In part two of our 2023 season review we saw quite a few record numbers regarding numbers of races and athletes competing in aquabike races worldwide. But there have also been some pretty impressive new records on the individual level. Can you imagine competing in 15 races in one season? Or completing a racing distance of more than 1.000 km within a year? Some athletes were pretty active during the 2023 aquabike racing season – and also quite successful. In the third part of our season review we would like to honor these dedicated aquabike athletes.
Female aquabike athletes with most race participations in 2023
| Races | Athlete | Points | Distance raced | |
| 14 | Monika Lukens | F 60-64 | 2.463 | 585 km |
| 12 | Sue Van Den Broek | F 50-54 | 1.487 | 422 km |
| 10 | Erin Byrge | F 45-49 | 1.494 | 444 km |
| Jennifer Long | F 60-64 | 1.378 | 246 km | |
| 9 | Lisa Broyden | F 60-64 | 1.476 | 424 km |
| 8 | Laurie Damianos | F 60-64 | 1.091 | 422 km |
| Erika Jayne Henson | F 50-54 | 593 | 194 km | |
| Karin Daun | F 60-64 | 1.198 | 433 km | |
| Patricia Thompson | F 55-59 | 1.109 | 189 km | |
| Jennifer Henkel | F 55-59 | 1.296 | 324 km |
It´s not a big surprise that the current #1 in the women´s Aquabike.World Ranking was also the most active athlete in 2023. Racing no less then 585 km in 14 races Monika Lukens had quite a busy season. So had Sue Van Den Broek – although her 12 race starts happened to be in two half race seasons in Down Under. With the Twin Towns Triathlon Club including an aquabike option in their weekly club races she has certainly plenty of opportunities to race.
Female aquabike athletes with most wins in 2023
| Wins | Athlete | Points | |
| 9 | Sue Van Den Broek | F 50-54 | 1.076 |
| 8 | Monika Lukens | F 60-64 | 1.564 |
| 6 | Joanne Baggs Salaz | F 55-59 | 855 |
| Jennifer Long | F 60-64 | 766 |
While Monika Lukens won eight out of the 14 aquabike races she competed in, she´s still only second in this statistics. Being unbeaten in her eight participations in the Twin Towns Triathlon Club events and also taking the win at the Kingscliff Triathlon made Sue Van Den Broek the female athlete with the most wins in 2023.
Male aquabike athletes with most race participations in 2023
| Races | Athlete | Points | Distance raced | |
| 15 | Neil Semmel | M 60-64 | 4.179 | 722 km |
| 13 | Charles Kreger | M 50-54 | 2.739 | 596 km |
| 12 | Angel Fernandez Martinez | M 65-69 | 2.317 | 1037 km |
| 11 | Mark Yeoman | M 50-54 | 3.290 | 452 km |
| 10 | Edward Wheeler | M 70-74 | 1.261 | 319 km |
| Thomas Heller | M 60-64 | 778 | 291 km |
Racing in both national championships, both world championships and no less than 11 other races, Neil Semmel was the aquabike athlete with the most race finishes in 2023 with another US athlete Charles Kreger follows in 2nd place with 13 race finishes.
The impressive 722 race-kilometres that Neil completed was not the top rate distance wise though. After missing the 1000 km mark only by a few kilometres in his nine race finishes in 2022, Angel Fernandez Martinez added four more races into his race calendar last season. Racing no less than a whopping 1037 km in 13 races in one year is quite an impressive record.
For Mark Yeoman – the most active athlete of 2022 – adding another race the following season still wasn´t enough to make it on the podium of this statistics in 2023. However, he is still leading another one…
Male aquabike athletes with most wins in 2023
| Wins | Athlete | Points | |
| 10 | Mark Yeoman | M 50-54 | 2.650 |
| Neil Semmel | M 60-64 | 2.910 | |
| 5 | Rhett Mckeller | M 50-54 | 940 |
| Charles Kreger | M 50-54 | 1.177 | |
| Josh Horsley | M | 558 |
After winning 9 out of 10 races in 2022, Mark Yeoman went one better in 2023, taking 10 wins out of 11 races. This year he has to share the title of the most successful aquabike athlete though. Neil Semmel also won 10 out of the 15 races he finished. Mark and Neil scored double as many victories as the next best athletes in the 2023 aquabike racing season. Wow, what a season for those two guys, Chapeau!
Huge congratulations to all aquabike race winners of the past season!
In part four of our 2023 aquabike race season review we will take a look at the biggest races of the past year. Stay tuned!