| Jamie Mitchell wins the Honoula Ocean Paddle Race on the Gold Coast |
| Saturday, 30 May 2009 10:38 |
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Australian paddling star Jamie Mitchell (Currumbin, Queensland) made sure history didn’t repeat today, storming to victory in the Honoula Ocean Paddle Race on the Gold Coast. 31-year-old Mitchell, who wiped out of last year’s event after the rudder on his paddleboard snapped as he made his way out to the offshore start line, completed the eight kilometre open ocean race from Snapper Rocks to Currumbin unscathed, crossing the line in a in a time of 51 minutes and 48 seconds. The paddleboarding ace says he was stoked to take the win after an unfortunate finish in the 2008 race. “I felt pretty good out there today,” he said. “Last year was disappointing, but when you dealing with the ocean anything can happen.” “Towards the end we had a few nice runners and you could really feel the board moving. It was so much fun.” It was clear sailing for the seven times Molokai to Oahu Paddleboarding Championship title winner from the stater’s gun, shooting to an early lead before widening the gap by race end to finish almost four minutes clear of Dean Hamner (Broadbeach), who crossed the line in 55 minutes and 37 seconds. “My plan was to go flat stick off the start,” said Mitchell. “I figured that going as hard as possible off the start line would open up a gap for me. I just kept paddling and didn’t look back. I guessed it paid off. Mitchell is in training for the Molokai to Oahu Paddleboarding Championship, which is regarded as the world championship of paddleboard racing. “Today’s race was a good test for us,” he said. “It’s a gauge for how we are going for Molokai. I felt in top form.” A record 115-strong field started the day’s race with a fresh influx of outrigger canoe paddlers joining paddleboarders and their stand up alternatives for the prestigious race. The race’s status was upgraded with a prize purse of $4500, a competitor prize giveaway of two return airfares from Australia to Hawaii, plus $1000 of restaurant prizes for the Thrower Drive Restaurant precinct at Currumbin. Gold Coast lifeguard James Watson (Burleigh Heads) scorched to victory in the unlimited open men’s Stand Up Paddle (SUP) division, finishing the race in a super fast time of 56 minutes and 40 seconds. Gold Coast ironmen Hayley Bateup was also in the mix today, finishing in third in the unlimited open women’s division. She was defeated by Bianca Lee (Southport – 62.26) and Kristyl Smith (63.10). The third annual event was an outstanding success, helped by record field, great paddling conditions and a friendly vibe. But it wasn’t just Watson and Mitchell who impressed, with 15 other divisional winners crowned. The festivities continued post race with the presentation of trophies and competitor BBQ, plus the post race function at the Boat Shed Café. The event catered to stock boards and unlimited boards. Divisions included: Stock: Open Men, Over 40 Men, Over 50 men, Open Men SUP. Outrigger: Open Men, Open Women, Over 45 men and Over 35 Men. The Honolua Ocean Paddle Race is proudly supported by Connecting Southern Gold Coast (CSGC), Hawaiian Airlines, Coastalwatch, XCEL Wetsuits, Dakine and Surfing Queensland.
Stock Open Men SUP: 1st Woogie Marsh 2nd Troy Pease 3rd James Brydon
Stock O/50 men: 1st Chris McGuckin 2nd Kevin Flood 3rd Ian Brown
Unlimited Open Men: 1st Jamie Mitchell 2nd Dean Hamner 3rd Sean Campbell
Unlimited Open Men SUP: 1st James Watson 2nd Paul Jackson 3rd Kelly Margetts
Unlimited Open Women: 1st Bianca Lee 2nd Kristyl Smith 3rd Hayley Bateup
Unlimited Open Women SUP: 1st Shakira Westdorp 2nd Sue Sheard 3rd Jasleigh Geary
Unlimited 0/40 Men SUP: 1st Phil Gregory 2nd Dale Chapman 3rd Alain Teurquetil
Unlimited 0/50 Men: 1st Leo Barnathan
Junior Men: 1st Fletcher Davies 2nd Sam Burke 3rd Dominic Cormack
Junior Women: 1st Amy Elkington 2nd Kirra Wilson 3rd Maddi Stewart
Open Men Outrigger: 1st Travis Grant 2nd Paul Sloman 3rd Steven Murphy
Open Women Outrigger: 1st Liz Spooner 2nd Taryn Lavery
Over 35 Men Outrigger: 1st Matt Carter 2nd Peter Dories 3rd David Forbes
Over 40 Men Stock: 1st Nick Carroll 2nd Grahame Tate
Over 40 Men Unlimited: 1st Mick Dibetta 2nd Warwick Rose
Over 45 Men Outrigger: 1st Chris Maynard 2nd John Stewart 3rd Neville Terkelsen
Stock Open Men: 1st Nathan Henderson 2nd Jackson Maynard 3RD Michael Chan
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