On Molokai race day we ran a poll asking who was favourite to win the race.  Dawid topped the poll with more than twice the number of votes of the next paddlers: Hank McGregor and Lewis Laughlin. 

2 1/2 hours into the race Dawid made his break away from the pack.

We lost track of Dawid for a couple of hours.  Eventually we heard that Lewis Laughlin had taken an inshore line, with Hank McGregor on his tail.  At that point "FlatTire" posted the following:

It looks like the tide is about to switch. With the tide rushing from north to the south it looks like the guys that ran a little north may have made a nice move. The water may push them around diamond head faster than the guys who will be trying to fight their way straight into Waikiki.

We were on tenterhooks, talking to Jodi Wilmot at the finish as she finally caught sight of the leading paddler - was he wearing an orange shirt?  Nope, and as we all know, Lewis took his first and well deserved victory, Hank coming second and Dawid third, five minutes behind Lewis.

Dawid in mid-channel (Photo: Pierre Tostee, Covered Images)

Dawid's Comments 

Here are Dawid's comments on the race: 

If you read the comments by "Flattire" on the live update article you'll have an excellent idea of what happened to me. He was spot on with his predictions as Lewis paddled exactly where Flattire said the best lines would be. Hank was with Lewis.

From my point of view... I had to go at 2 hours as there was a gap and that was my opportunity. I knew I only had 5 hours in the tank AT MOST!

So I had to be at the finish line at 5 hours or game over!

And that's exactly what happend. With 4 or so kms to go I could see the finish buoy and was still in the lead... All of a sudden, 500m on my inside I saw Lewis coming past like a steamtrain and there was nothing I could do.

A minute later, Hank comes past on the same line.

I am happy with my race as I did exactly what I was capable of in those conditions and under all the circumstances surrounding my preperation (tick bite fever a month before and key eye-witness to a murder 3 days before the race).

Those were the two guys I picked personally who could possibly beat me if I didn't get there under 5 hours...

(Daw had the horrific experience of two hoodlums firing shots at each other from either side of his hire car.  They fired over 40 shots at each other over and around the car before one finally riddled the other with bullets...  For this story, see Dawid's website at www.themockes.com)

Dawid's GPS Track

Dawid's GPS Track (with Oscar Chalupsky's positions)

Click here for Dawid's track on MotionBased.

Comments (7)

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written by b, May 24, 2007

I could not finish the race due to heat stroke and puked all over my escort boat. My plug was pulled at around the 3hr 45 minute mark. I hopped in the boat and15 minutes later saw Dawid so far ahead of anybody else it is a wonder he ended up 3rd place, he was in an entire different zip code. My escort boat driver is a fisherman in the area. He said the line he was on was straight up river! He said " Bra dis no good" I watched the top three paddlers for a bit. I don't know how they do it.

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written by MFB, May 24, 2007

Is Dawid wearing his Forerunner on his wrist or was it mounted somewhere else?

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written by andy45, May 24, 2007

it's mounted to his footstrap.

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Forerunner
written by daw, May 24, 2007

Hi MFB, I strap the Garmin 305 Forerunner to my footstrap. Its just a normal watch on my wrist. Happy paddling.
Dawid

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Race Comment
written by GD, May 25, 2007

I tried to finish this race and gave all I could. Having done the PE/EL in Dec 06 (Double Ski) the thought of only 60kms in any conditions... not finishing never crossed my mind. I got to 45kms....was sea sick ,lost all my liquid and strength...had fought cramps in my thighs for an hour or so(was lying on my back in mid channel tryng to stretch out ...and was moving the ski at only 7kms ph against the current with the end in sight(try paddle at that speed - it is hard to even go that slow on flat water). It was brutal & they pulled me out. We did a few practise runs from China wall to the finish...and each time the ski's that got inside the Diamond Head ....running the back of the surf line(risking the reef) got home so much faster. An old hand at the outrigger club drew us a map of how the swell, tide and current all rush down the Island towards Molokai (especially on a south swell, which is what we had) and the winning boats always come in on a line just off China Wall....direct through the two outgoing rivers....on the Black Point line....then shoot around the Diamond Head to avoid the current. Anybody who finished this race is in my book a hero - and anybody who thinks they know better should try it. The ocean is so powerfull out there & I belive that this race at 6ft swell down wind is going to a massive challenge as well. It is the World Champs with good reason. I have been, I have seen.

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written by MFB, May 25, 2007

Hi Dawid,

Its unfortunate you didnt win the race. You had a pretty good run but as you said, the last 4 to 5 kilometers decided it. You did your best at that time and didnt quit. Congrats on the finish, you inspire a lot of us. Hope you can go to our country one of these days for a ski seminar. : )

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written by Damian, May 27, 2007

Howzit Daw. Good effort mate. I still rate you as number one. Please make sure that you are there next year. You have paid the school fees, next time is your time.

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