MOLOKAI 2 OAHU // Paddleboard World Championships ๐
WHAT.A.WEEKEND!!!
The Molokai2Oahu Paddleboard World Championships, acclaimed as "the world's most challenging paddle race" took place on Sunday in the open waters of Hawaii.ย This 32-mile journey, across the 2,300ft deep Ka'iwi Channel that connects the Islands of Molokai and Oahu, has challenged athletes since the first organized outrigger race in 1952.
Four of our leading ladies, Harriet Brown, Lizzie Welborn, Maddie Spencerย and Terrene Black, cleaned up the competition; Harriet, Lizzie, and Maddie taking out gold, silverย and bronzeย respectively in the Paddleboard Solo, withย Terrene winning the Stand-Up Paddleboard Solo,ย allย completing the 52km challenge in under 6ยฝ hours. Aussie gals can paddle! Our hearts are explodingย with admirationย and prideย ๐๐
Officialย Results:
ย HARRIET BROWN - 5:51:32 - 1st Female PDB SOLOย
ย LIZZIE WELBORN - 5:56:19 - 2nd Female PDB SOLO
ย MADDIE SPENCER - 6:18:32 - 3rd Female PDB SOLOย
ย TERRENE BLACK - 5:25:27 - 1st Female SUP SOLOย
Jess was there to witness the action firsthand, aboard Harriet's support boat.
The days leading up to the big event were filled with Hawaiian happiness - photoshoots, befriendingย wild piglets, resting andย relaxing (well, attempts at relaxing, alongside an extremely non-relaxed Harriet). Friday arvo, we jumped on a teeny tiny prop plane to Molokai, where the serious race-prep began. Race briefing, media interviews, nutrition prep, etc, etc.
RACE DAYย began at 5:15am; smashed a hugeย breakfast, then warm up, plusย a few last minute hiccups (Harriet's drink holder was nowhere to be found... cue minor freakout). Upon arriving at the beach, the traditional pre-race Pule' [Hawaiian Prayer] brought us all together for a quiet moment, before the enormity of what was about to happen settled in. The Solo Paddleboard Division kicked off at 7:30am, the beginning of nearly six hours of ultimateย commitment and perseverance - Harriet dubbed this year's crossing as "the hardest 52km race I have ever done both mentally and physically". Over the next fiveย hours my job was the drink b!tch; it was myย responsibility to keep Harriet hydrated and motivated throughout the race, doing drink bottle swaps whenever she needed, which meant jumping off the boat andย swimming out into the middle of the channel holding a fresh drink bottle of electrolyteย and other gels high above my head so she could snatch it out of my hand as she flew past. Keeping motivation high also meant singing to Haz from the boat, not sure if she really loved my rendition of "Just keep paddling" but I gave it my best.. There's a strong possibility she paddled faster to escapeย hearing it hour upon hour..
Sighting the finish line was an immense feeling of relief; there were real moments of despair, uncertainty, pain and exhaustion, but we all knew she could do it. And she did it. She won. TWO TIME MOLOKIA2OAHU CHAMPION,ย Harriet is one crazy badass woman!! Witnessing the grit and determination it took to cross that evil looking channel and watching her dig deep when her mind and body just wanted to give up, she truly is an inspiration to so many people!
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