Ocean Racing at its Best

Click here to read a review of the Epic V12

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Australian Olympian Clint Robinson (37) won his first Molokai Challenge yesterday in a time of 3:23:02, just 96 seconds outside of Dean Gardiner’s record set in 1997.

 

 

Conditions

“It was really, really good,” said Gardiner from the after-party at Kona Brewery. “I really thought the record would go today, but there were a couple of moments out there that were a bit slow.

He, Clint Robinson and Jeremy Cotter paddled most of the race together, swapping the lead as first one, then another caught runs.

“It was only the last 4 or 5km that he got away from us,” said Gardiner. “Jeremy and I were together and then I got away and I thought I was reeling him [Robinson] in. He was on the outside. I don’t know what happened!

“I had a bit of a gap and took it a bit easier coming into the Marina and there he was.

"I think it was a bit of an eye-opener for Jeremy," laughed Gardiner. "He hasn't done that distance before."

Martin Kenny was in fourth place most of the way, only to be overtaken by Tim Jacobs as they hit the flat water near the finish.

“It was a great event,” Gardiner went on. “The things they changed just made it so much easier: starting the race slightly later; carrying all the skis together; allowing the top guys to go without escorts. It made a big difference to the enjoyment of the race.”

 

 

“Just surfing your brains out”

Kenny Howell was ecstatic after beating his previous best time by ten minutes.

“Oh man,” he said. “It was as challenging as it could be and still be fun... It was ridiculous! Not as big as four years ago, but just sick! This is why you paddle surfskis... We were surfing our brains out!”

Out in the channel, the ocean swells were “big and glassy” and easy to catch – “big but not desperate”, but as the paddlers approached Oahu, the seas became more confused and “technical”.

“I remembered this from 2006,” Howell said, “as my escort boat told me to move closer in. It’s counter-intuitive, but it works. Something changed and the runs got better.”

The day started out calm and the paddlers were aghast at the thought of a fourth straight year without wind. “But the trades have been so reliable. By the afternoon, it blows 20kts. Every day. It’s like a machine,” said Howell.

“It was really important for the event that it came through – and it did. It really delivered.”

 

Ski Delivery

One big change to the race was that transport was provided as part of the race fee. All the skis were loaded onto a WWII PT boat and taken across to beach at the start venue on Molokai.

“We had to unload 50 boats through the surf,” said Howell. “The locals said it couldn’t be done. But it was no big deal.”

The arrangement was one of a number of changes made by the race organisers to streamline the event and to reduce the “admin” for the paddlers.

“It was a fun day to cross” – Maggie Twigg-Smith’s 13th

Maggie Twigg-Smith came second, behind Lauren Bartlett.

“I wasn’t going to do it this year,” said Twigg-Smith. “But I saw the forecast; Zsolt and Mark Sandvold organised a great ski for me. I couldn’t not do it!”

Although Twigg-Smith hadn’t trained for the event, having done it so often she knew that she was in good enough shape to make it.

“I wasn’t any competition for Lauren – she’s done three crossings this month!” said Twigg Smith. “But it was such fun. We were surfing right from the start on solid 6ft waves. It was really, really fun surfing all day!”

 

Molokai World Championships Results

1. Clint Robinson 3:23:02 - Epic V12

2. Dean Gardiner 3:27:32

3. Jeremy Cotter 3:28:05

1st Women: Lauren Bartlett 4:00:12 - Epic V10L

Lauren Bartlett set new course record for women's division

Congratulations Clint & Lauren!

Lauren is no stranger to the Molokai Channel, and often collects multiple titles on the course in a year, either on a surfski or an outrigger canoe. This is her second consecutive Molokai Surfski Championship.

Clint is one of the sports legendary downwind paddlers, but had not yet claimed the Molokai title, coveted by all ocean racers, until this weekend. Well done Clint, hope this is the first of several to come.

Click here for all the results