MITCHELL CLAIMS 9TH MOLOKAI-2-OAHU WORLD PADDLEBOARD CHAMPIONSHIP DUNCAN-SERAPHIN CLAIMS 8TH WOMEN'S TITLE

Treacherous Channel Dishes out Trademark Highs & Heartbreak Maui's Kalama & Moller Take Stand-Up Paddle Honors

Molokai2Oahu.com

HONOLULU (July 25, 2010) -- Australian Jamie Mitchell, 33, claimed an unprecedented ninth Molokai-2-Oahu World Paddleboard title in Hawaii today, completing the 32-mile distance just four minutes outside of his own record in a time of 4 hours, 52 minutes and 45 seconds. His record of 4:48:23, set in 2007, stands for another year. Mitchell attributed today's convincing win to experience in Hawaiian waters that allowed him to overcome an uncooperative ocean of disorganized  swells. And if Mitchell is the 'King of Paddleboard', then Hawaii's Kanesa Duncan-Seraphin, 34, is the 'Queen', claiming her 8th Molokai-2-Oahu title in a time of 6:02:45 - less than 10 minutes shy of the record she set in 2004.

Above: Jamie Mitchell. Credit: Bernie Baker.

In the men's division, it was 1-2-3 for Australia with Jackson English, (5:07:54) in second, and Joel Mason (5:15:42) in third. Fourth-placed Mikey Cote was the top placing Hawaii paddler (5:15:42). Beyond the finish line, Mitchell and English were paddling today to raise funds for SurfAid International. Their impressive 1-2 finish will likely see them surpass their $10,000 target.

"You had to really work for everything you got out there," said Mitchell. "The wind seemed a little more out of the north, meaning a lot of of disorganization out there so you had to really work through the bumps.

"There was no real current, but the wind and the swell just made it hard. It was definitely not the hardest one I've done, but it wasn't the best one, either, maybe 6 out of 10."

Duncan-Seraphin was perhaps a little more forgiving: "It was  a fairly fast course, but it was technical. The bumps were very close together and you really had to stay focused. I love this race and this was my 10th (year doing it). I'm just stoked to finish. I felt like I had a great race today. This was one of my top 3 performances."

Victory in the stand-up paddle (SUP) men's and women's divisions went to Maui's Dave Kalama (4:54:15) and Andrea Moller (6:00:00), both setting records for their  respective divisions. Stand-up paddlers can be faster across the channel than the traditional paddleboarders, as standing upright with the wind at your back, and using a paddle can be of assistance. Kalama was roughly two minutes behind Mitchell, and Moller was two minutes faster than Duncan-Seraphin. Today's rough surface conditions were a particular test of balance for the SUP contestants.

"There are a lot of really good sprinters, but I'm not one of them, so the windy races are what I train for and that's what I'm built for," said Kalama. "I'm really happy I won. Last year was really frustrating and to comeback and win it means everything."

              
Above: Andrea Moller (L) & Kanesa Duncan-Seraphin (R)
Credit: Bernie Baker
Above: Dave Kalama (L) & Jamie Mitchell (R)

Renowned as one of the most treacherous bodies of water in the world, the Molokai Channel upheld its reputation today dishing out either high times or heartbreak. One hundred and fifty paddlers started out today, eight did not officially finish. Among the eight were 2009 runner-up Brian Rocheleau (Hawaii), who was forced to withdraw part-way through the race due to severe illness. Mark Matheson (Hawaii), the only paraplegic to ever undertake the famous Molokai Channel crossing, found himself on a sure course to finish today, but lost his mandatory escort boat to engine failure with 10 miles remaining and was forced to call it a day. Kauai's Ann Hettinger, 52 and the oldest woman to SUP solo across the channel, had to withdraw after 11 miles when the steering rudder on her paddleboard failed.

But like every channel swell, every trough has a peak, and it was high times for many paddlers who accomplished personal bests today. Among them were 12-year-old Riggs Napoleon (Hawaii, 7:10:30), the youngest person to ever cross the Molokai channel on any unmotorized watercraft; and Jeff Denholm (California, 7:49:10), an inspirational athlete who designs his own prosthetics and then puts them to the ultimate stress tests in a variety of sports. Denholm, 43, lost an arm to an accident on a fishing boat off the coast of Alaska more than a decade ago, but never allowed it to undermine his athletically driven lifestyle. He crossed the Molokai Channel last year in spite of his prosthetic glue giving out on him. Today he posted a personal best of 7:49:10 and vowed to return even faster in 2011.

"I jumped up to an 18-footer today and I wrestled it the whole way and had a hard time, but the arm was a bomber!" said Denholm. "So just one more piece of the puzzle: if I can figure out a board that matches what I can do then I'll be faster. It was humbling as usual. My arm worked great, the crew was strong, but I just got on a board that I couldn't handle. I was paddling sideways the whole time.  I was more sideways then I was straight! But I'll be back."

COMPLETE RESULTS CAN BE FOUND AT MOLOKAI2OAHU.COM
or pseresults.com
(Full list of official results not available at time of issue)
MAJOR PLACINGS:
Men's Traditional Paddleboard.
1st. Jamie Mitchell (Australia) - 4:52:45
2nd. Jackson English (Australia) - 5:07:54
3rd. Joel Mason (Australia) - 5:15:42
4th. Mikey Cote (Hawaii) - 5:17:56
Women's Traditional Paddleboard:
1st. Kanesa Duncan-Seraphin (Hawaii) - 6:02:45
Men's Stand-Up Paddleboard:
1st. Dave Kalama (Hawaii) - 4:54:15
Women's Stand-Up Paddleboard:
1st. Andrea Moller (Hawaii) - 6:00:00

Media Contact:

Jodi Wilmott, Ocean Promotion

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Molokai2Oahu.com

HONOLULU (July 23, 2010) -- Eight-time Molokai-2-Oahu World Paddleboard Champion Jamie Mitchell (Australia) faces a tough title defense in Hawaii this Sunday with technical seas and an unforeseen rival set to test his mettle. With a record field of over 140 athletes from 12 nations, expect the fiercest channel challenge in the race's 14-year history.

Above: Jamie Mitchell, 8x Molokai2Oahu champion.
Photo: Bernie Baker

Hawaii's Mikey Cote, record holder in the shorter 12-foot paddleboard Stock class of the Molokai-2-Oahu, has announced that he has made a last minute decision to race in the Unlimited paddleboard class, pitching him against Mitchell for the first time.

"If it's not one thing, it's another," said Mitchell of the unpredictability of the channel and the competition. "It's hard enough just getting to the starting line with all that you've got to organize, your nutrition, hydration, your escort boat. Combine the 32 miles, currents, sharks, heat and dehydration... then the unpredictability of what's going to be happening out there..

"But it's a good pressure because it makes me step my game up.. For me, it's exciting to the see the young kids and the older experienced guys surging because it makes me train harder and go faster. It's fun because it's taking the whole sport to another level and I'm glad to be a part of it."

Cote is excited to tackle the Unlimited class but won't admit to having an eye on Mitchell. "Just making the transition to the unlimited class is enough to think about," said Cote. "Maybe I picked the wrong year to do it!" he joked, referencing the conditions that many expect might 'fit' the shorter Stock paddleboards. Unlimited class boards run 16 feet and longer.

The technical nature of the conditions and abundance of swell will also be a true test for the stand-up paddle competitors, who will have to endure over five hours of turbulence on their feet. Defending champions Ekolu Kalama (Molokai) and Jenny Kalmbach (Big Island) will be drawing on every ounce of their channel experience to combat their challengers.

Sunday's ocean outlook is for a fast race: 20-knot trade winds, steep swells of 6-8 feet, and an advantageous incoming tide. The technical aspect comes in the shorter period swell of just 5- to 7-seconds. Mitchell is known for being a master 'surfer' on the open ocean, meaning that he has an unrivaled ability to link together long swell trains to 'surf' his way across the channel. A shorter period swell is somewhat of an equalizer and will make for a strategic course with many challengers.

Paddlers from Australia, Hawaii, USA East and West, New Zealand, Singapore, France, Spain, England, Brazil and Japan are among those competing in the Molokai-2-Oahu World Paddleboard Championship on Sunday.

There will also be a finish line Expo with 12 vendors as well as a stand-up paddle demo day presented by C4 Waterman at Maunalua Bay, Hawaii Kai, Oahu.

14th Annual Molokai-2-Oahu World Paddleboard Championship
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Finish: Maunalua Bay, Oahu - around 12 noon.
Men's Record: 4:48:23 - Jamie Mitchell (Australia, 2007)
Women's Record: 5:53:49 - Kanesa Duncan (Hawaii, 2004)
Paddlers: Traditional, Stand-Up Paddle, Men & Women, Individual & Team
Beneficiaries: 32::32

Media Contact:

Jodi Wilmott, Ocean Promotion

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Molokai2Oahu.com

Footage & Images available upon request.

HONOLULU (July 13, 2010) -- California's Jeff Denholm and Hawaii's Mark Matheson fell victim to two very different, life-changing accidents back in the '90s. Denholm lost an arm aboard a fishing vessel off the coast of Alaska, and Matheson fell four stories off the balcony of a hotel on Kauai and crushed his back, becoming paralyzed from the chest down. On Sunday, July 25, both will take on one of the most infamous ocean channels - the Ka'iwi, or Molokai Channel - to show that extreme adversity can be overcome to enjoy a fulfilled and athletic life. They will race in the 32-mile Molokai-2-Oahu World Championship of Paddleboarding in the same division and age category.

Above: Denholm, freedom on the ocean. Courtesy, Tim Davis

Denholm, 43, who is a surf ambassador for Patagonia, entered and completed his first Molokai-2-Oahu in 2009. It was an unbelievable feat, given that he paddled the last 17 miles essentially with one arm after the glue that attached his prosthetic failed. His mission, as he puts it, is "less about me and winning and more about inspiring those who need it most, simply by not giving up." He crossed 32 miles after eight hours of paddling on the channel last year, but his inspirational efforts traveled across oceans and around the world, seen in this video.

"The end of the race was just overwhelming," said Jeff. "I was brought to tears, partly because of fatigue but just completely humbled to be not necessarily standing shoulder to shoulder with my idols but at least on the same playing field." Jeff completed the course in 8:9:46.

"I have an immense amount of respect for any race of the Molokai's distance," says Denholm, a surfer, skier, mountain biker and paddleboarder. "Anything can happen. The weather and sea conditions are always up in the air and play a huge factor. However for me the biggest 'x' factor is my paddling device. I glue it to what is left of my arm and both the glue and device have proven to fail over long course races. If it stays on I am confident in my physical ability and feel that I can perform quite well. If it fails it will be all about survival at that point. With this said I have a better device and improved adhesive this year so my hopes are high."

Jeff knows all about survival on the Molokai Channel. "I learned a lot about myself in those painful miles," he said after reaching the finish line last year.

Above: Mark Matheson, back on the water. Courtesy, Easter Seals Hawaii

For Matheson, 49, this will be his first Molokai Channel crossing and he's doing it to raise funds for the organizations that helped get him back on the water: Easter Seals Hawaii and AccesSurf Hawaii. Watch his video here.

"Since I don't have the use of my core (abdominal) and leg muscles, one of the challenges I have is keeping my legs on the board and from tipping over," says Matheson. "Special upper body strengthening exercises, paddling technique and adaptive devices on my board have helped.  The other challenge is getting my equipment and myself in and out of the water.  

"My training buddies Mike Cote and friends in Wailupe have helped along with specially designed wheelchairs and beach mats. For race day, I have the support of my family and friends, paddle buddies, folks at Easter Seals Hawaii and AccesSurf Hawaii, my film crew from Freedom Riders who have been documenting my incredible journey, as well as a wonderful celebration dinner planned for my team courtesy of Roy Yamaguchi and his restaurant!"
Donations can be made to Easter Seals Hawaii and AccesSurf Hawaii.

The 14th annual Molokai-2-Oahu World Paddleboard Championship takes place on Sunday, July 25. The race starts around 7am at Kaluakoi, Molokai, with the first finishers expected around midday. Denholm is hoping to break the 7-hour mark this year, which would bring him in at around 2pm. Matheson will also be working towards an early afternoon finish.

Media Contact:

Jodi Wilmott, Ocean Promotion

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Molokai2Oahu.com

HONOLULU (July 6, 2010) -- The Molokai2Oahu World Championships of Paddleboarding, long considered to be the most  prestigious paddleboard race in  the world, has for the first time in its 14 year history sold out.  With over 140 entries, this is the largest field in the history of the event and the first time the race has sold out, illustrating record international participation with particular growth in stand-up paddleboard (SUP) racing.  Entries of both team and solo paddleboarders have signed up to tackle the formidable 32-mile Ka'iwi Channel that separates the islands of Molokai and Oahu, Hawaii.

The race begins at Hale O Lono on Molokai, at Sunday, July 25, and finishes  at Maunalua Bay on Oahu. The top athletes will complete the 32-mile channel crossing in just over five hours. Click here for online athlete roster.

Unlike short- and middle-distance races, the 32-mile Molokai2Oahu World Championship is the ultimate extreme test of a paddler's endurance and athletic ability. With a depth of 2,300 feet, the Ka'iwi (aka Molokai) Channel is infamous for its heavy seas, debilitating heat, and nightmarish currents. Race rules mandate that every single entry must have their own escort boat accompaniment, support, and be qualified to compete in the race. Including official race boats, there will be a flotilla of over 200 craft crossing the Molokai Channel on July 25.

The event,  considered to be the most prestigious of all races for SUP and paddleboarding, draws the best of the best in the sport from  Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Brazil, Japan, England, and the United States (Hawaii, California, New York, Florida, and Massachusetts). Entries are equally weighted between paddleboard and SUP, men and women as well as co-ed teams.

One of the more prolific racers in this year's race is Australia's Jamie Mitchell, the undisputed 'Paddleboard King of the Ka'iwi' with eight consecutive victories in the traditional category and the current world record time (4:45:03). Equally adept at both traditional knee paddling and SUP styles, Mitchell will return in a quest for his ninth title in 2010.

"I have a lot of fun with SUP, but when it comes to the Molokai Channel there is something about doing it in the traditional way that keeps me coming back," said Mitchell. "I know that after eight wins people wonder what's left to prove, but the Molokai channel is such a personal pursuit for me and I feel like I still have personal goals that I'd like to achieve for no-one other than myself."

The race is working with a new event management partner this year and is supported by several industry related sponsors.

"This year we have had our share of challenges early on, but to have the event sell out for the first time in its 14-year history is a huge testament to the relevance of this race in the paddling community and Hawaii's place as home to the World Championships of the sport," Said Rob Farrow of the M2O group who is managing the event. "The legacy that Mike Takahashi has created and that we are tasked with continuing is a huge responsibility and one we look forward to maintaining for years to come."

Other paddlers of note this crossing are:

Archie Kalepa (Maui), veteran lifeguard, big-wave rider, all-around waterman and SUP expert. Last summer Archie completed 187 miles on SUP through the Grand Canyon. Archie will team up with Dave Parmenter in the SUP team division.
Jeff Denholm (California), Patagonia ambassador and multi-discipline athlete who will be the only amputee in the event, contesting the solo paddleboard division. Denholm lost his dominant arm during an accident on an Alaskan fishing trawler. Jeff designs his own athletic prostheses that enable him to continue his sporting pursuits of surfing, paddling, mountain biking and skiing.
Gerry Lopez (Hawaii/Oregon), known as the Pipeline Master in he pre-SUP life, will team up with business and surfing partner Sparky Longley (California), and Hawaii lifeguard Edmund Pestana in the SUP team division.
Brad Gerlach (California), former world No.2 ranked professional surfer, will partner with Chris Christenson in the team paddleboard division.
Ann Hettinger (Kauai), a 52-year-old grandmother who turned from chain-smoking suburban mom to extreme endurance athlete, is taking on the solo SUP division and has been documenting her journey on film: '32 Miles from Now'.
Kanesa Duncan (Hawaii), defending women's paddleboard champion.
Ekolu Kalama (Hawaii), defending men's SUP champion.
Jenny Kalmbach (Hawaii), defending women's SUP champion who recently completed the 72-mile (!) paddle between Oahu and Kauai.

Media Contact:

Jodi Wilmott, Ocean Promotion