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Meanwhile as competitors paddled out, the surf began to build.  You could make out the sets in the sparkling distance growing taller.  Everyone moaned.  The green water and blue skies merged and painted a false sense of serenity, for we all knew the impending danger.  As the paddlers scrambled, the surf crunched into them and wiped out a slew of competitors. There was a large collective gasp from the beach. Soon boards and flotsam began drifting in, “So much for the start.”  At the next buoy, the surfing leg began.  It looked cool as a dozen surfers regally stood side by side Malibu style.  As they prepared to turn around a buoy to head back out, that’s when the carnage began.  To turn a 19 ft board  on a dime while surfing a crowded wave with 12 other guys, is not possible.   Everyone went down. Boards went flying; swimmers were ducking, diving and dodging.  The crowd went wild alternating from cheers to sympathetic moans.  Dodge-ball?  Nope, dodge-board.  As the swimmers retrieved their boards, the next wave brought in more surfers. The surfers freaked out as they desperately tried to avoid running over bodies and boards. It was like Waikiki Beach full of tourists.  

The eventual winner Jamie Mitchell retrieved his board early and got the heck out of the pile- up as fast as he could.  This was his big chance and he was experienced enough to take advantage of it.  It really was the turning point of the contest.  With surfing skill and endurance the 8 time winner of the Molokai Paddle-board took a commanding lead to the finish in a time of 1hr: 07min: 45sec.  Meanwhile back at the ranch, the rest of the competitors were literally exhausted from fighting the waves and each other.    For an hour and 39 minutes we witnessed the ebb and flow of pandemonium from shore.  Several times a competitor would pass others only to be taken out by a loose board or a rogue wave. We began to realize the breaking surf was the great equalizer.  Nearly everyone on the sand had a special competitor to cheer for, which made it both exhilarating and heart wrenching.  We all laughed and cried together.  Entertaining? Yes it was.  Here was a real live show, better than any reality TV program. 

Men division. The three top money winners were 1^st Jamie Mitchell 1:07:45 home town Gold Coast/NA, 2^nd Slater Trout 1:09:35 Home town Lahaina/HI, 3^rd Danny Ching 1:10:36 home town Redondo/CA.  Incidentally, Slater Trout is tall but only 14 years old.  You go boy.

Women division.  Shakira Westdrop won the overall womens division finishing 24^th overall in a time of 1:16:00.  In second place was Candice Appleby finishing 48^th overall in a time of 1:20:28.  In third place it was Brandi Baksic finishing 49^th overall in a time of 1:21:14. For official results please click on http://www.rainbowsandals.com/battleofthepaddle/Results1.asp

The next day at 9:00am the schedule was set for a 10-mile distance race, followed by a short break and finally a relay race.  In the 10-miler, it was a straight up, "Mano-a-mano race".   It was line up and go!   Snorting and wheezing men and women headed downwind for five miles. Danny Ching catching little bumps and surfing, using his outrigger skills soon outdistanced everyone.

At one point the announcer on the PA system said he was clocking 8+ knots and clearly walking away from the field.  Coming back into the head wind was a different story.  No more surf, no more current, just a miserable grind.   Danny forgot his camel-back water pack.  So he stuck a bottle of Gatorade in the back of his shorts.  I can’t see how anyone can paddle 10 miles with a bottle stuck in your shorts.  Heck that would drive me nuts..."Ah youth.”  About a half mile from the finish he began to see stars and decided to stop and drink.  But then he looked at the finish line and said, “What the heck, forget the drink might as well go for it.”   Surfing a wave to the finish he raised his paddle over-head in victory.  A small backwash hit his board and he nearly fell off, the crowd held their breath then gave a sigh of relief.  
Top ten finishers were. 1. Danny Ching 2. Rob Rojas 3. Thomas Gallager 4. Chuck Patterson, 5. Scott Gamble, 6.Aaron Napoleon, 7. Jeff Silva, 8. Brandon Denos, 9. Byron Kurt, 10. Mark Raaphorst.  

Women’s division:  Brandi Baksic of San Clemente won the women’s division finishing 25^th out of 107.  Finishing second 36^th overall was Candice Appleby.  Great job Candice.  Finishing third 43^rd overall was Jenny Kalmbach, good job Jenny.  Wow.  They beat a lot of guys.  Great job.

The relay race consisted of teams of paddlers taking turns at racing, sort of like a tag team. Men: Team La hui kai took 1^st, Team Bark took 2^nd and Team Ohana took 3^rd. Women: Team 10-4 1^st, Team just pick it 2nd, Team La hui kai 3^rd.  Danny Ching was presented the award for the Most Combative Paddler of the contest after his relay team placed 3^rd in the final event.

Russ Cole of Ohana surfboards and Joe Bark of Bark Boards were two very happy guys.  The boards they built were well represented by many of the top competitors.  They were beaming from ear to ear.   I can’t recall all the surfboard manufacturers, but there were many others that were well represented.

Common thread.

Eight of the top ten finishers were outrigger paddlers. Also division winners Eric Starnes and Willie Reichenstein were outrigger paddlers.  So it seems that there is a common thread here with Standup Paddling acting as the intermediary sport that invites a cross with paddle-boarders, kayakers, surfers and outriggers.  One can already see the influx of athletes merging.  It’s a cross training which targets the legs, core muscles as well as upper body.   

Talking to Vicky Mills afterward, she showed me a couple of stitches and said her board hit her on the head at the first turn.  I recalled seeing her during the race.  She had just completed the first turn, but lost her board.  Suddenly she came running by the crowd dazed and bedraggled without her board, but still running, probably operating on auto pilot.  Then her story became as blurred as her memory.   As luck would have it I got to meet an old friend Edmund Pestana, whose brother Melborne used to race hot rods with me in high school.  I happened to hear his name announced as the winner of the Senior master’s division.  I knew he became a Lifeguard and wondered if he was the same kid I knew when I was a teenager.  So I took a chance and left a message on the award he was supposed to pick up.   When we met we barely recognized each other, but it was a precious moment we will not soon forget.  Aloha Edmund.

I must say the Luau and in fact the entire event was well organized. A superb Tahitian band and dance troup did a fantastic job.  It was some of the best drumming I’ve heard since Bora Bora.  The entertainment was mixed with songs from Titas Kinimaka and friends.  We happened to eat dinner next to David Nuuhiwa and friends who said he was there to help set up the event. There was an unusual big screen set up above the stage.  It was used to project the videoed races and events of the day.  It looked like metal with holes in the screen and one can actually see through it.  But when night came, it lit up better than any flat surface.  Maybe it’s the industry norm of today and I’m just behind the times. 

Looking at the overall picture, to be able to win next year one must be a good surfer, a good paddler, posses endurance, strength, athletic ability and yes, Lady Luck must be on your side.   Oh did I mention air- fare, health insurance and a sponsor?  A job might help.  Other than that, don’t take it lightly when they say, “Good Luck.”

Mahalo  Al