76
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Danny Ching ran up the beach on his way to victory in the 10-mile Downwinder.
Californian Danny Ching made it a complete sweep yesterday at the inaugural Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle by winning the 10-mile event in tough conditions off Duke Kahanamoku Beach.
Ching already had won the 5-mile event on Saturday and turned the trick in the 10-mile Downwinder, showing no fatigue in the stretch drive.
"I didn’t expect that at all," Ching said after yesterday’s victory. "I was hoping to win one of the days, but luckily it panned out for me. I definitely felt fatigued (in the distance race). But once I got out into the surf I was able to build a bit of a gap."
The 27-year-old Ching won the elite 5-mile race in 1 hour, 22 minutes and 42 seconds to pocket $5,000 on Saturday. He earned another $1,100 yesterday in the 10-mile downwind race in a time of 1 hour 26 minutes.
