Shuri Araki and Csillag Kocsis Dominate in Turkey

Double victories for Japan and Hungary, impressive performances from Germany’s next generation, and an enthusiastic Turkish SUP community made the SUP Cup Kemer in Antalya a fitting conclusion to the 2026 international racing season.

The international SUP racing season may be winding down, but there was still plenty of action on the water in Turkey. The SUP Cup Kemer brought together established international stars, rising young talents, and an enthusiastic local SUP community for one of the final racing events of 2026.

Following the World Championships in Sabaudia, Italy, many athletes welcomed the opportunity to finish their season in a more relaxed atmosphere. However, the competition was anything but casual, with several internationally recognized racers lining up in both the Long Distance and Technical Race disciplines.

At the top of the results were two familiar names: Japan’s Shuri Araki and Hungary’s Csillag Kocsis, who each claimed victories in both disciplines.

Shrimpy Dominates the Men’s Competition

Japan’s Shuri Araki demonstrated his outstanding form once again, taking a convincing victory in the men’s Open Long Distance with a time of 1:18:16.40.

Denmark’s Christian Andersen finished second in 1:19:30.35, just under 74 seconds behind the Japanese athlete.

The battle for third place delivered one of the most interesting results of the event. Germany’s Benyam Bossack, born in 2009, secured the final podium position in 1:22:05.83. Just 5.17 seconds behind him was fellow German Andri Hack, born in 2011, who finished fourth.

Both young athletes finished ahead of experienced Dutch racer Joep van Bakkel, who took fifth place in 1:22:34.30.

For Germany, these results are particularly encouraging. Bossack already demonstrated his international potential with a silver medal in the junior Long Distance at the World Championships in Sabaudia. His podium finish in the Open category in Kemer is another strong indication of his development.

Andri Hack’s fourth place is equally remarkable. At just 15 years old, he is already showing that he can compete with established international athletes.

Men’s Open Long Distance – Top 10

Shuri Araki (JPN) – 1:18:16.40
Christian Andersen (DEN) – 1:19:30.35
Benyam Bossack (GER) – 1:22:05.83
Andri Hack (GER) – 1:22:11.00
Joep van Bakkel (NED) – 1:22:34.30
Egor Mizonov (AIN) – 1:23:16.90
Maksim Merkulov (AIN) – 1:23:31.00
Ruslan Garaev (AIN) – 1:26:38.70
Linus Karlsson (SWE) – 1:27:56.50
Dmitry Sudakov (AIN) – 1:28:25.30

Araki Wins the Technical Race – Same Three Athletes on the Podium

The men’s Technical Race produced exactly the same podium as the Long Distance.

Shuri Araki secured his second victory of the event, completing the Technical Race Final in 4:49.29.

Christian Andersen once again finished second, crossing the line in 4:56.16, just 6.87 seconds behind the Japanese racer.

Germany’s Benyam Bossack completed an outstanding weekend with another third-place finish in 5:13.29. His two podium results in the Open category are particularly impressive considering his young age.

Bulgaria’s Andrii Kraitor finished fourth in 5:19.08, followed by Ruslan Garaev in fifth and Egor Mizonov in sixth.

The result underlined Araki’s dominance in Kemer, while Andersen and Bossack demonstrated remarkable consistency across both racing disciplines.

Men’s Open Technical Race – Final

Shuri Araki (JPN) – 4:49.29
Christian Andersen (DEN) – 4:56.16
Benyam Bossack (GER) – 5:13.29
Andrii Kraitor (BUL) – 5:19.08
Ruslan Garaev (AIN) – 5:28.30
Egor Mizonov (AIN) – 5:37.93
Selwyn Pritchard (NED) – 5:49.40
Milosz Sytnik (POL) – 6:26.06

Csillag Kocsis Celebrates Two Victories

In the women’s competition, Hungary’s Csillag Kocsis was equally dominant, winning both the Long Distance and Technical Race.

Kocsis completed the Long Distance in 1:27:13.60, finishing 4 minutes and 40.90 seconds ahead of Natalia Novitskaia, who took second place.

Third went to another promising young athlete, Marin Hoeboer from the Netherlands. Born in 2010, Hoeboer finished in 1:35:49.90, demonstrating that the next generation of female SUP racers is also making its presence felt.

Poland’s Hanna Kaminska, who reached the sprint podium at the World Championships in Sabaudia, finished fifth.

Women’s Open Long Distance – Top 10

Csillag Kocsis (HUN) – 1:27:13.60
Natalia Novitskaia (AIN) – 1:31:54.50
Marin Hoeboer (NED) – 1:35:49.90
Elena Khashina (AIN) – 1:37:14.50
Hanna Kaminska (POL) – 1:38:40.10
Virsaviia Pakhomova (AIN) – 1:39:19.00
Anastasia Pomorina (AIN) – 1:40:41.30
Alena Gerasimova (AIN) – 1:41:30.80
Alena Libanova (AIN) – 1:44:23.30
Elin van der Sar (NED) – 1:48:49.80

Kocsis Completes the Double – Hanna Kaminska Takes Bronze

The women’s Technical Race Final saw Csillag Kocsis continue her winning streak, taking another convincing victory in 5:31.21.

Natalia Novitskaia once again finished second in 5:45.74, securing her second silver medal of the event.

Poland’s Hanna Kaminska improved on her fifth-place finish in the Long Distance to claim third place in 5:56.37.

Young Dutch talent Marin Hoeboer narrowly missed another podium, finishing fourth in 6:08.79, followed by Elena Khashina and Virsaviia Pakhomova.

With two victories, Kocsis matched Araki’s achievement in the men’s competition. Both athletes finished their Kemer appearance undefeated across the two Open disciplines.

Women’s Open Technical Race – Final

Csillag Kocsis (HUN) – 5:31.21
Natalia Novitskaia (AIN) – 5:45.74
Hanna Kaminska (POL) – 5:56.37
Marin Hoeboer (NED) – 6:08.79
Elena Khashina (AIN) – 6:20.45
Virsaviia Pakhomova (AIN) – 6:24.18
Anastasia Pomorina (AIN) – 6:32.57
Elin van der Sar (NED) – 6:40.29

More Than Just Racing – A Growing SUP Community in Turkey

Beyond her two victories, Csillag Kocsis was particularly enthusiastic about the atmosphere surrounding the event.

In a social media post following the competition, she described how special it had been to share the experience with her family and meet so many welcoming people.

She was especially impressed by the local SUP community, writing:

“I have to say the sup community in Turkey is impressive, everyone is super curios and enthusiastic to learn.”

Kocsis expressed her hope that the sport would continue to grow in Turkey and that more local athletes would eventually make their way onto the international racing circuit.

She also thanked the organizers, particularly Orkun Orka, for their hospitality and support.

For Kocsis, the event was the ideal way to end the season following the pressure of the World Championships. She described the experience as simply enjoying racing on the sea without the pressure of expectations.

Romanian athlete Andrei Kraitor shared a similarly positive impression of the event.

Kraitor described the SUP Cup Kemer as his final competition of 2026, praising the strong international field and the large local crowd. He also used the opportunity to test Starboard SUP equipment.

These reactions highlight an important aspect of the SUP Cup Kemer: the event was not only about bringing international athletes to Turkey but also about connecting them with an emerging local racing community.

A Promising Future for SUP Racing in Turkey

The SUP Cup Kemer brought together competitors from across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, demonstrating the international appeal of SUP racing.

For the established athletes, the event offered a chance to finish the season on a positive note. For younger competitors, it provided valuable experience against world-class opposition. And for the Turkish SUP community, it was an opportunity to learn from some of the sport’s leading racers.

From a competitive perspective, the double victories of Shuri Araki and Csillag Kocsis were the defining results of the event. Germany’s Benyam Bossack and Andri Hack also deserve special recognition for their impressive performances in the men’s Long Distance.

But perhaps the biggest winner was the local SUP community itself.

With strong international participation, enthusiastic local support, and positive feedback from the athletes, Kemer has demonstrated its potential as a destination for international SUP racing.

If the organizers can build on this momentum, the SUP Cup Kemer could become a welcome fixture on the international racing calendar in the years ahead.