WebCam

First held in 2003, this has become an annual event which offers Fijian paddlers the chance to flex a little muscle and for overseas paddlers to enjoy the 'Bula' experience of Fiji. Organizer, Colin Philp, has since founding this event, come to see it as a grass-roots event, not so much for the elite but for those who merely wish to experience the sport in a mellow, tropical environment, where simply being a part of the event, will warm you to the sport if you have grown cold of red tape and the absence of 'Aloha' which paddlers speak of, but rarely feel.

Here's a note from Claire from Port Stephens Aust: "Hi Australia - Claire H from PDs here i've just hijacked the race organizers laptop - Its awesome here!  Everyone should come next year.  We got a mention on Fiji TV last night, and Linda is racing OC1 marathon this afternoon. Bring it ON!!"

So rude! OK, I'm back...having moved a few times in its short life, being in Nadi (Nan_di) last year, the event has now moved to the University of the South Pacific just outside of Suva, a site used for the 2007 Hobie Worlds. Protected by a rock wall, the harbour area is proving to be a great sprint course for the V1 races currently underway, with paddlers from Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa, Samoa and Fiji competing. Conditions are hot and humid and apart from the occasional threatening storm cloud drifting past the fringing reef on the far distant horizon, conditions are calm.

Mandy and I are paddling with American Samoa, between taking photos and interviewing for kanuculture.com and Pacific Paddler magazine. We are guests of the Fiji Visitors Bureau and the Holiday Inn Suva to whom we thank for their support.

The event will run from today, Thursday 17th to Saturday 19th. V1 events today, and V6 events over Friday and Saturday, including Sprints and Marathon races. More later.

Vinaka
Steve West

The Kanuculture publications are once again under my control I am pleased to say. Regrettably, the Ezines which which were being produced are no longer, to which end I was not in control of and I understand some of our readers subscribed. The company controlling this have folded and as is the way with companies, none of us can get our money back. I do intend however to produce several Ezines during the course of 2008, downloadable and free of charge to one and all.

I look forward to a new start in 2008 and in continuing my work which I began so long ago in studying and sharing the va`a sport with you all. 

All the best for Christmas and for the New Year.

Steve West 

Australian Jamie Mitchell Posts 6th Win in Record Time.

Honolulu - (July 29, 2007) - Australian paddleboarding phenomenon Jamie Mitchell, 30, continues to reign supreme after posting his sixth consecutive win of the 32-mile Quiksilveredition Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard Race in a record time of 4:48:23 today. Mitchell shared the winners dais with fellow Australian Shakira Westdorp, 22, who took first place in the women's division with a time of 5:59:52. Kauai's Kevin Horgan posted a narrow win in the stand-up paddleboard division, presented by C4 Waterman (6:20:59), and Oahu's Keoni Watson won the 12-foot stockboard division (5:39:48). Conditions were excellent for today's race, offering 15- to 20-knot easterlies and open ocean swells of four to six feet. The Quiksilveredition Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard Race is considered the world championship for long distance paddlers.

 From the 7:30 a.m. race start on Molokai, Mitchell's superb physical conditioning was evident as he opened up an immediate lead over his closest rivals Bruce Taylor (Australia) and Brian Rocheleau (Hawaii). While Taylor did the best job of keeping Mitchell in his sights, any hopes of a win vanished into the distance with Mitchell. As Mitchell surged along with the swells in rhythm with his waterproof iPod, Taylor rode the rollercoaster of mental highs and lows as the battle became one with himself. The two were singing very different songs by the completion of the race.

Mitchell stepped to shore in record time, breathing easily and looking as if he could jump back on board and make a return paddle to Molokai. No other competitor touched down on Oahu today looking as relaxed and pain-free.

"I felt the best I've ever felt in that race," said Mitchell. "I didn't feel fatigued at all. I don't feel fatigued now.

"I trained the hardest I've ever trained the past three to four months for this race, so it's real satisfying to know that the hard work paid off. Conditions and fitness played a big part.

"I thought it was fast but I didn't know how fast until I heard it over the PA at the finish," said Mitchell. "I don't think it was quite as windy as we thought it was going to be, but there was plenty of movement and plenty of bumps to be had, I mean, it must have been good to break a record. There were the typical Molokai flat, ugly spots out there, but nowhere near as much as previous years. I had a couple of good glides where I'd probably go a hundred yards or so and connect to another, so it was a lot more fun than the usual channel crossing.

"I heard a crack on my board at one stage. I don't know if something hit my fin or what - that worried me a little bit. I wasn't sure if something had broken, but everything was pretty good - pretty much a mistake free race for me."

Second-place Taylor made his first solo crossing of the channel today, having competed two years ago in a team.

"It's a totally different race, a totally different channel when you're on your own out there the whole way. I've got to admit it was terrible. The best part was that end bit. Just the fulfillment of a personal goal. Mentally, the ups and downs... just trying to get through those bad bits - it's such a rollercoaster ride. I came all the way from Australia for this and I'm not going to go home without finishing it - that's all I said to myself, a thousand times over.

"I came over here to win, to give Jamie a shake-up. But he was too strong today. At the half way mark I realized that. Jamie's been doing this for so long now, he does it professionally. He's got so many miles and races under his belt. He's just too strong. I'm an electrician back in Queensland, so this was a one-time deal for me."

The top Hawaiian solo finisher for the men today was third-placed Brian Rocheleau with a time of 5:19:52.

"I saw Jamie and Bruce go out and I kind of fell in behind them," said Rocheleau, 31. "I didn't see them. I couldn't go at their pace. I started to make ground on Bruce the last quarter, but he was going too fast.

"The beginning was real easy, but it just got worse and worse. I could see (Jamie's escort) boat - that was the carrot. He's definitely got the gift out there. He's raising the bar. Everyone's trying to chase him. I'll try to get him but I don't know if it's going to happen."

Rookie Shakira Westdorp, was perhaps the most impressive today, keeping her cool on a maiden voyage across the Molokai Channel that included a broken rudder that she fixed mid-crossing. Westdorp finished ahead of five-time and defending champion Kanesa Duncan (Oahu). Duncan finished a little more than five minutes behind Westdorp with a time of 6:05:05. Once the relief of reaching Oahu subsided, tears turned to jubilation as the young Queenslander vowed to do the race "forever".

"It was a lot of fun, I got a lot of runners, but I never felt like I was going to get there - never-ending," said Westdorp. "It's way rougher, way more runners, way bigger swell - everything magnified by about 10 (compared to Australia).

"The furthest I've paddled in training was about five and a half hours. I was prepared for the worst and it wasn't as bad as everyone said it was going to be. It was so much fun.

"I knew Kanesa would be tough. I know she comes home hard. I knew it would be close. To beat someone on Kanesa's level... I'm so stoked."

The C4 Waterman stand-up division turned out to be an incredibly close race - just 13 seconds the difference between winner Kevin Horgan and second-placed Vitor Marcal (Oahu). Having lead almost 31 miles of the 32 mile race, Marcal was overtaken on the home turn into Maunaloa Bay as the pair hit the infamous home-stretch headwind. It was in that final mile that Horgan accelerated to pass his disbelieving rival.

"It was like trying to run up a sand hill," Horgan said of the home stretch. "But that's where my endurance really kicked in. Earlier this summer I did a four-day, 175-mile paddle from New York City to Newport Rhode Island. That was the perfect training for today."

Two years ago, Horgan was the only solo stand-up paddler in this race and unofficially finished first and last after 10 hours of paddling; unofficial as he was outside the eight-hour official cut-off time.

"I just chopped off four hours!" said Horgan. "Waterman can, that's my motto.

"That finish was unbelievable. It was so fun. I rode so many waves, it was a blast. Vitor paddled an amazing race. I think I was just better in the headwind."

The first of the two-person teams entered in today's race was the stand-up team of Dave and Ekolu Kalama (Maui). Despite a 30-minute delayed start for the stand-up competitors, starting out from Molokai at 8 a.m., the Kalamas steamed through the course to be second across the line behind Mitchell in a time of 4:36:55.

Like Mitchell, Oahu's Keoni Watson found the conditions totally to his liking and was ecstatic with the fact that he had blazed by a slew of open class paddlers riding boards at least five feet longer than his, and with the advantage of a rudder system. This was his second consecutive stock win

"I felt good," said Watson. "I kept passing all these open (class) guys. The runs were unreal. Last year I felt pretty worthless at the finish. I feel good this time. That was so much fun on the stockboard."

For more information:
Jodi Wilmott
Tel: (808) 258-8533

Major Placings follow...
Men's Solo Paddleboard Overall:
1st  - Jamie Mitchell, Australia - 4:48:23
2nd - Bruce Taylor, Australia - 5:15:00
3rd - Brian Rocheleau, Oahu, Hawaii - 5:19:52

Women's Solo Paddleboard Overall:
1st - Shakira Westdorp, Australia - 5:59:52
2nd - Kanesa Duncan, Oahu, Hawaii - 6:05:05

Men's Stockboard Overall:
1st - Keoni Watson, Oahu, Hawaii - 5:39:48
2nd - Kiva Rivers, Hawaii - 5:52:15

C4 Waterman Stand-up Solo Division:
1st - Kevin Horgan, Kauai, Hawaii - 6:20:59
2nd - Vitor Marcal, Oahu, Hawaii - 6:21:12

C4 Waterman Unlimited Teams:
1st - Dave Kalama/Ekolu Kalama, Maui, Hawaii - 4:36:55

^{Kanu Culture Volume 4 1998 featured a profile and potted history of the then radical va`a which follows.}

Australia’s OC6 with Martin Thompson 1997
With the sport of outrigger canoeing expanding rapidly in Australia, there was the desire to see an Australian built and designed canoe, motivated     partly by the belief that overseas designs were not entirely suitable for Australia’s paddling conditions. It was also felt that the sport deserved a new design, one which reflected the developments and insights made in recent years.

Harvie Allison [who was with St George OCC, Sydney at the time] discussed this with sports marketing experts the Kookaburra Group, who in turn mentioned it to Bashford International - Australia’s largest yacht manufacturer. BI took a proactive look into the sport; taking paddle in hand and experiencing outrigger canoeing for themselves. The idea of ‘Southern Spirit’ was born.

They concluded that they needed to design a canoe that was easier to push through the water and that many refinements could be made to improve upon existing designs. Harnessing the design powers of America Cup Star, Iain Murray and long time paddler, Andy Dovell, computer design simulations began.

Whilst improvements to existing outrigger design were paramount, Harvie Allison insisted that the traditional feel and look of the canoe be maintained. Being more familiar with yacht design, the team took some time to adjust to the concept of how an outrigger canoe is steered and the effects of length and rocker.

Meanwhile, the paddlers of St George OCC, considered the user friendly improvements that could be incorporated. In this respect, reducing the time taken to rig and derig the covers was focused upon, which turned out to fall in line with the designers conclusion that current canoes lose valuable speed through flex and therefore a decked canoe would greatly    stiffen the canoe’s hull. This also created a dryer canoe and a separate cockpit cover arrangement for each paddler, taking minimal time to attach.

The stiffer design permits the canoe to track (hold a straight line) far better than open decked canoes. Steerers can concentrate more on paddling than steering and will be amazed at the greatly reduced turbulence the canoe leaves behind it, due in part to the  canoes reduced ‘footprint’ in the water.

Paddlers are seated further aft to increase the forward deck length, so # 1 and 2 paddlers remain dryer. The forward deck was also curved to promote improved water run-off and to reduce the occurrence of water impacting on the deflector, resulting in lose of speed. As a result, the nose doesn’t bury; even in big, steep swells.

The design was complete, a mould made and the first canoe tested to ensure its competitiveness and performance. St George OCC consistently paddled their training runs in record time. The canoe was deemed a success. Some mould refinements were made to give the canoe more clean lines.

In designing the ama, the feeling was the ‘Wedge’ or ‘Catamaran’ ama was a very effective shape; hard to improve upon, but in rough water was far from efficient. A wedge style ama with greatly increased nose volume, fine lines and a raised trailing edge tail to reduce drag, would improve the ama’s performance in rough water, and so the ama was created.

Production has now started on the new ‘Southern Spirit’, with five being ordered and built in the first few months. Construction methods have been adopted from yacht manufacturer using high quality materials and foam sandwich vacuum bagging techniques. As a result, Australian paddlers now have an Australian designed, manufactured canoe, competitive with any canoe in the world today, reflecting today’s progression, taking us into the future.’

Well, that was then, and while the orders did come in a brief flood, then a trickle, then zip, the demise of the Southern Spirit seemed pretty clear and why? Well specifically, it had something to do with the pervading mindset of the time, Hawaiian is better and the obsession with a race thousands of kilometres away, the Moloka`i Hoe and Na Wahine O Ke Kai. Add to this the fact that less competitive clubs are often motivated to purchase along similar lines as the more competitive ones, the tone and trend was set; if not a bit misguided.

Geographical nepotism is something which has existed in Australia for some time when it comes to purchasing habits and this is particularly common regarding OC1 and OC2 purchases, though the strangle hold manufacturers have had on this has begun to shift as has the mindset of paddlers. What’s this mean? Simply that Sydney clubs purchased the Southern Spirit, but few others did. Importantly, clubs such as Mooloolaba, Northcliffe, Surfers Paradise and Outrigger Australia did not flop open the cheque book at the time; their lack of interest in the SS OC6, essentially retarding its take off into the market.

Let’s also not forget that as misfortune would have it, its release coincided with the release of the Brent Bixler designed Force Five OC6 out of Hawaii, which found instant favour with the hard-core clubs of SE Queensland, dialled into the Moloka`i races and all things Hawaiian.

Ten years on and only now is this canoe being taken seriously on a level it has yet to experience and it deserves. It may be too late, given its excessive price and the possibility of new designs on the way. Time will tell and there’s a rumour, only 5 will be constructed over the winter months and then it will a struggle to purchase over the summer months on account of other demands being placed on the manufacturer; Ian Rawlings on the Gold Coast, the mould owned by Sydney’s Grant Hughes.

This story and many others in the June 07 issue of Kanuculture E-Mag http://www.kanuculture.com 

EPIC KAYAKS MOLOKAI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
37 Miles from Kalua Koi, Molokai, to Kaimana Beach, Oahu, Hawaii

Story: Jodi Young. Photography: Pierre Tostee 

Tahiti's Lewis Laughlin Becomes First Tahitian in 31-Year History to Win Epic Kayaks Molokai World Championship

Honolulu - (Sunday, May 20, 2007) -- Tahiti's Lewis Laughlin overcame the most brutal conditions and strongest international field in the 31-year history of the Epic Kayaks Molokai World Championships today to become the first paddler from Tahiti to take line honors. A new course that added five miles to the previous distance of the race was always expected to add time to the Molokai Channel crossing, but none of the 124 paddlers who set out this-morning could have imagined the time it was going to take to complete the 37-mile distance. Blistering hot temperatures, zero cloud-cover, counter-productive side-shore winds and minimal ocean swells set a torrid stage for the race. Laughlin, 37, paddled his solo ocean kayak for five hours, 20 minutes and six seconds to take the win ahead of four South African paddlers: Hank McGregor (5:22:16); Dawid Mocke (5:25:27); 11-time champion of this event Oscar Chalupsky (5:42:20); and defending event champion Clint Pretorius (5:47:00).

Tahitian Lewis Laughlin (pictured left) surged to victory in the Molokai World Championships today beating a powerful field of South African paddlers. Hank McGregor (Durban, South Africa) placed second (pictured middle) and Dawid Mocke (Cape Town,  South Africa) (pictured right) was third. 

Today's race also featured a men's one-person canoe (OC1) division, as well as women's categories in both ocean kayak and OC1. Maui's Kai Bartlett was the first male OC1 paddler across the line (6:07:56), his wife Lauren Bartlett claimed the women's OC1 division (6:54:59), and Megan Quale (Maui) won the women's ocean kayak division (6:39:39). Only eight paddlers made it home inside of six hours. Thirty-four paddlers who started out did not officially finish the race, either withdrawing mid-course or finishing outside of the official eight-hour time limit. Paddlers from 15 countries took part in today's race.

Hawaiian Kai Bartlett (Kula, Maui) captured the OC1 title for the third time at the Molokai World Championships today. Bartlett won the event in 2002 and 2005.

Laughlin attributed his win to being comfortable in conditions that he said were "exactly like we have at home". Apparently he was the only paddler prepared for them. Many of today's competitors had never paddled continuously for more than five hours, let alone six, seven, or eight. Even race icon Chalupsky, who has made roughly 20 crossings of the Molokai Channel, has never taken longer than four hours and 15 minutes to do so.

"To be honest, I never thought about fatigue, cramps, or anything, I just went," said Laughlin. "These were exactly like Tahiti conditions. This is our type of water and I had almost three weeks practicing in the same conditions prior to coming here.

"The South Africans were super strong, leading the whole way, but I finally got them at Koko Head (approximately seven miles out from the finish). I just went for Koko Head, then straight for Diamond Head, but there wasn't a lot of wave riding."

Runner-up McGregor, 29, spoke for the majority: "I didn't really prepare for a five-hour race."

"After two hours the field sort of spread out," continued McGregor. "Myself and Dawid Mocke got away and all of a sudden Lewis showed up. It was a really hard race. We were all pretty much on the same course."

Twenty-nine year-old Mocke, who finished third, said he hit the wall about 2.5 miles from the finish and was always afraid of Lewis, who gets stronger towards the end of a race. "It was just a bridge too far," said Mocke. "That was an absolutely brutal, brutal race. But I'm happy with the race and very pleased for Lewis. He's such an awesome paddler, very humble, couldn't be a better person to win."

Forty-four year-old Chalupsky, who placed fourth, conceded that it wasn't his day. "They were the worst conditions we could ever hope for," said Chalupsky. "That was the longest time ever for me on this run. It had nothing to do with the course - the distance - it was all about the weather."

Kai Bartlett, the first OC1 finisher and now three-time champion of this event, said he contemplated loading his rig onto the escort boat many times throughout the crossing. "That was tough duties out there. Every hour I thought I was going to put my boat on the escort. If I'm not having fun I'd normally pull out, but you can't pull out when you're in the lead!

"This definitely means a lot to me, especially considering yesterday I was ready to go fishing today instead."

Bartlett's wife, Lauren, posted her first victory today, but said she would absolutely never do the race again under such conditions. "That was the most crazy, hardest, stupidest thing I've ever done. I must have hit 15 walls! But I had the best support group - they kept me going, plus I got an extra charge out of hearing that Kai had won."

Of all of today's paddlers to cross the line, Australian Lisa Curry-Kenny was the only one willing to commit to returning to do the race again. She placed second in the women's OC1 division to Bartlett in a time of 7:04:22. When Curry-Kenny won this race back in 2005, she did so in a time of 4:46.

"I don't think anyone has done these kind of times before - we've done the distance, but never the time. It was a total slog. But it was character building and I want to do it again. I was on the pace - I had Lauren in my sights the whole time. I've done three hard weeks of back-to-back races, and considering that, I think I did bloody well today!"

The women's ocean kayak division was won by Maui paddler Megan Quale, 31, who made her first crossing of the Molokai Channel today.

"I was thinking it was going to take four hours," said Quale. "It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life and as I was bonking out there I was thinking that I'll never do this again! But I had really good people rooting for me and they have been behind me for months, so I did it for them - especially my sponsor Lahaina Chevron. I couldn't have done it for myself."

Today's race was made possible by presenting sponsor Epic Kayaks, who design, manufacture and distribute composite sea kayaks, paddles, surf skis, K1 and K2 kayaks, and also by the support of the Park Shore Waikiki Hotel, Lulu's Restaurant Waikiki, and Steinlager. Full results can be found at:

www.pacificsportevents.com/Races/Epic/OVERALL_COM.HTM

TOP RESULTS:
Men's Ocean Kayak:
1. Lewis Laughling - Tahiti - 5:20:06 - $3,000
2. Hank McGregor - South Africa - 5:22:16 - $1,500
3. Dawid Mocke - South Africa - 5:25:27 - $1,000
Men's OC1:
1. Kai Bartlett - Maui - 6:07:56 - $3,000
2. Greg Long - Australia - 6:14:24 - $1,500
3. Maui Kjeldsen - Maui - 6:18:11 - $1,000
Women's Ocean Kayak:
1. Megan Quale - Maui - 6:39:39 - $750
2. Maggie Twigg-Smith - Oahu - 6:45:41 - $300
3. Heather Nelson - Washington - 6:49:44 - $200
Women's OC1:
1. Lauren Bartlett - Maui - 6:54:59 - $750
2. Lisa Curry-Kenny - Australia - 7:04:22 - $300
3. Arlene Holzmam - Oahu - 7:27:53 - $200

Some nice comments coming through, such as, '...loving these bits and pieces you are putting up, good work, brings back great memories!' from Brad Kane, Australia. Jerry Guy of Oxnard California, past Offshore California crew member of '89 and '90 victories at the Moloka`i Hoe and Hamilton Cup Australia, was moved to send some great follow up regarding our Retro Images of the Hamilton Cup, within our Galleries pages. Katherine Lynch of Hong Kong comments, 'Thanks for the information on Kanu Culture and the notion of developing outrigger canoeing as a subject of academic study - a great idea!'

Thanks for your support, I'm enjoying being able to keep on sharing information and over the coming months this site will become increasingly interactive so as you can join in with comments. I am more than happy to post your images and comments of your paddliing experiences at our Galleries pages, it's a great way to share with others from around the world and promote your events.