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On Sunday, March 2, 2025, the Yokohama International SUP Marathon was held on the Ooka River, which runs through Yokohama City.
Despite being early in the season, this race was the longest in Japan at 22km, and was a grueling long race. With Minato Mirai, a symbol of Yokohama, in the background, over 150 paddlers lined up along the river. 
From KOKUA, Natsumi Baba will be competing in the elite class.
In warm weather, we took on a unique course that involved a river flowing through the city.
What makes this race unique is that, unlike typical races that are held in natural environments, it is held on a river that flows through the center of Yokohama.
The course is set up as two laps of 11km, passing under more than 20 bridge piers.
At first glance the water surface appears flat, but in reality the river is narrow, and due to the undertow and backwash that occurs immediately after the start, the conditions are constantly choppy from the start until the fleet gathers together.
Once the group begins to come together, the keys to victory are rowing power, endurance, and mental strength.
The race's outcome depended on how well the riders conserved their energy over the long distance of 22km and how well they managed to master the drafting maneuvers.
Natsumi Baba's post-race comments"It was the first race of the season and the longest at 22km. This was my third year taking on the challenge, but it was a tough race as expected.
Every year, this race is basically a solo journey, but this time he continued to lead the pack by drafting from the middle to the final kilometer.
With his physical strength approaching his limit, the race came down to a sprint in the final 500m, but he was unable to catch up and ended up in second place.
I am honestly disappointed, but I will accept this result and work even harder to improve my attitude heading into this season.
The board was a FLY PRO 21, the paddle was a KK HA Skinny, and the fins were FIA. I went in with my usual gear.
Although it is still bitterly cold, the SUP racing season has already begun.
Many players were seen using the KOKUA FLY series and the FLY LITE series, which was launched last year, at this tournament, and we can expect even more excitement in the 2025 season.
We'd like to keep an eye on the achievements of KOKUA users this season as well.
