March 26, 2015
by Christopher Parker (@wheresbossman)

Travis Grant Topples Titouan Puyo At The NBS Race In New Caledonia


 
Travis Grant toppled Titouan Puyo at home in New Caledonia last weekend, taking out the Downwind/Beach Race double at the NBS Race.

These two guys are a couple of the world’s premiere bump riders. While you may think “Connor” and “Kalama” when you think downwind supremos, Travis and Titou are both firmly on the top level as well. These guys have a sixth sense for reading the ocean, and if the wind is blowing and the bumps are running, you’ll struggle to keep them in sight.

However the duo have never raced head-to-head until now.

 
Unfortunately we didn’t get to see the head-to-head match-up that we’d been waiting for in Saturday’s downwind race: Trav was on a 14 footer while Titou used his trusty 12’6. The Aussie crossed a minute and a half ahead of his local counterpart, though it’s hard to tell how much of that advantage came from an extra foot and a half of foam under his feet.

(Another reason we need to do away with having two almost identical but totally separate board classes.)

Local dark horse Franck Muller was third, while future name-to-watch, Clement Colmas, was next over the line.

Trav backed up his downwind result by taking the Beach Race on Sunday, this time racing the same board class as Titou. Though Titouan’s specialty is the downwinder, so we’ll have to wait for another day before we see these two titans duke it out side by side.

The Noumea Board Shop Race, hosted by a local retailer of the same name, was a further showcase of New Cal’s paddling paradise.

Results from the Downwinder are below and there are hundreds of pics on Facebook: Downwinder gallery | Beach Race gallery

#NameTimeClass
1Travis Grant00:52:25Men's 14'
2Titouan Puyo00:54:00Men's 12'6
3Franck Muller00:55:19Men's 14'
4Clement Colmas00:57:11Men's 12'6
5Arnaud Bouyé00:58:04Men's 12'6
6Jean Louis Colmas00:58:27Men's 14'
7David Anewy00:58:40Men's 12'6
8Alexandre Rouys00:59:01Men's 14'
9Bruno Masson00:59:20Men's 14'
10Mario Tranier01:00:05Men's 14'
11Axel Lux01:00:26Men's 14'
12Erwan Bouvier01:00:34Men's 14'
13Olivier Garioud01:01:41Men's 14'
14Philippe Bui01:02:32Men's 12'6
15Fabrice Chaminade01:03:17Men's 14'
16Yann Clavel01:03:37Men's 14'
17Alain Turquetil01:03:51Men's 14'
18Michel Hauata01:04:02Men's 12'6
19Benji Claveau01:04:07Men's 12'6
20Kaheva Mahiota01:05:32Men's 14'
21Pehi Aniamioi01:05:37Men's 14'
22Théau Gontard01:06:24Men's 12'6
23Grégory Taero01:06:30Men's 14'
24Jérémie Mandin01:06:42Men's 12'6
25Renato Mercuri01:07:32Men's 14'
26Lionel Radigue01:08:02Men's 14'
27Jean-Philippe Chabal01:08:35Men's 12'6
28Téva Tapati01:08:39Men's 14'
29Marie-Bénédicte Roger01:09:00Women's 14'
30Miranda Tane Sanson01:09:00Women's 12'6
31Liam Golis-Tuyen01:09:01Men's 12'6
32Michel Pierre Sempere01:11:54Men's 14'
33Vincent Berger01:12:52Men's 12'6
34Isabelle Faget01:12:53Women's 12'6
35Benoit Maritan01:14:39Men's 14'
36Stéphane Amatredjo01:15:46Men's 14'
37Nancy Tuyen01:15:46Women's 14'
38Mickaël Cucchi01:16:52Men's 12'6
39Tepua Chabal01:18:05Women's 12'6
40Sonia Dumas01:18:58Women's 12'6
41Remy Guieba01:20:47Men's 14'
42Frederic Durand01:22:11Men's 12'6
43Stephane Moussan01:25:47Men's 14'
44Francoise Marmey01:26:22Women's 12'6
45Herve Scholash01:28:27Men's 12'6
46Gregoire Prigent01:29:53Men's 12'6
47Valerie Lignon01:35:30Women's 12'6
48Laure Canto01:35:43Women's 12'6
49Christine Mitride01:38:23Women's 12'6