Posted on: Sunday, July 20, 2003

ISLE FILE
Australians sweep paddleboard races

Advertiser Staff

Australian Jamie Mitchell was the only competitor to break the 1-hour barrier in winning the Hennessey's International Paddleboard Championship yesterday on O'ahu's North Shore.

Mitchell completed the 8›-mile course from Turtle Bay to Waimea Bay in 59 minutes, 59 seconds. He led an Australian sweep of the top three places.

Jackson English placed second at 1:01:58, followed by Mick Dibetta in 1:02:36.

Another Australian, Hayley Bateup, finished in 1:14:22 to win the women's division.

Brian Rocheleau of Hawai'i Kai was fourth overall and the first from Hawai'i in 1:02:49. Aaron Napoleon placed sixth overall and was second from Hawai'i in 1:04:00.

Kanesa Duncan was the first female from Hawai'i and placed second to Bateup in 1:19:41.

Another Hawai'i competitor, Jimmy Austin, placed first in the stock board division with a time of 1:07:19 (competitors could enter either the open division for paddleboards of any size, or the stock division for identical 12-foot paddleboards).

More than 120 competitors from around the world participated in the event, which was being staged in Hawai'i for the first time. The inaugural race was held in Australia last year, and Mitchell also won it.

The various division winners split $11,000 — the largest prize purse offered for a paddleboard race in Hawai'i.

Most of the competitors will enter the Quiksilveredition Moloka'i to O'ahu Paddleboard Race on July 27. Mitchell is also the defending champion of that race.

Paddleboards are streamlined surfboards designed to ride open ocean swells. They are powered only by arm strokes.

MEETING

• QB Club: Rich Olsen, former University of Hawai'i pitcher and head coach of the Hawaii Island Movers, is scheduled to speak at tomorrow's meeting of the Honolulu Quarterback Club.

Rex Johnson, Hawai'i Tourism Authority executive director, and Nicole Wylie, owner of the Pacific Blast women's professional football team, are also scheduled to speak.

Lunch — $7.50 for club members, $8 for non-members — begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Pagoda Hotel ballroom. The program begins promptly at noon.

FUND-RAISER

• OCC aids former manager: The Outrigger Canoe Club is hosting a benefit for former general manager John Rader, who recently had a quadruple bypass and is now in need of a liver transplant.

The event will run from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and includes a live and silent auction. Tickets are $100. Call JoAnn at 923-1585.

HIGH SCHOOLS

• Pearl City seeks coaches: Pearl City High School is looking to fill the several coaching positions for the upcoming school year.

Positions are available for boys and girls varsity soft tennis, boys and girls varsity tennis, girls junior varsity tennis and varsity softball.

Send resumes by Friday to the Pearl City Athletic Department Attn: Roy Ichinose, 2100 Hookiekie St., Pearl City, HI 96782. No phone calls please.