Thursday, July 29, 2010

Star Bulletin on Molokai 2010 by Dayton Morinaga

Dayton has covered the Molokai to Oahu paddleboard race since its inception 14 years ago, and it was great to have him back from his new job reporting for XTERRA to cover the 2010 race!


When it comes to paddleboard racing, Australia's Jamie Mitchell owns all the major titles and records ... basically, the whole 9 yards.

Now he has nine consecutive world championships to prove it.

Mitchell won the Molokai 2 Oahu World Paddleboard Championship yet again yesterday, continuing his unprecedented run of dominance in the sport.

"I don't know, I don't look at specific numbers in terms of goals," said Mitchell, 33. "I'm just always wanting to better myself, have a better race."

The 32-mile race across the Kaiwi Channel is considered the world championship of long-distance paddleboard racing, and nobody has come close to Mitchell in the last nine years.

In his latest victory, Mitchell completed the course from Kaluakoi, Molokai, to Maunalua Bay, Oahu, in 4 hours, 52 minutes, 45 seconds. It was about 4 minutes shy of the record he set in 2007, but still a remarkably fast time when considering the "sloppy" conditions across the channel yesterday.

"You could feel the current ... just the wind and slop made it hard," Mitchell said. "It definitely wasn't the hardest one I've done, (but) it wasn't the best one. It was sort of somewhere in between."

University of Hawaii professor Kanesa Duncan Seraphin also continued her dominant run in the women's division, winning her eighth title yesterday.

Dave Kalama of Maui was first to finish in the stand-up paddleboard division, and Andrea Moller of Maui was the first female in the SUP division.

More than 140 paddlers participated in the race.

Australians took the top three places in the traditional paddleboard division. Well behind Mitchell were Jackson English in second, and Joel Mason in third.

English's runner-up time was 5:07:54, or approximately 1.5 miles behind Mitchell. Mason placed third in 5:15:42.

"I don't look back," Mitchell said. "I just think that they're right there, and that keeps me going."
English, who also placed second to Mitchell in 2008, said: "Jamie's an absolute master out there. He's got an extra set of arms and just nails it, and he did it again. Jamie's the man. He set the standard a long time ago. Just to be close to him, I'm really happy."

Interestingly, Mitchell said he actually trained less this year despite relinquishing his job as a lifeguard in Australia. Sponsorships from Quiksilver clothing and Kaenon sunglasses allowed him to focus on his athletic endeavors (Mitchell is also a professional big-wave surfer). But it also required him to make several international trips for photo shoots.

"To be honest, this year was more of a challenge," Mitchell said. "With all that (sponsorship) comes more commitment and more trips overseas. I missed probably six weeks of training I usually wouldn't miss out on, so in the back of my head, I was a little nervous today, actually."

Mitchell said he dedicated the victory to his grandmother and his fiancee's grandmother, both of whom died this year.

Mikey Cote of Wailupe placed fourth overall in 5:17:56, and was the first finisher from Hawaii. He won the stock paddleboard division last year, and switched to the open unlimited division this year (in the stock division, all boards are 12 feet; in the open division, boards can be any size).

"I told myself I would be happy with top 10, so this is awesome," said Cote, who used a 16-foot, 10-inch, board.

While the lead pack of Australians took a northerly course, Cote was alone on a southerly route. He said it may have played a role in his top-four finish.

"I thought I would just go where the water was taking me," Cote said. "The first 25 miles, the bumps were lining up perfectly. I had no idea where anybody else was, and to be honest, I don't know how well it helped to go that far south, but I know that I'm usually not that close to those (Australian) guys, so I'm happy with it."

Duncan Seraphin added a name -- and husband -- to her repertoire, but it hardly slowed her down. She completed the course in 6:02:45, well ahead of the rest of the women's field. Joanna Bilancieri placed second in 7:21:27.

"You kind of just run your own race when you don't know (where the competition is)," said Duncan Seraphin, 34. "I was trying to gauge off the men."

Duncan Seraphin got married last December, and her husband, Thor, was on the escort boat assisting her across the channel yesterday.

In the popular SUP division, Kalama made up for a disappointing fourth-place finish last year with an emotional victory yesterday. He finished with a time of 4:54:15.

Prior to the 2009 race, Kalama wanted to paddle in honor of Emily Haagens, who was battling cystic fibrosis. She died in May of this year.

"I really wanted to do better for Emily last year and then she passed away this year," Kalama said. "That was huge motivation for me. I felt like she was on my tail riding with me this time."

His cousin, Ekolu Kalama, placed second yesterday with a time of 5:03:13. Ekolu won the SUP division last year.

Moller won her first SUP women's title yesterday with a time of 6:00:00. She previously won three Molokai-to-Oahu races as part of the Team Bradley women's canoe-paddling crew.

"Any win is always a blessing," she said. "It was a really tough channel."

Jenny Kalmbach of the Big Island placed second in 6:09:50. She won the women's SUP division last year.

Among other finishers, two physically challenged athletes completed the crossing. California's Jeff Denholm, who uses a prosthetic arm, finished in 7:49:10; Kailua's Mark Matheson, who is a paraplegic from the chest down, finished in 8:56:45.

XCEL Press Release - Molokai 2010

XCEL promotes Molokai to Oahu paddleboard race in the press and on their website. Check it out!



Molokai 2010 - Official press release!

MITCHELL CLAIMS 9TH MOLOKAI-2-OAHU WORLD PADDLEBOARD CHAMPIONSHIP
DUNCAN-SERAPHIN CLAIMS 8TH WOMEN'S TITLE

Treacherous Channel Dishes out Trademark Highs & Heartbreak
Maui's Kalama & Moller Take Stand-Up Paddle Honors

 
HONOLULU (July 25, 2010) -- Australian Jamie Mitchell, 33, claimed an unprecedented ninth Molokai-2-Oahu World Paddleboard title in Hawaii today, completing the 32-mile distance just four minutes outside of his own record in a time of 4 hours, 52 minutes and 45 seconds. His record of 4:48:23, set in 2007, stands for another year. Mitchell attributed today's convincing win to experience in Hawaiian waters that allowed him to overcome an uncooperative ocean of disorganized  swells. And if Mitchell is the 'King of Paddleboard', then Hawaii's Kanesa Duncan-Seraphin, 34, is the 'Queen', claiming her 8th Molokai-2-Oahu title in a time of 6:02:45 - less than 10 minutes shy of the record she set in 2004.

Above: Jamie Mitchell. Credit: Bernie Baker.

In the men's division, it was 1-2-3 for Australia with Jackson English, (5:07:54) in second, and Joel Mason (5:15:42) in third. Fourth-placed Mikey Cote was the top placing Hawaii paddler (5:15:42). Beyond the finish line, Mitchell and English were paddling today to raise funds for SurfAid International. Their impressive 1-2 finish will likely see them surpass their $10,000 target.

"You had to really work for everything you got out there," said Mitchell. "The wind seemed a little more out of the north, meaning a lot of of disorganization out there so you had to really work through the bumps.

"There was no real current, but the wind and the swell just made it hard. It was definitely not the hardest one I've done, but it wasn't the best one, either, maybe 6 out of 10."

Duncan-Seraphin was perhaps a little more forgiving: "It was  a fairly fast course, but it was technical. The bumps were very close together and you really had to stay focused. I love this race and this was my 10th (year doing it). I'm just stoked to finish. I felt like I had a great race today. This was one of my top 3 performances."

Victory in the stand-up paddle (SUP) men's and women's divisions went to Maui's Dave Kalama (4:54:15) and Andrea Moller (6:00:00), both setting records for their  respective divisions. Stand-up paddlers can be faster across the channel than the traditional paddleboarders, as standing upright with the wind at your back, and using a paddle can be of assistance. Kalama was roughly two minutes behind Mitchell, and Moller was two minutes faster than Duncan-Seraphin. Today's rough surface conditions were a particular test of balance for the SUP contestants.

"There are a lot of really good sprinters, but I'm not one of them, so the windy races are what I train for and that's what I'm built for," said Kalama. "I'm really happy I won. Last year was really frustrating and to comeback and win it means everything."
              

Above: Kanesa Duncan-Seraphin
Above: Andrea Moller
Credit: Bernie Baker
Above: Dave Kalama (L) & Jamie Mitchell (R)

Renowned as one of the most treacherous bodies of water in the world, the Molokai Channel upheld its reputation today dishing out either high times or heartbreak. One hundred and fifty paddlers started out today, eight did not officially finish. Among the eight were 2009 runner-up Brian Rocheleau (Hawaii), who was forced to withdraw part-way through the race due to severe illness. Mark Matheson (Hawaii), the only paraplegic to ever undertake the famous Molokai Channel crossing, found himself on a sure course to finish today, but lost his mandatory escort boat to engine failure with 10 miles remaining and was forced to call it a day. Kauai's Ann Hettinger, 52 and the oldest woman to SUP solo across the channel, had to withdraw after 11 miles when the steering rudder on her paddleboard failed.

But like every channel swell, every trough has a peak, and it was high times for many paddlers who accomplished personal bests today. Among them were 12-year-old Riggs Napoleon (Hawaii, 7:10:30), the youngest person to ever cross the Molokai channel on any unmotorized watercraft; and Jeff Denholm (California, 7:49:10), an inspirational athlete who designs his own prosthetics and then puts them to the ultimate stress tests in a variety of sports. Denholm, 43, lost an arm to an accident on a fishing boat off the coast of Alaska more than a decade ago, but never allowed it to undermine his athletically driven lifestyle. He crossed the Molokai Channel last year in spite of his prosthetic glue giving out on him. Today he posted a personal best of 7:49:10 and vowed to return even faster in 2011.

"I jumped up to an 18-footer today and I wrestled it the whole way and had a hard time, but the arm was a bomber!" said Denholm. "So just one more piece of the puzzle: if I can figure out a board that matches what I can do then I'll be faster. It was humbling as usual. My arm worked great, the crew was strong, but I just got on a board that I couldn't handle. I was paddling sideways the whole time.  I was more sideways then I was straight! But I'll be back."

COMPLETE RESULTS CAN BE FOUND AT MOLOKAI2OAHU.COM
or pseresults.com
(Full list of official results not available at time of issue)
MAJOR PLACINGS:
Men's Traditional Paddleboard.
1st. Jamie Mitchell (Australia) - 4:52:45
2nd. Jackson English (Australia) - 5:07:54
3rd. Joel Mason (Australia) - 5:15:42
4th. Mikey Cote (Hawaii) - 5:17:56
Women's Traditional Paddleboard:
1st. Kanesa Duncan-Seraphin (Hawaii) - 6:02:45
Men's Stand-Up Paddleboard:
1st. Dave Kalama (Hawaii) - 4:54:15
Women's Stand-Up Paddleboard:
1st. Andrea Moller (Hawaii) - 6:00:00

Media Contact:
Jodi Wilmott, Ocean Promotion

FTP broadcast quality TV highlights package and high resolution images available.
Contact Jodi Wilmott, Ocean Promotion.

Ocean Promotion | PO Box 223 | Haleiwa | HI | 96712

Saturday, July 24, 2010

MOM BLOG Volume 4: The New Perpetual Trophy

There's a NEW Trophy this year... However, not everything about it is new. Many of the names and dates are old. Because... on this trophy are the names of those athletes who came in first and second in every event both male and female since the first crossing.

Never did get a chance to find out what these two were laughing about, but it was fun to see them enjoy themselves.


(Blog by mom - aka Karen Duncan)

MOM BLOG Volume 3: Many Faces, Some New, Some Old...

With a full slate of racers, there were many I'd seen over the years and some who were new to the channel. I have included a few here... Good Luck everyone... We'll be looking for you all at the finish!

(Blog by mom - aka Karen Duncan) 
Jeff
Mikey

Candice
Jackson

Rock
Kanesa

George
Ann
Joss
Jamie

MOM BLOG Volume 2: Formal and Informal Press Conferences featured many racers.

   

Once again I got to tag along to another press conference. Cameras and microphones filled the lanai. In addition to numerous formal interviews going on at the same time, athletes did their own brand of interviews with each other. They talked story about where they'd been, what they'd done since the last channel crossing and what they expected and hoped this year would bring.

(Blog by mom - aka Karen Duncan) 

MOM BLOG Volume 1: Molokai2Oahu, here we come...

Hi - I'm Karen Duncan, Kanesa's mom. I'm visiting Kanesa in Hawaii and will be taking over the blog for the next few days as Kanesa preps for Molokai. Hope you like the pictures and the updates!


Jamie & Kanesa were invited for a live morning news spot on KHON2 and I got to tag along. Watching it live and on the monitors at the same time was quite interesting. The spot was short but the conversation between the two prior to the interview was filled with lots of paddle talk and reminiscing about the ten years they have known each other and all the events they have attended together.

(Blog by mom - aka Karen Duncan)

Friday, July 23, 2010

Siren Songs Volume 3: Joanna Bilancieri, Honolulu - Oahu

I don't remember exactly when I met Joanna. All of the adventures sort of blend together, but I think it was about 11 years ago when she decided to train for the six-man canoe races in Tahiti when she didn't canoe paddle at all. She just got on a one-man, headed out on a SUPER-WINDY Hawaii Kai run & called it success. She paddled about 2 miles out to sea, caught waves, and loved it! As I've come to know, this is typical Joanna style!



Mid Channel, Kaiwi, 2009


Marathon? check.

XTERRA? check.

Gnarly off-road bike vacation in a foreign country solo? check.

Outer reef surf in victory-at-sea conditions? check.


Joanna does it all, and she does it with a big smile! (She also goes pretty damn fast!) ... so it comes as no surprise that in 2008, when Joanna came to watch the Molokai race finish, that she would instantly fall in love with the challenge of Kaiwi.

As she says, "I watched my friends cross the finish line of the 2008 Molokai race and immediately was addicted to paddleboarding!  Crossing the channel was added to my list of adventures.

Practicing diligently, on a stock Bark board, I prepared for the challenge in 2009.  Molokai 2009 was one of the best days of my life, and I heard a lot of competitors complaining about the conditions.  I thought to myself, "Well, if I had that much fun, I cannot wait for 'good' conditions!"


My adrenaline rush lasted as long as I was unable to lift my arms overhead
--- 3 days!


Needless to say, I was already stoked for 2010--this time on custom Bark unlimited board.  I started training at the end of December, 2009 and gradually progressed the workouts with short sessions, long sessions, and really really long sessions, upwind, downwind, crosswind, and days of victory at sea.  I added cross training, swim lessons, circuit training (and, of course, surfing, kitesurfing, mountain biking, trail running :) )--all to prepare to work with Mother Nature, regardless of the mood she was in on any given day.



I was fortunate to attain sponsorship by Hammer Nutrition, keeping me fueled on the journey, and Mr. Joe Bark himself.  Joe made me two magic carpets, and I am forever grateful. 



I have to share some of the most awe-striking experiences I have had while paddleboarding.  I caught amazing waves starting beyond Castles to inside Kaimana, from Sandbars to the channel.  I encountered two whales breaching on the North Shore, about a hundred yards from me.  I told a Hawaiian man at Ali'i Beach Park who was staring at the horizon looking for whales.  He told me that I was blessed.... and, if that was not close enough, I was paddleboarding a Hawaii Kai run and had a whale breach no more than 20 yards from me, up and over my path!  If I wasn't in a state of shock, I probably would have felt its splash--I guess I am really blessed having gotten that close.



Paddleboarding draws a vibe from the ocean-conscious and those of great athleticism.  I just wish I had gotten on board 10 years ago!  Off to paddle..." (ok well rest - we're on taper to Sunday!)



Look for a strong showing from Joanna this Sunday. She is sure to turn some heads and push the pace! Oh, and if you happen to work yourself too hard during the race, look her up next week. Joanna is a physical therapist who runs her own practice, Back In Action, Inc., located in Kailua, Oahu.

Siren Songs Volume 2: Turtle Rudolph, Del Mar, CA

I first met Turtle in Fiji in 2006 at the Paddle for Peace race. We had a couple of epic adventures paddling in rivers and in pumic-laden waters! I was so impressed by Turtle's positive attitude and love of the ocean, people and life in general. I'm so stoked that she is here this year to paddle Molokai, and I'm stoked that she agreed to write a piece for the blog.

Del Mar Junior Lifeguards Wish Turtle an Epic Race!


From Turtle -

Paddleboarding is a great sport - I feel very fortunate every time I head out for a paddle! Also, because of paddleboarding, I have met a lot of great friends, traveled to Australia, Fiji and all over California to compete, and seen all kinds of marine life. I can always find some peace of mind out in the ocean.

I have been wanting to cross the Molokai channel for about 10 years now.

Out in the California bumps, dreaming of Molokai and wishing for warm water? :)

It finally all worked out this year, and I have enjoyed the whole process leading up to the race or my “adventure” as I have been calling it!   Well, almost the entire process, there have been some COLD miserable paddles along the way this year in California!

I have had a lot of  fun with my paddling/training partner Shannon Delaney and a lot of support from my friends and the guys and gals at work (Del Mar Lifeguard/Junior Lifeguard Departments).   2 of my lifeguard buddies, Tomas and Kurt, will be cheering me on across the channel in my escort boat!



I am nervous and scared and excited all at the same time!  
 
(that makes about 150 of us Turtle! We'll see you on the water Sunday!)

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Last Hawaii Kai Run before Molos #10 ...

Few words needed to tell the tale of this paddle. I'm going to let the pictures (and Eric - in the video!) do the talking.

Coach Eric showed up to put the Pink Panther through some paces.

The wind was not "all it could be"... but we were up for the HKai run nonetheless!


Eric got some video of me paddling the new board - going really well in the small bumps!
 



Thanks Coach!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Siren Songs Volume 1: Kiyomi Sheppard, North Shore - Oahu

To highlight the unique individuals participating in this years' races, I have asked my friends to take the blog reigns for a post and give you a taste of what it's like to be them. I hope their stories inspire you as they have inspired me!


Siren Songs Volume 1: 
Kiyomi Sheppard, North Shore - Oahu

Kiyomi is Japanese born and raised. She came to the North Shore of Oahu, like so many others, on a journey looking for waves and surf. She found that she loved Hawaii and made it her home. Like many North Shore waterwomen, Kiyomi took to paddleboarding to complement her surfing. She completed the Molokai Channel for the first time in 2007 and took the past two years off to have a baby. Now, she is back for 2010!

In her own words, "When l first started paddleboarding, I couldn't understand  the enjoyment of paddling. Now I see that all the paddling is paying off!

I feel good!  My surfing has improved!

After having a child (my son Nalu is 2 years old), I lost my baby weight by paddling. Now that I've trained for next week's Molokai race, I feed physically and mentally strong!

I want to use this opportunity posting on the blog to wish good luck to all paddlers in Molokai and to thank my son and my husband for the support that they both give me.


I'm so happy to try the Molokai race again!

Mahalo,
Kiyomi

Look for Kiyomi to have a great finish and a winning smile on July 25th. She will be escorted by son Nalu and husband Buddy!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Garden Island Newspaper says - 2 paths to same journey - Molokai

Article by David Simon - The Garden Island | Posted: Saturday, July 17, 2010 11:45 pm

 LIHU‘E — Sometimes in sports, as in life, athletes can reach the same destination by traveling along much different paths.

As the Moloka‘i to O‘ahu Paddleboard Race draws near, the sold-out event will have the most participants in its history, including 12 women who will be making the 32-mile journey across the Ka‘iwi Channel as solo competitors.

Two of those 12 women are Kaua‘i residents who have much different histories in terms of experience, but are two of the most compelling athletes to follow during the July 25 event.

Ann Hettinger of Princeville will be making her first attempt at the Moloka‘i race, taking to the water among the ever-growing field of stand-up paddlers. Hettinger came to Kaua‘i for the first time in early 2000 after living most of her life in Denver, then returned as a resident a few years ago. The 52-year-old grandmother, who says she was a two-pack-a-day smoker until the age of 35, has just over a year’s experience in SUP. She said that while first learning, she would just go out on a giant surfboard. “I loved it because it was a way for me to get out on the water,” she said. “I just fell in love with that.” While still living in Colorado, Hettinger gave up smoking and began long-distance running. She now feels that her open-water adventures are mostly a new and improved way to push herself, both physically and mentally. “I feel so blessed to be out there,” she said. “The open ocean, it’s an amazing place, but one to be very highly respected.”

Kanesa Duncan Seraphin is a highly respected traditional paddler among those in the know. The Kapa‘a resident is approaching her 10th entry into the Moloka‘i race and has finished in first place in her division seven times. Duncan Seraphin, who moved to Hawai‘i in 1999, said she can still remember reading about the Moloka‘i race for the first time in the newspaper. That particular year, no women had entered and only three had crossed the channel in the event’s history. “That’s what inspired me, that newspaper article,” she said.

After participating in some six-man canoe competitions, Duncan Seraphin competed in her first paddleboard race from Sunset Beach to Waimea Beach in 2000. She then bought her very own paddleboard for the first time in 2001 and took to the Ka‘iwi Channel. That year, she was the only woman to paddle solo in the event and broke the women’s record as a first-time competitor.

Since 2001, she has taken on the challenge of the Catalina Classic, traveled to compete in Australia, done a number of recent paddles on Kaua‘i, among other open-water events.
“Once I got into the sport, it’s like a family,” she said. “Everyone was really supportive of me and of me doing well.”

Hettinger has also been privy to an outpouring of support along her journey.
“Last year in April, a friend asked if I wanted to paddle outrigger,” she said. “I fell in love with that. Then through outrigger, I found out about Moloka‘i.” In September, Hettinger made the decision to take on the 32-mile solo paddle, mostly because she wanted to challenge herself and see what she was made of. The unique nature of her story provoked a friend to suggest she document her training, concluding with the Moloka‘i race. She was put in touch with Joel Guy, a North Shore resident born and raised on Kaua‘i, who felt that this was a story worth telling. Guy, both a filmmaker and surf cinematographer, founded Hanalei Grass Shack Productions in 2003. The two formed a partnership in which Guy has recorded her entire training process, able to use the surrounding scenery almost as its own character. “We’ve got such a great backdrop,” she said. “I mean, we’ve got Kaua‘i.”

On Nov. 16, two months into her training process, Hettinger was out for one of her typical runs when she was attacked by a dog on Kuhio Highway in the Waipa area. “There were actually two dogs that I saw, so I turned around to go back to Hanalei,” she said. “But the dog was on the attack. Thank goodness this guy stopped.” Hettinger was rescued, but the ensuing leg injury required surgery and put her on crutches for six weeks, setting her behind schedule for training and keeping her out of the water for three months. “Every night I would go down to the Hanalei Pier on crutches and just look at the water,” she said. “People would see me and say ‘We are all cheering for you.’ ” When she was able to get back in the water in February, Hettinger began to get more involved in open-ocean paddling. The experience was still a new one for her and she would ritually go out with a partner. On one of her training days at Kahlihiwai, Hettinger’s partner was unable to make it to join her. She decided it was an opportunity to test her mettle. “I said to myself, ‘If I can’t get out there by myself right now, I don’t belong in Moloka‘i,’” she said. So she informed a friend that she was heading out, threw her cell phone and other precautionary items into a small bag and set into the water solo. “That was a big turning point,” she said. “It was probably the best thing I could have done for myself.” Hettinger’s training has continued on schedule, with a strong workload on her plate each day. She typically will do an ocean run with a lot of training in the mountains — seven to 10 miles — to build leg strength. She said she also paddles every day.

Similarly, Duncan Seraphin originally found a marathon training schedule and adapted it to the water.
“I write out a training program for the season, then try to stick to it, depending on the surf and the wind,” she said.

Ocean elements are an issue of which Duncan Seraphin has unique knowledge. When she isn’t in the water, she is a scientist specializing in marine science education. “I teach others how to teach about ocean sciences,” she said, noting that many of her students are at the graduate level, education and science majors. “We talk about wave motion, tides, underwater pressure, all different types of concepts.”

Though she doesn’t know Hettinger personally, Duncan Seraphin said that she knows her story and feels it is an indication of the growth the Moloka‘i to O‘ahu race has experienced. “I think that (Hettinger) doing the race, it’s sort of the epitome of being inspired by this channel and everybody crossing on the same day,” she said.

That idea of togetherness is one that the seven-time champion stressed as one of the major characteristics of the paddling community. “It’s really like a family,” she said. “There is something about it that’s pretty amazing, that camaraderie.”

With July 25 approaching on the calendar, Hettinger said she is experiencing a myriad of emotions.
“As it has drawn closer, a little bit of anxiety, excitement, fear, you name it — I think I’m facing every emotion,” she said. “I think it’s going to be like giving birth. I’m not sure what it’s going to be like, but I know it’s going to be painful.” Hettinger will be heading to Moloka‘i on Friday and is hoping to mentally prepare for the culmination of her journey. “I just want to get into my zone, think about all the preparation that I’ve done, get into my own space and get real quiet with myself,” she said. “Everything to this point has just been eat, drink, sleep Moloka‘i.”

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Cline Mann - view from the beach



Last week I posted the results of the Cline Mann race. 

This week: the photos.


The finish. And the awards.
Thanks to the Outrigger Canoe Club, the Cline Mann race committee of Dolan Eversole, Scott Gamble, Kimo Greenwell, Kristin Lee, Angie Giancaterino, Keoni Watson, and Todd Bradley, the beach services staff lead by Don Isaacs, and OCC general manager Mike Ako for a wonderful race.


A preview of Molokai: Joanna Bilancieri, myself and Kiyomi Sheppard. 
All going solo unlimited paddleboard accross Kaiwi channel. 
July 25, 2010!


Also, from the lens of paddleboard legend, Australian Jamie Mitchell's, fiance Joss Kempe:
A terrific video of the Cline Mann race. 
Check out Jamie's blog at http://jamiemitcho.blogspot.com/.


Cline Mann Paddleboard Race 2010-www.jamie-mitchell.com from Jamie Mitchell on Vimeo.

The Book of Shells

Fabio Moretzohn, my fellow graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Zoology department recently published an amazing Book of Shells.

The book, co-authored by Dr. M.G. Harasewych,  hit NY Times best seller list!

Fabio taught me a lot about genetics, PCR, sequencing... and how to look like an evil lab scientist using dry ice during lab tours. Seriously; I remember him pouring dry ice into a flask for the express purpose of making our lab look "creepy".

According to Fabio, "The book is aimed toward the educated lay public who has an interest in natural history, but it can easily be read by children. The graphic designers did a great job at producing an eye-catching book, with an interesting layout, showing each shell in life-size, as well as a photo of the whole shell in case of large shells. Although it is intended as a coffee table-type book, there is a lot of current scientific information in it.

A nice review article was published in the New York Times, both in the online and print editions, on July 13, 2010 (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/science/13shells.html). The online article has a nice slide show with short passages from the book (http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/07/12/science/071210Shells.html).


The short article became popular, and the New York Times featured a link, with a photo of shells from the book, on the front page of its website. This caused enough traffic to drive the book to the bestseller list at Amazon! It is currently (as of 7/15) ranked as number 1 in several lists, including: Marine biology, Biological Sciences, Outdoors & Nature, Zoology, Animals, Seashells, and others. At some point it reached number 57 among the millions of books sold at Amazon. To see the current ranking, check the link below:
http://www.amazon.com/Book-Shells-Life-Size-Identifying-Classifying/dp/0226315770/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b"


Books on Science - Seashells by the Thousands, and the Stories They Tell - NYTimes.com