-being and balance in their lives.” Learn more about Searching for Sero HERE.

SUP Couple of the Year: Maren Lutz & Ole Schwarz 

SUP Destination of the Year: Odra River, Poland

Mundaka 

Congratulations to all the nominees and the winners for each category in the Supconnect Polls. 2016 was definitely an eventful year and we look forward to all that is to come in the new year! To see a full list of all the nominees in the 2016 Supconnect Polls, Click HERE.

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