The malolo weren’t the only creatures flying across the Ka‘iwi Channel on Sunday. Giving the flying fish a run for speed across the 32 miles were the top competitors in the 43rd Maui Jim Molokai Challenge, including the six men who broke the 21-year-old surfski record and the three women to top the one set in 2010.
Australia’s Cory Hill led the fast pack into Koko Marina, crossing the finish line off the Kona Brewing Company docks in 3 hours, 15 minutes and 9 seconds, just 20 seconds ahead of defending champion Hank McGregor of South Africa. It was Hill’s second victory — the 29-year-old finished in 3:22:17 in 2015 — and over 30 minutes faster than his 3:45:50 last year when he finished third.
“To come in first in this race, with so much history, is something special,” said Hill, paddling in his sixth Molokai Challenge. “We had some of the greatest conditions the race has seen. The last five years all we’ve heard about is the good years, and to finally get a taste of that, to see what it is all about, is just an honor to be out in that channel.
“You’ve got 32 miles in your language and 52 kilometers in ours, it’s hectic out there. There’s always that hope in the back of your head (for a record). I knew I could do it if everything turned out right. Some of my great mates have won this race, some of my idols. I can’t wait to have a beer with my good friend Dean Gardiner and tell him how much better we are these days.”
Nine-time champion Gardner, 54, who set the record of 3:21:26 in 1997, was eighth overall on Sunday in 3:27.40. Also coming in under the old mark were South Africa’s Jasper Mocke (3:17:03), Hawaii’s Pat Dolan (3:17:57), three-time champion Clint Robinson of Australia (3:18:51) and Australia Macca Hynard (3:21:04).
Eleven-time winner Oscar Chalupsky, 55, finished ninth overall in 3:32:35. It was some seven minutes slower than when the South African won his first title in 1983.
South Africa’s Hayley Nixon took the women’s surfski title, finishing in 3:52:32 to erase the mark set by Hawaii’s Lauren Spalding eight years ago. Defending champion Rachel Clarke of New Zealand was second (3:53:54) and Australia’s Jordan Mercer, a six-time Molokai to Oahu paddle board champion, was third (3:55:37) in her first channel race on a surfski.
“Great conditions today, very different than being on a paddle board,” Mercer said. “You always want to challenge yourself and today it was competing with the best in the world.”
Conditions were perfect for breaking the mark, with 15- to 20-knot winds out of the north-northeast, a rising tide and clean, surfable swells. It was something that organizer Jim Foti of sponsoring Kanaka Ikaika expected even before the start of Sunday morning’s start off Kaluakoi, Molokai.
“The conditions were fantastic, not huge, not scary but it was fast,” said Foti, who finished in 3:55:25 in the OC-1 relay division with Heath Hemmings and Chris Maynard. “I did feel like it would be a record day, based on the tide and the winds.”
Sunday’s field also was a record with 178 paddlers registered competing on solo and double surfskis, and one-man outriggers (OC1).
No paddler from Hawaii has won the men’s title since Kalai Handley in 1978.
“It’s good to be the first Hawaii paddler to finish but the goal is to win,” Dolan said. “Personally, today was the best one in my 10 years. We lucked out with the strong wind and the tide. It made for a quick crossing. There were a lot more smiles today than last year.”
Linda Robb of Keaau teamed with Hilo’s Jill Dawrs and Cathy Bender of Kailua in the OC1 relay, finishing in 5:33:51. The men’s OC1 solo title went to Kainoa Tanoai (3:38:47) and the women’s to Andrea Moller (4:15:03).
