FCS Sup Team with Top Performance in HI

FCS Stand Up Paddle Team riders Danny Ching, Candice Appleby, and Slater Trout once again claimed top finishes during the BOP Hi, cementing even further their status as an all-star sup lineup.

Candice Appleby, winner of the elite women race, taking a few strokes with FCS Sup leash in action.

Visit FCS Sup to see the stand up paddle gear offering.

WAIKIKI, Hawaii (May 20, 2011) – Despite steep competition and an ever growing number of participants, the FCS stand up paddle team came first in the distance race with Danny Ching, first in the women’s elite race with Candice Appleby, and second and fourth in the men’s elite race with Danny Ching and teenage phenomenon Slater Trout, respectively, marking yet another top performance by FCS’ elite team riders. As stand up paddle boarding continues to reach new heights, FCS Sup division is proud to represent and support this all-star lineup.

Race conditions at this year’s Battle of the Paddle Hawaii were highly demanding, including not only wind chop and waves but also tight buoy turns and beach runs. Nevertheless, Ching clinched the distance race with a substantial lead, repeating his feat from last year; Candice added yet another elite race win to her resume; and Trout reaffirmed his acclaimed standing as one of the world’s greatest teenage stand up paddlers.

“It was really hard,” said Slater Trout moments after the race. “But I had a good race. I trained really hard for it and I was really focused. I came out and did my best and the best was fourth today. And hopefully the next time the best is first. I'm really fortunate to be here and to be a part of this all. The fact is that I'm only sixteen and that I'll be racing five hundred more of these in my life. I'm looking forward to it.”

Conditions were highly demanding not only of the athletes but also of the gear, offering rigorous testing for their FCS equipment, among which are Slater Trout’s signature fin and a race specific leash designed in conjunction with Maui local Sam Pa’e.

“We are excited with the finished product,” said Slater Trout of his signature fin. “It took a couple of months of trying a bunch of different stuff to get to this. I'm really stoked with the way it rides. This fin has changed my performance over the past couple of months of racing. I use it in Hawaii. I use it in California. I use it all over the world and it works in every condition.”

And on the race-specific sup leash, Candice had similar remarks. “It's a great leash for racing downwind, surf races, or even flat water. It has a partial coil, so that way the leash doesn't drag in the water. You don't have anything pulling you back. If you fall, it has a nice spring to it. It brings your board right back to you. And on downwinders, it makes it really easy to walk up and down the board and catching bumps. It's a really great all around leash for racing. I love using it and it has helped me out a lot.”

The Slater Trout FCS signature sup race fin and the sup race leash are now available in stores. The Danny Ching signature race fin will be hitting shelves sometime fall or winter 2011.

About FCS Sup

FCS revolutionized the surfboard market with its fin control system and since then it has worked with the world’s top athletes to deliver cutting-edge and performance-driven surf gear. Among these top athletes is none other than 10x surfing world champion Kelly Slater. Bringing its equipment design experience to the stand up paddle market, FCS Sup is now working with an all all-star lineup, including names like Danny Ching, Candice Appleby, and Slater Trout, developing a full set of sup equipment, from sup fins and leashes to sup bags and beyond. Learn more about our sup gear offering at FCS Sup.

Do you have any experience to share from using FCS Sup gear? Let us know.

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