A few weeks back we too a look at the APP Website wondering if they are ever coming out with a tour plan for 2024. We are into the 2nd quarter of the year and have not heard anything official from them. Most of them were in a TBC or “coming soon” status. As of right now the APP has two confirmed events in 2024: The Busan Open in October and the Gran Canaria Open in December.
We were in touch with Tristan Boxford CEO of the APP Tour in the last days and wanted to know more info about the APP Tour Plan and in particular, the Hawaii leg that was set for July 24. – 28. The initial plan was to partner up with M2O, but things did not work out in time for this year. That was the statement. The APP decided to hold off and therefore the event disappeared from their website. However we were also assured that the event in Spain and the Middle East Finale are confirmed and that a big announcement is planned and should come out shortly
Looking at an event in Hawaii or particularly Maui, Tristan Boxford mentioned that having a Maliko Run event would be a great idea but makes no sense commercially. We can only agree on that, SUP in its traditional form, barely exists anymore in Hawaii. Everybody has moved on to Downwind Foiling. Therefore it is a very hard sell to bring a big SUP race back to Maui or Hawaii in general. Give the situation, this bags the question what the APP would have organized with the M2O. Looking at the participants list of the M2O in the SUP Division the only two names crossing the channel this summer are Shuri Araki and Itzel Delgado. A race like the M2O takes preparation and quite a bit of a budget to pay for all the logistics. How the APP would have gotten more athletes to participate in this race and done a live production like they always do remains a question.