With record entrants and categories for the 2010 Molokai-2-Oahu race, we would like to pay a tribute, specifically, to stock paddlers on both traditional and stand-up paddleboards.

For those not familiar with the distinction, stock paddleboards are shorter than the unlimited class and do NOT have a rudder/steering system. Stock paddleboards are generally considered the purest way of paddling the channel, requiring an extremely close connection between ocean and paddler in order to paddle, steer and ride the ocean swells.

Over the years we have seen some phenomenal stock paddlers. A couple of note include:

Guy Pere – held the stock paddleboard record for 11 years, 5:36:46, posted in 1998 when he finished the race second over the line, overall.

Kanesa Duncan – without doubt the fastest woman ever on a stock paddleboard with a time of 5:53:49, set in 2004.

Mikey Cote, the reigning stock paddleboard record holder with a time of 5:32:25, posted in 2009 to take the record from Guy Pere.

George Ramos – has competed on stock for every year of the race and did it again this year at the age of 58!

Riggs Napoleon, at the other end of the spectrum, on SUP stock this year at just 12 years of age. Riggs is the youngest to cross the channel on any non-motorized watercraft.

Following are some of the key solo Stock Paddleboard & Stock SUP results from this year’s race. For a complete list of results, and to study the stock team times and placings, please go to pseresults.com . Congratulations to all!

Stock Paddleboard, Women’s Champion:

Turtle Rudolph, California – 8:46:40

Stock Paddleboard Men: (Top 5 times overall)

1. Eric Abbott, Hawaii, 5:39:35

2. Shane Scoggins, California, 5:48:15

3. Kai Hall, Hawaii, 6:02:34

4. Matthew Sack, Hawaii, 6:05:52

5. Kimo Greenwell, Hawaii, 6:11:27

SUP Stock (no women): (Top 5 times overall)

1. Andrew Logreco, Hawaii, 5:25:53

2. Kolaiah Jardine, Hawaii, 6:11:52

3. Roray Kam, Florida, 6:28:06

4. Sepa Napoleon, Hawaii, 6:31:28

5. Riggs Napoleon, Hawaii, 7:10:30 – 12 years old!

What were you doing when you were 12-years old? Probably not paddling across the 32-mile Kaiwi channel, right? Rigg Napolean was the youngest of a new breed of watermen, including Connor Baxter & Zane Schweitzer who are taking up the sport in their teens (or twelves). Could this be the next Laird Hamilton? No, probably the first Riggs Napolean. Always seeming to have a smile on his face, Riggs made it across in 7-hours, 10-minutes and 30-seconds. We wonder what he’ll be doing when he’s 13.

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.”
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.”

(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

This is a short and admittedly jumpy clip of the first minute and a bit of the 2010 Molokai2Oahu Paddleboard Start.  It’s interesting to see Jamie Mitchell in 2nd to Brad Gaul at the start and then quickly take the lead and separate himself with 4-others – Jackson English, Joel Mason, Dean Hamner & Gaul.  English would pass by Mitchell for a moment about 5-minutes into the race but, from that point on, Mitchell would be alone at the front ’til he crossed the finish line in 4:52:45 for his 9th win.  Everyone who takes on this challenge is an amazing waterman/woman.  It’s hard to believe that Mitchell is that much better…but he is.

2010paddleboard results

2010SUP results

We got our boat right in front of the crowd and let them paddle through us and it was shocking how lumpy the water is already in the lee of Molokai. These guys are amazing.

I’ll try to get some photos together for you…no promises.

We’re about 3-minutes away from the start and all the solo paddleboarders are wearing yellow rash